166 
[ December, 
Note on Coleoptera in Cheshire. — In January, in the burrows of Hylurgus 
piniperda, I met with a single specimen of Haplocnemus impressus. This must be 
a rare species near Bowdon, as I have met with but three others during the last 
few years, and these were beaten out of Scotch firs in June. JSgialia sahuleti 
occurred in sandy places on the banks of the River Bollen, and also in its tributary 
the Birkin ; and in the same places, under decayed vegetation, I have taken 
some fine specimens of Tropiphorus mercurialis. Elater halteatus was exceedingly 
abundant on birch trees at Carrington Moss, about the end of June. Phlaotrya 
rujvpes, 1 (? and 2 ? , superb specimens, I met with in August, on a felled beech 
tree in Durham Park ; along with them I took several specimens of Abdera quadri- 
fasciata and Melasis huprestoides. — R. S. Edleston, Bowdon, Cheshire, Novemier 
4th, 1867. 
Locality for OtiorhyncMis maurus. — I captured about a dozen specimens of this 
local species on Skiddaw, in July. — Id. 
Boreus hyemalis near Croydon. — If it be of sufficient importance, it may be 
noted that on the 3rd instant I found a male and female of this singular insect in 
moss growing on the ground under furze-bushes at Shirley, near Croydon. The 
bodies were pale greenish-yellow, which colour, according to Dalman (as quoted by 
Westwood), would indicate that the creatures are immature ; yet they were very 
lively, and jumped about like HalticcB.—3. W. Douglas, Lee, 8th November, 1867. 
[Mr. Scott has since taken a ? at West Wickham. Through the liberality of 
the captors all three specimens are now in my collection. — R. McL.] 
Note on Platymischus dilatatus, Westw. ? . — The ^ only of this curious little 
insect has been hitherto observed. Finding it to be common among sea-weed on 
this coast, I have made it my business to unearth the other sex, and have at last, 
I firmly believe, succeeded. Although I have never seen the sexes in coitu, yet 
the form which I wish here to introduce so exactly corresponds (barring sexual 
differences) with the well-known male, that, taking into consideration their peculiar 
habitat, and other circumstances hereinafter mentioned, I feel no doubt as to the 
correctness of my conclusion. Both sexes are abundant here, but not equally so at 
the same time. In the early spring the ? appears in great numbers, while the ^ 
is only to be found spai'ingly. At the present time (Oct. 23) the case is exactly 
reversed. In order to complete the generic diagnosis, I have drawn up a new 
description, including both sexes. 
Platymischus, Westw., Introd. vol. 2, Synops. p. 75 ; Forst., Hym. Stud., 2, 
p. 121, 123 ; Halid., Nat. Hist. Review, vol. 4, p. 167. 
Antennse S 14-articulat8e, scapo intus fortiter dilatato, fornicate, sub-triangnlo, 
art° 3° 2° longiore, oblique inserto, artt. 4 — 9 sub-soqualibus, sub-globosis, 10 — 14 
gradatim increscentibus, ult° oblongo : ? 12-articulata3, scapo lineari, quartam 
partem totius membri constituente, art° 2° 3° longiore, 4 — 8 sub-sequalibus, sub- 
globosis, 9 — 12 clavam formantibus, art° ult° maximo, oblongo. Abdomen ^ apice 
Bub-truncatum ; ? paulo longius, apice rotundatum, deinde abrupte apiculatum. — 
<? ? Prothorax depressus, cum mesothorace arete coalitus, sutura transversa 
fere obsoleta ; parapsidum suturaj nullae ; metathorax vix declivis, et cum petiolo 
brevi, crasso, dense tomentosus. Scutellum deplanatum, vix conspicuum, fovea 
basali nulla. Ocelli nulli. Alse nullse. Pedes breviores quam Diapriis ; femora 
incrassata ; tarsorum articulus nltimus leviter dilatatus. 
P. dilatatus, Westw., 1. c, vol. 1, frontisp. fig. 5: cf. Wailes, Berl. ent. 
Zeits. 1859, vol. 3, p. 98; Walk., Ent. Mag., vol. 2, p. 117. 
P. niger, nitidus, capite sub-depresso, thorace paulo latiore, supra parcius 
