CHAPTER XIII 1 



THE FAUNA OF THE MARITIME ZONE 



THAT strip of land, with sand dunes and lichen covered 

 rocks, over which the sea spray is scattered when the 

 winds are high has, besides a flora of its own the thrift, 

 the sea-holly, the sea-convolvulus, the sea -spleenwort, and 

 a host of minor plants dear to the botanist a number 

 of animal forms which are found nowhere else. 



Foremost among these are beetles (Coleoptera). They 

 are represented by fifteen known species viz. 



Pliytosus spinifer. Under stones and rubbish. 



Trechus lapidosus. In sandy places just above high- 

 water mark. This one is local, but is recorded from Ventnor, 

 Southend, Shoreham, Deal, Dover, etc. 



Nebria complanata. In similar localities, but more 

 general. 



Brosus cephalotus. South coast of England, and Channel 

 Islands. 



The late Mr Robert Foster thus writes about this species 

 in " The World of Insects " : " They are found only in the 

 sand, and live in dens about three inches deep and half-an- 

 inch wide, which are made in a diagonal position, where the 

 sand is mixed with the decomposed stalks of Elymus 

 arenarim. They appear to roam during the day, but upon 

 any alarm run swiftly to their dens, projecting from the 

 mouths of which their heads may be seen watching for 



1 For the material of this chapter I am indebted to my friend, 

 Mr W. Luff, of Guernsey, Fellow of the Entomological Society. 



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