70 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



are found under bark ; many of the carrion beetles, too, are 

 often found on flowers. As, then, these pajDers are meant merely 

 to serve as hints to beginners, as showing them roughly where 

 they may expect to find certain groups or certain particular 

 insects, it seems preferable to adopt the second course, viz., to 

 take different localities and point out what beetles we may 

 expect to find, if we work them. At the same time it must be 

 understood that this at times may involve a little repetition and 

 a little confusion, for, as we first saw, there are many beetles 

 that are found in the most varied positions ; in fact some seem 

 almost ubiquitous, and turn up wherever one goes. 



We need not go far to begin ; we have a very fair 

 collecting ground in our own houses. Of course "black- 

 beetles" will at once occur to the beginner, but these belong 

 to the Orthoptera, and are, therefore, not Coleoptera at all. 

 There are, however, plenty of bond fide beetles. We may perhaps 

 first mention the elegant steel-blue cellar beetle, Pristonychus 

 terricola, which is often common in cellars and outhouses. 

 Sphodrus leucophthalmus is another species that haunts the same 

 localities, but prefers bakehouses ; it is apparently rare, although 

 said to have been common near the metropolis. Species of 

 Blaps are also found in the same places. Wine-cellars are often 

 productive of good species, which inhabit the dark-looking 

 fungi that grow on the walls. Not long ago I received Atomaria 

 nigripennis, Mycetcea hirta, and the rare Orthoperus atomarius 

 from such a cellar in Gloucester ; the latter, I believe, had only 

 been taken before by Mr. Crotch, at Devizes. Atomaria nigri- 

 pennis, the prettiest of the Atomaria, is mentioned by Stephens 

 as common in cellars at Nottingham. Several species of Crypto- 

 phagi also occur with these beetles. 



The wood-work of old houses is often infested with beetles ; 

 every one has heard of the " death-watch," whose ticking in the 

 silence of the night has caused much fear to superstitious minds ; 

 this noise is caused by certain species of Anohium, probably by 

 the clicking of their mandibles while working or calling their 

 mates. Anohium striatum is the commonest : this is the species 

 that makes the little round holes in old furniture with which we 

 are all familiar. Xestohium tessellatum is also a common species 

 locally. Another member of the group, Anohium paniceum, 

 prefers bread and farinaceous substances to wood. Many species 



