( 37f) ) XIV. Sexual dimor2)hism in Buprestis sanguinea, Fair., a sjjecies occurring in S'pain, and nevj to the Eurojyean list. By George Charles Champion, F.Z.S. [Read October 2iid, 1901.] Plate XIII. During a recent visit to Aragon, July 27tli — Aug. 8th, Dr. Chapman and I made various excursions to the low hills which extend along the base of the northern slope of the Sierra de Albarracin, between the towns of Albarracin and Gea, chiefly in search of the numerous interesting Satyrid-butterflies that abound there. In such localities there is a scattered growth of the cypress-like " savin " (Juniperus sahina), which here attains the dimension of a good-sized tree, and amongst these are many shrubs. On one of the latter, Ephedra ncbrodensis,^ of the family Gnetacese (joint-firs), old plants of which have a stem nearly two inches in diameter, two very dissimilarly-coloured conspicuous Buprsstids were to be seen, and as specimens of each of these occurred over and over again in close proximity on the same kind of plant, we took a good deal of interest in them, plant and insects alike being new to us. We very soon ascertained that all the examples of one form of the Buprcstid were male and all the other female, the sexes being in about equal numbers, and there cannot, therefore, be the slightest doubt that they belong to the same species, though none were actually observed in copula. In the early morning the beetles v(rere quite sluggish and easily captured with the fingers, being at rest, usually head downwards, on a bit of the woody stem, where the green twigs were thicklj' placed ; but during the heat of the day they were more active, and a lew were then taken on the wing, mostly males. The present species has not, so far as I am aware, been recorded from the continent of Europe, though I have a specimen of the male from the vicinity of Gibraltar, sent me years ago by Mr. J. J. Walker, No such sexual difference has been noticed or * I am indebted to Mr. W. B. Hemsiey, F.R.S., of Kew Gardens, for the determination of this plant. The specific name appears to have been taken from that of a district in Sicily. TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1901. — PART IV. (DEC.) 20
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