100 Wallis : Insect Associations. 



Panagoetis quadripusttilatus prefer a chalk soil and Cicindela 

 campestris a gravel ? Many such questions as these will occur 

 to all entomologists. The answers to most are still to seek. 

 Much more precise information as to locality of capture is 

 needed. If collectors could be persuaded to keep accurate 

 data of the ecological factors of the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the capture, and these details could be collated and filed 

 by a central authority, much useful information would soon 

 be available from which inference could be drawn. The field 

 for research is here, there and everywhere ; a meadow, an 

 oak wood on a dry soil, another on a damp, and so on. 



We are investigating the peat. What is the ' insect- 

 association ' of an acre of cotton-grass ? If each of our 

 Yorkshire entomologists would work at some small natural 

 region in his immediate neighbourhood for one year the 

 collective result would be of immense value. If the work 

 were carried on for ten or twenty years, the science of the 

 ecology of insects would be firmly established. 



I. — Methods of Research. 



A. — It is suggested that each year the members of the 

 Yorkshire Naturalists' Union be asked to record, with exact 

 details as to locality, plant association in neighbourhood of 

 capture or observation, weather, date, time of da5^ and other 

 insects associated with, the occurrence of half-a-dozen well- 

 known insects. 



B. — That certain small but well-defined natural regions 

 be systematically worked for a year by one or more capable 

 entomologists, so that the insect fauna of the region can be 

 enumerated. One or more of these regions should be cotton 

 grass associations, as the knowledge obtained would be 

 valuable for the peat research. 



The details required can be set out in The Naturalist, and 

 the records sent in annually to the central author it3^ or 

 members interested could apply for printed or other uniform 

 forms, on which to make their records. This method would 

 be more expensive but would simplify filing. 



2. — -Methods of dealing with Records. 



Record of certain species. — Outline maps of the county 

 should be printed on transparent paper. These can be placed 

 over county maps shewing separately, geology, rainfall, 

 elevation, vegetation, distribution of supposed food plants, 

 etc. On the thin outline map the occurrence of the insect 

 can be marked with red dots. Factors affecting distribution 

 might be discovered in this way. (One must keep in mind 

 that the obvious is not always the correct.) 



Outline county maps might be supplied to the recorders 



Naturalist 



