THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



279 



start any club with a less number than six 

 members who will go in either for one 

 particular order of insects, or for the 

 neglected orders collectively. We therefore 

 wait another month before we take any 

 action in the matter, and hope then to be 

 able to announce that the required number 

 of members has been obtained to start clubs 

 for Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and the 

 neglected orders. 



THE "YOUNG NATURALIST 

 ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE 

 OF BRITISH INSECTS. 



COLEOPTERA. Plate 9. 

 The plate issued this month represents 

 ten species of Lamellicorni Coleoptera as 

 follows : — 



iMcanus cerms (the Stag beetle). This is 

 the largest British beetle, and is a common 

 insect in the South of England. Specimens 

 vary greatly in size, but the one figured is 

 a fair average. The sexes differ so greatly 

 it has been thought necessary to figure both 

 male and female. 



Melolontha vulgaris [Cockchsier). — This is 

 also a common species, too common some- 

 times, for the larvae cause considerable 

 damage to the roots of growing crops, they 

 are fat whitish grubs, leaden colour at the 

 tail end, and are frequently found while 

 digging in gardens. The perfect insect may 

 be found through the summer, flying about 

 oak and other trees. The plates at the end 

 of the antennae are smaller in the female. 



Rhizotrogus solstitialis (June bug.) — Com- 

 mon in the south, and sufficiently distinct. 



Dorcus paralldlopvpedus — This species is 

 unlike any other found in Britain. The 

 figure is that of a male, the female differs 

 in having the head narrower and the man- 

 dible smaller. 



Sinodendron cylindrioum. — The female 

 differs in being without the projections in 

 front. A common beetle, we have found it 

 abundantly in the rotten wood of a decaying 

 aah tree. 



Phyllopertha horticola — This species is 



found upon the flowers of the roses in May 



and June. This and the next have a general 



resemblance to each other, but Iwrticola is 



less, the wing cases more strongly ribbed, 



and the dark green of the thorax extends to 



the scutellum, which is not always the 



case in FriscMi but this species has the 



extreme sidejmargins of the thorax yellowish 



brown. There is a black variety of Iwrticola, 



but it is very rare ; it has been taken at 

 Wallasey, by Mr. Wilding. 



Anomala FriscMi, — Not very uncommon 

 on coast sand banks. It has been abundant 

 this year at Hartlepool. 



Trichius fasciatus,— This is a very beauti- 

 ful and distinct species, and not uncommon 

 in some districts. Its downy appearance 

 and colour gives it somewhat the look of a 

 bee, which seems to be a case of mimicry. 



Serica brunnea. — Quite distinct from any 

 other species of Lamellicornia. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 

 BIRDS. 



Gold Crest. — Mrs. Battersby, Rathowen, 

 Ireland, informs us she has found nests of 

 this bird with as many as nine eggs, which 

 appears to be an unusually large number, 

 for Mr. Bond, who has great experience 

 says he never saw one with more than 

 seven. Mrs. Battersby also sent us a 

 beautiful coloured drawing of the nest of 

 this bird, which we would have been glad 

 to use for our plate had we not received a 

 nest, and preferred to draw direct from 

 nature. 



Nest of the Dartford Warbler. — 

 Since the account of this species appeared 



