56 



England there are but few recorded localities; but these are more 

 scattered than was the case for the last species, and no doubt 

 attention would soon prove it to be more common than it now 

 appears to be. Where I have met with it there has usually been no 

 scarcity. Records are found for: — Cornwall (Edwards); Devon 

 (Parfitt) ; Hants (W. J. L.) ; Sussex (Guermonprez) ; Surrey (W. 

 J. L.) ; Berks (A. H. Hamra) ; Kent (W. J. L.) ; Norfolk (E. A. 

 Atmore); Yorkshire (Porritt) ; Cumberland (F. H. Day). It 

 appears to like damp or bon:gy ground, especially amongst heath or 

 heather. More than once I have found it a cannibal. In 1912 I 

 published in vol. xlv. of the " Entomologist " a comparative table, 

 by the help of which this species may be distinguished from the 

 scarcer }J. roeselii. It is here reproduced : — 



Metrioptera roeselii, Hagenbach, is an inhabitant of northern 

 and central Europe. In this country it has been found in one or 

 two localities only. In August, 1886, Mr. E. Saunders captured one 

 at Heme Bay, and in August, 1888, Mr. Wallis Kew found it plenti- 

 ful amongst coarse grass on the sandhills at Triisthorpe, in Lincoln- 

 shire. Since 1886 a few other specimens have been taken at Heme 

 Bay by Messrs. H. Guermonprez, H. Campion, and C. O. "U aterhouse. 

 In August, 1911, Mr. South took one at Leigh, in Essex. From 

 1903 onwards, Mr. B. S. Harwood took the species sparingly on an- 

 other part of the Essex coast. On September Brd, 1911, Mr. W. West 

 took five specimens on the banks of the Thames below Gravesend.' 

 In 1912 Mr. A. Luvoni met with it in two new localities on the 

 Essex coast, and Mr. H. Campion again found it at Heme Bay in 

 August. Finally, in this same year (1912), Mr. Porritt visited Mr. 

 Kew's old locality at Trusthorpe and, notwithstanding atrocious 

 weather, secured a fair number of specimens. In captivity M. 

 roeselii will feed on fresh grass. 



