6352 



Entomological Society* 



metallic species, so similar to the Cymindis in its rufous square humeral patch, 

 is really a Coptodera or new genus allied thereto,— all the allied species of which, »t 

 least twenty taken here, are found coursing over the bark of decaying trees. These 

 two species, however, were not taken in their proper habitats, but cast ashore on the 

 sandy beach near the town after a stormy night on the lake. I found them together 

 with vast multitudes of other insects ; in fact, there was a ridge of sediment along the 

 beach, a mile in length, composed almost entirely of insects. It is remarkable that a 

 great number of the species I have never been able to obtain in any other manner. 

 The causes of the phenomenon I suppose to be these, — premising that it occurs only 

 once annually, at the end of August, during stormy, changeable weather, which follows 

 the first heats of the fine season : — a sultry night attracts vast numbers of nocturnal 

 insects from the forest to fly about over the lake; a squall of cool wind arrives sud- 

 denly from the opposite shores, and the wind and chilled temperature cast the myriads 

 of gambolling insects into the water, the swell afterwards casting them on the beach. 

 It is a proof of the vast number of the nocturnal insects in the tropics. The greater 

 proportion consists of Coleoptera ; there are also many Heraiptera and moths; even 

 small birds, Cerabae and others. 



" The Coleoptera consist chiefly of vast numbers of ScaritidaB, from minute species 

 less than the Dyschirius gibbus of Europe to large Scarites, 1£ inch long; some of 

 them of very singular forms, such as Oxystomus, Slraliotes, and some, I think, new 

 genera; the most remarkable of which Mr. Westwood has recently described 

 as Solenogenys foeda. There are also many Truncatipennes, chiefly of genera 

 Polystichus, Zuphium, Diaphorus, Galerita, Casnonia and Brachinus. Other Geode- 

 phaga are in less variety, but some species, as a species of Dercylus, are in vast mul- 

 titudes. Next in numbers to the Scaritides are the Heteromera, chiefly small species 

 allied to Helops. After them come the Lamellicornes ; grand Dynastes — the Mega- 

 losomEe, Mars and Actaeon, Enema infundibulum, species of Stratoegus, Caelosis, Ligy- 

 rus, Stenocrates, Chalepus and Cyclocephala. Some black species of Chalepus and 

 Stenocrates especially occur always by thousands. There are also a few Melolonthidae, 

 of the genus Microcranium (Burm.). Amongst the sediment I found also one or two 

 large handsome Buprestida). Staphylini occur in less abundance, although there are 

 great numbers of minute 'species clinging to portions of wood, and a few very large 

 species, as Pinophilus torosus, Er., a very large Staphylinidi. The Pselaphidae are 

 also in vast numbers, clustering within the crevices of pieces of wood and rubbish cast 

 up by the waters. I could only find time to select a few of the more curious species ; 

 one was a minute Articerus, some others belonged evidently to genera at present un- 

 known. There were many other large Coleoptera, of which only single specimens 

 occured, such as two very fine Prionidse, one, I think, a Mecosarthron. Numbers of a 

 Macraspis also occurred, — a genus which I thought were exclusively day-flyers, and it 

 was a species which I had not yet taken in its place in the forest. There were also 

 many Coccinellae ; two Cantharides which I have never been able to meet with else- 

 where; several Anthici, Curculionides, Cassidae and other families of Coleoptera. 

 " There are a few Hymeno; tera, ants and one or two bees and wasps. 

 " The Hemiptera were chiefly two or three species of PachycoridaD, very handsome 

 insects, especially one, an Angocoris, but these were rare, whilst a species of Canthe- 

 cona was in great abundance. 



"The greater part of the insects thus cast up by the waters of the lake were quite 

 dead, others nearly so, whilst many clinging to portions of wood and weeds wore alive: 



