168 



f December, 



Occurrence of MagdaUnus duplicatus, Qermar^ in Scotland. — Last year I re- 

 corded among my Morayshire captures that of Magdalinus carbonarius. This was 

 a mistake, for the correction of which I am indebted to Dr. Sharp, to whom I sent 

 an example for comparison with his Dumfries specimens of that insect. By him, 

 also, I was furnished with extract descriptions, from Thomson's work, of several of 

 the Swedish species that seemed most nearly allied to it. From a carefal perusal 

 of these, I concluded that M. duplicatus was probably identical with the Morayshiro 

 stranger, and accordingly requested Dr. Power to compare my specimens with 

 those representing that species in the British Museum. This he has been kind 

 enough to do, and his unhesitating verdict confirms my conjectures. I subjoin a 

 description of the specimens. 



Blackish-blue, linear elongate. Head sparingly punctured, slightly depressed 

 between the eyes. Rostrum much bent, black, shining and punctulated. AntennaD 

 about the length of the head and thorax, scape rather suddenly bent just before its 

 swollen tip, inserted near the middle of the rostrum. Prothorax as broad as long, 

 bisinuate at the base, with the hinder angles produced ; sides nearly straight for 

 about two-thirds of its length, then rounded towards the anterior edge, beliind 

 which a faint constriction is observable on the sides and beneath, slightly convex 

 above, closely punctured and dull. Scutellum rather narrow, punctured, and gene- 

 rally shining. Elytra blue, sometimes nearly black, pimctate striate, punctures 

 oblong, interstices flat, finely coriaceous, slightly shining, and generally with only 

 one row of shallow, squarish, punctures. Under-side coriaceous and punctured. 

 Legs nearly black, thighs dentate. Length 2i — 2^ lines. 



Antennae of female inserted immediately behind middle of rostrum. 



Found sparingly on Scotch fir in Morayshire. 



At first sight the colour and sculpture of my insect suggest our M. pMegmaticus ; 

 but on further examination, the more cylindrical body, shorter head, and bent ros- 

 trum serve to distinguish it from that species. It seems to be more closely allied 

 to M. violaceus of the European list, which, however, has the head smooth, and, in 

 the male, the rostrum straightish, with the antennas inserted at about a third of 

 its length from the tip. 



The uniformly black colour and sulcate elytra of M. carhonarivs, Linn., not to 

 mention other important characters, will pi'event any one who sees the two species 

 from confounding them. M. memnonius, Fald., formerly M. carbonarius, Fab., is 

 said to frequent Pinus sylvestris. It is not improbable, therefore, that it, and per- 

 haps others of the genus, may reward future investigators in our northern forests. 

 — RoBT. HiSLOP, Blairbauk, Falkirk, 7th November, 1868. 



Note on the genua Abbotia of Leach. — Having lately had to answer a question 

 concerning the genus Abbotia of Leach, I may here note, in order to savo persons 

 studying the Ilisteridce the trouble of searching, that the types of Dr. Leach's two 

 species of Abbotia are in the British Museum, and appear to belong to the genus 

 Platysoma ; the species A. Paykulliana being identical with P. depressa, and A. 

 georgiana with P. oblonga. 



Dr. Leach (Trans. Plymouth Inst., p. 155) gives the locality for both species 

 as Georgia in America, but this is probably a mistake, the insects perfectly agreeing 

 with the European species above alluded to. As a possible reason for these 

 apparent errors I may refer to the statement at p. 458 of Dr. Hagen's " Bibliotheca 

 Entomologica." — CiiAs. O. WAXJtEUOUSE, British Museum, November 14t/t, 1868. 



