FEBRUARY. 45 



Hydrophilus caraboides. This species, which 

 is so common in the south of England, (par- 

 ticularly near London,) is rarely met with in 

 the north. In Nottinghamshire I have never 

 heard of its being taken ; the Nottingham dis- 

 trict, including Sherwood Forest, is however 

 very productive, although some species are ex- 

 tremely local. The first British specimens of 

 Saperda ferrea were taken by myself in the 

 county. 



Berosus luridus. The insects of this beauti- 

 ful genus are frequently confounded. I would, 

 therefore, advise the young entomologist to ex- 

 amine them with care : they delight in pools 

 having a clayey bottom, and haunt the roots 

 and stems of aquatic plants near the margin. 



Silpha opaca. This rare species is some- 

 times taken in the vicinity of Nottingham, in 

 this and the two following months. 



Coccinella septem-punctata, or Lady-bird, is 

 associated with the remembrance of almost 

 every country ramble, and is welcomed with 

 rapture by every child who has heard the 

 nursery air of 



Lady-bird ! lady-bird ! fly away home : 



Thy house is on fire, thy children will burn ! etc. 



It is an insect that deserves the protection of 

 every gardener and lover of plants, its food 

 being the various species of aphides, those de- 



