172 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



CAPTURES OF COLEOPTERA. 

 By G. A. Lewcock. 



Noticing your correspondent's request, in the last number 

 of the ' Entomologist,' for information concerning our native 

 Coleoptera, it occurred to me that a few observations on this 

 subject might be acceptable, and perhaps have the effect of 

 awakening some of our slumbering coleopterists, and stimulate 

 them to record their captures from time to time in this 

 magazine. I have pursued the study of this branch of Ento- 

 mology for some years, and have often found great difficulty in 

 obtaining precise information as to the habits, time of appear- 

 ance, &c, of the various species ; for want of which information 

 my researches have been conducted in a somewhat haphazard 

 fashion, though, by continual observation and making extensive 

 notes, I have succeeded tolerably well. 



When first I resolved to take up Coleoptera, I obtained a 

 copy of Rye's 'Beetles,' from the library of the Haggerston 

 Entomological Society ; this gave me several useful hints as to 

 localities, &c, and proved to be a valuable book indeed. I next 

 turned my attention to Cox's ' Handbook of British Coleoptera,' 

 a work which is indispensable to the coleopterist, as giving 

 descriptions of the British species. I was unable for some little 

 time to make much headway in naming, but in this matter I 

 obtained much valuable assistance from others similarly 

 occupied. With the more difficult species, however, the Rev. 

 W. W. Fowler most readily aided me ; and moreover, in 

 returning the named specimens, he very kindly filled up my box 

 with a quantity of types of other beetles, many of them 

 uncommon and some rare, which I found of great service. 

 This gentleman frequently contributes articles to the 'Ento- 

 mologist ' (see vol. xvi., also July number, 1884), and from 

 them I have derived considerable information. However much 

 one reads on this subject, there is nothing like personal 

 experience, which can only be acquired by diligence and per- 

 severance. At the same time, should the practice of recording 

 become general, it would materially assist us to obtain a better 

 knowledge of the habits of our British Coleoptera than is at 

 present available for the young aspirants in the study of this 



