158 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



His sugaring-ground was generally a wood 

 near home called Penny Spring Wood, 

 Here he has taken many insects not usually 

 found in the district, including the Peach 

 Blossom (T hatis) (June 5th, 1861) and the 

 very rare Acronycta aVni (July 19th, i860). 

 His sugaring mixture was made up as 

 follows : — 



Ale - - - - Half a pint. 

 Common honey - Half a pound. 

 Foot's sugar - - - do. 

 Rum - - Half a wineglass-full. 

 Essential oil of bitter almonds, 5 drops. 



The first three were boiled together and the 

 others added after. 



To the south of the town is a high ridge, 

 its highest point being Castle Hill. Behind 

 this ridge several insects were common 

 during Varley's time which have now en- 

 tirely disappeared, such as the Orange-tip, 

 the Ringlet ( Hyper anthus), the Dingy Skip- 

 per, and the Meadow Brown. These have 

 now entirely disappeared from the whole 

 district, as well as the Common Blue, the 

 Five-spot Burnet, and the large Green 

 Emerald, which used to be common at 

 Lepton Great-wood. The Cinnabar used 

 also to be found at Kirklees, but it is gone 

 also, and the beautiful little White-spot 

 ( Octomaculalis ) is no longer to be found in 

 Dungeon Wood where Varley has taken so 

 many. 



In 1863 and '64 he visited Sherwood 

 Forest, and on one occasion he went to 

 collect caddis-flies for Mr. Alfd. Beaumont. 

 How he delighted to talk of Sherwood 

 Forest and his exploits there! Each 

 time he seemed to feel the same pleasure 

 which he actually experienced when col- 

 lecting. 



(To he continued.) 



NOTES ON COLEOPTERA, 

 FOR BEGINNERS. 



By Dr. J. W. Ellis and Mr. Smedley, 

 Liverpool. 

 [Continued from page 134.) 



PTEROSTICHUS. 



The twenty-two British species of this 

 genus vary so much among themselves, not 

 only in colour and size, but in general 

 structure and appearance, that they were 

 classed by the less recent writers on Cole- 

 optera, under at least eight difierent genera, 

 viz. — Abax, Adelosia, Pcscilus, Pterostichiis, 

 Argutor, Steropus, Omaseus, and Platysma. 



In the analysis of genera in the March 

 number of the Y.N. it will be observed that 

 the species of this genus fall into three 

 groups, viz. — 



a. Species of the Feronidce having the 

 upper side black, the base of the thorax as 

 wide as the elytra, and size over half-an- 

 inch P. striola. 



b. Species with the thorax narrower at 

 the base than the elytra, the latter being 

 brilliant green or coppery .... P. cupreui, 

 P. versicolor, P. dimidiatus, and P. lepidus. 



c Species with the thorax narrower at 

 the base than the elytra, the latter being 

 dark or pitchy, and with the anterior tibiae 

 distinctly thickened towards the apex. ..... 



the remaining seventeen species, which may 

 be further sub-divided, as follows : — 



A. Colour, pitchy black or pitchy red ... . 



P. picimattus, 



B. Colour, shining black. 



1. Size, over ^ of an inch. 



a. Posterior angles of the thorax dis- 



tinct.... P. niyer, P. vulgaris, P. 

 parumpunctatus, P. anthracinus, 



P. nigrita, P gracilis, P. oHoTigo- 

 punctatuSy and P. vitreus. 



b. Posterior angles of the thorax 

 rounded .... P. aterrimus, P. madi' 

 dus, and P. eetJdopg, 



2. Size, not exceeding \ of an inch,,,. 



