THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Vol. XV.] DECEMBEE, 1882. [No. 235. 



NATURAL LOCALITIES OF BRITISH COLEOPTERA. 

 By Rev. W. W. Fowler, M.A., F.L.S. 

 No. X.— FUNGI, FENCES, SAP, FAGGOTS, &c. 



In the autumn nothing repays a collector better than working 

 at Fungi; not that Fungi at any season of the year are not 

 equally productive, but in the autumn the Fungi themselves are 

 more abundant, and other methods of collecting begin to fail. 

 Among the beetles found in Fungi, species of Gyrophcena, Bolito- 

 chara, Bolitohius,Myceto'pliagu8, Proteinus,Megarthrus, Cychramus, 

 Epiiraa, &c., are very conspicuous ; Oxypoda alternans and 

 Alitalia impressa are nearly always to be found ; and the following 

 Homalotce occur : — H. fungivora, H. fungicola, H. holetobia, H. 

 nigritula, H. sodalis, H. gagatina, H. angusticollis, H. corvina, 

 and H. ohlita; Agaricochara leevicollis is rarely found, but 

 Gyrophcena of various species are almost always present ; 

 Oxyporus riifus is occasionally found in some numbers, mining 

 transverse galleries through the gills of large Fungi. All, or 

 nearly all, the above-mentioned beetles occm- in the large soft- 

 stemmed Fungi that are so common in every wood in autumn ; 

 but, besides these, boleti and all fungoid growths on trunks of 

 trees, whether high up or lower down near the roots, should be 

 carefully examined. Engis hiimeralis and riififrons, Ennearthron 

 fronticorne, Octotemnus glahriculus, Cis alni, Triplax russica, 

 Tetratoma fungorum, Triphyllas suturalis, RMzophagi, and many 

 others may be obtained in these : the best plan is to collect a 

 bag full of boleti and keep the contents at home in an old box ; 

 large numbers of good species may be bred out in this way. 

 Even the small scaly Fungi that are found on trunks of trees 

 lying on the ground will sometimes produce very good beetles. 



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