The Beetles of the Downs 



be what Linnaeus meant by oleracea, it had been generally 

 known by that name, until Dr. Sharp recently* con- 

 sidering the evidence that this insect was really the 

 Linnaean oleracea hardly sufficient, proposed for it the 

 name H. ytenensis (ytenensis meaning connected with 

 the New Forest, from the name of an ancient British 

 tribe supposed to have been settled there), because he 

 took it in great abundance near Brockenhurst. 



This beetle averages about 3 J mm. in length, its colour 

 is shining dark blue, sometimes with a slight greenish 

 or violet reflection, especially on the thorax; it is a 

 long oval in shape, rather flat, with legs and antennae 

 black; the punctuation of the thorax is exceedingly 

 fine, and of the elytra confused and not very strong, 

 and, as in so many other members of this section, there 

 is a deep transverse groove across the basal half of the 

 thorax. 



Any Haltica is easily recognised in the net from 

 its comparatively large size, shining blue colour, and 

 power of leaping but, as I have already said, to 

 distinguish the species is quite another matter, and it 

 is only because this oleracea or ytenensis is so much more 

 abundant than any other, that we assume our present 

 capture to be that species. 



Probably towards the base of the chalk slope we have 

 been traversing there may be some scattered Guelder 

 Rose or Wayfaring bushes, and if we beat the foliage 

 of some of these into the net we shall probably discover 

 a beetle we have not seen before. It is one of the 

 * See Ent. Monthly Magazine, Vol. xxv. (2nd series), 1914, p. 259. 



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