1942 Insects. 



Wales. In the same situation a pair of Parnus auriculatus were picked 

 up by the Rev. Osmond Fisher, who has also for many years past been 

 accustomed to take a profusion of Copris lunaris, by digging them 

 from their burrows in the adjoining fields. In the waters of the 

 stream and the adjacent pools many of the Hydropori occur, particu- 

 larly 12-punctatus, xanthopus and ovatus : also Haliplus elevatus, 

 Colymbetes guttatus, and Elmis Volkmari, but more sparingly. On 

 the coast, not far from Bridport harbour, there is a little bay, where 

 the river Freshwater falls into the sea. I there captured the very rare 

 and local Dromius quadrillum; also a large colony of the Hemip- 

 terous insect Tingis capitata; but, with these exceptions, most of the 

 species were of common occurrence. The same might be said of the 

 coast on the other side of Portland, which, being for the most part 

 high and rocky, is but ill calculated to produce any great variety of 

 species, far less to rival the riches which abound so profusely on the 

 sandy flats. Still a few good things may be taken at the sides of the 

 small streams which trickle down the cliffs and bring with them a 

 certain amount of soil, which they deposit as they go. In such situ- 

 ations, at Osmington, I captured the local and interesting Tachys mi- 

 nutissimus, where hosts of Lopha 4-guttata and the common Peryphi 

 may be observed, with occasional specimens of Cicindela campestris 

 glancing rapidly over the slopes. 



Before, however, I close my remarks, I must be allowed to add one 



word on the Coleoptera of the Isle of Portland itself. The Chesil 



Beach below, and the adjacent flats, we have already discussed. But 



here we are far above them, on a high rocky island, which may be 



more aptly compared to an enormous stone-quarry than to anything 



else. Though in the immediate vicinity of a district so prolific, ento- 



mologically speaking it is but a poor locality. Bleak rocks and a 



shallow soil seldom produce much, albeit &few things may perchance 



occur sufficient to repay a slight investigation ; and this was precisely 



the case here. Though I had not very favourable opportunities of 



exploring the island, still I did work it sufficiently to satisfy myself 



that by far the greatest portion of its Coleoptera were of the very 



commonest description. Brachinus crepitans, Ophonus obscurus, 



and the common Harpali, teemed beneath the stones, while hosts of 



Malachii might be observed in the sunshine, crawling to and fro upon 



the stone walls. At the extreme point of the island, called Portland 



Bill, a very large and elongate variety of the common Agriotes spu- 



tator occurs beneath the stones ; and in the same position, in company 



with a species of ant, I had the good fortune to capture several speci- 



