BRITISH INSECTS. 113 



plants which grow under them ; these should be well beat, 

 but more especially when the white thorn blossoms in the 

 months of May and June. Hedges where the roads are dusty 

 are very seldom productive. 



HEATHS AND COMMONS. Many insects are peculiar to these 

 situations from the plants which grow on them, as well as from 

 the dung of cattle by which many of them are frequented, in 

 the latter of which, many thousands of insects may be found in 

 a single day, in the months of April and May. These are 

 principally of the Order Coleoptera. 



SAND PITS. These are favourable for the propagation of 

 Capris lunarius, Notoxus monoceros, Lixus sulcirostris and 

 other rare insects. Minute species are found abundantly at 

 the roots of grass. 



MEADOWS, MARSHES, AND PONDS. In meadows, when the 

 Ranunculi, or butter-cups, are in blossom, many Muscce and 

 Dipterous insects generally abound. The flag-rushes are the 

 habitations of Cassida, Donacina, and others. Drills in marsh- 

 es should be examined, as many species of insects are found 

 on long grass. The larvae of various Lepidoptera, and Neurop- 

 tera are confined to these situations, more especially if hedges 

 and trees are near the spot. Ponds are rich in microscopic 

 insects. These are obtained by means of the landing net, 

 which, for this purpose, need not be so long as represented in 

 plate IV., fig. 9, and should be made of pretty thick cotton 

 cloth, but sufficiently thin to allow the water to escape. The 

 mud which is brought up from the bottom of ponds and ditch- 

 es should be examined, and what small insects are found may 

 be put in a small phial filled with water, which will not only 

 clean them, but keep them alive ; and in many instances the 

 naturalist will be surprised upon the examination of these, the 

 most wonderful productions of nature. 



Moss, DECAYED TREES, ROOTS OF GRASS, &c. Many in- 

 sects will be found in moss and under it ; the roots and wood 

 of decayed trees afford nourishment and a habitation to a num- 

 ber of insects ; many of the larvae of Lepidoptera penetrate the 

 trunks of trees in all directions; most of the Cerambyces feed 

 on wood, as well as some species of Carabidce, Elaterida, &c. 

 In seeking for these, it is necessary to use the digger, see 

 K 3 



