156 [June, 1901. 



COLEOPTERA FOUND AROUND JERUSALEM. 

 BY A. II. SWINTON, F.K S. 



Beetles appear to |)ai'ade in greater numbers at Jaffa than at 

 Jerusalem. Jaffa, when the waves course in to break with a musical 

 murmur along their heaped-up ridges of Pectaucidus shells, and softly 

 foam on the harder concreted blocks, is a paradise for the Nimrod who 

 can trudge along the loose sand and brave the spring-tide glare on its 

 low dunes; sprinkled over with the Silene succulenta, Trifullum pulce- 

 sfhmin, and glandular Ononis nntrix ; and now and again diversified 

 with the blue calyces of the Stalice sinuata, and the bluer terminal 

 leaves of the Salvia hormium. Among the stunted vines and scattered 

 sea gi'ass, a Graphijdera with white spots, or an jErodius, is running 

 nimbly ; a Fimelia is sauntering slowly ; afar on the camel track 

 leading onward to Caesarea, an Onilis with a sea-green thorax, a ball- 

 rolling Atciichus, or a Clivina are busy ; nor are the inland hillocks, 

 perfumed with the orange Howers, and decked with the pink Linuvi 

 picbescens, and yellow Linn /n //all icniii, without their tiger beetle. On 

 the bare Jerusalem downs Coleoptera are certainly rather plentiful in 

 the spring, and they linger on in the furrows ; but when the mildew 

 withers the roses, and the drought of the dog-days burns the grass 

 yellow, they nearly all vanish. The following is a list of those 1 

 met with at Jerusalem in the summer of 1896, with appended notices 

 of others known to occur there. For the names 1 am very much 

 indebted to the kindness of the liev. H. 8. Gorham. 



GEODEPHAGA. 



Nehria llemprichi, Khig, Api'il. Found by the Rev. F. A. Walker under 

 stones, noticed by Dr. Festa also at Es-Salt, Djeracli, and on Hermon. 



Notiophilus subitriatus, Waterh., March. Found also by Dr. Festa at JJekfeia. 

 It is spread over Europe and extends to England. 



Broscus lavlgatus, Dej. Extends to Egypt and Tunis. 



Aristus punctatissimus, Baudi, March and August. A small species, found also 

 by Dr. Festa at Djerach. 



Ditomus longipennis, Chaud., March. It extends to Tillis, Persia, and near 

 Jerusalem is less in size, according to Signor Baudi, than in the Lebanon. JD. 

 robiistus, Dej. Found likewise in Corfu. 



Harpahis seriatus, Chaud., var. Caiphiis. It extends to the Caucasus. 



Calathtts distinffueiidus, Chaud., var. syriacus, March, May, June. Common 

 on the waste garden ground among tlie llt/pericum cri.tpuiii and Lactiica Sc<triUa, 

 and on the rubbish heap where the date stones are sprouting into little plaintaiu-like 

 palms. It is found on the Taurus, and in Cilicia C. mefanocephdhts, L., March 

 and June. Found by Dr. Festa also at Madeba and Lake Huleh. It is spread 

 over Europe, and extends to England. 



