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February, 1883.]

193

ON A NEW SPECIES OF MOUHOTIA (SCARITIDE).

BY GEORGE LEWIS.

In the January number of this Magazine, 1879, I noticed a new species of Mouhotia from Burma, and I am now able to bring forward another, the third in the genus, discovered by Dr. Hamand on the banks of the River Mekong. If I rightly understand the habits of those insects, they live much as Craspedonotus does in China on the banks of the Yang-tze; they burrow into the banks of rivers which run through large alluvial plains and then sit watching for prey at the orifices of their holes. To find Craspedonotus in China, you must follow up the Yang-tze for 500 or 600 miles when the soil becomes light and sandy. Near Shanghai all is mud, and it is the same on all large rivers near the mouth. The Cambodia river as far as Saigon is too muddy for large Scaritida. I visited the last place in 1880, and left some drawings of M. gloriosa with a resident in the hope of obtaining something like it, but hitherto there has been no result.

MOUHOTIA CONVEXa, sp. n.

Nigra, prothoracis margine laterali basalique necnon elytrorum marginibus lateralibus late cupreis; elytris convexis, striis bilineatim punctatis, interstitiis planis, marginibus angustis. Prothoracis lineá medianá longitudinali nullâ vel obsoletâ.

Long. (cum mandibulis) 20 lin.

This species is the size of M. Batesi, but the difference of outline between the two species is very considerable. The head, thorax and the elytra especially are more convex; the thorax is much less constricted behind, and at the base measures 5 lines in breadth, while M. Batesi attains barely 4 lines there. The convexity of the elytra gives them a much narrower margin than in M. Batesi, and each stria (there are 9 or 10 in all) consists merely of a double line of punctures; the interstices are quite smooth and level. The elytral striæ are strongest at the sides and at the apex. In the region of the scutellum the striæ or points run gradually into single rows, and near the base of the wing-case they are almost obsolete. The thoracic medial line, which is very clearly defined in M. Batesi, has almost disappeared in M. convexa.

I am much indebted to the kindness of M. Blanchard, the wellknown savant of Paris, for my example of this species, which is one of a fair series from Laos through which the river mentioned runs.

Mr. C. O. Waterhouse gives a figure of M. Batesi in his "Aid to the identification of Insects" for January, and has kindly promised to figure the present species in the part forthcoming in April. Of the two species here noticed, M. gloriosa comes nearest to M. Batesi.

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NOTES ON THE TRICHOPTERA OF UPPER CLYDESDALE.

BY KENNETH J. MORTON.

The following notes may be interesting, as giving some idea of the species of Trichoptera occurring in a district, the insect fauna of which is very imperfectly known. Limited spare time has restricted my collecting operations to the immediate vicinity of Carluke; all the species referred to below having, with the exception of one or two from Lanark Loch, been taken within a radius of three miles around this place.

The physical conditions of the area just indicated, are almost as diversified as could be expected within such narrow bounds, elevations ranging from about 200 ft. at the level of the Clyde, to over 1000 ft. in one part of a high-lying moorland tract. The Clyde, near here, is a moderately swift river (interrupted here and there with more slowlyrunning reaches), running through a warm and sheltered valley: in the two miles or so of its course, which I have worked, I have taken no fewer than forty species of Trichoptera. Several of its tributary burns intersect the district, and these are also tolerably rich; but their productiveness is evidently impaired in some parts by the water pumped from mines being discharged into them. But ponds and marshes are not very frequent, they almost all occur in the higherlying parts, and are of small extent: there is a fair representation of the species affecting water in such conditions, but the dearth of individuals is marked. Lanark Loch, distant about six miles from here, doubtless produces a number of lacustrine species, but I have only been able to visit it on two or three occasions. It may be mentioned that limestone (the presence of which, as Mr. McLachlan has pointed out has a favourable influence on aquatic insect-life) is abundant in the Carluke district.

The Phryganeidæ are represented by three species: Neuronia ruficrus, Scop., one specimen; Phryganea striata, L., frequent at one pond; and Ph. obsoleta, McLach., common at most standing waters: the specimens larger and darker than others from the North of Scotland, which I possess.

Colpotaulius incisus, Curt., occurs in suitable places, but I have taken but few

specimens.

