1803.] 251 



the characters assigned to it by Bedel are certainly not enough to give 

 it specific rank ; they are purely comparative and very slight, and at 

 most the insect appears to be a local variety, found, as above stated 

 near brackish water ; forms found in such localities are often some- 

 what different from the type. It is a pity, too, to further confuse the 

 nomenclature, and, in any case, to revive S. lunulatmn is to cause a 

 confusion with B. lunatmn, that is far best avoided if possible ; several 

 of the groups of Bembidium are quite confused enough already. — 

 W. W. F.]. 



ON THE OVIPOSITION OF NONAORIA LUTOSA. 

 BY J. GARDNER, F.E.S. 



In the autumn of 1881, whilst collecting this species, I was for- 

 tunate in discovering a female depositing her eggs on a withered leaf 

 of the common reed ; the peculiar and interesting method of conceal- 

 ing them was, however, not recorded at the time, and not until the 

 night of 30th September last had I an opportunity of confirming my 

 observations, when I was again fortunate in finding a female engaged 

 in ovipositing, but on this occasion both the female and the leaf upon 

 which the eggs were laid were secured. 



The insect selects a withered leaf of the reed, on the under-side 

 of which it rests, curling its ovipositor over to the surface of the leaf, 

 near to the edge of which an egg is laid, the edge is then carefully 

 turned over it and firmly glued down, after which egg after egg is 

 deposited, and the same process repeated until a long roll, very little 

 wider than the diameter of the egg, is formed, and which looks exactly 

 like the curling up of the grass as it dries up in the ordinary course 

 of nature, and it will be a sharp eye that can detect anything denoting 

 the treasure which the insect has so carefully hidden ; the gummy 

 matter which is used is exceedingly tenacious, the fold being very 

 difficult to open. 



Should the insect select a narrow leaf of the reed, which the 

 specimen I observed on the 30th September this year had done, it 

 commences to deposit near the small end of the leaf, folding both 

 edges over. 



No doubt the great care exercised in secreting the eggs is a 

 natural instinct to protect them from the many predaceous insects so 

 common on the banks of streams. 



Hartlepool : Ootoher Zrd, 1893. 



Z2 



