INSECTS 



local coast species. All the Acridians so far known as British occur in this list, except the large 

 Mecostethus grossus, which may be present if there are any bogs sufficiently extensive : it is 

 common in the New Forest. 



LOCUSTODEA (Long-horned Grasshoppers). Leptophyes punctatissima occurs at Radley 

 and Bagley Wood (Burr), while Radley (Burr) is the only locality recorded for the common 

 Meconema varium. Locusta viridissima is present at Tubney (Hamm), and used to be, if it is 

 not now, at Chilswell Hill (Lucas). Thamnotrizon cinereus is recorded from Radley and Bag- 

 ley Wood (Burr), and Platycleis brachyptera is present in the county (Hamm). Of the other 

 four British species three are almost certainly absent, but Xiphidium dorsale may occur in 

 boggy places. 



GRYLLODEA. Of the four British crickets the common one, Gryllus domesticus, is no doubt 

 well distributed over the county, while the Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) has been re- 

 corded from Bessels Leigh (Distant). It is possible that the local Wood Cricket (Nemobius 

 sylvestris) may occur, and although the Field Cricket (Gryllus campestris) seems to be scarce 

 in England, there is no reason why it should not occur in Berks. 



NEUROPTERA 1 



In Britain the natural order Neuroptera of Linnaeus is represented by the sub-orders, 

 Mallophaga, Psocidia, Perlidia, Ephemeridia, Odonata, Planipennia and Trichoptera. At 

 present, of the first two no records seem to have been made for Berkshire. Possibly they 

 have received but little attention, the insects comprised in them being usually very small, and 

 often obscure in addition. In the other sub-orders work of a more or less extensive character 

 has been done ; but yet on the whole we must admit that naturalists have done little more at 

 present than break the ice in the matter of the study of the Berkshire Neuroptera. 



Passing over, therefore, the MALLOPHAGA (Bird-lice) and PSOCIDIA (Psocids), we come to 

 the PERLIDIA (Stone-flies). Possibly most of the PERLIDIA prefer in the nymph-stage rather 

 rapidly flowing water, and this may be the reason why but one species has been noted Ne- 

 moura variegata, at Bagley Wood (Holland), and Wellington College (Hamm). 



Of the EPHEMERIDIA (May-flies) five species only are on the list ; but the conditions in 

 Berkshire are such that many more may be looked for. Ephemera vulgata has been found at 

 Reading and Woolhampton (Hamm), Thames side above Godstow (Holland), and Crookham 

 Common near Newbury (C. Morley) ; E. danica, Reading (Hamm) ; Leptophlebia marginata, 

 Thames side above Godstow (Holland), Thames side below Oxford (Lucas), Wellington College 

 (Hamm) ; Centroptilum pennulatum, Thames side near Oxford (Hamm) ; Ecdyurus volitans, an 

 interesting species, Thames side above Godstow (Holland). 



Although individual records of the ODONATA (Dragon-flies) are not numerous for Berkshire, 

 yet they include more than half the British species. Of the remainder Sympetrum sanguineum, 



5. scoticum, Orthetrum cancellatum, Anax imperator, and Lestes sponsa most probably occur, 

 while it is not at all unlikely that a systematic search would reveal in addition Libellula fulva, 

 Lestes dryas, Pyrrbosoma tenellum, Iscbnura pumilio, and Agrion mercuriale. The list at present is 

 Sympetrum striolatum, Wellington College (J. E. Tarbat), near Eynsham, near Godstow, near 

 Oxford, and near Kennington (Lucas), Wokingham and near Bagley Wood (Hamm). S. 

 flaveolum, a male, early in July 1 899 near Wellington College Station (Tarbat), and 21 August 

 1898 a male near Oxford (Hamm). Libellulla depressa, common at Windsor (E. R. Speyer), 

 Reading (Tarbat). L. quadrimaculata, Dry Sandford (M. Burr), Reading (Tarbat), Bulmershe 

 Park near Reading (Hamm), Windsor (Speyer). Orthetrum coerulescens, Reading (Hamm). 

 Cordulia <enea, Wellington College (Tarbat), Bulmershe Park (Hamm). Gomphus vulgatissimus, 

 Thames near Reading (Hamm), near Bagley Wood (Burr), Thames side above Godstow 

 (Holland), Eynsham (A. East). Cordulegaster annulatus, Wellington College (Tarbat), near 

 Reading (Hamm). Br achy iron pratense, one at Radley (Burr). JEschna mixta, Maidenhead 

 (P. Harwood). &. juncea, near Bagley Wood (Hamm). M. cyanea, Crookham Common 

 near Newbury (Morley), Bagley Wood (Lucas), Reading (Hamm), Maidenhead (Harwood). 



6. grandis, Bagley Wood, South Hinksey, and near Eynsham (Lucas), Reading (Hamm), 

 Maidenhead (Harwood). Calopteryx virgo, Windsor (F. A. Walker), Kennet near Reading 

 (Hamm), Tubney Wood, a brown male apparently mature (Holland), Charney near Wantage 

 (H. Trim), Crookham Common near Newbury (Morley). C. splendent, Thames at Windsor 

 (Walker), Thames near Nuneham (Burr), near Eynsham (Lucas), Maidenhead (Porritt), Read- 



By W. J. Lucas, B.A. 

 I 73 I0 



