VARIETIES. 207 



myself. I have been an Entomologist, and have collected 

 diligently for upwards of thirteen years, and have known very 

 singular occurrences, such as hermaphrodites of the order 

 Sphingites, and some instances of Lepidopterous insects with 

 five wings ; others, where circular and rather large holes have 

 occurred in the anterior wings, though the specimens have 

 been quite perfect in every other respect ; but an instance like 

 the foregoing is, I think, of very unusual occurrence. 



A. Edmunds, Jun. 



Park-place, London-road. Worcester, 

 May 12, 1835. 



6. On the assembling of certain Insects. — Probably it has 

 fallen to the lot of most of the ardent collectors of insects, to 

 witness the extraordinary "gathering" of the males of several 

 species of Lepidoptera, to pay their attentions to their virgin 

 females. On one occasion I had ocular demonstration of the 

 attractive charms of a female of one of the Bombicydce, and 

 with ruthless hand put the gallants to death in great numbers. 

 Recently I was fortunate enough to ascertain that one Cole- 

 opterous insect at least was an " assembler." During the 

 Easter week I met with Elater cylindricus in great pro- 

 fusion, on the banks of the Tees, below Yarm. All I cap- 

 tured were males, with one single exception. They appeared 

 to be only just emerging from the pupae ; and feeling anxious 

 to witness their development, I took some pains to find whence 

 they came. At length I spied an Elater emerging from a 

 bank which had been cast up by a recent flood — its head only 

 was visible. I turned out the insect with my finger, and 

 suffered it to crawl for a minute or two on the sand thrown 

 out. The "gentlemen" soon made their appearance, and in 

 less than five minutes, sixteen had assembled on a space I 

 covered with my hand, running over the little sandy heap 

 with most vigorous ardour. The female was in my fingers, 

 and soon the males arrived and crawled about my hand with 

 extraordinary eagerness. I removed several yards lower down 

 the river; and after remaining a few minutes on one spot, was 

 soon visited by numerous suitors, who forced their way with 

 great accuracy towards the object of their pursuit. 



G. T. Rudd. 



Yarm, May 18, 1835. 



