Natural History iff the English Counties, 265 



Art. II. Natural History in the English Counsels. 



An Entomological Tour in Wiltshire^ Hampshirey OxfordshirCy S^c, — On 

 the 10th of February last, one of tlie most delightful summer-like days 

 that perhaps ever occurred at this early period of the year, it was my lot 

 to travel from Salisbury to Southampton, by way of Ringwood, Christ- 

 church, and Lymington.' To one fond of entomology, you can scarcely 

 conceive a greater treat. I was passing through the head-quarters of the 

 insect world. I had from the top of the coach captured several species of 

 Coleoptera (principally Staphylinidae), also Micropeplus porcatus, and a 

 species of Cryptophagus. Before we reached the New Forest, very much 

 to my astonishment, I had the pleasure of seeing the brimstone butterfly 

 (Gonepteryx rhamni) apparently strong on the wing, enjoying itself in the 

 sun. 



. Two days afterwards (February 12.) I was at Oxford, and took about 

 thirty species of Coleoptera. The Thames had flooded the adjoining 

 grounds, and some posts surrounded by the water were literally covered 

 with insects. Amongst these Staphylinidae were most prevalent, and 

 especially the genus Stenus, of which there were many hundreds. In 

 company with these, I took Dyschirius gibbus, Poe'cilus cupreus, Chryso- 

 mela staphylae'a and marginella, Helodes phellandrii, Haltica nemorum 

 and flexuosa, Scydmae^nus thoracicus, and two or three species of 

 E'ngidae, Curculionidae, &c. &c. I mention these not as rarities in general, 

 but as rarities in the month of February. 



At this time the gossamer spiders were floating through the air in 

 myriads ; the water was destroying thousands which had fallen on its sur- 

 face, and every thing around was covered with their webs. I observed 

 several beetles which had just before escaped a watery grave now become 

 the captives of this minute animal : it had passed so frequently over the 

 rails on which they had taken refuge as to form a very closely meshed net, 

 from which it was impossible for them to escape; indeed, so thickly was it 

 woven, that I could with difficulty distinguish the prisoners underneath. — 

 William C. Hewitson. London, March 8. IS31. 



Insects captured by J. C.Dale, Esq,, in Hampshire , Dorsetshire, Devonshire, 

 Cornwall, S^c, in 1829 and 1830. — 1829. June 9th. The New Forest. Co- 

 leoptera : -Buprestis nitidula, Orsodachna humeralis. Neuroptera : Cordulia 

 ae'nea, Raphidia ophiopsis. Lepidoptera : Anthophila punctosa, Ge6metra 

 punctaria. Diptera : Milesia specidsa and n. s., Mlcrodon «pif6rmis. 

 ^latta Panzeri. — 10th, 11th, and 12th. New Forest. Coleoptera: Lep- 

 tura nigra, praeusta, sexguttata, and abdominalis, Elater fugax and san- 

 guineus. Diptera : saw Stratiomys strigata. — 14th. Christchurch ; rushes 

 on sandhills. Lepidoptera : Crambus marisci Curtis, Fumea nitida, Crambug 

 tristis, barba, and pygmae^a, Lycae'na A'rgm, Pterophorus triddctylus, 

 Geometra galiata, and Pyraiista angulalis and porphyrialis. — 17th. Isle of 

 Portland, Dorsetshire. Coleoptera : Masdreus luxatus, Harpalus verna- 

 lis, &c. 



1830. April 8th. New Forest, Hampshire. Coleoptera : Elater san- 

 guineus in plenty, and in larva and pupa, on rotten oak stumps : Byrrhus 

 dorsalis. Hymenoptera : Dolerus ?, abdomen partly orange : Halictus 

 4-guttatus ?, styloped. — 15th. New Forest. Neuroptera : Hemerobius 

 n. s. ? — 17th. Coleoptera (Curculio) : Platyrhinus latirostris, under 

 bark of beech. Lepidoptera : Cleora cinctaria ^, on body of an oak tree. 

 May 6th. New Forest. Coleoptera : Thymalus limbatus, in a -ffoletus. 

 Lepidoptera : Cle6r« cinctaria ^, on body of an oak tree. Diptera : Ciilex 

 concinnus $ ?, Milesia speciosa. — 7th. Neuroptera : Hemerobius ?, 

 dark, on alder. Lepidoptera : Platypteryx unguicula, flying like B. antiqua. 



