3596 The Zoologist — July, 1873. 



of the bay, which terminates in a fine headland crowned by a 

 ruined watch-tower, probably erected by the Genoese of old time, 

 with two rusty cannons lying on the side towards the sea; and 

 returning on foot from this promontory found numerous Coleoptera 

 either crawling on our path or humming past us as the sun set upon 

 our evening walk and the beacon began to twinkle seaward from 

 the lighthouse of the isle. Geotrupes hypocrila and laevigatus were 

 among my captures that afternoon, before it grew completely dusk, 

 causing the numerous sepulchral edifices along the shore to look 

 white and ghostly in the moonlight. These private family vaults, 

 ordinarily surmounted by domes, are the property of well-to-do 

 Corsicans, and stand in their own little enclosures, with two or three 

 olives or cypresses planted around. This custom arises from a 

 feeling of respectability and decency, owing to the disgraceful 

 manner in which the funerals of the lower class are ordinarily con- 

 ducted at the neglected public cemetery. 



November 5. I took Polistes gallicus and a second speci- 

 men of the Mantis religiosa on the wall of a house, having 

 captured the first on a warm bank on the morning of the 1st of 

 November. It is said to abound in gardens here in the summer 

 time, and is essentially a flabby, debilitated and sluggish insect, 

 exhibiting none of the muscular power and swiftness of movement 

 which locusts and the larger grasshoppers possess. 



November 6. This day, as well as the preceding, I visited 

 M. Koziorowicz's fine collection of European Coleoptera, in- 

 cluding many rarities either peculiar to Corsica, or to that island 

 and Sardinia. Several of the insects in question were taken by 

 himself and named by M. Saulcy, of Metz. Corte, Vivario, Porto 

 Vecchio, Bonifacio, Campo d'Oro, but especially the Forest of 

 Vizzavona, were among^ the localities where he had been most 

 successful : it was there that he had captured most rarities, more 

 particularly the minute kinds that have their habitations in moss, 

 "les petits aveugles," as he termed them, and with which he 

 appeared to be greatly amused. 1 went with him into a small 

 garden behind his ofl5ce, where we took several specimens of 

 Chrysomela Americana on lavender, and was also kindly presented 

 by him with upwards of thirty species mostly peculiar to the 

 island, as, for example : — 



Acrisius Koziorowiczi Drypta distiucta Percus Keichei 



Cicindela counata Bembidium Kusteri Pselapbus Revelieri 



