84 



Notes on the Coleoptera observed during the Society's 

 Field Meeting to Eynesford on June 20th, 1891, and 

 to Oxshott on June loth, 1892. 



By G. A. Lewcock. Read Feb. 22nd, 1894. 



It is, perhaps, somewhat difficult to write again on the insects 

 which have previously been reported to the South London Society, 

 and the only excuse for referring to the subject once more, is the 

 fact that they have not as yet been exhibited at any meeting of the 

 Society. The two excursions in question were of the utmost enjoy- 

 ment to myself, not only because I obtained a number of good 

 species, but that they afforded me opportunities to revisit the scenes 

 of my early entomological rambles, more especially those on Kentish 

 soil. The glories of Kent are so well known that it is almost need- 

 less to expatiate upon them ; but only those persons who have 

 observed them early and late can fully realise the beauty of the 

 scenery and of the insects which frequent the woods, downs and 

 marshes of the county. The early riser often reaps a substantial 

 advantage by betaking himself to the collecting ground during the 

 small hours of the morning, and I can well remember on one occasion 

 taking a newly emerged specimen (my first) of Melanippe hastata, L., 

 at four o'clock, as it was drying its wings on a bending stem. On 

 another occasion I found a bright looking female of Arctia villica, L., 

 on Darland Hill at five o'clock ; and it is as one looks at these speci- 

 mens again in after-years that little reminiscences connected with 

 their capture recur to the memory — our early doings in entomology 

 being nearly always fraught with pleasing recollections. 



The visit to Eynesford was certainly a red-letter day in my 

 calendar ; we had a jovial party, delightful weather, plenty of insects 

 — at least beetles were plentiful — and a little encounter with the 

 game-keeper to finish up the day : all of which tended to make 

 things lively and interesting. The captures exhibited in connection 

 with this visit are several specimens of the genus Cryptocephalus, the 

 species are C. lineola, F., C. aiireolus, Suf., C. labiatus, L., and C. 

 hypochceridis, L. The genus is one of the most interesting, but the 

 species are not taken very freely. Of C. li7ieola, I beat two from 

 hawthorn ; but up to the present time five specimens only have 

 fallen into my hands, the other three having been swept at Oxshott. 

 C. aitreolus, like many other species, must be sought for at the exact 

 time of occurrence, as it is soon over. Two of the specimens are 

 from Eynesford, and the other from Oxshott. C. labiatus is generally 

 a common species everywhere. C. hypochceridis is sometimes fairly 

 common at Chattenden, that is to say, one may find a dozen speci- 

 mens one day and none the next, so that this fact would stamp 

 almost any insect common to some collectors. Speaking for myself, 

 I do not attach much value to such distinctions as " common " and 



