190 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



G. ohscumria and B. repandata do appl}' (not perhaps in the 

 exact way he puts it), and that the geographical variation must 

 be taken into account when studying the geology of the locality 

 of capture. What I maintain is, that in some places several 

 shades and forms of these species may be obtained. In others, 

 owing to pecuhar circumstances, only one particular form is deve- 

 loped, and no other is found in the same district. I am sure many 

 entomologists will be glad to hear of the occurrence of A. similans 

 {pyrophila) over such a wide area; and I must congratulate 

 Mr. Gregson on his great success in capturing this species. I 

 have received private information of " one " having been taken in 

 Shetland, and others a few j^ears ago in the Isle of Portland. 



I must confess Mr. Atmore's note puzzles me. I have taken 

 some hundreds both of tritici and nigricans in many places, 

 sometimes very commonly on the same ground, but I never saw 

 a genuine nigricans in copula with tritici. I believe that in cases 

 where it has occurred it has been unnatural. If, however, true 

 nigricans copulate "freely" with tritici, -we have another question 

 yet to work out, which our present knowledge of these species 

 does not touch. 



I am inclined to hold the same opinion as Mr. Gregson with 



regard to the Shetland varieties of A. cnrsoria. All I have seen 



have struck me as being much more probably A. tritici than 



A. cnrsoria ; but I suppose this form has not been bred from eggs. 



Rayleigh Villa, Westcombe Parl<, Blackheatb, S.E., June, 1885. 



NOTES ON THE CAPTURE AND PRESERVATION OF 



COLEOPTERA. 



By Lyonell Fanshawe. 



(Coucluded from p. 139.) 



III.— COLLECTING IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN. 



I^T the summer months very many species may be collected 

 by beating and sweeping trees, flowers, grass, and all descriptions 

 of herbage. The net should be drawn lightly but thoroughly 

 over the herbage, and with an upward motion of the hand, taking 

 care not to entangle it in the brambles when passing. Unless it 

 is examined pretty frequently there will be such a confused mass 



