FOOT ON ENTOMOLOGY. 65 



Monthly Magazine," p. 199. I have used it on many occasions since 

 this paper was read, and have never been rewarded by any captures 

 worth speaking of. I had one of the large size sold by T. Cooke, for 

 £2 ; as at present constructed it seems to me to have many defects. 



On the 18th, I took a fine series of Polyommatus argiolus (the azure 

 blue), among the holly bushes in the woods of Mr. Kavanagh and Col. 

 Tighe, on both sides of the Barrow, below St. Mullins. All the speci- 

 mens were males. These are the earliest of the blues, appearing in for- 

 ward seasons about the end of April, but more generally in May. Its 

 occurrence on the 15th and 18th of April is unusually early. In the 

 " Ent. Month. Mag." for May, 1870, Mr. Nash, writing from Gloucester, 

 records the appearance of P. argiolus on the 4th of April last year 

 (1869); the earliest date at which he saw it was the 24th of April. 

 The same day I took a fine specimen of Bonibylius major sipping on the 

 wing, like the humming bird moth, from the blossoms of Caltha palus- 

 tris; also many oil-beetles, most of them M. proscara bcsus. Two of these 

 I pulled up out of holes in a hard pathway, down into which they were 

 going head foremost. 20th. Dragged ponds and stagnant drains, getting 

 many of Nepa-.cinerea (the water scorpion), several species of Corixidce, 

 and many JTydradephaga. Sugaring this evening was very unprofitable, 

 producing one very much worn specimen of Scopelosoma satellitia (the 

 satellite moth), some Helops striata, and several specimens of weevils 

 {Alophus trigutattus, Otiorrhynchuspicipes, Strophulus coryli). On the 

 21st swallows appeared in great numbers for first time this year ; got 

 Anchomenus albipes in great plenty, under stones in damp sandy ground, 

 beside the edge of the river ; also the pretty vermilion weevil, Apion 

 miniatum, among the roots of grass. The 22nd being wet and stormy, 

 I spent some time searching cow dung in a sheltered paddock, and got 

 many species of Brachelytra, especially of Philonthus, Sister, and 

 Sphceridium. The cuckoo was heard this day for the first time this 

 season. In the evening I tried sugaring again, with the same success 

 as on the former occasion, getting only Helops striatus, and the same 

 kinds of weevils as before ; even the earwigs, ants, and woodlice were 

 rather scarce at the sugared trees. The willow catkins were tried, but 

 nothing moved near them, the night being clear, cold, and starry, no 

 wind, but had been in E. all day. In the daytime, the sun being hot, 

 the [willow blossoms were much frequented by Volucella bombylans, 

 many Syrphidoe, and the large hybernated females of Bombusterrestris, 

 lapidarius, and muscorum, busy collecting materials for the use of their 

 summer progeny. On the 23rd, while reading in a boat moored in the 

 rushes by the water's edge, I took many pairs of Prasocuris phellandrii 

 and marginella off the leaves of Caltha palustris ; the males were all 

 shorter and smaller than the females. A pair of Silpha rugosa, taken 

 from underneath a dead lamb on the mountain side, was all I got the 

 next day, before my return to town. The season was very backward 

 in vegetation, and very late as concerned insects. The coldness of the 

 nights made collection from the willow blossoms or by sugar almost a 

 useless labour. The leaves were hardly visible on the hedges, so bush- 



