THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



47 



of obtaining them. However, on entering into correspondence with the Eev. 

 W. W. Eowler, he kindly assisted me ; and sometime afterwards a series of 

 articles from his pen appeared in the pages of the Entomologists Monthly 

 Magazine, which, from the amount of information given therein are well 

 worth the perusal of anyone who desires to take up the study of Coleoptera. 

 Another series of excellent articles, by Dr. Ellis, of Liverpool, are also ap- 

 pearing in current numbers of the Young Naturalist. 



In taking notes of captures, I have found it very useful to make a record 

 of the date of capture, the locality, and the mode of obtaining particular 

 species, and I am pleased to observe that Mr. Robert Gillo, of Bath, and Mr. 

 Wilding, of Liverpool, in their interesting articles on Coleoptera in the pages 

 of the Young Naturalist, follow the same practice. 



I will now proceed to enumerate the Coleoptera I have captured during 

 the past year. 



The season of 1885 commenced rather unpleasantly — wind and rain greatly 

 impeded operations, and for some little time collecting was rather an unpro- 

 fitable occupation. My first venture was to Rainham, Essex, on April 6, 

 in company with Mr. Cripps. Beyond noting the characteristics of the 

 country and making a general survey we did very little. Phcedon tumidulum 

 was excessively common on cow parsley and other herbage by the river banks. 

 Ilypera nigrirostris was also moderately common ; likewise Anthicus anthe- 

 rinus, Dromius meridionalis, Micraspis 12-punctata and Coccinella 11-punc- 

 tata ; I also captured a female of Piilinus pectinicornis, and a few other 

 things. Kainham seemed a very likely place for coleoptera; the country 

 generally is cut up and intersected by numerous small ditches and dykes, 

 with a fair quantity of common reeds, rushes, and water plants growing 

 therein. But on this occasion our career was stopped soon after 12 by rain. 



May 9. I went to Surbiton by 1.35 train. I obtained by sweeping 

 Rhynchites Germanicm, several specimens of Thy amis ; Ceuthorrhynchidius 

 troglodytes and Prasocuris aucta commonly ; Phyllotreta undulata, P. ne- 

 morum, and one specimen of Ceuthorrhynchus campestris ; but, as formerly, 

 rain set in early and again stopped our operations. 



May 23 to 25. Cold rain prevailed during the morning of 23rd, but fine 

 weather in the afternoon. I left Waterloo for Woking at 1.35. I proceeded 

 from Woking station by the canal and through a small patch of wood to 

 Brookwood. The herbage being wet and wind high, beating was a difficult 

 job. However, I got Phyllohius maculicornis, P. pomonce and P. pyri from 

 oak, and Sitones regensteinensis very commonly from broom and furze, and a 

 few other beetles. From Brookwood I took train to Farnham in the even- 

 ing. On 24th and 25th I tried beating the broom, Phyllobii were rather 



