Vol. LII. LONDON. MARCH, 1920. No. 3 



POPULAR AND PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 

 A Soldier's Collecting Day in France. 



BY RICHARD T. GARNETT, 

 Oakland, California. 



We were stationed away back of the lines but when they were putting 

 over a big drive we were busy handling supplies, so that I was not sorry when a 

 lull came that allowed me a day off. 



I was stationed in the heart of Burgundy at Beaune, near the edge of the 

 jittle range of hills known as the Cote d'Or. Here the forest-covered hills come 

 down to meet the town, and it was to these hills that I made my way on this 

 particular morning. 



I had hardly started out the Faubourg w^hen w'hat should I find sitting on 

 the sidewalk but a splendid specimen of Lamia textor Linne. This longicorn 

 resented my grasping propensities very much and tried his best to bite a piece 

 from my thumb. A little more and the town Octroi or limits was past, and 

 on turning over a stone a fine large specimen of Carahus coriaceus Linne was 

 acquired. In like manner under a neighbouring rock were picked up three more 

 of the same and two Carabus violaceus Linne. Decidedly the species were well 

 known, but they had charm for me as it was a new hunting ground. Carahus 

 anratus was soon added to my list of discoveries, and it was not long and I had 

 a fair series of each. A little further on I came to an apple tree with a little 

 fruit on it. In response to a hearty shake of the tree I was rewarded by several 

 hundred lively specimens of Melolontha vulgaris Linne, who "possumed" dead 

 long enough for me to gather all I wanted, and then took wing. The leaves of 

 this tree I found on closer examination w^ere in a sad state of dilapidation due 

 to these ravenous Scarabs. 



A little bit further on I found several Cetonia aiirata Linne, and a great 

 many Cetonia hirtella Linne upon the flowers of mustard. A rose in a nearby 

 garden yielded from its heart a Trichius fasciatus Linne. A few stones on the 

 hillside yielded several specimens of Pterostichus vulgaris Linne, and a little 

 further on a single rock provided cover for at least thirty specimens of that 

 pretty little Bombardier, Brachynus plagiatus Reiche. Continuing this sort of 

 collecting I soon added some more Carabus auraius Linne to the bag as well as 

 several Abax ater \'ill. and A. parallelus Dftsch. 



On coming to a fallen log in a moist condition I removed from their snug 

 position beneath the bark a series of Uleiola {Brontes) planata Linne, and several 

 Hispella atra Linne. A little further on some manure yielded a pair of Geolrupes 

 syhaticus Panz. and one G. stercorarius Linne as well as several Staphylinidae 

 unknown to me. A little further on I captured as it ran along on the edge of a 

 pine grove a fine specimen of Carabus marginalis Rz, a very lively and speedy 

 runner. This pine grove was exceptionally well cared for, all fallen limbs and 



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