COLEOPTERA. 161 



addition in the 1893 Catalof^ue. Mr. Ryo writes in the Ent. Mo. Mag., 

 vol. vii., p. 36 : — " I have also in my collection a specimen of a var. of 

 H./nscipt's, taken at Barnes, which I refer to the II. arnena, Solier, 

 conspicuous from its bright metallic green colour and bright legs (it is 

 quite mature). Erichson {('oL, Mar. 1839) refers to this var., which 

 seems identical with the prior //. chalcnnatus of Leach (1814) and 

 Stephens, Man.'' In Waterhouse's Catalogue (1861) H. chalconatus, 

 Steph., is regarded as a synonym of H./iiscipcs, L. Fowler says {Col. 

 Brit. J.s/c.s, vol. i., p. 222) : — " A variety (of H. /nscipes) occurs very 

 rarely in which the upper surface is of a strongly metallic greenish, or 

 bluish colour. In the series of H. chalconatus in Stephens' collection 

 there are two specimens of a very blue-green tinge. 



(To he concluded.) 



Habitat of Trogophloeus halophilus. — For some years I have 

 been in the habit of taking Tnii/oplilocus hahtphihis at Hastings. About 

 a third of the way up the cliff (which here is about 200ft. high) there 

 is a sheer rock, down which the surplus water from above occasionally 

 finds its way, leaving in places a crust of mud on the face of the cliff. 

 This mud, which is composed of very finely comminuted particles, is 

 chosen by the Troiiophloens. It drives little galleries through this, and 

 is often accompanied by Blcdius atricapillns. Its usual habitat is 

 given as salt marshes. In the spring it is not uncommon, and a week 

 or two ago I went to the locality accompanied by ^Ir. Donisthorpe, 

 when we found a series in the very first little collection of mud scraped 

 off and examined, much to the relief of my companion, who appeared 

 to derive very little pleasure from collecting between the cliff and the 

 Corporation stone-yard beneath, and whose expressions of satisfaction 

 when we reached the bottom were apparently of the sincerest. — W. H. 

 Bennett, F.E.S., 15, Wellington Place, Hastings. 



Habits of Pimelia bipunctata. — Amongst the entomological features 

 of Alassio was the occurrence, in considerable numbers, of the large 

 black beetle, Pimelia bipunctata, one oi the Tencbrionidac, on the sandy 

 shore, where, at the east end of the bay, a portion forming a small 

 sand-dune, rises to some height above high-water mark. This spot 

 was also occupied by a large colony of Fancratium uiaritiinuui, a rather 

 bold iris or lily-like plant, just coming into leaf. There was certainly 

 some relationship between the plant and the beetle, but whether that 

 extended to the larval state or no I cannot say. The sand had a short 

 clothing of some Mcdicaiio-Wkc plant, and, amongst this, seemed to be 

 covered with chips of charcoal. These Avere really the seeds of the 

 Pancratium, the black material being their outer covering of very light 

 cellular material, adapting them, no doubt, to be blown about the 

 sand by the Avind or floated to fresh coasts by the sea. In a very hot 

 sun the beetles were fairly active, but Avere often rather sluggish, and 

 Avere then very difficult to distinguish, half-hidden under the trefoil, 

 from the seeds of the plant. On several occasions tliey Avere seen to 

 be eating the seeds. They had a habit of burying themselves in the 

 sand, not for oviposition, for Avhich they Avere not apparently mature, 

 but for hiding. In doing this they scratched Avith their four front 

 legs, and Avhen sufficiently far in, pushed the sand out Avith their hind 

 legs, coming backAvards out of the hole to do so. On returning into the 



