SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



359 



The basal joints of antennae, anterior and pos- 

 terior margins of thorax, and legs, often exhibit 

 a brilliant green, purple, or copper-red colora- 

 tion, whilst the under side, which is very polished, 

 displays similar gorgeous hues. It differs from 

 G. campestris in colotir, and from 0. sylvaticus in 

 the pattern of the markings, and lack of pits on 

 the elytra, as well as in having the labrum yellow. 

 C. hybrida frequents the bare dunes or sand-hills 

 which form such a striking feature on many of 

 our coasts. It is always local, and as with 0. 

 germanica and many other beetles, its variation in 

 abundance during a sequence of years is very 

 marked ; in some seasons appearing plentifully, in 

 others being exceedingly scarce. Its dark-bronze 

 hue, contrasting with the white sand, renders it a 

 conspicuous object from a distance ; but it is one 

 thing to see a tiger-beetle and quite another to 

 catch it. My own experience is that the obtaining 

 of a series of C. hybrida on a hot day in May, over 

 the steep slopes of loose sand which characterize 

 our Aeolian dunes is productive of much exercise, 

 and rather more than a genial warmth. A net is 

 almost a necessity, and even thus equipped much 

 strategy is requisite in order to effect a capture. 

 The beetles should be approached so that no 

 shadow is thrown towards them, and if possible 

 against the wind and uphill. Although quick to 

 take flight they never go far at a time, especially 

 should the day be dull. With the exception of a 

 record from the Tay district, C. hybrida does not 

 appear to be found north of the Tweed, but is not 

 uncommon at many places round the English and 

 Welsh coasts. 



Cicindela maritima much resembles the preceding 

 insect, of which it is regarded by most coleop- 

 terists as a variety only ; but the differences 

 appear sufficiently well marked and persistent to 

 warrant its being considered a separate species. 

 It has at least as much claim to specific rank as 

 many beetles which at present enjoy that dis- 

 tinction. In size it is slightly smaller and 

 narrower than C. hybrida, and also, as a rule, 

 somewhat duller and more variable in colour. It 

 can always be distinguished from that species by 

 having the middle band bent down at the centre 

 towards the apex, whereas in 0. hybrida it is 

 merely waved; the forehead, too, is much less 

 convex than in the latter beetle. It is a local 

 insect, and found under the same conditions as 

 the last. 



Our remaining species C. germanica is known 

 from all the other tiger-beetles by its small size, 

 never exceeding from six to seven-sixteenths of 

 an inch in length. In shape, too, it is more 

 cylindrical, and has the thorax distinctly longer 

 than broad. The ground colore resembles that of 

 C. campestris, being usually of a rich dull green, 

 which is, however, in C. germanica, often shot with 

 ruby- or copper-red. As is the case with the 



common green tiger-beetle, occasional individuals 

 in this species also exhibit very considerable 

 variation from the normal hue. Each elytron 

 bears three white marks — a spot at the shoulder, 

 another about the middle, but close to the outer 

 margin, and a short, crescent-shaped patch along 

 the apex. These are, however, very liable to vary, 

 the first-named being sometimes obsolete, and the 

 second and third occasionally running together so 

 as to form a continuous white border from about 

 the middle to the apex of each wing-case. Unlike 

 the other species, C. germanica shuns dry situa- 

 tions, and seldom uses its wings. It frequents 

 damp, swampy places and salt marshes, where it 

 may be seen on bright, hot days running with 

 great speed over the wet ground, its long, slender 

 legs moving with astonishing rapidity. This is an 

 extremely local and usually a rare beetle, occurring 

 in only a few restricted places in the South of 

 England. It was formerly — and possibly still is — 

 not uncommon in some years in a very circum- 

 scribed area near Swanage, in Dorsetshire; but 

 Black Gang Chine, in the Isle of Wight, now 

 appears to be almost its only stronghold. 



Tiger-beetles, being strictly carnivorous in both 

 the larval and imago forms, they neither feed 

 upon nor damage crops of any description, but 

 rather render service to man by preying upon 

 various kinds of injurious insects and grubs. We 

 should, therefore, regard them as friends, and 

 never ruthlessly injure or destroy them. 



Hoylalce, Cheshire. 



Tortoise graeca. — I have a specimen of the 

 Greek tortoise, so frequently hawked in the 

 London streets, which deposited two eggs in my 

 garden last September. I enclose a photograph 

 of it and the eggs. In its native country it 

 scrapes a hole in the ground before laying its 



Geeek Tortoise and Eggs. 



eggs ; but in the case of my specimen, it simply 

 covered them with leaves. These tortoises are 

 less commonly seen in London than formally, 

 because they are now sold in the markets of 

 Greece as edible delicacies. — T. E. Freshwater, 

 F.E.M.S., 3, Fleet Street, London, E.C. 



