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In moss on the rocky sides of several mountain streams I took all the species 

 of Lesteva commonly, and also Geodromicus nigrita. The latter insect seems to be 

 singularly attached to the water, as I found many specimens hiding in long moss 

 at least half-an-inch under water, and not one turned up where the stream was 

 not constantly rippling over its habitat. Stenus guttula was rather common in moss 

 where the rocks were dryer. 



The Lake district does not appear to me a promising country for the Hydra- 

 dephaga. Most of the streams run rapidly along, over a bare rocky bed, and there 

 are few sheets of standing water except the lakes themselves — whose margins aro 

 generally very bare of weeds — and deep tarns in smooth rocky basons. However, 

 two small puddles, each about a yard across at the widest part, furnished me with 

 Ilybius guttiger and Hydroporus melanarius, nigrita, tristis, and obscura, and others 

 not worth mentioning. From the rapid river Rothay 1 obtained Hydroporus elegans 

 and \2-pustulalus, while, strange to say, my efforts did not produce a single beetle 

 from the gently flowing and weedy Brathay. On its banks, however, I obtained 

 specimens of Hydrocyphon deflexicollis, hiding at the roots of grass close to the 

 water's edge, and, by sweeping the grass in some damp meadows through which it 

 passes, Homalota nigra, coriaria, xanthoptera, trinotata, and triangulum ; and also 

 Donacia afflnis in swarnas, and one specimen of D. aquatica. 



One soaking day I was walking along the road near Clappersgate with almost 

 empty bottles, when Mr. Geldart, who was a little in advance of me, looking after 

 bugs and flies, directed my attention to a beetle warily climbing a rock, over the 

 edge of which he (the beetle) appeared to have fallen. However, a nobler destiny 

 than mere escape awaited him. It was his to fill the gap in my collection which I 

 had left for Tachinus elongatulus. 



In a small heap of decaying vegetables near Ambleside I found Quedhis 

 impressus anijumatus, in the utmost abundance, and several specimens of Ocalea 

 picata, Tachinus laticollis and Philonthus albipes and longicornis. 



By beating tall shrubs, on the borders of mountain streams, I obtained 

 Telephorus abdominalis (commonly) and Corymbites tesselatus, and by sweeping the 

 herbage, Homalota inconspicua, Anthobiiim minutum, Apion onopordi, and other 

 insects, also one specimen of Aphodius depressus. 



At the foot of a haystack, among other species, I found Othitis fulvipennis and 

 Choleva nigricans, both commonly. 



A brief visit to Buxton, on my way back to London, produced no Coleoptera. 

 The description of a tour in the Lake district appears very unusual, unless it 

 contains rhapsodies on beautiful scenery, and stock quotations from such authors 

 as Wordsworth ; but if any one thinks the absence of these from my notes betrays 

 want of appreciation of natural beauty, I can only say, let him view the lakes, day 

 after day for a few weeks, through a medium of rain, and he will feci little disposed 

 for rhapsody. If any one thinks the result of my expedition very meagre, I hope 

 he will not attribute its poverty to the unproductiveness of the land, but to the 

 hostility of the sky. I was very glad to leave the district, for collecting with a 

 wet coat on one's back is very hard and discouraging woi-k, and the only poetry 

 that the Lake disti'ict brought to my mind was a verse from Horace, with the first 

 word exchanged for one more appropriate — 



"Udis omnia nam dura deusproposuit * » »> 



