32 (February, 



in agricultural use. Of the remainder, 1900 acres are already under 

 cultivation, the original leaseholders of ninety years ago having drained 

 and cultivated and intersected the Moss with roads. Rather less than 

 300 acres remain as wild moss, and some of this area has been planted 

 for pheasant cover, while a portion of it is being destroyed year by 

 year owing to the peat being removed from the underlying clay by a 

 Peat Moss Litter Company. During May and June 1 was able to 

 spend six short afternoons on the Moss. On May 22nd, Anoplus 

 plantaris, Rhynchites nanus, OrcJiestes rusci, and 0. stigma were beaten 

 from small birch trees, and at the roots of heather Coccinella hiero- 

 glyphica and Haltica ericeti occurred sparingly. On exploring a small 

 plantation of stunted Scotch firs in which I had never collected before 

 I alighted on a prize in the shape of Pissodes notatus, a species I had 

 not taken before, but which has been recorded as occurring on Chat 

 Moss. Vigorous beating of every fir in the plantation produced 

 twenty specimens, not more than three or four being beaten from a 

 single tree ; the only other species in the net were one Sylohius abietis, 

 a few Pityoqenes hidentatus and several Scymnus testaceus, var. scu- 

 tellaris. From under bark of firs killed by former burning of the 

 heather, the following species were obtained: — Myelophilus piniperda, 

 Hylastes palliatus, PhizopJiayus depnssus, Rhinosimus planirostris, and 

 Somalium punctipenne. On each succeeding visit (the last being on 

 June 80th), Pissodes notatus was obtained, but never in greater 

 numbers than about twenty at a time, sometimes less. The specimens 

 varied greatly in size, the largest measuring 10 mm., the smallest, 

 taken by Mr. W. E. Sharp, who accompanied me on a visit, being only 

 5 ram. in length. Other species taken in June included Campylui 

 linearis, Corymhites quercus, var. ochropterus, and Sericosomus brunneus, 

 all on birch ; the latter species not having been previously recorded 

 nearer than Delamere Forest. Elater balteatus was phenomenally 

 abundant ; on May 24th scores were to be beaten from birch. On 

 June 26th the following additional species appeared on birch : — 

 Luperus rujlpes, Microcara livida, and Phamphus Jlavicornis. 



Five afternoons by the Eiver BoUin produced the usual species : 

 on June 5th nine specimens of Pembidium paludosum were taken, and 

 this species occurred in greater numbers on June 30th, July ]Oth and 

 24th, and August 4th. Pledius subterraneus and B. pallipes were 

 taken, both in their burrows and running on the banks. Seterocerus 

 marginatus, which occurred in small numbers on June 5th, was taken 

 in profusion on August 4tb by treading in the wet sand and mud at 

 the water's edge. Additional species included about thirty Anthobium 



