NOTES — COLEOPTERA. 9 J 



the flower-stalk is still short in growth. It is the other way about 

 in the case of the Great Burnet, and moreover, the structure of its 

 flowers is very peculiar, the petals being as it were almost attached to 

 the stem, and not to any special peduncle. It may be observed in 

 passing that a careful examination of the Silverweed (Potentilla 

 argentea) in the autumn disclosed the existence therein of a tannin 

 like that in the Blackberry ; hence the statement at page 25 that 

 1 there does not exist any tannin in any part of this plant } must be 

 modified. Moreover, this discover)- (not new, it appears) explains 

 the existence of crimson and purple flowers in other allied species of 

 Potentilla — in P. otrosanguinea, for instance — and might also more 

 or less justify an enterprising name 'splitter' in severing generically 

 these species from others, such as P. tormentilla, etc., which contain 

 a different kind of tannin. Finally, it seems pretty certain that 

 the Lady's Mantle, the Avens, the Silverweed, and the Common 

 Tormentil, all of whose petals are tinctured by carotin enclosed in 

 homogeneous chromoleucites, do not evoke in their young or wild 

 state a sufficiency of tannin or other red or blue colour — formative 

 material that would ensure a floral decoration more vivid and varied 

 than what we see in their natural condition. In these cases the 

 pigment-forming constituent seems to be used op for the preservation 

 of the roots rather than for the embellishment of the floral organs, 

 which are evidently replete with a highly-active protoplasm. Two- 

 general remarks may be appended as a final summary: — (1) It 

 seems certain that the soluble pigments of Rosaceous flowers are 

 derived from a colourless catechin (aldehyde) by a greater or less 

 loss of the elements of water, and (2) the bitter principle of the 

 Rosacece are mostly derivatives of phloroglucol, and hence very 

 considerably aid and abet the tannins and glucosides in the forma- 

 tion of phlobaphenes and blue and red colouring matters. 



NOTES— COLEOPTERA. 



The extremely mild weather of the 



of setera! 



Early 



present ye , .. „— , - - - 



species. A fine specimen of Coccinella septemfwutata L. was brought to me on the 

 1 8th Tanuary, and another on the 8th February. A male Dytucus marginal*! L., 

 which had been picked up in the yard attached to an hotel, was brought to me on 

 the 13th February. This I kept in confinement for some days !>efore disposing 

 of him finally.— E. G. Bayfoius Barnsley, February 17th, 1806. 



Gibbium scotias at Barnsley.— A living specimen of this beetle, mk yet 



recorded from Yorkshire, was brought to me by Mr. \\ . F. Brady on the 3rd of 

 February. As it was found walking over the breakfast table, there is a probability 



- • • However, as 



this is its first recorded occurrence in the county, it is not without interest. The 

 specimen in question, still alive, was exhibited by me at the meeting of the 

 Barnsley Naturalist an 

 F. G. Bayford, Barn 



■ 



that it is an imported specimen ^how, or with what, is uncertain. However, as 



occurrence in the county, it is not without in 



