14 [January, 



During the first part of my stay the river was in a constant state of flood, the 

 rubbish therefrom producing a large "proportion of the total species I tojk. At the 

 very outset a single Hydrochus nitidicollis (Ent. Mo. Mag., xliii, 136) and Hydra; ha 

 longior occurred in it, giving a useful warning : amongst many others there were — 

 Notiophilus rufipes ; Calodera umbrosa ; Myrmedonia humeralii, 31. laticollis ; 

 Callicerus obscurus ; Homaluta insecta, H. pavens, H. cambrica (several), H. fra- 

 gilis (2), (a northern species this), H. luteipes (1), H angustula (2) ; one Aclobius 

 procerulus and several A. signaticornis ; Lathrobivm angustatum (3) and L. quad- 

 ratum (1) ; Ancyrophorus omalinus and A. aureus; Trogophlaeus arcuatus (common 

 generally), T. fuliginosus (3) ; Lesieoa longelytrata, L. pubescens, L. sicula, L 

 punctata ; one Rhizophagus coeruleipennis as previously reported (Ent. Mo. Mag., 

 xliii, 158) ; Cryptohypnus A-guttatus ; Larinus carlinse (1) ; Cosliodes ruber (1) ; 

 and Phgtobius 4-ttiberculatus. From a little rubbish brought down by a thunderstorm 

 in July, one Brachinus crepitans was obtained — this capture is noteworthy, as the 

 species has only, I believe, been recorded from one place in Devon previously, 

 Ashburton (S. M., 43). 



During May and June the river shingle swarmed with Bembidia, particularly 

 B. punctulatum and B. decorum, but of much greater interest was Perileptus 

 areolatus, which at intervals was abundant in two exceedingly restricted spots until 

 a day when the otter hounds passed along, disturbing the whole bank, and after 

 that not a specimen was to be found. Searching for the Perileptus assisted me in 

 finding a few Oeoryssus pygmseus and one Homalota currax. 



Moss " between wind and water " gave me ample employment at any time 

 during my four months' stay. Though the number of species to be found therein 

 was strictly limited — perhaps not more than 35 or <J0, even if Hydropori and the 

 like are included — yet I can hardly imagine its remarkable profusion of insect life 

 could be equalled anywhere. On the whole the species were distinctly good ones, 

 including Hydroporus rivalis and H. septentrionalis ; Helophorus arcernicus, Muls. ; 

 Hydrochus nitidicollis ; seven Hydr dense {testacea, riparia, nigrita, longior, gracilis, 

 atricapilla, and pygmsea*) ; Henicocerus exsculptus; Ochthebius bicolon, O. rufi- 

 marginatus ; Ischnopoda ccerulea ; Medon ripicola ; Dianous ccerulescens ; Stenus 

 guynemeri ; Limnius tubercidatus, L. troglodytes ; Elmis aineus, in profusion, and a 

 single crippled example of E. parallelopipedus. To my great surprise six Bidessus 

 minutissimus occurred. A single Cilea silphoides, curiously enough, had made its 

 home in the moss ; I saw it twice in the same spot (took it the second time), so 

 evidently its being there was not purely accidental. 



Away from the river bank conditions were never favourable, partly owing to 

 the nature of the country and partly due to the abnormal season ; however, I fell 

 in with a few nice things in the course of my long stay, some of which are new to 

 the Devon list : — at sap, Homalota aeneicollis, H. sodalis, H. gagatina, Rhynchites 

 se.neovirens ; in fungus, Homalota autumnalis (1), Endomychus coccineus, Crypto- 

 phagus ruficornis (1), Cis micanx, C. hispid us, C. pygmseus ; three Liosoma oblong- 

 itlion and several Mniophila muscorum occurred in moss in the woods, and a few 

 Choleva anisotomoides and Sericoderus lateralis among dead leaves ; one Omosita 

 depressa on a bone ; and, by sweeping, &c., Bythinus securiger, Bryaxis impressa, 



* See Note, infra. 



