20 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ON A NEW VAEIETY OF PROAGODERUS RITSEMjE, Lansb. 

 (ONTHOPHAGID^). 



By John W. Shipp. 

 Proagoderus, Lansb. (Notes, Leyden Museum, 1883, v. p. 14). 

 Ritsemce, Lansb. I. c, p. 14. 



Var. duvivieri, Shipp = ritsemcB var. Duvivier, Ann. Ent. 

 Belg. vol. xxxviii. 



Yar. duvivierif Shipp. — Head of a slightly golden green 

 colour ; thorax dark green, more or less golden on the convex 

 portion ; elytra black, slightly tinted with an indigo blue ; legs 

 and feet dark green. The tubercules of the head are more pro- 

 nounced than in the type. Spines of anterior tibiae rather more 

 strongly curved. Pygidium rather more strongly punctured than 

 in the type. 



There appears to be no specific distinction otherwise than as 

 stated above, but it is distinct enough to be regarded as a variety. 

 Mons. Duvivier obtained his examples from Ibembo, while my 

 specimen, which agrees witii the description of Mons. Duvivier's 

 insect, was obtained from near Stanley Falls. 

 Oxford. 



NOTES AND OBSEEVATIONS. 



A Proposed New Work. — Messrs. H. Foster Newey and W. A. 

 Bollason inform us that they are engaged in the preparation of a work 

 on the larvae and pupae of British Butterflies and Moths, with careful 

 and concise descriptions and outline illustrations of all the species, as 

 far as possible, to form in general arrangement a companion volume to 

 Newman's " British Butterflies and Moths." To ensure the early 

 completion of the proposed work, they would be glad to have the 

 assistance of entomologists in procuring the larvae and pupae of such 

 species as they themselves are unable to obtain. A list of their 

 desiderata will be found in our exchange pages. We may add that we 

 have seen some proofs of their drawings and consider them excellent. 



Tenacity of Life in Insects. — Dr. Knaggs's interesting notes on 

 this subject (Entom. xxviii. 228) recall to my mind a case which I 

 think is worth recording. A few seasons ago 1 caught a fine specimen 

 of Dorcus jjarallelujnpedas, which I placed in my cyanide bottle, and 

 after leaving it there for some considerable time I took it out and set 

 it. I let it remain on the setting board for a fortnight, at the end of 

 which time I looked at it to see if it was quite dry and ready for 

 removal. It appeared to be exactly as I had set it, not a leg had 

 shifted ; but as I did not require the board for immediate use, I thought 

 I would leave it for another week to ensure its being thoroughly dry. 

 When I went to remove it I was surprised to find that it had released 



