METHOD OF COLLKCTIXG INSECTS. 313 



is well known, and is Init a short distance from the metropolis of Lon- 

 don : l)ut the inconsiderate game-keepers will frequently interrupt and 

 warn the imotiending Entomologist to quit the wood immediately, not 

 allowing that ours 



" is imtax'd and imdisputed game." 



Heaths and Commons. — Many insects are confined to these situ- 

 ations, not only on account of plants which grow in no other places, 

 but by the cattle and their dung, in the latter ol" which many thousands 

 of insects may be found in a single day in the months of April and 

 May; these are principally of the Coleoptera Order. 



The principal commons near London are Wandsworth and Wimble- 

 don in Surrey; Epping Forest; Lessness Heath, Erith, and Bexley iu 

 Kent : a great many ponds are in those places, which produce many 

 very local insects. 



Sand-Pits. — The largest sand-pit I am acquainted with is at Charl- 

 ton, near the seven mile-stone, on the lower road to Woolwich. In 

 this pit 1 have met with the following rare insects, Copris Iwiui-'ms, No- 

 toxus mouoce7-o!<, LLvu.s su/cirostris, cSf . jMiniitc insects are very abun- 

 dant ; the roots of grass, at which the latter are found, should be care- 

 fully examined : an Entomologist may find full employment for a 

 whole day at this place. There are also several sand-pits on Hanip- 

 stead Heath. 



Meadows, Marshes, and Ponds. — In meadows, when the luuuiii- 

 culi or butter-cups are in blossom, many JMusca and Dipterous insects 

 are found •■ tlic flags or rushes are the habitations of Cassida, Donacin, 

 4c. The drills in marshes should be examined, as many species of in- 

 sects are found on the long grass, as also the larvse of several Lepidopkra. 

 Ncuropteru are generally confined to these situations, especially if any 

 hedges or trees are near the spot. I have collected in the marshes of 

 Plaistow, West-Ham, Barking, Hackney, and Battersea, with much 

 success. Ponds aftbrd to the lover of the microscope an infinite num- 

 ber of highly interesting olijects, that are best obtained by means of 

 the landing-net, which for this purpose need not be so long as repre- 

 sented in pi. 11. jig. 4. and shoidd be made of strong cloth, butsutfi- 

 ciently open to allow the water to escape. The mud which is brought 

 up from the bottom of the ponds should be examined, and what >mall 

 insects are found may be put in a small phial filled with water, 

 which will not only clean them but keep them alive; and in many in- 

 stances, upon a close exaniination, the Naturalist will be surj.riscd at 

 these the most wonderful productions of Nature. To the Entomologist 

 this niode of collecting will be equally advantageous, as he will obtain 

 many species ot Di/ticida',Nufuiiectidte, c^c. 



Moss, Decayed Trees, Koots of Grass, &c. — Many insects Mill be 



