2 14 [February, 



group (black with a reddish margin), and many spiders. I also took one example of 

 StracMa, which curiously resembled the more abundant of the two Chrysomelidce, 

 being marked with exactly the same tints of vermillion, black, and cream colour, and 

 in a nearly similar manner. As the Strachia is in all probability disagreeable to the 

 taste, I suppose this to be a case of protective resemblance on the part of the beetle. 

 The only thing against this is the apparent rarity of the Strachia, which I have not 

 seen elsewhere, while I have found the beetle also at Dillon on the Pacific slope, and 

 near Saguache in the San Luis Valley. — T. D. A. Cockeeeil, West Cliff, Custer Co., 

 Colo., U. S. A. : November 12ik, 1887. 



Saplocnemus impressus, Marsh. — A few days ago, while in the neighbourhood 

 of Dean Forest, I made a search for this rare species in an orchard near Newnham-on- 

 Severn, where I have taken it sparingly on one or two occasions under bark of old 

 pear trees. I could not, however, discover the perfect insect, but obtained one larva ; 

 the species has been recorded rarely from the London district, the New Forest, 

 Granville's Wootton (Dorset), Sutton Park (JBirmingham), and Carlisle, and also 

 from the Forth and Tay districts of Scotland. It is however, apparently, commoner 

 than S. nigricornis, which has occurred near London, and has also been recorded 

 from Hastings, the New Forest, Leicestershire and Yorkshire. In the latter county 

 it has been taken by beating birches in woods in July. As a rule both the species 

 are found under bark, but in summer they come out upon flower and foliage. By 

 some authors H. impressus and H. nigricornis have been considered identical, but, 

 apart from the fact that the latter species is dark bluish-green, and the former 

 bronze or blackish-bronze, the punctuation of the elytra is rather coarser and more 

 diffuse in H. nigricornis, and, in some specimens at all events, the thorax is more 

 finely punctured ; the structural diiferences are, however, it must be allowed, very 

 slight. — W. W. FowLEE, Lincoln : January 10^/t, 1888. 



Nothochrysa capitata in Norfolk. — -There appears to be some occult connection 

 between an unusually hot summer and the occurrence of this rare " Lace-wing." 

 At p. 69 ante, I recorded an example from Stourton, Wilts. My friend Mr. Barrett 

 recently sent me two examples (out of three seen) taken at Bawsey Heath, near 

 King's Lynn, by beating fir trees. He hopes to obtain more next year. I share this 

 hope, but think its realization depends much upon the " season." — E. McLachlan, 

 Lewisham : November 10th, 1887. 



Notes on Philopotamus montanus, var. scoticus. — At Cloghereen, near Killarney, 

 there is a swiftly flowing stream which is fed by a small lake, which, in its turn, is 

 supplied by land springs, the water in both lake and stream even during August 

 being icy cold ; along the banks of the stream I captured large numbers oi Fhilopotamus 

 montanus, var. scoticus, but, although diligent search was made at intervals during 

 five and six weeks, no example of the type of montanus could be obtained, whilst, at 

 almost every other stream in the district, it occurred very commonly, although the 

 variety was not obtained. Towards the top of Mangerton there is a spring-fed lake 

 from which a stream flows (which, by the way, supplies the town of Killarney with 

 water) ; only the ordinary type of P. montanus occurs along its banks, this stream 

 appears to be very similar to the one at Cloghereen, excepting that it is at a higher 

 elevation. The variety scoticus seems to be, upon the whole, a larger insect, the 



