Insects. 1941 



Of these, the rare Gymnaetron Beccabungae, which I had never 

 before taken, was in great profusion, and was found in company 

 with Poophagus Sisymbrii and Nedyus floralis. Gymnaetron niger 

 {Germar) was also abundant; but of the very rare and interesting 

 Gymnaetron Veronicae I could obtain but a single pair, though I 

 worked the locality to the utmost. For my own part I confess I 

 should have doubted its being really distinct from niger, for red dashes 

 on the elytra seem naturally peculiar, more or less, to the whole genus ; 

 and I should therefore have suspected, had occasional aberrations 

 from a black type existed (which is not unlikely), that those aberra- 

 tions would probably assume a form which is so common in the other 

 species of the generic group. However, on the authority of such emi- 

 nent entomologists as Dr. Germar and Mr. Walton, I rest satisfied. 

 Of the minute and remarkable Syncalypta arenaria I also obtained 

 but a single pair. Unlike most of the Byrrhidae, they run with great 

 celerity when aroused, though, in common with the rest of the group, 

 they counterfeit death for an enormous length of time when caught; 

 under these circumstances, with their legs tightly engrooved beneath, 

 they can scarcely be distinguished, at first sight, from small seeds or 

 globose particles of dirt. Of the very rare Colymbetes fontinalis, 

 which was pointed out to me by Dr. Schaum, I captured but one speci- 

 men. It is distinguished from its congeners by a very remarkable 

 and distinct tooth in the inner curvature of the front claw, — a charac- 

 ter which was first detected by Dr. Schaum himself, and to whose 

 kindness I am indebted for the information. 



But, leaving Herri ngstone, which, as 1 before intimated, was my 

 best inland locality, I will give merely a hasty glance at my captures 

 in other directions. The water-meadows in the neighbourhood of 

 Dorchester produce, apparently, only the ordinary insects which are 

 peculiar to such situations. Hosts of the common Donaciae and Ga- 

 lerucae, abundance of Atomariae (chiefly dimidiata), oceans of Ephis- 

 temi, vast quantities of Hypolithus riparius, Poophagus Sisymbrii, 

 Erirhinus Nereis, Hypera Pollux and Rumicis, and the black Agonum 

 emarginatum of Gyllenhall, forming the most prominent part of the 

 coleopterous inhabitants, next to such species as would be certain to 

 occur by tens of thousands in every locality of that description. 



Towards Bridport I had tolerable success, but chiefly in a small 

 and romantic valley in the parish of Powerstock. On the edges of 

 the stream which winds through this very beautiful retreat, Peryphus 

 caeruleus (Dej.) may be taken in great profusion, — an insect exceed- 

 ingly common throughout Devonshire and the mountainous district of 

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