Insects. 



6697 



Ants store the Seeds of Violets. — Is it quite well known, and therefore a " mare's 

 nest" of mine, that the common garden ants collect violet seed in and around their 

 subterranean galleries ? I have a large bank of violets facing the " sweet South," and 

 all the ants' nests within some yards are covered with the violet-seeds (which ripen 

 about this time). The seeds are white, hard and shining, and very like the pupae of 

 the insect. I watched the insects bringing out the seeds from their holes on fine days, 

 as they do their pupa?. Can this be a case of mistaken instinct ? They collect them 

 so abundaDtly as to be a convenient source from whence to preserve the seed if wanted. 

 — J. B. Spencer ; 9, Kidbrooke Terrace, Blackhealh, July 2, 1859. 



A Fortnight at Hornsea, Yorkshire. — In the immediate vicinity of Hornsea, a 

 small village on the coast of Holderness, Yorkshire, there is a large sheet of water 

 called Hornsea Mere. This Mere is two miles long and three-quarters of a mile 

 broad ; one side is wooded to the water's edge; the rest is surrounded by pasture-land 

 and meadows. Though this attractive spot is almost unknown to the entomologist, 

 it has not produced so many rarities as perhaps might have been expected, which may 

 be attributed in a very great measure to the weather, the month of July being one of 

 those least prolific in insect life, especially Coleoptera. That part which is wooded is 

 by far the most productive, the margin being lined with quantities of cut reeds, which 

 when turned over can scarcely fail to present to the view something worth having. 

 The coast, with its cliffs and sand-hills, has also received some attention. The latter, 

 overgrown with Arenarioe, Zostera marina, and Ononis vulgaris, harbour several local 

 insects, which are to be obtained by uprooting the plants. The soil of the whole 

 district is exceedingly sandy. I will proceed to enumerate those beetles which 

 were taken at the Mere, including a few species and specimens which fell to my lot 

 when over for a day in the middle of June. The following are the Geodephaga, 

 exclusive of common species : — 



Elaphrus riparius. Anchomenus pelidnus (60). 



Oodes helopioides (10). Pterostichus anthracinus. 

 Chlaenius nigricornis. C. holosericeus is „ gracilis (2). 



said to have been taken here, but „ minor (10). 



probably in the spring months. „ erythropus. 



Synuchus rivalis (2). „ strenuus. 



Anchomenus viduus (4). Bembidium obliquum (1). Rare. 



„ piceus. Abundant. „ assimile. 



As the geographical distribution of the Brachelytra is yet but little known, nearly 

 all the species taken are mentioned : — 



Homolota graminicola, Grav. Philonthus micans, Grav. (10). Local. 



„ elongatula, Grav. „ aterrimus, Grav. 



Deinopsis fuscatus, Matthews (2). Rare. „ cinerascens, Grav. (4). Local. 



Tachyporus chrysomelinus, Linn. Quedius impressus, PayJc. 



„ pusillus, Grav. „ fuliginosus, Grav. 



Conosoma littoreum, Linn. „ maurorufus, Grav. (3). Rare. 



Tachinus marginellus, Fab. „ ruficollis, Steph. 



Mycetoporus longulus, Mann. Lathrobium elongatum, Linn. 

 Xantholinus punclulatus, PayJc. „ fulvipenne, Grav. 



Philonthus umbratilis, Grav. (6). Local. „ brunnipes, Fab. 



„ corvinus, Erich. (2). Rare. „ quadratum, Payk. 



XVII. 3 D 



