1 82 MR. C. E. ROBSON'S REPORT OF 



Leaving the shelter of the wood, a path was struck across an 

 undulating pasture whose bare, coarse grass was in accord 

 with the poor stiff clay soil ; as we entered the gate of the 

 meadow, a curlew flew swiftly past, uttering its characteristic 

 whistle. 



At the meeting of the high roads, our route lay through one 

 of the grassy glades intersecting the dark pine woods of 

 Dipton. This was the spot chosen by the entomologists to 

 commence operations. Umbrellas of an early Victorian shape 

 were unfurled, sweeping nets fixed and aprons spread under 

 the flowering Scotch firs. The collectors, on their knees, 

 diligently searched their trawl, and to the Rev. J. E. Hull I 

 am indebted at the end of the day for the following list of 

 spiders captured : — 



Prosthesima latreillei 

 Thecidion pallens 

 Linyphia montana 

 Microneta cauta 

 Walckenaera nudipalpis 

 Epeira cucurbitina 

 Philodromus aureolus 

 Lycosa herbigrada 



Clubiona comta 

 Linyphia pusilla 

 Leptyphantes mengii 

 Thyreosthenius biovatus 

 Meta segmentata 

 Oxyptila trux 

 Tarentula pulverulenta 

 Lycosa pullata 



As we penetrated deeper into the darkened woods, the ants' 

 nests, which are frequent in the district, next attracted 

 attention. The scene is a busy one; the colony is one of the 

 red ants ; organisation has built a domicile which appears 

 enormous in relation to the architects. Disturbing one of the 

 nests with the point of a stick, the activity and energy of the 

 ants is increased. Workers and soldiers are building or repair- 

 ing the nests, or carrying off the eggs or larva?, a white body 

 of equal size to themselves ; others are foraging for stores ; 

 here is a queen ant and there a drone. At the same time a 

 strong smell of formic acid is emitted. But the interest does 

 not end here, for within the nest are other insects, spiders, 

 flies, centipedes, and the most beautiful of all, a large golden 

 beetle, which apparently forces her way into the nests to lay 



