OOLEOPTBRA. 889 



was recorded as ** common on Arthur's Scat," by the late W. A. 

 Forbes {Scottish Naturalist, vol. iii., p. 316). — William Evans, Ediu- 

 bm-gh. Nurember lltli, 1899. 



Coleoptera at Wicken in 1899. — Although the very dry hot sum- 

 mer, had a bad effect on insect life in most localities, in the Fens, on 

 the contrary, it seemed to act in quite a different manner and rather 

 to increase the number of specimens than the reverse, at any rate such 

 was my experience with the Coleoptera. However dry the summer 

 may be, the Fens, of course, have always plenty of moisture so that the 

 extra heat is not sufficient to dry things up. Of the usual Fen species 

 nearly everything was present — Oberca oculata was again observed, 

 Lixus jiaraplecticus, was abundant and is still spreading its range from 

 its original feeding ground. The large poplar beetle, Sapcrda carcharias, 

 whichi have not seen for five years, was this year fairly abundant both 

 in the Fen and in the village, an exciting morning's hunt after it in the 

 latter locality with Mr. S. Bailey proved very successful, the beetles in 

 many instances occurring so high up in the trees that a ladder had to 

 be called into requisition. Another Longicorn, Aijapanthia lincatnroUis, 

 was also present in fair numbers, most of the specimens being a 

 melanic form which seems to be rather peculiar to Wicken Fen. Stcni- 

 opHs sulphnrcus was there in greater profusion than I have ever noticed it 

 before. Several specimens of Oodcs helopioides turned up on the peaty 

 banks of small pools. Other things taken chiefly by sweeping were— 

 Chrysomda (jraminis, ]\[clasoma populi, Antheroplia<jus niyricornh, 

 Gymnetrun noctis, Hyyronoma dimidiata, Anthocomiis riifus, Coccimila 

 hieroijlyphica, three specimens, one being the black aberration, etc. In 

 the case of the waterbeetles, the fact that many of the small pools were 

 nearly dry, and that those which most years are connected by Avater, 

 were isolated, was a decided advantage from a coleopterist's point of 

 view, as they were thus rendered easier to get at. The work itself, 

 however, was by no means the lightest or most pleasant, for, the pools 

 being so shallow, the waternet got full of very offensive black mud at 

 every drag and, in consequence, I got black from head to foot before the task 

 was finished ; added to this were an intense heat and steamy atmosphere, 

 so that I felt that I deserved what I was able to. get. A good many 

 small pike were landed out of the mud, some quite a foot long. The 

 best capture undoubtedly was a fine series of Dytisciis diwidiatas. This 

 grand water-beetle has not been taken in the Fens for many years, 

 with the exception of one male taken by my friend Mr Bouskell about 

 three years ago. Canon Fowler writes {Coleoptera of the British Isles, 

 vol. i., p. 206) : " This species used to be locally abundant in the 

 Cambridgeshire and other Fens, but of late years has become exceed- 

 ingly rare. The last specimen taken in Britain was found three or 

 four years ago (1883) in Askham Bog, York, by the Rev. W. C. Hey.'* 

 I also took nine specimens of the local Dytiscus ciremncinctiu'i, three of 

 the females being the form with the smooth elytra, Dytiscus maryniatis 

 and D. punctulatus were both common. Hydaticus transversahs turned 

 up, the first time I have seen it at Wicken. The large JJydroididus 

 piceus was very plentiful, I took a dozen specimens ni a morning and 

 let as many go, I have some of them alive still, having fed them with 

 vegetable marrow, &c. Other water-beetles were Nhantus cvuletus, 

 Cnpelatus a<iilis, Colymbetes fuscus, Acilius suleatus, JJydroporus putus 

 H.yranulatus, II. lepidus, II, lineatus, II. dursalis, ll. palustris, &,c. i 



