1913.] 161 



on this occasion I did not see a single specimen of the fine " ladybird " Cocci- 

 nella distincta, usually to be found here in plenty on bushes near the nests of 

 Formica rufa, though its usual companion, Clythra quadripunctata, was out 

 quite freely. — James J. Walker, Oxford: June nth, 1913. 



Coleoptera in South Durham — Dviring the summer of 1912 I paid a few 

 visits to Billingham Marshes, near Stockton-on-Tees, in South Durham These 

 Marshes consist of one or two low-lying fields traversed by ditches, aud ending 

 on one side (near a railway line) in an area of very boggy ground, well grown 

 over by willows and sallows with a luxuriant undergrowth, and some fine plants 

 of the yellow flag {Iris pseudacorus) . This was the portion chiefly worked, and 

 I succeeded in obtaining the following interesting Coleoptera. On reference to 

 Bold's "Catalogue of the Coleoptera of Northumberland and Durham" (1871-2), 

 it will be seen that the species mentioned below are very local in these counties; 

 a few of them are additions. These last I have marked with an asterisk. I 

 wish to express my indebtedness to my friends Messrs. E. A. Newbery and 

 W. E. Shai-p, for their usual kindness in determining some critical specimens 

 submitted to them. 



Stenus carbonarius, Gyll., and 8. latifrons, Er. : I met with a single speci- 

 men each of these Steni. With respect to S. carhonarius. Bold records the 

 species doubtfully from Northumberland, and I was therefore pleased to meet 

 with the insect ; S. latifrons appears to be rare. *Meligethes difficilis, Heer : a few 

 examples on Lamium album in a lane near the marshes. *Telephorus thoracicus, 

 01. : a few specimens in the deepest part of the marshes in August. *Donacia 

 affinis, Ktmze : a common species in the ditches in May and June. Chrysomela 

 orichalcia, Miill., var. hobso7ii, Steph. : I obtained this variety in a lane near the 

 marshes ; it is wholly of a bronze coloiu-, and a little smaller than the type 

 form. Longitarsus suturellus, Duft. : amongst normal specimens of this 

 common Longitarsus I found one by the side of a ditch, almost entirely black. 

 Messrs. Sharp and Tomlin have recorded a similar example received from 

 Coatbridge, near Glasgow (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1912, p. 73), *Aphthona venustula, 

 Kutsch., a single specimen by the side of one of the ditches, in May 

 *Gymnetron pascuorum, Gyll. : I swept this little weevil abundantly in June in 

 one grassy spot somewhat drier than other parts of the marshes. *Anthonomus 

 rosinx, Des Goz. : a single specimen swept in a lane near the marshes, in June. 

 This insect appears to be now considered only a variety of A. ulmi. — M. L 

 Thompson, 40, Gosford Street, Middlesbrough : June Mh, 1913. 



Philip le Hardy de la Garde, R.N., died on May 12th last, in the 45th 

 year of his age, in his native city of Exeter, where his late father and grand- 

 father had been distinguished surgeons, and was interred there on May loth. 

 Educated at Christ's Hospital, he began life as a clerk in Lloyd's Shipping 

 Office, but at the age of 17 entered the Royal Navy as assistant clerk. He rose 



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