344 NATURAL HISTORY OF HARTING. 



and spirits, with a wholesome contempt for any pursuit 

 unconnected with pounds, shillings, and pence, at once 

 displayed his readiness to "trot" me "out," in a 

 figurative sense, for the recreation of his employes. 

 ' And pray, my friend,' was his ironically-polite opening 

 address, ' if it's not an impertinent question, where may 

 the butterfly-net be?' 'Oh, in my pocket; but I'm 

 not looking for butterflies now, I'm bound for yonder 

 cover.' ' Indeed ! and shall I be too inquisitive if I 

 ask what you expect to find there ? ' ' Well, to tell 

 you the truth, and (lowering my voice) I shouldn't like 

 it to go any further, you know.' ' All right.' ' I hope 

 to meet with Salpingus ruficollis! ' Sail who, did you 

 say ? ' ' Salpingus' ' Pingus ! Pingus ! never heard of 

 the family before new comers, I suppose ? ' ' That's 

 it. Good day ! ' The chorus of humorous comments 

 and unrestrained laughter that followed and continued, 

 as long as I was within hearing, may be easily imagined 

 by any one who has carried a fly-net through a 

 Harting field or meadow in busy haymaking or harvest 

 time, and perhaps even you will laugh when I tell you 

 that these brawny sons of the soil cannot find a more 

 euphonious name for us than ' Buttervlee Ketchers ' ! " 

 The remaining division of beetles, consisting of 

 several hundred distinct species, to say nothing of 

 varieties, includes some of the most minute ones, such 

 as Pselaphus Herbstii, Euphlectus pusillus, and their 

 relatives, several of which we have discovered at the 

 roots of grass, and in moss gathered in damp places. 

 The larger Rove-Beetles, Trichoderma nebulosum, many 

 species of Staphilinus and Goerius olens, we have seen 

 running about in pathways in fields and gardens, or 

 found under dead carcases ; P&derus riparius and 

 Stenus biguttatus, with which we close this imperfect 

 notice of beetles, we have more frequently met with in 

 damp situations under stones and wood. 



