xxiv Mr. T. J. BoMs 



insect was at first taken by Mr. Thomson, is immediately distinguished by its smooth 

 head. 



Not uncommon among fir-trees, in March and April, and again in June and July. 

 I have taken it on the Dartford Heath fence in April, and among some young firs in 

 my garden in June and July. Messrs. Bedell and Douglas took it at West Wickham 

 Wood, in March. 



This is not the argentella of Linneus, for Linneus says " Antennae fusco-annulata," 

 whereas the species is distinguished from one or two of its congeners by its concolo- 

 rous antenna. There is a specimen of " argentella " in the Linnean cabinet, but I 

 cannot identify the species : it may be an injured specimen of illuminatella. Fabri- 

 cius, and, after him, Stephens, have considered the argentella of Linneus to be a spe- 

 cies of Crambus, the description of the posterior wings, " lanceolatae, utrinque ciliatse," 

 being, in their opinion, I presume, applicable to that genus. 



The next group I purpose to have ready for the pages of the ' Zoologist ' is the 

 Gracillariae ; but in the meanwhile I am preparing a paper on the Depressariae to be 

 published in the i Transactions of the Entomological Society.' I may perhaps as well 

 mention here that a paper on the Microsetiae with eye-caps (augen-deckeln) was pre- 

 sented by me to the Society, at the July meeting, and is now in course of publication. 

 And I have now the cheering consolation that I am not alone in my labours among 

 the Micro-Lepidoptera, Mr. Douglas being engaged on the Anacampses, and Mr. 

 Weir on the Alucitidae. 



H. T. Stainton. 



Mountsfield, Lewisham, 

 October 28, 1848. 



Art. II. — Description of a New British Colymbetes . By Thomas John Bold, Esq. 



Genus. — Colymbetes, Clairville. 



Colymbetes (Agabus) dispar, mihi. 



Ovatus, fortiter convexus, postice attenuatus, nigro-fusco-subceneus, subtilitei' reti- 

 culato-strigoso-subpunctatus ; ore, labro , frontis thoracisque marginibus, maculis 

 duabus verticis, palpis, antennis, pedibusque rufo-ferrugineis ; elytrorum margi- 

 nibus basique plerumque late testaceis. Long. corp. 3 — 3£ Hn. 



Male. — With somewhat of the habit of C. paludosus ; ovate, very convex, glossy, 

 nigro-fusco-subaeneous, finely reticulate, strigose, subpunctate, more especially on the 

 head and thorax. Head scarcely convex, with two deep frontal impressions between 

 the antennae, and an obscure transverse vertical depression ; the mouth, labrum, head 

 in front, two large spots on the vertex, the palpi and the antennae rufo-ferruginous ; 



larches, in West Wickham Wood, at the end of May. Mr. Weir also observed the 

 insect in profusion at Mickleham. I have met with it myself at West Wickham Wood, 

 and in my garden, but only sparingly. 



