168 f December, 
Occurrence of Magdalinus duplicatus, Oermar, in Scotland. — Last year I re- 
corded among my Morayshire captures that of Magdalinus carhonarius. 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 fm-nished with extract descriptions, from Thomson's work, of several of 
the Swedish species that seemed most nearly allied to it. From a careful perusal 
of these, I concluded that M. duplicatus was probably identical with the Morayshire 
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. Antennae 
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, behind 
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, punctate 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 2^— 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. pJilegmatims; 
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 antennae inserted at about a third of 
its length from the tip. 
The uniformly black colour and sulcate elytra of M. carhonarius, Linn., not to 
mention other important characters, will prevent any one who sees the two species 
from confounding them. M. memnonius, Fald., formerly M. carhoncurius, 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, Blairbank, Falkirk, 7th November, 1868. 
Note on the genus Ahbotia of Leach. — Having lately had to answer a question 
concerning the genus Ahbotia of Leach, I may here note, in order to save persona 
studying the Histeridce the trouble of searching, that the types of Dr. Leach's two 
species of Abhotia 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 Amei-ica, 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." — Chas. 0. Watkrhouse, British Museum, November lith, 1868. 
