METHOD or COLLECTIXO IKSECTS. 313 



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

 don : hut tlie inconsiderate game-keepers will frequently interrupt and 

 warn the unoffending I'^ntomologist to (ptit the wood immediately, not 

 allowing that ours 



" is untax'd and undisputed 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 of 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 connuons near London are Wandsworth and Wimble- 

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

 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 I have met with the following rare insects, Copris lunarius, Nu- 

 torus monvccras, Lixm su/cirostris, Sfc. I\Iinute insects are very abun- 

 dant ; the roots of grass, at which the latter are ibund, 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 Hamp- 

 stead Heath. 



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

 culi or butter-cups are in blossom, many Musc(e and Dipterous insects 

 are found ; the flags or rushes are the habitations of Cussida, Dunacia, 

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

 sects are found on the long grass, as also the larva of several Lepldoptcra. 

 Nairoptcra 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 afford tq 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. fg. 4. and should be made of strong cloth, but suffi- 

 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 small 

 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 examination, the Naturalist will be surprised at 

 these the most wonderful productions of Nature. To the Entomologist 

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

 many species of Di/ticidir ,Notonectid(e, &,c. 



Moss, Decayed Trees, Roots of Grass, &c. — Many insects will be 