Limnophilus rhombicus, L., rare. L. marmoratus, Curt., one specimen. L. stigma, Curt., rare. L. lunatus, Curt., centralis, Curt., and vittatus, F., are common. L. auricula, Curt., common in the fir woods around Lanark Loch; also taken in a wood near Carluke. L. griseus, L., one specimen, several years ago, but the species has not been seen since. L. extricatus, McLach., frequent, flies at dusk. L. luridus, Curt., one specimen. L. sparsus, Curt., frequent. L. fuscicornis, Ramb., two specimens, one on the Clyde, the other at a deep pond.

Anabolia nervosa, Curt., common on the Clyde and elsewhere. At a pond near here, during the afternoon of a fine day at the beginning of September of this year, I noticed several males taking short flights; numerous examples were resting on the tops of rushes quite exposed, several pairs being in copula.

Asynarchus cœnosus, Curt., two specimens, in August, at a moor-pool.

Stenophylax infumatus, McLach., several specimens on the Clyde, and one at a burn, in June. On the Clyde the species appears to be restricted to one spot where the water runs rather slowly; it is very difficult to dislodge from the hollowed-out banks where it conceals itself. To give a better idea of the nature of the locality, I may mention several insects that occur at the same place, viz.: Goëra pilosa, Sericostoma personatum, Lype phæopa and Limno. fuscicornis, the last-named appearing very much to resemble infumatus in its retiring habits. S. rotundipennis, Brauer, a pair (♂ 9) on a burn near Carluke, in August, 1881, but I did not succeed in finding it this season. S. stellatus, Curt., swarms on the Clyde and elsewhere, appearing as early as 1st of June, and continuing to the end of September. S. vibex, Curt., one on the Clyde, 1st of June.

Micropterna sequax, McLach., and lateralis, Steph., are both apparently rare. Halesus radiatus, Curt.-About the end of August last, this species literally swarmed at dusk, at two different burns; also occurs on the Clyde. H. digitatus, Schrk., a few specimens on the Clyde in October. H. auricollis, Pict., frequent on the Clyde in September and October; the examples are larger than any I have seen from the North of Scotland.

Drusus annulatus, Steph., a common insect at every stream; the only I possess was taken about the middle of May; I have seen males at the end of September. Ecclisopteryx guttulata, Pict., very common at most streams.

Chatopteryx villosa, F., frequent on the Clyde in October.

Sericostoma personatum, Spence, not uncommon on the Clyde and elsewhere. Goëra pilosa, F., common on the Clyde; it also occurs frequently at most of the other streams.

Silo pallipes, F., abundant at every stream.

Brachycentrus subnubilus, Curt., abundant on the Clyde, in some years appearing in myriads.

Lepidostoma hirtum, F., common on the Clyde.

Beraa pullata, Curt., and B. maurus, Curt., frequent at swampy spots on the banks of different burns.

Bercodes minuta, L., is rather common on a small burn at a place where there is little or no current, and where the margins are boggy and rush-covered. Odontocerum albicorne, Scop., common on the Clyde.

Leptocerus annulicornis, Steph., frequent on the Clyde. L. aterrimus, Steph., very abundant; the var. perfuscus much the commoner form. L. cinereus, Curt., L. albifrons, L., abundant on the Clyde. L. commutatus, McLach., frequent on the Clyde; apparently partial to places where the water does not run very quickly. L. bilineatus, L., tolerably common on several streams.

common.

Mystacides nigra, L., apparently rare on the Clyde. M. azurea, L., common. M. longicornis, L., in abundance at Lanark Loch, and very variable.

Ecetis ochracea, Curt., in profusion at Lanark Loch; also occurs rarely at some ponds near Carluke. (E. lacustris, Pict., not before recorded from the West of Scotland, occurs in Bute.)

Four species of the genus Hydropsyche occur on the Clyde. H. pellucidula, Curt., and H. instabilis, Curt., are frequent, the latter also occurring on two or three other streams; the males of these species are much given to wandering, and I have taken specimens of both flying wildly over hedgerows, in the evening, at long distances from running water. H. guttata, Pict., dances in swarms over the tops of the bushes in the afternoon sunshine and in the evening; the specimens are of large size and dark. H. lepida, Pict., is sometimes common, but irregular in its appearance. Wormaldia occipitalis, Pict., one specimen at a small burn. W. subnigra, McLach., frequent at a small waterfall on one of the burns (a from the Clyde is referred to this species with doubt).

Plectrocnemia conspersa, Curt., a very common insect, and P. geniculata, McLach., occurs along with it frequently at one burn.

