In the early part of this work (folio 6) we gave some account 
of the genus Nebria , from which the present little group has 
been separated by Dr. Leach, and we regret not being in pos- 
session of his characters as well as his MS. name which has 
been adopted : the principal distinctions are the narrowed la- 
brum, the equal length of the joints of the internal, and the 
shortness of the 3rd joint of the external maxillary palpi, the 
more quadrate mentum, the horny and acuminated lip, and the 
slight emargination of the anterior tibiae. 
Our specimens of the rare insect figured (which has never 
been met with in England) were taken in a recent visit to Scot- 
land by Mr. Dale and myself, wdio found many of them in July 
at a considerable elevation on the north side of Schichallien ; 
and I again took them under fragments of stone near the 
summit of Craig-challoch, one of the Dochart hills near Kil- 
lin. From the habitat, the punctured furrows on the elytra, and 
the colour of the legs of the specimen figured as a variety, with 
which many of my specimens accord, I should have considered 
it the Cctrabus nivalis of Paykul; but the specimens in the 
British Museum, one of which perfectly agrees with that 
figured, and the others with our description, w r ere named by 
Dr. Leach Helobia Gyllenhalii , whose opportunities of ex- 
amining authentic specimens being greater than our own, we 
have been induced to follow him. Gyllenhal also says of 
Nebria nivalis , 66 Thorax brevissimus ; ” whereas the thorax of 
our insect is not shorter in proportion than that of the type ; 
and unfortunately I have not been able to find a specimen of 
II. nivalis in the British Museum or any cabinet I have had 
the opportunity of consulting. 
Out of 20 or 30 specimens of our insect we had nearly an 
equal proportion of those with ferruginous tarsi only, like IT. 
Gyllenhalii ; the others, like the figure, with ferruginous legs : 
there were males and females of each, but no intermediate va- 
rieties. This, however, does not affect the question, because 
it is common to the C ar abides , as may be seen in Calathus cis- 
teloides and Steropus madidus , some of which have black, 
others red legs. 
Helobia brevicollis Fab., Car abas rugimarginatus Mars., 
the other indigenous species is one of our commonest insects, 
secreting itself under stones and at the roots of trees : a good 
figure is given of it in Sturm! s Heat. Faun. v. 5. pi. 67. 
The pretty Saxifraga aizoides (Yellow Mountain Saxifrage) 
frequently added greatly to the beauty of the banks of the ri- 
vulets and springs where the insect was found. 
