SEASONS OE INSECTS. 521 
culiar insects, blossom later ; and so on till we arrive at 
the autumn. The earliest insect-season commences with 
the flowering of the sallow (Salix Caprea), usually ac- 
companied in the garden by that of the crocus and the 
gooseberry. Then is your time to collect many species of 
wild bees and Diptera not afterwards to be met with : 
and various other insects now begin to emerge from their 
winter-quarters, or are produced from the pupa. An- 
other and later season is marked by the general blossom- 
ing of the butter-cup {Ranunculus bulbosus), accompanied 
by the marsh-marygold (Caltha palustris) and ladies'- 
smock (Cardamine pratensis); when you may hunt the 
pastures, meadows, and marshes with success, and take 
some insects that do not show themselves later. The co- 
prophagous insects are now abundant, Amongst others, 
Aphodius testudinarius, a perfectly vernal species, is now 
only to be taken, and usually flying. A third insect-sea- 
son indicated by Flora, and a very prolific one, com- 
mences with the blossoming of the hawthorn, when you 
must desert the meads for the inclosures. At this time 
all nature begins to put on her gayest attire, and all her 
insect tribes are now on the alert, and fill the air. They 
are almost universally attracted by the sweet and lovely 
blossoms of the plant just named: so that by examining 
them you may entrap some of every Order, and many 
that during the year will appear no more. Even many 
of the saprophagous insects will sip nectar from these 
flowers. The umbelliferous plants proclaim the fourth 
season of insects, particularly the wild carrot andparsnzp. 
You will scarcely ever fail to find, if the weather is ge- 
nial, Hymenopterous and Dipterous insects of various ge- 
nera, — especially such as have a short tongue, — engaged 
