8466 



Insects. 



revels in the hot sun, darting from one primrose blossom to another! — if but a shade 

 passes it, it drops to the ground invisible: and now also the curious " oil beetle " 

 (Meloe proscarabceus) was crawling about in all directions. Early in May I made 

 several additions to my collection of bees, and several good beetles fell into my bottle. 

 In June the ruby [?] tiger moth (Euthemonia russula) was anything but rare; I found 

 it in tbe wood above Winlaton once, and it was especially plentiful on the links below 

 Bamburgh Castle. At Gibside I took several good motbs, among which may be 

 noticed Xylophasia rurea, var. combusta, rare ; the specimen was at rest on the fresh- 

 cut portion of an ash-pole, rather a singular place for this insect, as the pale colour of 

 the new wood contrasted greatly with the moth's dark wings. Further on in the same 

 direction I caught another uncommon moth, Acronycta leporina, as it was flying 

 softly across the road near where the oak wood has been cut down, on the right-hand 

 6ide going to Rowland's Gill ; and beyond that turnpike I captured specimens of 

 Rhagium Inquisitor, Clivina collaris, and other beetles of uncommon occurrence, on 

 my way to a small bog on the left-hand side of the road, where grows the sweet- 

 scented willow (Salix pentandra), and where the greasy fritillary (Melitaa Artemis) 

 was taken by Mr. Dinning ; the beautiful daddy-longlegs (Pedieea rivosa) I also met 

 with in this bog. From this time to the end of June insects continued to occur in 

 tolerable plenty, and I collected many good specimens ; and in July, when on the 

 links beyond South Shields I found great numbers of the coast-chafers (Anomala 

 Frisehii), of which I could not find a single specimen last year; and I then added the 

 dark purple variety, which is always very rare in England, to my series. The latter 

 portion of the year has not been nearly so favourable for the development of insect life, 

 and the autumn broods have certainly been below the average. Sugar I have found, 

 throughout the summer, next to useless for the night moths. Many evenings which 

 appeared propitious for these excursions I have returned home with empty boxes, or 

 had to depend entirely on my net for captures ; and I have heard similar accounts 

 from other entomologists widely separated, and therefore conclude it to be a general 

 complaiut. — V. R. Perkins, in 4 Transactions of Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club.' 



On Removing Grease, fyc. — I have lately received a letter from my esteemed friend 

 Henry Doubleday, Esq., in acknowledgment of a copy of my little book the ' Insect 

 Hunter's Companion.' With his permission I make an extract or two from that letter. 

 Mr. Doubleday says, " I rather regret that Dr. Wallace's plan for removing grease was 

 introduced, as I think accidents may occur from attempting to carry it out. I cannot 

 understand how benzole can be boiled without incurring great risk of its exploding. 

 A short time since a young man in this place was using some, and left the cork out of 

 the bottle. He happened to move it near the candle, and the evaporation was so rapid 

 that the candle, although some inches above, set fire to it, and it exploded like a gun, 

 and the young man nearly lost his sight." I think it but right that the readers, who- 

 ever they may be, of my book should, as soon and as generally as possible, be made 

 acquainted with the danger of an incautious use of this inflammable oil, and as the 

 best means of doing so I have requested the editor of the ' Zoologist ' to insert this 

 notice. I should like to take this opportunity of stating that where, as in this and some 

 other instances, I have given two or more methods of doing the same thing, it was to 

 avoid the appearance of dogmatism, and also to give the beginner the opportunity of 

 trying for himself which plan was the best. Mr. Doubleday remarks further, " I am 

 not an advocate for the use of camphor (for keeping off mites ; J. G.). It unquestion- 

 ably tends to make moths greasy. If the under sides of the thorax and abdomen and 



