4^34' HYBERNATION OF INSECTS. 



Walking on the banks of the Humber on the 14th of 

 October about noon, — the day bright, calm, and delici- 

 ously mild, Fahrenheit's thermometer 58° in the shade, 

 — my attention was first attracted by the path-ways 

 swarming with numerous species of rove-beetles {Stcq^hij- 

 linus, Oxytehis, Aleochara, &c.), which kept incessantly 

 alighting, and hurrying about in every direction. On 

 further examination I found a similar assemblage, with 

 the addition of multitudes of other beetles, Halticce, 

 Nitidula^ Rhyncophorai Cryptophagi, &c. on every post 

 and rail in my walk, as well as on a wall in the neigh- 

 bourhood ; and on removing the decaying mortar and 

 bark, I found that some had already taken up their abode 

 in holes, from their situation with their antennae folded, 

 evidently meant for winter quarters. I am not aware 

 that any author has noticed this remarkable congregation 

 of coleopterous insects previously to hybernating, which 

 it is so difficult to explain on any of the received theories 

 of torpidity, except the pious Lesser, who so expressly 

 alludes to it, and without quoting any other authority, 

 that he would seem to have derived the fact from his 

 own observation*. 



The site chosen by different perfect insects for their 

 hybernacula is very various. Some are content with in- 



" Lesser, L. . 256. — Lyonet inserts a note to explain that Lesser's 

 remark is to be understood only of such insects as live in societies; 

 and adds, that solitary species do not assemble to pass the winter 

 together. Lesser, however, says nothing about these insects passing 

 the winter together, as his translator erroneously understands him ; 

 but merely that they assemble as {(preparing to retire for the winter, 

 which my own observations, as above, confirm. His expression in 

 the original German is, " gleichsam als wenn sie sich zu ihrer wn- 

 ter-ruhe tertig machen woken." Edit. Frankfurt und Leipsig 1738, 

 p. 152. 



