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Art. XIX. — Notes on the Bethyli and on Dri/ifius pedestris. 

 By A. H. Haliday, Esq. M.A. 



1. Bethylus. — The insects of this genus seem fond of 

 the flowers of Syngenesia, but their principal haunts are in 

 dry sandy districts near the sea. The low tufts of Rosa 

 spinosissima , flourishing among the sand-cliffs, support nume- 

 rous larvae of Tineidce, which when full fed, often fall into the 

 little pits of loose sand formed at the foot of the cliffs, by the 

 gradual scaling of the bank and the eddies of wind. These 

 pits are complete traps for various insects, to which Myrmica 

 rubra and other predaceous species resort, and among these 

 our Bethyli will be seen prowling. On the fifth of last June, 

 I observed a female of the largest size occupied with one of 

 those larvae which was full fed, and, I should think, about six 

 times its own weight. It had seized this by the mouth, and 

 was with great perseverance endeavouring to transport it up 

 the sliding sides of the pit. Perceiving that though appa- 

 rently not discouraged after ten minutes' ineffectual exertion, 

 it had no chance of succeeding, and wishing to trace its pro- 

 ceedings, I placed a fragment of straw in the hollow within its 

 reach. The moment it had touched this railway the state of 

 affairs was changed — taking a firm hold with its hind feet, it 

 swung its prey round, and set off' with it at a smart pace, 

 walking backwards and dragging the body after it. From this 

 time it was constantly endeavouring to ascend the face of the 

 sand cliff', availing itself with admirable adroitness of the 

 morsels of grass, twigs, &c., imbedded in it, not seeming to 

 care how obliquely they lay, if they enabled it to gain a little 

 elevation ; so that its track was a zigzag. Frequently it chose 

 stems which, rising nearly erect, I'eceded from the bank above : 

 I at first thought it was losing its labour, but it was at no loss 

 how to act: after ascending a few inches with the whole weight 

 suspended in the air from its mandibles, it would poise itself 

 and its burden across the stem, with its head towards the 

 bank, then throw itself off', at the same time extending its 

 wings, which, though incapable of raising it from the ground, 

 were able to give it some impulse towards the bank, on which 



