A CONTEIBUTION TO THE FAUNA OF SYRIA. 271 



also found on leaves (Donisthorpe). -'-Cis pi/;/inaeus, Marsh. — In 

 fungus, Morton, near I3rading (Taylor). ■■Apteropeda orhiciilata, 

 Marsh. — Whitefield Woods (Taylor). ■•'Gi/mnetron beccahiuvjae, L. — 

 Sandown marshes (Taj'lor). '■'■'• Fl/n/iicnli(s Ut/nan'ns, Marsh. — In dead 

 elm, Sandown (Taylor). ■'Maiidaliti j/nou, L. — Sandown (Taylor). 

 '■'■'■ (^'issophaiiHs fu'ilcrae, Scm. — Beaten from old. ivy, Bordwood, near 

 Sandown (Taylor). 



flor: all 11)11 (iraciUcome, Fair., was taken by Mr. Donisthorpe in 

 Whitefield Woods ; this is only the second specimen recorded from 

 the Isle of Wight. He also took a single Lesteva pnbescens, Mann., in 

 moss from the waterfall at Luccombe Chine in May. It would be 

 interesting to know if this is the first true pnbescens has been found 

 in the Island ; all that I know of taken here lately and assumed to be 

 that species have proved to be the recently separated L. fontuialis, Kies. 



I swept Lonr/itarsits flai-icornis, Stephs., in numbers from a fine lot 

 of its food-plant, Conrolndus sepiion, growing at the edge of a marsh 

 at liordwood ; the only previous Island record was one specimen taken 

 by Professor Beare in 1909. Ballota nij/ra grows plentifully 'by the 

 roadside near Yarbridge, for a distance of 200 yards or more, and the 

 leaves of nearly every plant are completely riddled by Lnnnitarsns 

 ballotar, Marsh. There are now (November 22nd) still many beetles on 

 the plants. 



A. number of Chaetocneiaa hortensis were captured on suspicion in 

 Whitefield Woods, but only two turned out to be the new species C. 

 ari'la, Fond. Eight specimens of Aphodius porcas, F., were taken in 

 horse-dung on a road near Newc^urch, in October, and Coeliodes 

 exif/uns, 01., was fairly plentiful there in September. 



On September 1st, a warm, still day, beetles were swarming in great 

 numbers in the streets and neighbourhood of Sandown, and it was 

 impossible to walk in the High Street without crushing some at every 

 step. The majority seemed to be common Fhilunthi, J', laminatus, 

 P. pnlitns, P. raritts, etc., and ilypera punctata, though there were, of 

 course, many others. I have seen beetles swarming on pavements and 

 roads before, but never in such numbers, or over so large an area. 



A contribution to the fauna of Syria. 



By P. P. GEAVES. 

 In 1907, I visited Syria, but was unable to devote much time to 

 collecting. However, I had one or two good days, and would have 

 been more inclined to look back with pleasure to my trip had not a 

 number of my specimens been destroyed on my return to Cairo by an 

 invasion of ants. To mention the most salient points, I collected at 

 Zebedani and Bludan, in the Anti-Lebanon, at heights of from 

 3o00ft. to 6000ft., finding butterflies numerous between July 9th 

 and 18th. The Melitjeas were over, and Dnjas pandora, very large 

 and numerous, was the only fritillary I saw. Epinephde li/caon 

 was common — a small form — and I found $ s of E. janira here and 

 there. The two most conspicuous Satyrids were Parari/e roxclana and 

 Hipparchia pelopea. Their habits were very different, the former 

 species haunted the lanes shaded by abundant fruit-trees and planes, 

 and bordered by thick hedges of Paliiirus atistralis, bramble, and dog- 

 rose. It flew in a heavy and leisurely fashion, constantly diving 



