82 [September, 
Note on Sitones lineellus, Oyll. — For many years past I have taken this insect ; 
but, looking upon it as only a pretty variety of S. tibmlis, have unceremoniously 
ejected it from the sweeping net. In May of last year (1866), however, happening 
to secure some fine examples, and noticing their totally red legs, it occurred to me 
that they might be the much doubled lineellus. A careful examination of Gyllen- 
hal's description showed me that I had, without doubt, the insect described by the 
learned Swede. When in good condition, it is indeed a beautiful thing ; the white 
dashes on the elytra being very conspicuous, especially in the smaller examples. 
Bleak and storm-beaten is the Northumberland coast, exposed to the tem- 
pestuous winds of a stormy sea : a boreal insect may there find a fitting home. 
Towards the north end of Whitley-sands the banks become high, rugged and 
uneven, from the frequent land-slips, and have a dense cover of coarse grasses, 
thistles, docks, cow-parsnips, rest-harrow, &c. By sweeping among these the 
insect is taken ; but on whicli particular plant I am unable to say. I have seen it 
astir early in April, and through the following months to the end of September. — 
Thos. Jno. Bold, Long Benton, Newcastle-on-Tyne, July 23rd, 1867. 
Note on Sitones meliloti, Walton. — This very distinct species appears to bo of 
rare occurrence everywhere, perhaps to a great extent owing to its habits. It was 
so in my case ; for although I had for some years known of a locality for it, yet the 
most careful " sweeps" failed to produce more than single specimens. Last year, 
however, I found two bushes of the food-plant — the Melilot-trefoil — growing on the 
edge of the sands, with the beetles feeding thereon. Now the reason why I had 
not before been able to take a series was that the extreme timidity of the creatures 
causes them, as soon as they are approached, to drop down amongst the dense 
herbage, where they are quite in safety. This stratagem did not answer on the 
sand ; for, although they adroitly tucked in their legs, fell on their backs, and 
simulated death vdth much patience, they were quickly seized and bottled, in spite 
of their being nearly of the same colour as the sand. The first specimens were 
got on the 25th of August, and others up to the beginning of October, when my 
captures were jDut an end to by some sheep escaping from a neighbouring field and 
devouring my traps. — Id. 
[Mr. G. Lewis used to take this species sparingly in Charlton sand-pits ; and, 
in the beginning of August, I once took a few specimens on the straggling yellow- 
flowered Melilot-trefoil in Hammersmith-marshes, accompanied by many of the 
Tychius and A]}ion peculiar to that plant. Before that month the Sitones had been 
found in some numbers there by Messrs. S. and J. Stevens. — E. C. R.] 
Note on Calathus micropteriis and Miscodera arctica. — In the " Geodephaga 
Britannica" Mr. Dawson speaks of both these species as being somewhat rare, 
but as having been taken by him on the high moors near Llangollen, in August. I 
found each species abundantly in the locality indicated, about the middle of last 
month. C. micropterus was plentiful everywhere, and occurred here and there in 
profusion. M. arctica appeared to be rather more local, but was very plentiful. 
It would seem that either this must have been an unusually good season, or that 
June is a better time to search for these beetles than August. I suspect the latter 
supposition is the correct one. 
