410 NOTES ON NEW AND RARE LOCAL BEETLES. 



Thomson, in his " SIcandinaviens Coleoptera " (vol. v., 

 p. 295), 1863, retains the name of bkolor, GylL, but considers 

 Marsham's insect to be a synonym of it. StierHn, in " Die 

 Kafer-fauna der Schweiz," 1900 (vol. i., p. 496), also retains 

 bicolor, GylL, and places sciitellaris as a synonym of it ; and 

 this is the way it is treated in the latest European Catalogue 

 of Heyden, Reitter, and Weise (1891). 



In concluding these remarks about the synonymy of this 

 insect, it ought to be mentioned that Ganglbauer has selected, 

 as the name of the species, scutellaris, Charp., for what reason 

 it is impossible to say*. 



A few additional notes as to its habitat may be of interest. 

 As mentioned before, it occurred with anea, and this latter 

 was in countless numbers, in fungi growing on elm and holly 

 up to a height of twelve feet, or more, but bicolor was more 

 local, and was found chiefly in fungi growing on elm, and 

 later in the month on holly, and in greatest numbers at a 

 height of about only four feet from the ground. There were 

 numerous larvae in the fungi, most probably those of bicolor, 

 and in cells in the fungus stems I found some freshly emerged 

 bicolor. It appears probable, therefore, that its larval and 

 pupal life is spent within fungus. All the specimens of (ztiea 

 taken were fully mature, and amongst them were a few taken 

 from fungi on yew, agreeing in all respects with cB?iea, but 

 with the elytra shining black, instead of the usual bluish-green 

 colour. Upon briefly examining one of these holly trees a few 

 days ago (Feb. 5th, 1905) ceiiea was found in even greater 

 numbers than in the summer, making the fungoid surface 

 beneath the bark one blue glittering mass, and in a web 

 wherein numbers of anea had perished, a mutilated example 

 of bicolor was found. Further and more particular search, 

 I am sure, will bring to light bicolor's hibernating quarters. f 



* G-anglbauer probaloly considered it ncecssary to adhere to the strict law of 

 priority, and therefore to abandon the name bicolor, owing to its use by Marsham 

 in describing ceiiea. 



t Bicolor was eventually found hibernating gregariously as larvaD in moss at foot 

 of fungus-affected trees, and in the spring, after a short while spent in the pupal 

 stage, the perfect beetles emerge, and ascending neighbouring trees, lie " 'possum " 

 till their "food-fungi" appear. T. cenea hibernates as a perfect beetle (also 

 gregariously) under bark of trees. In the year 1906 7'. bicolor was found in some 

 thousands at more than thirty localities in Gibside and Hollinsido. 