Polycentropus flavomaculatus, Pict., the most ubiquitous Trichopteron in the district. Of P. multiguttatus, Curt., I have taken a single ♂ on the Clyde. Cyrnus trimaculatus, Curt., not very common.

Tinodes wæneri, L., common at two burns.

Lype phaopa, Steph., frequent at one place on the Clyde.
Psychomyia pusilla, F., abundant on the Clyde.

Rhyacophila dorsalis, Curt., is as annoyingly common in this district, as it appears to be elsewhere. Rh. septentrionis, McLach., very common at one burn about the end of May and during June. Rh. obliterata, McLach., common on most of the streams from the end of August to the end of October. The occurrence of three of the four recorded British species of this genus on the same burn (but, of course, at different times) is noteworthy.

Glossosoma vernale, Pict., common on the Clyde from April to October.

Agapetus fuscipes, Curt., common on one burn. A. comatus, Pict., very common on the Clyde.

The Hydroptilida find no place in my list; I cannot doubt that some minute representatives of this family do occur, but have, as yet, been overlooked.

The list, even for this immediate neighbourhood, cannot be considered nearly complete, and any one working over a wider area, and with more time at his disposal than I have, could very largely augment it; but, I think, the sixty-nine species enumerated above, justify me in coming to the conclusion that the southern part of the district, drained by the Clyde, is possessed of a very rich Trichopterous fauna.

Mr. McLachlan has very kindly confirmed for me such species as I had any doubt about, and Mr. J. J. King, of Glasgow, has assisted me in many ways.

Carluke, N.B.: 11th December, 1882.

NOTES ON NEW BRITISH COLEOPTERA SINCE 1871; WITH NOTICES OF DOUBTFUL SPECIES, AND OF OTHERS THAT REQUIRE TO BE OMITTED FROM THE BRITISH LIST.

BY THE REV. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S.

(continued from p. 172.)

PSELAPHIDE and SCYDMÆNIDÆ.

BRYAXIS COTUS, Sharp.

The insects taken near Thornhill by Dr. Sharp, and distributed by him under the name of B. Lefebvrei, belong to a new species, and must stand in our list under the name of B. cotus (Ent. Mo. Mag., xii, 225).

EUPLECTUS DUPONTI, Aubé.

This French species was first taken in England by Mr. Lawson, near Scarborough: it is rather a flat insect, with the head broad at the sides; the male is more shining than the female, and has its head punctured only on the sides, and the thorax and elytra almost impunctate, whereas the female is not very shiny, and has the head rather thickly and plainly, and the thorax and elytra moderately thickly, punctured; the characters of the abdomen in the male also serve to distinguish it; Aubé (Monographia Pselaphiorum, p. 57) says that it is very like allied species, but is distinguished by the front fovea of the head being wider, and by its longer and more slender antennæ.

Euplectus piceus, Mots.

This species, recorded as new in Ent. Mo. Mag., xii, 225, is apparently synonymous with Euplectus nigricans, Chaud. E. sulcatulus, De Saulcy, is also synonymous with the same insect, as also is E. Dennyi, Wat. Reitter (Bestimmungs Tabellen der Europäischen Coleopteren, Part v, 1881, p. 525), gives the right synonymy.

Euplectus Abeillei.

Dr. Sharp records this insect (Ent. Mo. Mag., xii, 225) on the authority of M. De Saulcy it is not, however, in Stein and Weise's catalogue, nor is it mentioned by Reitter (1. c.) among the numerous species of which he gives descriptions.

Euplectus Kirbyi, Denny.

Reich.; it was,

This species has been considered as synonymous with E. nanus, however, again separated by Mr. Waterhouse as distinct (Ent. Mo. Mag., xvi, 123), on the ground that the furrows in the forehead are parallel in E. nanus, and converge strongly in E. Kirbyi. Reitter (l. c., p. 525) refuses to admit E. Kirbyi as a separate species, unless Mr. Waterhouse can point out the specific differences of the male. I have type specimens of both insects, and they show a very marked difference in the sculpture of the head, which is generally considered to be a most important point in the Euplecti. Dr. Sharp, in his catalogue, considers E. nanus, Reich. (see Ent. Mo. Mag., viii, 84), and E. Kirbyi to be synonymous. Both Aubé and Denny make E. nanus, Reich., and E. Reichenbachii, Leach., synonymous, but

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