COLEOPTERA. 241 



up among ivy leaves tliree or four feet from tlie ground, attached to 

 old stumps near, in fact in any corner, but want searching for very 

 carefully as they arc easily crushed (liobertson). 



28. — In late September and early October a visit to the New Forest 

 should produce among others the following larvae : — (TuajJiria nihri- 

 (■olds, Hrtcnxicnca cruciata, Apatiira /;•/.<;, Ih-mas cor////, Lohaplioia scxa- 

 lata, h'liri/iiinw dolohraria, Tciihmsia cxtcrsaria, hrcjiana falciila, 

 X(it()il())ita ilnmicdariiis, Chhicpliora prasiiuoia, Xnnnsdiiui trilincan'a, X. 

 /ninctaria, Acmnirta Icjia/na, ('Icora ijlaJnaria, ('. lirlioniria, Lithasia 

 liclrvola, kc. 



24. — The tops of moss-covered stumps of trees that have lieen cut 

 down should be carefully peeled for pupa'. 



25. — Pupa-digging enables a collector to employ his leisure in 

 Avinter and spring in a most profitable manner. A trowel and a three- 

 pronged fork with prongs bent backwards for pulling up turf, are 

 useful tools for the purpose. 



26.— -The cocoons of ('crura /////'/a' are placed irregularly, sometimes 

 on the bark at the level of the soil, sometimes well up, usually well 

 within the line of vision. Sometimes the larv.e go from their food- 

 plant (poplar) to an adjacent tree to pupate (always near the food- 

 plant) . 



N.B. — For series of similar " Practical Hints " for the same time 

 of the year, see vol. i., p. 164 ; vol. viii.. p. 194 ; vol. ix., pp. 240 and 

 284 ; vol. X., pp. 225-226, kc. 



CiTOLEOPTERA. 



Phytosus xioriventris on the west coast. — I took this species 

 plentifully in April on the Cheshire and Lancashire coasts. It was 

 particularly common at Hoylake, but occurs no doubt all along the 

 sandy coasts of Cheshire and north Wales. I traced it up to within a 

 mile or two of Southport, on the Lancashire side. It occurs almost 

 invariably with Phytioms balticiix, but is distinguishable from it at a 

 glance by its larger size, especially in point of breadth of hind-body 

 and by the coloration. The species occur in any decayed matter, 

 vegetable or animal, sometimes under bits of wood on the road, but 

 they seem particularly fond of the familiar bunches of eggs of 

 lliicci)ius ini(hitiiiii, which should be pulled to pieces over a news- 

 paper. — B. ToMLiN, B.A., F.E.H., Llandalt'. 



Cis vestitus, Mell. and C. festivus, Pz. — It is almost impossible to 

 separate these two species by the characters given in our handbooks, 

 wliether founded on the shape of the thorax or difterence in the 

 pubescence. Abeille de Perrin, in his excellent monograph of the 

 genus (Marseilles, 1874), fully recognises this difticulty, and states that 

 he can see no absolutely distinctive character, except that furnished by 

 the abdomen of the male. This may be stated thus : — 



First segiuent of abdomen of msile bearing a Hninll uinljiliiate depression in 

 tlie middle — rextititf, Mell. 



First segment rugose all over, but with no umbilicale depression— ./'<>7i (».-•, I'z. 



The males of ])oth species are easily known by the two tubercles on 

 the clypeus. — I]. A. Newueky, 12, Churchill Road, Dartmouth Park, 



N.W. .inhi loth, isyy. 



