3376 Insects, 



my skins, and burying my bottles up to their moulhs, left the field. Upon return- 

 ing a fortnight after to see the result of my experiment, judge of my delight when, 

 on examining the skins, I had the lively satisfaction of extracting therefrom thirteen 

 specimens of the much-desired Trox. Like the burying Necrophori, they had partly 

 entombed the skins ; and I would recommend any one laying similar traps, to well 

 dig up the soil with their barking-knife or digger, and carefully examine it beneath 

 the skins, as most of my specimens were taken from thence : they having gone thither 

 and taken with them some choice morsel to be disposed of at leisure, in content and 

 fancied security. Like the Necrophori, too, the Trox emits a peculiar squeaking 

 sound when disturbed in its haunts. Having securely bottled my specimens of Trox, 

 my attention was next directed to the buried bottles of bones. These I found com- 

 pletely filled with specimens of Necrophorus humator and mortuorum, Oiceoptoma 

 rugosa, two species of Ptomophagus, several specimens of Serica brunnea (but rarely 

 met with in this county), Nitidulae, Brachelytra and effluvia. — Fredk. Bates ; King 

 St., Leicester, January 23, 1852. 



Occurrence of Necrodes littoralis in considerable numbers. — Five years since last 

 summer, as I was passing down a lane in the vicinity of this town, I saw stretched on 

 the sward the remains of a horse that had perished in a pit hard by. It was after- 

 wards cut up on the spot and the members taken away, their use being to stay the 

 craving appetites of sundry of the canine species ; the entrails only were left, and cast 

 aside as worthless. The weather was excessively hot at the time ; and in a few days, 

 on revisiting the spot, I found the remains completely alive with a maggot or grub, 

 about half an inch in length. But the dreadful effluvia arising prevented me from 

 making any close examination. However, a day or two afterwards, I boldly advan- 

 ced, determined at all risks to have an examination. I found it literally swarming 

 with Necrodes littoralis, an insect I had never heard of before as occurring in this 

 county. It was an exhilirating sight to see me, with beaming countenance, bending 

 over these remains, puffing out huge volumes of smoke from my meerschaum, in order 

 to keep the effluvium (not small I assure you) ofF my stomach ; ever and anon diving 

 with ray fingers into the unctuous mass, to secure the Necrodes which were rolling 

 and rollicking about, evidently luxuriating in their filthy feast. Having secured a 

 sufficiency, and my pipe having expired, I left the remainder to the full enjoyment of 

 their repast. Upon again visiting the spot a few days afterwards, both matter and 

 life had entirely disappeared. Thus does Nature, by her ceaseless and ever-wakeful 

 energy, preserve herself. Everywhere present are her myriad agencies, whose task it 

 is to turn back into the great stream of life organic matter on the verge of dissolution. 

 The great circle of life is complete and unbroken. Among my specimens of Necrodes 

 were a number with the thighs of the hinder legs greatly enlarged. Can any one in- 

 form me the cause of this, as I have been led to understand they are not the males of 

 the species, as I at first supposed ? By what earthly sense were these insects guided, 

 and from whence could come an army sufficient, in a few days, wholly to consume the 

 entrails of a horse ? — Id. 



Occurrence of Carabus arvensis in Leicestershire. — On the 6th of April, 1850, I had 

 the pleasure of capturing a fine and brilliant specimen of Carabus arvensis, roaming 

 over the plain of Beacon, situate at the base of Beacon Hill, the first time, I believe, 

 it has ever been met with in this county. The colours of this specimen are so singu- 

 larly brilliant for the species, as to entitle it, in the opinion of Mr. Thomas Marshall, 

 to the rank of a variety. — Id. 



