Insects Collected in the Fermoy and Blackwater District, atj 



Calopte7yx splendens busily ' hawking ' for prey along the river- 

 bank. 



The following day was fixed for the visit to the renowned 

 Mitchelstovrn Caves, and w^as generall}^ considered Wi^ piece de 

 resistance of the excursion ; owing however, to a rather long 

 drive, the time allowed was insufiicient for a thorough investiga- 

 tion. The results, as can be seen in the pages of the present 

 number, have been worked out by Mr. G. H. Carpenter, and 

 the account which he furnishes of these curious cave-fre- 

 quenting creatures is of high scientific value. We w^ere lucky 

 in escaping the disappointment experienced by an observer in 

 England, Mr. Murray, w^ho many 3'ears ago explored the 

 extensive limestone caves of Derbyshire but was obliged to 

 report that he could find nothing blind except the allej^s ! On 

 the journe}^ to and from the caves onl}^ a few short interv^als 

 were available for collecting, when the following were taken, 

 chiefl}^ under stones on the low walls bordering the roads : 

 Calathtis cisteloides, Panz., Barynotus obscurus, F.,and Otiorrhyn- 

 chus ligneus, 01., the last not by any means a common species. 

 Many of the members were anxious to see the magnificent 

 pile of Mitchelstown Castle, so a brief visit w^as arranged ; the 

 entomologists of the party found time for a short w^alk through 

 the grounds, but though their beautj^ was evident, the chance 

 of finding rare insects was questioned. Only a few weevils 

 were beaten off the beech trees, i.e., Phyllobius argentatus, L. 

 P. oblo7ig7is, ly., 2Md. Polydrusus ptergomalis. Boh., the latter is a 

 very pretty species, covered with brilliant green scales ; I had 

 previously collected it onl}^ near Lucan, Co. Dublin. 



Lismore formed a promising localit}- for the third and last 

 day's excursion. In order to have a longer time for collecting I 

 started on an early train from Fermo}^ with my friend ]\Ir. 

 Frank Neale, Secretary of the Limerick Club. The scenery of 

 the Blackwater Valley onl}^ needs mention, to recall it to those 

 w^ho have been fortunate enough to have spent an}^ time 

 investigating the beauties of the ' Irish Rhine,' more especially 

 in the wooded portion surrounding the far-famed Lismore 

 Castle, and indeed the district has many points in its favour 

 as a centre for general natural history observations. All the 

 former localities were rather unfavourable for collecting the 

 Carabidae or ground beetles ; but here in a half dr^^ water- 

 course that joins with the main river Harpalus rufibarbis, F., 



