1865.1 239 



one bush, and they were on every fiirzo bush ; and when on the move were con- 

 stantly exhibiting' themselves everywhere. This beetle does not like the neigh- 

 bourhood of Manchester ; at all events, after passing ten summers here, I have not 

 seen it within twelve miles of Manchester. 



It has been said that Aphides are most numerous in dry seasons. I cannot 

 confirm this from my own observation, though it is true a very extensive assem- 

 blage of them has been recorded at page 123. On the contrary, they were more 

 conspicuously abundant here in the wet season of 1860, and I collected more of 

 them that year than I have done either before or since, just because they were 

 abundant and other insects were not. They were then partially kept in check by 

 their Hymenopterous parasites of the genus Aphidius, of which I bred several 

 species ; and in the preceding autumn I bred a few specimens of Allotria victrix, 

 (fam. Cynipido''), from Aphides found on cabbage. 



Although the sweeping net and the beating stick have not revealed any 

 alarming excess of Aphides during the past season, as far as I am aware, we know 

 not to what extent their numbers may have been limited by the larvae of Syrphus 

 and Coccinella. — Benjamin Cooke, Manchester, 14cth December, 1864. 



Diptera in the Lake District.— There were three Entomological interests repre- 

 sented in our excursion, of which my friend, Mr. T. Blackburn, gives so graphic a 

 description in the November number of this magazine : they were as follows : — The 

 Coleopterous, the Dipterous, and the Lepidopterous. Corresponding with these interests 

 the three degrees of comparison, wretched, more wretched, and most wretched, were 

 descriptive of our experience ; a more monotonous period of damp anguish I never 

 spent. In Coleoptera, the captures were many, if the pleasure were small ; but in the 

 Diptera and Lepidoptera the pleasure of collecting was nil, and the captures very scanty 

 indeed. As for Lepidoptera, one might say that there were absolutely none ; the few we 

 took being the exceptions that proved the rule. 



Of Diptera there were plenty, in drowned and undistinguishable state ; but of 

 recognizable specimens so few that, had there been anything else to do, I should have 

 given up looking for them in disgust. Still, from what I took, in spite of all obstacles, 

 I have come to the conclusion that the district must be very rich in two-winged flies. 

 Syrphidce, I need scarcely say, were very scarce ; yet I took Sericomyia lojpponm flying 

 in the rain, in a lane between Kirkstone Pass and UUswater; and Crysotoxum arcuatum 

 in a lane near Clappersgate, Here, during a brief gleam of sunshine, I took the 

 beautiful Crysociamys eenea. Baccha elongata got into my net somehow, and so did 

 Xylota segnis and Syrphus scalaris. With the exception of the two last named, the 

 above Syrphidce are wanting in the Bowdon district, so far as my experience goes, nor 

 do I think I have ever met with them here at Oxford. Chrysops co'cutiens, the most 

 glorious of the Tabamidce, came flying about me one day in considerable numbers. 

 Beris chalyieata and clavipes represerited the Stratiomydce. Muscidw were common 

 enough, but mostly in a soaked condition. By sweeping herbage in damp meadows I 

 took Tetanocera reticulata, and Hieracii (.'). It is indeed superfluous to say "damp" 

 meadows, as all meadows were damp there, and then. However, to proceed, I believe 

 all the following Muscida' were taken by sweeping : — Anthomyia funiosa, Ortalis 

 syngenesiiP, Palloptera 6-macnlata, Psilcv bicolor. Among the Enipidce I took Empis 

 stercorea and Platypalpus varius ; the latter by sweeping the herbage near a pond. 



