LITTLE-EN-QWN COLLEMBOI.A.. 23 



as to leave a oousideraLle distance between the inner margins, 

 Seen from above, the claw shows several transverse bars, which 

 are very distinct in some specimens. I cannot say what tliese 

 are, but they may be thickenings between tbe two plates of the 

 claw. Dr. 0. M. Renter, in his study on the function of the 

 ventral tube (' Etudes sur les Collemboles,' Helsingfors, 1880), 

 lias some very interesting remarks which show the utility of this 

 hollow upper claw. Speaking of Smyntlmms apicalis, Eeuter, 

 he records having many times watched this little insect rub one 

 of the antennse with one or other of its claws, holding it so that the 

 hollow was touching the antenna. By this rubbing motion a tiny 

 drop of water was gradually collected from the hygroscopic hairs 

 and pushed nearer and nearer to the tip of the antenna, until at last 

 it was received into the hollow of the claw and transferred towards 

 the mouth. At the same time the ventral tube was pushed 

 forwards and the drop divided between the two tubes and the 

 mouth. It is probable' that in any of the long-bodied Collem- 

 bola the ventral tube would not reach as far as the mouth ; but still 

 the claw might be used as described by Eeuter for Smyntliunis. 



My specimens were gathered under damp wood in Jersey in 

 Dec. 1881, and sent to me by Mr. J. Sinel. 



On the British Species of the Genus Tomoceeus, 

 Lubbock, in his E,ay Soc. monograph, describes three British 

 species of Tomocerus, viz. T. longicornis, Miiller, T. plumhea, L., 

 and T. niger, Bour. Of these the first named is regarded by Tull- 

 berg as the T.phtmhea of Linnaeus, because Lubbock's T.plumbea 

 has not been found in Sweden, whereas the form with long 

 coiled antennas is very common there, and is found in just such 

 localities as described by Liunseus in his ' Fauna Sueciea.' Thus 

 it would appear best for us to drop the specific name longicornis, 

 and adopt that oi plmnhea, L., for this species. Next, as regards 

 the T. plumhea of Lubbock and T. niger, Bour. The only real 

 dift'erence between these two species appears to be that T. plum- 

 lea has the body-colour grey when devoid of scales, while in 

 T. niger it is yellow. It is very questionable whetiier in any 

 case the body-colour of a scaled species of CoJlembola is of 

 sufficient importance to be taken as a specific character. Of the 

 many specimens I have examined, referable to one or other of 

 these species, the majority have had yellow as the basis of the 

 ground-colour, sometimes with brown patches and sometimes with 



