234 [March, 



Early appearance of Vespa germanica, Fab. — The unusually mild winter 

 through which we are just passing, seems to forecast an early and, probably, pros- 

 perous season to entomologists generally, if we do not experience sharp frosts with 

 biting east winds in March and April ; at any rate, the following facts would almost 

 lead one to suppose so : — While out for an entomological ramble on the afternoon 

 of the 20th of last month across Wimbledon Common, I was surprised, on coming 

 up to the remains of a felled oak, to see three queen-wasps flying lazily about the 

 trunk, I at once captured and boxed them, and, on looking more particularly at the 

 tree, I found the bark was in several places leaving it, it being in an advanced state 

 of decay ; on ripping off the bark in one place I found no less than thirty-eight 

 more, in a state of stupor or torpidity, and all huddled up as close as it was possible 

 for them to get ; there had been, the night previous, a sharp frost, and the rime was 

 still on them and all round them, the bark being saturated with moisture ; on 

 placing some of them in the palm of my hand, they speedily recovered, and walked 

 about as though they appreciated the warmth ; some few of them I took home, and, 

 placing them loosely on my study table, they very soon flew about the room ; the 

 circumstance of so many being found hibernating together is certainly very unusual, 

 and, probably, unprecedented. The late Mr. Smith, in his Catalogue of Fossorial 

 Hymenoptera, speaks of a female of V. vulgaris being seen on the wing on February 

 13th, 1859, at Hampstead ; but I can find no account of Vespa germanica being met 

 with in January before. Vespa was not alone, as a resident under the same bark, 

 there being numbers of Rhizophagus bipustnlatus, as well as Cis boleti, Dryoccetes 

 villosus, Homalium vile, Conurus pubescens, Atomaria peltata, &c, and innumerable 

 specimens of the Order Thysanura. I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. E. 

 Saunders for identifying the wasp. — T. R. Billups, 20, Swiss Villas, Coplestone 

 Road, Peckham : February 10th, 1882. 



Notes on the Coleoptera of the Hastings district. — During November and 

 December last, I worked at a hot-bed in Gruestling, and, among other things, turned 

 up the following Trichopterygia : — T. grandicollis, in some numbers ; T. sericans, 

 very abundantly ; T. anthracina, a few only ; T. picicornis, of this rarity I secured 

 only one specimen ; T. atomaria, one only. Ft. apicale, literally swarmed. I was 

 pleased to meet with Philonthus thermarum, which, I fancy, is not very common ; 

 Phil, disco ideus was rather plentiful ; I have not met with this latter in any other 

 situation. Cilea silphoides, Acritus minutus, Micropeplus staphylinoides, Falagria 

 sulcata, Homalota longicornis, Horn, fusca, H. fungi, var. dubia, H. melanaria, 

 Scydmtvnus hirticollis, Fumicrus tarsatus, Oxypoda opaca, 0. altemans, Stenus 

 declaratus, speculator, unicolor, Ei\, and several other common things occurred. 

 Probably, I might have got a longer list, had not the hot-bed been destroyed. I hope 

 to work at the same again in the spring, when it (the hot-bed) is re-made. 



The following may be worth recording: — Ptenidiwm formicetorum, from rotten 

 wood ; Ilyobates nigricollis, sand-pit at Gruestling ; Aleochara ciiniculorum, several 

 taken at Guestling, in May, I believe, from dead birds ; Atomaria atra, Kr., I took, 

 by sweeping, at Battle. Rhyncolus cylindrirostris was very plentiful in an old 

 beech tree. Bryaxis Waterhousei occurred at Rye somewhat sparingly under stones 

 by the river-side. Bythimis Curtisi in the Gruestling sand-pit. Carcinops minima, 

 accompanied by numbers of Haploderus ccelatus, was obtained by shaking flood- 

 refuse over paper. 



