5950 



Northern Entomological Society, 



*' Di/schirius nitiduSj D. salinus and D. glohosus. These three species are very 

 distinct, and cannot be confounded with each other. Banks of Ribble. 



Dyschirius iinpunctipennis P and D. thoracicus in general form resemble each 

 other, but are easily distinp^uished by the anterior tibise : in the first, they have externally 

 two very obsolete teeth, and the external spine at the extremity is incurved ; whereas, in 

 D. thoracicus, they are externally very acutely dentate, and the terminal spine is curved 

 outwardly. There are other differences, but these are quite sufficient to separate them 

 at sight. D. thoracicus is common on the coast below Preston. D. impunclipennis ? 

 may be taken by scraping the sand where small burrows are seen in the damp 

 bottoms, amongst sand hills at Wallasey on our coast in May: these burrows are 

 best seen after rain, when the sun has dried the raised sand, which it does in a few 

 minutes : they will be found close to the surface. Here also will be found the hitherto 

 scarce, but here abundant, staphyline, which seems to be the principal food of 

 the Dyschirius : on disturbing one of the burrows in which are both insects, the 

 Dyschirius seizes the staphyline in his mouth, and then looks vastly like an ant 

 carrying its load. 



" Pterostichus jEthiops. This species may be distinguished from small specimens 

 of P. madidus by the form of the elytra, which are narrowed in front and dilated 

 behind the middle; whereas in D. madidus they are as nearly oval as possible; the 

 difference is best seen on the under side. Scarce. Pleasington and Revidge, near 

 Blackburn, in March. 



" Pterostichus orinomus. This species, at first sight, resembles P. nigriia very 

 much, but is readily distinguished by the elytra being obliquely sinuated and narrowed 

 at the apex ; it has also five or six deep impressions irregularly placed on the third 

 interstice, but P. nigrita has only three, and they are not so deeply impressed as in 

 P. orinomus. I have only met with it on the moors near Accrington, where it appears 

 to be very scarce. 



" Amara orichalcica, A, brunnea and A. rufocincta belong to the section with legs 

 and antennae entirely red, but are the only species which have the margins of the 

 thorax red. D. orichalcica is easily distinguished by the apex of the elytra being 

 testaceous. There is no perceptible difference between A. brunnea and A. rufocincta; 

 the distinction is said to be in the form of the menlum : as we cannot dissect in the 

 fields, it is best to take all ; it is probable they will eventually be united as one species. 

 I took a pair of A. orichalcica running on the foot-path near some gardens in Black- 

 burn. The A. brunnea or A. rufocincta in the box is the only specimen I have taken. 

 Near Preston. 



" Trechus Discus and T. micros. T. micros is much duller coloured than T. Discus : 

 it is also narrower in proportion to its smaller size, and the dark patch on the elytra is 

 never distinctly defined ; in A. Discus the dark patch is always conspicuous. Both 

 generally distributed on the banks of the river Ribble, but rather scarce. 



" Trechus ruhens is easily distinguished by its general darker colour, &;c. Banks 

 of the river Darwen. Scarce. 



" Trechus lapidosus is easily distinguished by its larger size and flatter and broader 

 elytra. Banks of river Ribble. Very scarce. 



" Bembidium rufescens is easily distinguished. Not uncommon. Banks of river 

 Ribble. 



'■^Bembidium bruxellense and B.femoratum. These species are very closely allied: 

 in B. bruxellense the thorax is broader, and the fovea; much larger, with the space 



