Reports to various Correspondents. 103 
line on each side extending from the base to the apex. Antennae 
with distinct three-jointed club ; legs reddish, testaceous. The accusa- 
tions against it are quite correct, for it frequently does much harm 
in its larval stage by tunnelling into wine corks. It is also found 
in refuse heaps, especially of hay and straw, in dung, especially stable 
dung, and in corn bins. Although it occasionally does much harm 
by tunnelling into corks, its normal food seems to be fungi, especially 
the fungus that grows round beer drippings on the floors of cellars. 
It is recorded from most localities in the south and midland 
counties, and is especially abundant in the London district ; in the 
north it is scarcer, gradually becoming more so in Scotland. It also 
occurs in Ireland at Dublin, Belfast, Waterford, etc. 
V. Atomaria nigripennis, Payk. 
This small beetle occurs in cellars ; feeding on fungi ; it is scarce 
and local, rare in the London district. It was taken in abundance 
in a cellar at Gloucester. It is 1^ to 1J mm. long, with head and 
thorax bright red and the elytra black ; antennae red, a deep fold on 
each side of the thorax ; the elytra are strongly widened before 
the middle, finely punctured, black, with the extreme apex and 
shoulder dull yellow ; legs testaceous. It does not attack corks. 
VI. Orthoperus citomarius , Heer. 
A very small beetle, ^ mm. long, found with the previous species 
at Gloucester. It evidently feeds on mycelia, as one dissected by 
Professor Harker has the oesophagus full of chopped mycelium. It 
is pale testaceous, the sides and apex of the elytra rather darker. 
It feeds on the fungus Zasmidium cellctre, according to Professor 
Harker, and cannot be looked upon as otherwise than beneficial. 
VII. Cryptophagus cellaris, Scop. ; C. crenatus , Herbst. 
Often abundant in cellars amongst refuse, fungi and heaps of 
corks; it also occurs in haystack and flood refuse. It is a small 
beetle varying from 2 to 2f mm. long, ferruginous in colour, finely 
punctured and clothed with thick dense grey pubescence ; on the 
elytra it is longer and arranged in rows ; the rather long elytra are 
widened a little in the middle, thickly and finely punctured; legs 
testaceous. I feel sure it feeds only on debris and fungi and does 
not attack the corks in bottles. 
Undoubtedly certain beetles lay their eggs in corks before they 
are used, because the wax has been seen perforated by the exit holes 
of some Coleopterous insect. 
