1868.] 



1G9 



On difference in shape of thorax in sexes of Hydroporus elegans, ^c. — I have 

 lately noticed that in the ? of Hydroporus elegans (depressus, Fab.) the thorax is 

 widest towards the front, with the sides strongly rounded and mnch contracted 

 behind, whilst in the <J the sides are comparatively slightly (sometimes scarcely 

 perceptibly) rounded, the thorax in a few instances being even widest behind. This 

 posterior dilatation is especially conspicuous in all my dark vars. of the species in 

 question, all of which are males. I find, however, some ? examples of the dark 

 var. amongst a number of the insect recently sent to me by Mr. Bold. These were 

 taken in a small Cumberland lake, called " Talkin Tarn," and present a somewhat 

 diflferent facies to ordinary brook specimens, being larger, proportionately longer, 

 and altogether darker in tone. Schaum, Ins. Deuts., 1, p. ii, notes that the Swedish 

 specimens are commonly longer than the German, with the black colour pre- 

 dominating ; and abandons his former idea that these might be referable to a 

 distinct species. I do not observe any similar sexual thoracic discrepancy in 

 the allied H. 12-pustulatus, Bavisii, assimilis, &o. ; nor can I find any record of 

 the fact, as to JJ. elegans, in Gyll., Aube, Eedt., Fairm., Schaum, or Thomson, all 

 of whom state the thorax to be strongly rounded at the sides. The latter author, 

 in his Skand. Col. Supplement (IX, p. 75), simply notes the very elongate, unequal, 

 anterior claws of the <J ; in which sex the anterior and intermediate legs are, also, 

 more robust. With regard to the dark var. above mentioned, I notice a curious 

 error in Aube's Gyr. et Hydroc, 507, where he states that the ordinary testaceous 

 spots sometimes disappear, and are replaced by testaceous lines, — "ce qui constitue 

 la var. h. de Gyllenhal." But Gyll., Ins. Suec, i., 526, thus indicates his var. h. — 

 ** elytris pallidis, nigro-lineatis," and " elytra pallida, lineis quatuor disci nigris," 

 — a form which has not come under my notice in this country. Schaum, 1. c, says 

 that the black sometimes predominates, the yellow forming mere lines ; the insect 

 then being Gyll.'s depressus. The form in which the yellow predominates he refers 

 to elegans, 111. 



In Lcemophlceus, of which the sexual thoracic difference of oatline ia welJ 

 known, it is the ^ that has the thorax most contracted behind. This, I presume^ 

 is due to the fact that the head, as frequently happens in Coleoptera, exhibits an 

 excess of development in that sex, and requires a proportionate widening of the 

 front of the thorax for its reception. The latter segment thus seems to be much, 

 narrowed behind, though in fact its posterior part is of the same outline as in the 

 ? .— E. C. Rye, 7, Park Field, Putney, S.W. 



Habitat of Epuraa. — Illiger, Verzeich. der Kaf. Preuss., 383, notes the frequent 

 capture of Epurcea limhata by Kugelann, under bark of apple and pear trees, in 

 company with Synchita juglandis. The former insect is not uncommon with us in 

 fiingi ; but, knowing, as we do, the parasitic habits of certain of its congeners 

 (e. g., E. angustula on Xyloterus, E. ohlonga 2in.di pusilla on Hylastes, &c.), this record 

 of association may not be altogether without interest, especially as the Synchita is 

 of such great rarity in this country. — Id. 



Occurrence of Rhynchites megacephalus, Germ., in Japan. — I was rather sur- 

 prised to find among some Bhynchophora from Japan obtained by me from Mr. 

 Higgins, of Bloomsbury Street, specimens of a Rhynchites which I am unable to 



