6386 



Insects. 



to the time when, and under what circumstances, we are justified in 

 including imported species in the British list. For some time past T 

 have paid considerable attention to the Formicidae, particularly our 

 native ants, and I find two or three, undoubtedly imported species, 

 not only existing in numbers in gardens, green-houses, hot-houses 

 and dwelling-houses, but I find them continuing their kind, increasing 

 in numbers and spreading themselves over various localities, in short 

 becoming naturalized ; once naturalized I conclude they become 

 British insects, and should be unhesitatingly included in our Fauna. 



Some of these imported species are occasionally found at large, but 

 in all probability, only the individuals which our ships have conveyed 

 in merchandise, ballast, &c. ; to these we may, I think, refer Carabus 

 cancellatus and C. auratus : neither of these increase and multiply, 

 and may, along with Calosoma Sycophanta, be properly expunged 

 from our lists. It is not amongst the Geodephaga, however, that any 

 large importations are to be looked for ; we must expect the greatest 

 number to consist of such species as subsist upon the various articles 

 which our commerce with other countries is the means of bringing to 

 our shores. 



Of the latter kind, those which feed upon the various sorts of corn, 

 pulse, rice, fruits, skins and furs, may be expected to be most 

 numerous. It is not my object here to furnish a list of these 

 imported insects, but I would, as stated above, invite others to give 

 their opinions upon the point in question. There are, doubtless, 

 several other cosmopolitan insects, the native country of which it 

 would be difficult to ascertain : what country, for instance, claims 

 Dermestes vulpinus, — it comes in merchandise from all parts of 

 the globe : the same may be said of Trogosita mauritanica, and 

 of what country is Sitophilus granarius or S. Oryzae a native ? The 

 latter species is omitted by Mr. Walton in his list of native Cur- 

 culionida?, but it has equal claims, in my opinion, to being included 

 as British, with S. granarius ; I found it very plentiful last summer 

 along the Suffolk coast, near Kessingland and Pakefield : here it 

 apparently has become acclimatized, for I not only found it on 

 the shore, but in sandy spots at some distance inland ; I have met 

 with S. granarius in similar situations, but, doubtless, both species 

 are most numerous and most frequently found in granaries and ware- 

 houses. Although rice may be the usual nutriment of S. Oryza?, 

 it must subsist upon other food on the Suffolk coast: the greater 

 number of individuals were found in a sandy ravine or chasm, bor- 

 dered by fields of barley. 



