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Contributions to the Entomology of the Cheviot Hills. By 

 James Hardy, 



Beyond what is recorded in the " Catalogue of the Insects 

 of Northumberland and Durham," little has been done to 

 work out the Entomology of the Cheviots, or of the subsidiary- 

 hills and vales that hang round the skirts of the principal 

 mountains. Since that publication one naturalist after 

 another has carried off a rarity ; but there has been no syste- 

 matic exploration. Thus, one discovers Leistus montanus, 

 but whereabouts is uncertain ; Mr. Hislop takes Stenus 

 glacialis of Heer, in August, 1865 — very rare here as well as 

 in Switzerland ; and Mr. G. E. Crotch finds Hydroporus 

 celatus of Clark, " in a little stream on a hill near Cheviot." 

 On several occasions I have picked up insects in that district, 

 without putting them on record ; but I am now induced to 

 undertake that duty, in consequence of the considerable 

 collections that I haye made during the beginning of June, 

 and in the end of September and beginning of October, 1870, 

 for the purpose of contributing to my friend Mr. Bold's re- 

 vision of the " Catalogue," already mentioned ; which, now, 

 after nineteen or twenty years' study and labour, he is well 

 entitled to as his own. Mr. Bold has kindly aided me with 

 names and otherwise to adapt this local list to the present 

 state of science ; the nomenclature being very much altered, 

 with the progress made in recent years. I have always 

 endeavoured to group forms under as few heads as possible ; 

 the tendency at present is in a differ eut direction ; and species 

 are raised on trivial distinctions ; but I am not prepared, at 

 present, to rate the value of these, from having had little 

 practical experience for a long period. 



As the result of my late operations several good insects 

 have come to light ; some of them new to Northumberland ; 

 others never found so far to the north or south before, as this 

 midland region ; and not a few never yet entered as belong- 

 ing to the fauna of the Eastern Borders. Thus much may 

 be said safely, but at the same time there is yet a great deal 

 to do, before effectually breaking up such an extensive tract. 

 However, I do not look on Cheviot itself favourably, as likely 

 to be very productive. Peat predominates too much; and 

 the immense uniformity of heath and mountain grasses is ad- 

 verse to variety. The subsoil, also, is a bare barren grit or 



