4-06 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



species are large, and from their habits well-known — e.g., 

 Geotrupes stercorarius, the Dor beetle, and Melolontha vulgaris, 

 the Cockchafer. Probably the handsomest is Centonia aurata, 

 the Rose beetle, a beautiful golden-green insect. It has been 

 taken here by Rev. J. Bristow and Mr. Haliday, and there is a 

 specimen in the Museum labelled " Whitehouse." In Mr. 

 Haliday 's list is recorded Aromia moschata, one of the Longi- 

 cornia. It is a large and handsome beetle, and, like most of 

 its family, feeds on wood. It is noticeable also for the odour 

 which it emits, which has caused it to be called the " Musk 

 beetle." Canon Fowler, however, considers that the odour is 

 much sharper and more pleasant than musk. Among the 

 Halticce are to be found some of the worst pests of the farmer. 

 Mr. Templeton took Longitarsus luridus and L. Icevis, the 

 latter being by no means a common insect. Mr. Haliday records 

 Phyllotreta undulata and P. nemorum, which are the much 

 dreaded Turnip-flies, and the Rev. J. Bristow found the pretty 

 Crepidodera nifipes, with its red head and thorax and dark blue 

 elytra. Among the Heteromera recorded from this district is 

 Meloe Proscar aboeus, a remarkable insect from its habit of 

 emitting a drop of oil from every joint when touched, also from 

 the history of its larvae. The parent beetle lays its eggs in 

 little holes in the ground. When the young larvae emerge they 

 climb up on flowers and attach themselves to the hairy covering 

 of certain bees. When carried to the bees' nest they devour 

 the eggs of the bee and the food intended by the bee for its 

 young. They then pass into what is called a false pupa, and 

 remain torpid for a time ; after that they become active again, 

 and probably pass into a true pupa state, but this last stage has 

 not been observed. The curious thing is that the perfect beetle 

 is, as a rule, found far from any bees. The Rhyncophora, the 

 last of the great divisions of the Coleoptera, may be recognised 

 by the prolongation of their head into what is called a rostrum. 

 The genus Apion, or the Pear weevils, so called from their 

 shape, contains a great number of species, but owing to their 

 small size they are seldom noticed. Mr. Haliday records A, 



