36 THE entomologist's record. 



and fragrant flowerets which clothe the trees and shrubs present great 

 attractions for beetle-hfe ; and, favoured by the bright sunshine 

 during his excursions, the coleopterist would not fail in obtaining a 

 bountiful supply wherewith to enrich his collection. It is in the gay 

 springtime, just as the delicate blossoms have burst their coverings, 

 that many brightly-coloured species of Curculionidce. are to be sought 

 for ; several Longicorn beetles also put in their appearance, besides 

 numerous other groups. 



The hawthorn blossom of the year 1884 was certainly a magnificent 

 sight, and in the delightfully fine weather which prevailed at that 

 time I paid several visits to the bloom in the localities of Loughton, 

 Esher, and Farnham (Surrey). Loughton is rich in hawthorn, and on 

 May 1 6th of that year I made the first attempt to work this district. 

 In selecting the trees on which to commence operations, it is always 

 best to choose those that are not fully out, as the strength of the 

 aroma evaporates quickly. The beautifully marked Rhynchites 

 cequn/iis, Antliofwmus pediciilarius, and Adimonia sanguinea may be 

 obtained commonly in this neighbourhood ; a good series of Rhyn- 

 chites paiixillus may also be got, odd specimens of R. aliaria;, R. 

 pubescens, and indeed nearly all the species of the genus Rhy?ichites 

 occur at Loughton. Clytus mysticus likewise turns up occasionally ; 

 and its congener- — C. arcutitus — is reputed to have occurred here, 

 but I have never found it, and have no reliable information con- 

 cerning its capture in recent years. Tetratoma ancorce can be beaten 

 from hornbeam ; the prettily striped Apion genistce is found freely on 

 the yellow flowers of Genista anglica ; and, accompanying the latter 

 species, Strophosomus retusus is moderately common. 



The Esher locality is disappointing to many people, but those who 

 know its nooks and corners are sure to find something worth bottling 

 even in the worst season. 1 remember once meeting a party of 

 entomologists out here for a field day, and their net results were far 

 from numerous. My own captures amounted to a considerable 

 number on this occasion. Field days, in my opinion, are of little or 

 no use for collecting purposes, and it is much better to hunt in 

 couples rather than in a body. In the first place, too many collectors 

 are a nuisance to each other ; and secondly, they get over too much 

 ground and also too quickly. It may be urged that these excursions 

 are mainly for prospecting new country, but surely work of this kind 

 is more adapted for other seasons of the year. For my part, I in- 

 variably make my surveys during winter. 



To return to the hawthorn blossom. At this locality (Esher) many 

 of the commoner species of Longicorns frequent the bloom. On one 

 afternoon I obtained Gramnioptera ruficoriiis, G. tabaccicolor (both 

 commonly), Polyopsia prceusta, Clytus arietis, and nearly a dozen of 

 C. mysticus. In addition to these, Cychramus luteus and C. fmigicola 

 were obtained from a hedge skirting a patch of woodland ; it may be 

 as well to mention here that Dr. Sharp regards the two latter as sexes 

 of one species. The genera Epunca and Meligethes were in pro- 

 fusion. Some half-dozen Balaninus nucuin rewarded my efforts ; but 

 B. villosus was scarce on oak. Cleonus nchulosus is sometimes found 

 roaming on the heath, but more often is captured in the sandpits, 

 and in the same place also a number of commoner species. 



