25G [November, 



most abundant species was without doubt Plusia gamma, which swarmed in every 

 field. Of the Micros, Stenopteryx ht/bridalis and Plutella maculipennis (^ cruci- 

 ferarum, Z.) were in evidence, but not very numerous, and in a piece of rough 

 common I disturbed from among the gorse bushes two or three fine examples of 

 Depressaria pallorella, and succeeded in boxing one of them without incurring the 

 displeasure of my host, though the pursuit of the others had to be abandoned for 

 fear of so doing. Besides the above, a few plebeian insects which call for no com- 

 ment, such as Aglais urticce and Pieris rapcB, were seen, but no rarities were met 

 with, which was sadly disappointing. — Eustace E. Bankes, Burwarton, Bridgnorth : 

 October 17 tk, 1897. 



Recent captures of Coleopfera in Kent and Surrey. — Three or four afternoons' 

 collecting near Sittingbourne, in September, have produced the following species of 

 Coleoptera, cliiefly by sweeping long grass under some oak and beech trees : — 

 Anisotoma cinnamomea, one very large and finely developed ^ ; A. dubia and Cyrtusa 

 pauxilla; Pocadius for ruyineus {also in puff-balls, with one example of Coenocara 

 bovistcp) ; Rhizophagus parallelocollis, Monotonia spin i col lis, eir\d Conipora orbicu- 

 lata, all rare ; Aphodius sticticus and A. obliteratus, commonly, also in dung ; Cis 

 alni ; Phloiophilus Edwardsi and Tetratoma Desmaresti, a few examples of each ; 

 Anisoxya fuscula (1), Apian pomonce and A. vorax, both in profusion ; Trachodes 

 hispidus, Orchestes ilicis, Sibinia primita, Balaninus cerasorum (1), &c. Beating 

 dead sticks in hedges produced another Anisoxya fusc^da, with Homalium iopterum, 

 Lissodema 4:-ptistulatum, Pogonochcerus hispidus, and P. dentatus ; Acalles turbatus 

 in plenty, &c. 



Other captures within the last few weeks include Macrocephalus (Anthribus) 

 albinus, of which I beat two $ examples out of dead hedge sticks near Frenshani, 

 Surrey, on September 4th ; Colon viennense c? , and Rhinoncus bruchoides, at 

 Woking, the latter occurring rarely on Polygonum hydropiper in company with 

 Phytobius Walfoni, which was rather common ; Aphodius consputus in profusion 

 (and almost to the exclusion of other species of the genus, though A. porous oc- 

 curred with it) in sheep dung on Chatham Lines, September 25th; Sitones meliloti, 

 rather commonly on the ripe seed vessels of Melilotus officinalis in a chalk pit at 

 Frindsbury, near Strood, and Anisotoma riigosa bj' sweeping at Cobham Park on 

 October 2nd. — James J. Walker, 23, Kanelagh Road, Sheerness : Oct. \lth, 1897. 



Coleoptera near Southampton. — It may interest some Coleopterists to know tliat 

 during the past August I found, in the neighbourhood of Southampton, several 

 somewhat rare beetles, chiefly by sweeping, a method which one usually finds is 

 almost useless by the end of July. The following were some of the captures : — 

 Rhinonchus bruchoides, several on Polygonum ; Sibinia primita, common by sweep- 

 ing ; Smicronyx jxtngermanniae, on heath ; Balaninus rubidus, by sweeping ; Dory- 

 tomus pectoralis, common on sallow ; Strophosomus retusus, by sweeping heath and 

 boating faggots.— L. il. Buckxill, Wellington College, Berks : October, 1897. 



[It is true that sweeping is usually unproductive in August, although I have 

 taken many good things during this month ; in September, however, and in October, 

 sweeping in damp woods is very profitable ; insects often come up on the grass on 

 foggy warm days, when everything is dripping, and the net can be wrung out after 

 every sweep. — W. W. F.]. 



