232 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



may be found in this way, as the tufts are favourite h3'bernating 

 places ; Staphylinidoi, however, especially Stem, are the com- 

 monest. 



Tlie damp bottom layers of haystacks afford shelter to 

 numerous species, especially during the winter ; my experience, 

 however, of haystacks has not been a very good one, as I have 

 found that Atomaria ruficornis, Lathridius ruficollis, and a few 

 common Homalotce, Oligota, and Steni, have usually made up the 

 bulk of my captures There is no doubt, however, that in some 

 localities there is nothing better worth working than a haystack. 

 A little while ago I received two Steni from Mr. Bedford Pim, 

 taken under a haj^stack near London, which turned out to be 

 S. asphaltinus ; and Pseudopsis sulcatus, Heterothops quadri- 

 punctidus, Atomaria impressa, several rare species of Crypto- 

 phagus, Bolitobius inclinans, and many others, have been recorded 

 from such localities. 



A collector, who wishes to adopt any of the four methods of 

 collecting above mentioned, will do well to provide himself with 

 a good-sized bag and a small sieve, about ten inches or a foot in 

 diameter. The moss, perhaps, as it packs into a small space and 

 is not easily shaken through, may be taken away bodily ; but still 

 in many cases the sieve is very useful, for dry moss especially ; 

 in dealing, however, with tufts of grass, dry leaves, or haystacks, 

 the sieve is indispensable ; the insects from a large mass may 

 soon be shaken out through the sieve into the bag, and the whole 

 of the shakings may then be conveniently examined at home at 

 leisure. A small ordinary wooden sieve will of course suit the 

 purpose, but it is far better to have the sides made of strong 

 calico than of wood, and very much deeper ; we shall then have a 

 sort of bag with a net-work at the bottom, which will contain far 

 more than an ordinar}' sieve, and can be shaken much more 

 violently without any fear of losing the contents ; it has, too, the 

 great advantage of being easily carried, as it can be folded 

 up flat. 



As a conclusion for this article, we may perhaps consider 

 birds' -nests, which should not be passed over when it is possible 

 to examine them. Cholevce may usually be found by shaking the 

 nests over paper, and sometimes good species of Histeridce. 

 Pigeon's-nests have produced Aleochara villosa, Homalium 

 Allardi, H. jioralc, and, I believe, H. piuictipenne, Ptiiius fur, 



