JUNE. 195 



Calathurs unfangulus. The best method of obtain- 

 ing this elegant and local insect is, by shaking loose 

 sods of turf in sandy places. 



Patrobus rufipes. Mr. Stephens must have been 

 mistaken when he asserted this to be a littoral insect. 

 In this part of the kingdom, it occurs on the banks 

 of rivers and ditches, in woods, and even on the 

 summits of the Derbyshire mountains. 



Colymbetes maculatus. This beautiful but varia- 

 ble aquatic beetle, which is so accurately figured by 

 Mr. Samouelle, in p. 3. f. 15, of his " Useful Com- 

 pendium, "has generally been considered a local and 

 even a rare species : it is, however, abundant in 

 several of the midland counties, in running ditches 

 and small rivulets. 



Lucanus Cervus. The Stag-Beetle may be con- 

 sidered the king of British beetles ; it is extremely 

 abundant in the southern counties, particularly in 

 the vicinity of old oak woods, the decayed stumps 

 of which its larvae inhabit and destroy. I have not 

 heard of its being taken farther north than Wor- 

 cester. 



Geotrupes stercorarius. Common Dor-Beetle, or 

 Shard-borne Beetle. This well known insect, which 

 has buzzed in the face of every evening rambler, 

 could not escape the notice of so accurate an ob- 

 server as Shakspeare ; like the bat that " flits by on 

 leathern wing," he regards it as an indicator of time. 

 Macbeth says to his lady, 



Ere to black Hecate's summons, 

 The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums, 



