20 [J"»»- 



endeavours to scale tlie steep and treacherous sand-slopes, at the base of which are 

 dangerous pitfalls in the shape of burrows of a handsome spider, which is ever on 

 the look out for those hapless insects that have come to grief in miniature sand- 

 avalanches. Orthochcp-tes may be found lying about at the base of the sandhills, 

 inert as usual. Harpalus cordatus and servus, Ocypus ater, Silpha Icevigata, Sar- 

 rotrium, Crypticus, Microzonm, Phaleria, Nacerdes, and Helops pallidus, sometimes 

 reward the collector, and at the right season Cteniopus forms a conspicuous object 

 on the Galium, and Malachius marginellus and viridis occur by sweeping, the latter 

 being especially abundant at one small spot behind the first range of hills. On the 

 land side moss grows thickly and forms the home of numerous Brachelytra and 

 Geodephaga. Philonthi swarm in it, especially politus and the red-spotted species, 

 and the pretty Xantholimis tricolor is sometimes tolerably common. The genus 

 Amara is well represented, lucida and tibialis being specially plentiful ; convexius- 

 cula, hijrons, and rufocincta have also occurred. In the moss, too, may be met with 

 Hyperaspis, Scymnus frontalis and Harpalus anxius. Amongst more minute species 

 Phytosus halticus and Phlceohium clypeatum occasionally put in an appearance. 



The Hemipterous fauna also is interesting : the moss yields abundance of RJiypa- 

 rochromus pr<etextatiis and Plinthisns Irevipennis, while Ceraleptus lividiis, Calypto- 

 notiis lynceus, and Rhyparochromns chiragra and sabulicola sometimes turn up. 

 The Psamma yields by sweeping, Chorosoma, Myrnms, and the large and pale var. . 

 of Melagocercea ruficornis,iir\d the Homopterous Philcenus lineatus is a perfect pest. 

 Poeciloscytus unifasciattis sometimes occurs on low plants, and Systellonotus, Coranus, 

 and the shovel-headed Eupelex producta and spathulafa at roots. A solitary patch 

 of Hippophae rhamnoides, which crowns one of the mounds, yields Psylla hippo- 

 phaes and abundance of Anthocoris nemoralis. Plagiognathus alhipennis is found on 

 plants of Artemisia not far off. 



Amongst the Hymenoptera may be mentioned the handsome bees Dasypoda 

 hirtipes and Megachile maritima ; and amongst the Lepidoptera, Choerocampa por- 

 celliis and EuboUa lineolata. 



In conclusion, I would acknowledge my indebtedness to my friends the Rev. E. 

 N. Bloomfield and Mr. E. P. Collett for some of the information contained in these ; 

 notes.— E. A. Bftler, 7, Turle Road, Tollington Park, N. : May Idfh, 1884. 



Note on Nepa cinerea. — Some time ago, while searching for Coleoptera upon il 

 the borders of a small pond at Dulwich, I noticed a fly struggling in the mud, some 

 distance from the water, and apparently unable to release itself. Upon closer investi- 

 gation I found that the insect was in the grasp of a Nepa, which had buried itself 

 in the mud, and. left merely the tips of the jaw-like anterior-limbs projecting above 

 the surface. This position must, I think, have been voluntarily assumed, for the Nepa 

 was some five or six inches distant from the edge of the pond itself, and so could ' 

 hardly have been left stranded by the retreat of the water consequent upon evapora- 

 tion, which couldnot, at that time of the year (early in May) have been very rapid.' j 

 It would be interesting to learn whether the Nepa has ever been discovered in a» 

 similar position by other observers, or whether this was an enterprising specimen' 

 which had departed from the usual habits of its kind, and struck out a line of life 

 for itself. — Theodore Wood, 5, Selwyn Terrace, Upper Norwood, S.E. : May \Oth, 

 1884. ^ 



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