ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES TOR 1866. 315 



whilst our bean and turnip fields were quite free from those de- 

 structive pests, the Aphides. 



This was, no doubt, the result of excessive moisture, which is 

 always very destructive to insects, much more so than excessive 

 cold. The previous winter was very open, with a large fall of 

 rain. Spring, too, was very wet, cold, and protracted, whilst 

 the summer was, I believe, much below the average temperature ; 

 and very heavy falls of rain took place towards its close, and in 

 autumn. 



Notwithstanding these unfavourable influences some additions 

 have been made to our Fauna, principally in Coleoptera, Semip- 

 tera, and Homoptera ; but, as many of the first and last were 

 taken in 1865, I have given them in separate forms. The re- 

 occurrence of a few rare or local Coleoptera may however be here 

 enumerated. Lamprias ehlorocephalus, Dyschirius thoracicus, and 

 D. globosus, have occurred on Whitley sands, the two latter 

 abundantly. Pristonychus terricola, Agonum marginatum, Platy- 

 derus ruficollis, and Curtonotus convexiusculus, have all been found, 

 in some plenty, near South Shields. Tachys Foclcii has occurred 

 in its old haunt, sparingly to myself in June ; more plentifully 

 to G. R. Crotch, Esq., whom I directed to the locality in July. 

 Aleochara bilineata has been found near Whitley and South 

 Shields, some of the specimens being curiously small. The 

 banks of the Devil's water furnishes Tachyusa contracta, T. 

 rubicunda, T. leueopa, and Bledius subterraneus ; the latter in 

 exceeding abundance. Two examples of the rare and beautiful 

 Boletobius cingulatus were taken in Gosforth woods in September. 

 CopropMlus striatulus, and Homalium Allardi, from the sands at 

 Whitley. Eusplialerum Primulce was found very abundantly in 

 the flowers of the primrose at Gibside. Phizophagus cribratus 

 was taken at Hartford Bridge. Phiz, parallelocollis has again been 

 taken on burial ground fences. Dasytes ceratus from Whitle 

 Dene. Cis festivus, Hartley Dene. ScapMdema metallicum was 

 taken on the banks of the Derwent, near Axwell. Ischnomera 

 melanura, sands, near South Shields, where I also found Trachy- 

 phlcBus scabriculus. A fine series of Sitones Meliloti was found 

 on the melitot trefoil near Hartley. Considerable numbers of 



