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INSECTS COLLECTED BY THE ROYAL IRISH 

 ACADEMY FLORA AND FAUNA COMMITTEE, 



1893. 



BY REV. W. F. JOHNSON, M.A., F.K.S., J. N. HAI,BERT, AND 



GEORGE H. CARPENTER, B.SC. 



The Committee appointed by the Royal Irish Academy to 

 report upon the Irish Flora and Fauna directed insect collec- 

 tions to be made by us in four localities during 1893. We 

 have now pleasure in making public the result of our work, 

 which has been fruitful in adding many new species to our 

 known fauna, and extending our knowledge of the range of 

 many more. Yet, it is certain that much more remains 

 to be done before our knowledge of any group of insects 

 — even the best-worked — can be said to have approached 

 completion. We therefore make no apology for giving com- 

 plete lists of the insects collected, the range of the commonest 

 species being worth knowing exactly ; and we trust that our 

 present contribution may supplement the classic researches 

 of the pioneers of Irish entomology— Haliday, Hogan, and 

 Birchall — in affording material for the perfect lists of the 

 future, which we all hope to see. 



A short description of the localities worked is desirable. 

 Mr. Johnson collected at Coolmore, Co. Donegal, in July ; Mr. 

 Carpenter worked along the southern shores of Bantry Bay at 

 the end of May and early days of June, and at Killarney at 

 the end of November; Mr. Halbert explored the Dundalk 

 district in July (on the occasion of the joint excursion of the 

 Dublin and Belfast Field Clubs), and the Cavan district early in 

 October. Regions in the north-west, south-west, north-east, 

 and northern midlands of Ireland have thus been worked. 



The north-western station, Coolmore, is situated on the 

 southern side of Donegal Bay, about 4I- miles north-west of 

 Ballyshannon. Northwards the coast is sandy, with extensive 

 dunes, but southwards, towards the mouth of the River Erne, 

 it is rocky. Inland, the surface is hilly with a few trees in the 

 sheltered valleys. One day was spent on the River Erne above 

 Ballyshannon, and another at Brown Hall, Ballintra ; both 

 were very promising localities, but unfortunately it was im- 

 possible to spend more than a few hours at each. At Coolmore 



