142 



THE YOUNG NATURmST. 



tufts of grass ; or the larvse, bluish grey 

 with a broad, yellow, spiracular line, will 

 be found discussing almost any plant which 

 grows on the sandhills, although sallow 

 seems to be preferred. Melmippe galiata 

 may often be beaten from underneath the 

 ledges formed by the dead grass, &c., or 

 from the hedges bordering the sandhills. 

 Cidaria fidvata and testata larvse will both be 

 feeding, the former on the Rosa spmosissima 

 and the latter on the sallow. Euholia lineo- 

 lata. — The first brood of this pretty local 

 species will be just out ; and although it 

 generally flies towards evening, it often 

 rises from among the herbage tramped over 

 by the collector. The larva feeds on the 

 yellow bedstraw — a supply of which should 

 be taken by anyone who obtains a female, 

 in the hope of rearing the insect from the 

 egg — the bedstraw being easily grown. 



"A number of different species of Tor- 

 tricini may be found in the larva state in 

 the terminal shoots of the sallow ; and 

 among the wild burnet rose, which covers 

 the sandhills in many places, probably will be 

 found the larva of the local Peronea permiitana. 



" CoLEOPTERA. — The following are some 

 of the species almost certain to be met with : 

 Notiophilus aquations 

 Calathus mollis 



flavipes 

 Dromius linearis 

 Metabletus foveola 



Broscus cephalotes (under drift wood just 

 above high-water mark) 



Staphylinus pubescens (under dried dung) 

 Aphodius prodromus 



scybalarius 



inquinatus 

 ,, conspurcatus, &c., &c. 

 iEjialia arenaria 

 Sitones griseus 

 Creoshinus geminatus 

 Hypera nigrirostus 

 Srypidius eguiseti 

 Coccinella mutabilis 



and if the day be fine and the sun shining 

 fiercely, Cicindela hyhrida will be flying about 

 the barest sandhills (near the shore), and 

 Elaphrus riparius and Dyschirius nitudus will 

 be common in damp places among the hills. 

 Many of the above beetles may be found on 

 the bare sand, but numbers are found among 

 the dead sallow leaves and in the tufts of 

 grass. The Aphodii (unless the sun is shin- 

 ing) are best taken in dung. 



" With reference to directions to strangers 

 for finding their way to the Sandhills, I 

 would recommend them to take the boat 

 from the Liverpool landing stage for 

 Seacombe, at which ferry they will find a 

 tram-car waiting, which will convey them 

 to the corner of Liscard village, and Wallasey 

 Road — they had better tell the conductor to 

 set them down at Wallasey Road, and he will 

 direct them to Wallasey. Taking the road 

 either above or below the church they will 

 find themselves upon the Sand Hills with 

 very little trouble. A shorter way, but 

 perhaps not so easy to find, is to go along 

 Sea-view Road (which commences opposite 

 to where they leave the car), and when at 

 the end of this road, where there is a lodge 

 and gates, turn sharp to the left, aud keep 

 this road through Wallasey. Altogether 

 the distance is aljput a mile from where they 

 leave the tram-car. Arrived on the Sand 

 Hills they may ramble without let or hind- 

 rance, and the " opima ground" where we 

 are to meet is a mile across the Sand Hills, 

 to the West of /beyond) the iron railings, 

 which lead down from Wallasey village, 

 and which may be got over where the sand 

 has nearly buried them, or turned, at the 

 bottom end ; or the collector may pass 

 through a gate at the Wallasey end. I will 

 be about the ground—indeed I expect a num- 

 ber of Liverpool Entomologists will assist, 

 and I hope we shall have a pleasant day." 



Mr. Robert Brown also supplies the 

 following list of the rarer plants likely to be 

 found by the Botanists of the party.— 



