Insects. 3355 



Masoreus luxatus and Mecinus circulatus were found sparingly. 



Many of the common kinds were in great force, running from under 

 the stones by the dozen; Harpali and Calathi racing with each other, 

 and, in making good their retreat, running foul of the aldermanic and 

 short-legged Opatrum sabulosum, or slipping over the polished back 

 of Broscus cephalotes, as he lay ensconced in his sandy cell, into 

 which the unceremonious Coleopterist so suddenly lets the light of 

 day, that before he has time to "get his wits about him," he finds 

 himself seized and plunged into an atmosphere of Prussic acid, which 

 effectually puts an end tp all thoughts about his future welfare. 



There are few spots which so abound with Coleopteric life as this 

 far-famed locality, which is indeed well worth a visit by any one inte- 

 rested in Coleoptera. 



On the 14th of November, in the same year, happening to be at 

 Weymouth, I walked to Portland, and spent a few hours at " the 

 Bank;" but how changed the scene! Stone after stone was turned 

 up, but none of the crowds just mentioned were to be seen ; a few 

 sleepy Harpali and Calathi, and an occasional Amara, were the only 

 representatives of the mass of beetle life with which the spot teemed 

 in June. 



While spending a few weeks in Kent in the spring of this year, on 

 the 23rd of May I paid a visit to the sands near Deal. Here also I 

 remarked a great scarcity of many beetles which had been plentiful 

 when I visited that locality in 1849. 1 found a general lack of even 

 the commoner kinds, caused partly perhaps by the ungenial spring. 



After a diligent search of some hours, I succeeded in finding nine 

 specimens of Lixus bicolor under the Erodium, but not a single spe- 

 cimen of Hypera fasciculosa did I find, although it was there in abun- 

 dance on my last visit ; and as it is double-brooded, I expected to 

 meet with it thus early. Phytonomus mixtus was there sparingly, but 

 not a specimen of Apion Sedi rewarded my most careful search among 

 the plants whose name it bears, although it was taken here by my 

 friend Mr. Dawson " early in May" in 1849. 



As far as my experience went, this year (1851) was not a good sea- 

 son for Coleoptera. Although I was in Kent from the 12th of May to 

 the 12th of June, the only two insects (with the exception of the Lixi 

 just mentioned) that I took worth noticing, were one specimen of Cal- 

 listus lunatus and one of Plinthus caliginosus ; the former was under 

 a stone on a chalky bank, and was in most beautiful condition, the co- 

 lour on the elytra being bright orange, and the spots bright black, 

 a very different looking insect when alive from the faded and dull 



