84 COT,EOPTERA ROUND KXETKR. 



were particularly abundant in 1851 ; M. vulgaris was in such quantities as I 

 never saw before; on quiet evenings they made such a humming round the 

 trees, that the noise was like an immense swarm of bees, or rather a number 

 of swarms. M. sohtitialis is common some years. Another, much smaller 

 than the former, with reddish coppery elytra and black head and thorax; I have 

 only met with two of these. 



Of the beautiful and showy family of Beetles CetoniUoe I have not taken 

 any about here, though Cetonia aurita has been brought me from the borders 

 of Dorsetshire; I have not heard of its being seen about here. Elater halteatus 

 and E. lineatus are common, also E. sanguineus. Lampyris noctiluca: I have 

 not seen a single one in this neighbourhood; I suppose they do not like our 

 soil about here; I have had the females brought me from Torquay, which is 

 a proof they prefer a drier and more sandy district. Meloe proscarahceus is 

 very common here. Canthaiis livida is very common on water plants, also 

 G.fusca: this species is not so numerous as the one above. C. cardinaHs is 

 rather rare; I have only seen two. C biijuftata is also of rare occurrence. 

 Pyrochroa coccinea: several of this pretty insect I bred from larvas found in 

 an old rotten stump of laurel, which was sawn off even with the ground; the 

 larva is very much like the common Scolopendra, but the jaws are larger 

 and the colour of the whole insect a trifle darker, otherwise there does not 

 appear to be much difference in the outward appearance. QSdemera coeruJea: 

 several specimens of this very beautiful insect I have taken on the Topsham 

 road, but it is by no means common. Tencbrio gihhosum is common on the 

 hii'h lands in the neighbourhood of Dunsford, and also on Haldon, but not 

 so abundant as at the former place. 



Of the great family CurcuUonidce I possess a number of species, but the 

 fact is I do not possess a work on Coleoptera, and there is no such thing, 

 so far as I can learn, in the libraries in Exeter that 1 can refer to; all I 

 can do is to give the names of such species as I am pretty certain are correct; 

 it may give some faint idea as to the general distribution of certain species. 

 First, then, is Curculio lineatus, which was particularly numerous on cultivated 

 leguminose plants, such as peas and beans, what are called broad beans I mean, 

 {Faba sativa.) C. argentatus was very abundant, too much so a great deal, 

 for they eat and destroyed the young shoots of pears to a considerable amount 

 in i8o2; I have not noticed many this year. Another is found in great numbers 

 on elms in the neighbourhood; it is the Otiorhgnchus sulcutus; and several 

 other nearly allied species. The largest species, I believe, that is found here 

 is G.pini: this I have found eating the leaves of the common ivy, (Iledera 

 helix,) but it is not common, as I have only seen three specimens since I 

 have been here. 3Iordella sulcata is not very common, at least I have only 

 come across three or four. A very beautiful and rare insect in this neigh- 

 bourhood is the O. frumentarium, and from its specific name we may be very 

 thankful it is scarce. In 1851 I had several leading shoots of different species 

 of Pinus brought me, which had died or were dying; these had been bored 



