152 { December, 
Note on a species of Ptenidiwm new to the British list.—In 1869, M. Bonvouloir 
published in Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., 4° sér., ix, p. 412, descriptions of two new species 
of Trichopterygia discovered by M. Wankowiez in Lithuania, and named by him 
Ptiliwm modestum and Ptilium intermedium, and through the kind exertions of 
Mr. Crotch, I have lately had an opportunity of examining the type specimens of 
both these species. The former, P. modestum, is very closely allied to P. myrmeco- 
philum, but differs from that insect in sculpture, form and size, sufficiently, I think, 
to warrant its separation. It has not to my knowledge been found in Britain. 
The latter, P. intermedium, represents a form which I had some years ago _ 
separated from P. evanescens (apicale, Hrichs.), but subsequently had replaced in 
that species as a variety. My reason for doing this was that I had seen only one 
specimen, which was not thoroughly mature; and, moreover, the points of differ- 
ence which it presented, viz., a less tumid thorax, and deeper punctuation, were 
such as often result from the drying of an imperfectly matured insect. But, now 
that other specimens, all bearing the same distinctive characters, have occurred, 
both in this country, and also on the continent, there cannot, I think, be a doubt 
that M. Wankowiez has done right in dividing this form from evanescens. 
Since, however, it is possible that some entomologist may follow the bad 
example of Gillmeister and again include all the species of this group under one 
generic appellation, I propose to avoid the repetition of “‘ intermedia,” Gillm., by 
calling this species, after its captor, “ Vankoviezii.” 
The characters by which it may be known from P. evanescens are these :—the 
thorax is less tumid both on the upper surface and the sides; the usual fovezs at 
its base are much more distinctly marked; the punctuation, both on the therax 
and elytra, is deeper and more distinct ; and the colour is throughout of a more 
rufous tint.—A. MarrHEews, Gumley, Market Harborough, October, 1870. 
Note on Ptenidiwm intermedium, Wankowiez.—Among some Coleoptera recently 
sent for determination by me to Mr. Rye, was a single example of a Ptenidiuwm, 
which that gentleman informed me was certainly new to our list, and which our 
great master of these little creatures, to whom he sent it, refers to M. Wankowiez’s 
insect above recorded. I found the species near Scarborough, underneath rotten 
birch bark, in the months of March and April.—THomas Witxkinson, 6, Cliff 
Bridge Terrace, Scarborough, October, 1870. 
Observations on Homalium Heerii.—The specimen so named in my collection 
and given to me by my friend the Rev. Thomas Blackburn, who introduced the 
species to our lisis on the authority of it and of other examples taken by himself 
at Rannoch, in July, 1866 (H. M. M., Vol. iii, p. 93), is certainly not specifically 
separable from the much vexed H. vile, Er., of which it appears to be either a 
light-coloured variety or an immature individual,—probably the former. I may 
observe, also, that, at a recent meeting of the Entomological Club, Dr. Power 
remarked to the same effect as regards his own British exponents of H. Heerii. 
M. Fauvel, when recently engaged on the Brachelytra, was glad to avail himself of 
a sight of my specimen above mentioned, which, sent as H. Heerii, was returned 
by him to me without comment. It seems not improbable that these Scotch 
insects really represent Heerii ; which, in that case, would of course have to sink 
as a synonym of H. vile-—H. C. Ryr, 10, Lower Park Fields, Putney. 
