Insects. 7291 



the nearest point of the Continent; Deal is about twenly-five; and Hastings not less 

 than forty-five miles: either of these distances, it will be allowed, is a tolerable long 

 flight for little Diachromus. I have thus briefly stated the two most obvious means 

 whereby it may be supposed possible that Diachromus may reach our shores ; I will, 

 in the next place, with equal brevity, state the circumstances uuder which the capture 

 of the insect look place. The first capture was made on the 2nd of September ; the 

 second on the 3rd of the same month ; for six or seven weeks previous the wind had 

 been from the south, south-west, and occasionally it had veered slightly towards the 

 north, but not once had it gone to the east — the only wind that would have assisted it 

 in its flight had it crossed the Channel. On the day of its capture the wind changed 

 to the north-west, the sun was bright and hot, which roused all insect-life from the 

 chill which had so long kept them motionless ; Staphylinidae, Curculionidae, Geode- 

 phaga, &c., took wing, and the strong breeze which blew from the north-west carried 

 them over the town of Deal, and, in fact, scattered them along the whole line of the 

 east coast ; myriads were no doubt carried into the sea, and many a Diachromus pro- 

 bably perished in the Channel, or was lost on the fatal Goodwin Sands ; the streets of 

 Deal were literally sprinkled with insects ; it was, in fact, impossible to walk without 

 crushing them under foot; the whole were brought from the country by the north-west 

 wind ; Diachromus had therefore been carried into Deal from some locality situated at 

 the back of the town of Deal. Had an east wind prevailed and a similar shower of 

 insects appeared, doubtless many Continental rarities might have occurred. In my 

 own opinion, taking all circumstances into consideration, Diachromus is undoubtedly 

 a British insect, an indigenous species, and that it will be taken plentifully, like 

 Drypta dentata and Polystichus fasciolatus, whenever its proper locality is once dis- 

 covered. — F. Smith ; 27, Richmond Crescent, Islington. — Intelligencer. 



Capture of Velleius dilatalus in a Nest of Hornets. — I last night succeeded in cap- 

 turing a nest of hornets, the first I ever had the chance of making an attack upon : I 

 took the whole number prisoners, with the loss of three or four lives only, — I mean on 

 the adversary's side, — I did not lose so many. In preparing to remove the nest a 

 rather good-looking Staph, evidently "the worse for liquor" (chloroform), was 

 observed staggering about among its legitimate " occupiers and owners," who were 

 "too far gone" themselves either to assist or to molest him. I very soon had him "in 

 custody" as one " drunk and incapable," and although I am not " well acquainted 

 with the family," I think there is little doubt he will be found to answer to the name of 

 Velleius dilatatus. I transplanted the colony during the night, and this morning the 

 work of the nest is being carried on in a glazed box under my own eye. As the cap- 

 ture of a nest of hornets is not an every-day occurrence, I will, when time permits, 

 detail the plan of attack I adopted in the present instance, when it will be seen that 

 with proper and very simple precautions no danger whatever need be apprehended by 

 the assailing party. — S. Stone; Brighthampton, Witney , Oxfordshire, September 

 8, I860.— Intelligencer. 



Capture of Dinarda dentata at Weybridge. — A few days ago I had the pleasure of 

 receiving two living specimens of Dinarda dentata from Mr. Crotch, who has, I be- 

 lieve, taken it in some abuudance: I do not know the species of ant in the nest of 

 which they were found, but Mr, Reading has occasionally taken it in that of F. fusca. 

 Yesterday I had the gratification of taking three examples of D. dentata from the 

 nest of Formica sanguinea ; probably this is the first time it has been discovered, in 

 this country, in the nest of this species of aut. F. sanguinea is by no means rare at 



