AX entomologist's excursion. 245 



ia the thickets of Dwarf Pahn^ and possesses a very large and nutritious leaf 

 much sought after by cattle. 



PHLEUM. — The pratense abounds in the meadows of Bouffarick^ near 

 Algiers, but I have not found any species of this genus at Oran. 



POA. — We have some species of this genus, of which the commonest is the 

 P. bulbosa, which almost forms the basis of the greensward in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Tiaret. The P. annua is found here and there in the gardens. 

 The other species are the P. rigida, P. divaricata, P. distaiis, and P. festu- 

 CiEFORMis; the two last species are aquatic plants, and found in the marshes 

 of A'in-Beida. 



POLYPOGON. — This genus affords us two species, which grow in swampy 

 places about the lakes of the Senia and Misserghiu. — They are the P. mon- 

 spellknse and P. maritimum. 



ST IP A. — The commonest species of this genus, and which covers immense 

 tracts in the poor soils in the neighbourhood of Oran, is the S. tortilis; the 

 other species are the S. barbata, S. parviflora, SjLagascj^, S. juncea, and 

 S. tenacissima. This latter plant pi'oduces Matweed, (Le sparte,) and is 

 called by the Arabs, Halefa. 



TRITICUM. — Without speaking of Wheat, this genus furnishes many 

 species which enter into our natural meadows. The Dog's-tooth Grass, or T. 

 repens, (Couch Grass,) is found in the neighbourhood of the Senia, and in the 

 marshy meadows of Ain-Beida. The other species are T. c^spitosum, which 

 grows in the thickets of Dwarf Palm; the T. ciliatum, and T.junceum. 



(Extracted from "L'Echo D'Oran," Saturday, Jime 19th., 1852.) 

 (To be continued.) 



AN ENTOMOLOGIST'S EXCURSION TO WARMINSTER DOWN. 



BV MR. MICHAEL WESTCOTT. 



The first of June, Whit-Tuesday, being a holiday, and a Fair in our city, 

 I contemplated enjoying an entomological ramble on that day long before it 

 came. I was up betimes, and took a peep out of my chamber window to 

 ascertain the state of the weather, and was disappointefU in seeing a dense 

 fog, which, however, gradually disappeared as the sun's golden beams shed a 

 lustre of joy over Nature's smiling children. 



Being fully equipped for the *^^chase," I started about nine o'clock, accom- 

 panied by a youth, who is much interested in the study of insects. We made 

 our way along the Bishop's Park, and soon got into a beautiful sunny lane, 

 leading to Wensley farm. In this lane I started my first game. Its warm, 

 flower-studded banks were so attractive to the insect tribe as to cause multi- 

 tudes of them to be there flitting about, chasing each other from flower to 

 flower. The Orange-tipped B. (Pontia Gardamines ;) the Gate-keeper B., [Hip- 

 parchia Megcera;) and the Wood Ringlet B., {Hipparchia Hyperanthus,) were 



