NOTES ON COLLECTING. 135 



mountain-ash. Bembidii were plentiful on the banks of the Spey, includ- 

 ing Bemhidium doris, B. decorum, B. mtidulum, B. bipunctatum, B. punc- 

 tulatum, B. prasimim, B. j)aludosHm, also Geodromicus nigrita, Lesteva 

 sharpi, L. pubescens, and Cryptohypnus dermestoides, both type and var. 

 Old fir-stumps produced Thanasimus formicarius, Agathidium nigrifenne, 

 A. 7'otundatum, A. nigrinum, Liodes glabra, Ips qiiadripusUdata, Pity- 

 ophagus ferrugineus, Rhizophagus cribraUis, R. depressus, R. parallelo- 

 collis, R. ferrugineus, R. dispar. In moss were found Bradycellm 

 placidus, B. cognatus, Otiorhynchiis ooatns, 0. muscorum, and Byrrus 

 dorsalis. Among the water-beetles, which were not numerous, were 

 Hydroporus davisii, H, tristis, H. wnhrosns, H. morio, H. vittida, H. 

 obscAirus, Agabus congener, A. fevioralis, A. arcticus, Rhantus bistriatus, 

 Parnus auricidatus, Elniis volkmari, and E. parallelopipedxis. Sweeping 

 and general collecting accounted for Dascillus cervinus, Helodes 

 marginatus, Asemum striatum, Pachytacerambyciformis, Apion fuscirostre, 

 A. ononis, A. spend, A. gyllenhali, Tropiphorus tomentosus, Barynotus 

 schonkerri, B. elevatus, Deporaus megacephalns, Anthonomiis varians, 

 Orchestes scutellaris, Tychius venustus, Pkytobius quadrituberculatus, and 

 Silpha nigrita. There are still a number of small things and a box of 

 Staphs that I have been unable to go through yet, owing to absence 

 from home for some time. In reference to Anoplus roboris, mentioned 

 above, this insect may be readily separated from A. plantaris by the 

 fact of the thorax being coriaceous between the punctures, a character 

 not mentioned in the descriptions, and one which appears to be some- 

 what overlooked generally. The reticulation of the thorax, or elytra, 

 when it occurs, seems to be quite constant; in Philonthus, for instance, 

 it is often useful to confirm a doubtful species, the markings taking a 

 variety of forms in this genus. Xantholinus linearis may be at once 

 separated from X. longiventris, Bemhidium doris from its allied species, 

 and many others in the same way. — W. Bevins, Hallsford Villa, 

 Ongar, Essex. April 26t/i, 1906. 



Dromius agilis ab. bimaculatus, Dj. — Whilst setting, recently, 

 some rather belated material from the New Forest — a remnant of last 

 year's collecting — I found a well-marked example of this form, which 

 was lately recorded by Mr. Donisthorpe for the first time as British. — 

 J. R. le B. Tomlin, M.A., West Malvern. April 26?/;, 1906. 



:ii^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



The earliest British record for Hesperia malv^e in 1906. — 

 Hesperia malvae ^ was found here yesterday afternoon, April 25th, at 

 rest on blossom of wild hyacinth within border of wood. It was the 

 first one seen this year. — J. F. Bird, Tintern, Monmouthshire. April 

 26^71, 1906. 



Early dates for British butterflies. — On April 11th I saw 

 a specimen of Pieris rapae on Westcombe Hill. The following day 

 several in the neighbourhood of Grove Park and Chislehurst. On 

 April 15th a <y Cyaniris argiolus in the grounds by Cockington 

 Church, another on April 21st near Torquay Station. Several Pieris 

 rapae were seen at Torquay and Paignton on April 14th and 15th, 

 and again on the 20th, when an Anticlea badiata fluttered out of a 

 hedge in the afternoon at Cockington ; a 5 Vanessa io and a S 

 Gonepteryx rhamni at Cockington, on April 15th ; a specimen of 



