August, 1890.] THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



" June and July, 1863, and put beetles in a collecting-bottle at ran- 

 " dom, for Mr. Sidebotham, of Manchester; and in this bottle the 

 " latter found three or four Brachini " (Entomologist's Annual, 1863J. 

 It may be worth while to add Canon Fowler's pertinent remarks 

 concerning this capture : — " I feel sure that there is some mistake 

 " about these beetles, especially as no Brachini have ever been 

 " recorded from the northern districts ; as Mr. Rye remarks, it is 

 " very curious that these three specimens should be all different." 

 ( Coleoptera of British Islands.) 



B. sclopeta, F. — Like the preceding, doubtfully British ; or else 

 extinct. 



Drypta, Fabricius.— Greek, to tear or scratch. Our only species 

 is dent aia, Ross. It occurs on " clay banks, at roots of grass, in moss, 

 &c. ; very local and rare. Kent : Faversham (Dawson), Chatham (?) 

 — G. C. Champion, Kent and Surrey Coleoptera. Formerly occurred 

 in some numbers at Gosport and adjacent places. Canon Fowler also 

 recorded its capture at Luccombe Chine and Freshwater, April, 1885. 

 My specimens were received from Mr. Moncreaff. 



Polystichus, Bon. — Derived from two Greek w r ords, meaning 

 " many lines" (striae). Our single species, P. vittatus, Brulle, occurs 

 chiefly in South of England localities, and is found on " clay banks on 

 " the coast, local and rare. Kent: Whitstable, Heme Bay, Sheer- 

 " ness " (G. C. Champion, Kent and Surrey Coleoptera). Also found 

 " under stones near the sea ; one specimen taken at Ness in 1882 ; and 

 " about twenty near Bulverhythe, in June, 1889" (W. H. Bennett, 

 Hasting). Mr. E. A. Newbery, about the year 1885, took "some 

 "numbers under large stones on Southampton Common." 



(To be continued). 



A COLEOPTERIST'S HOLIDAY. 



Soon after the vernal equinox there comes a time when one may, 

 with perhaps greater confidence than at any other period of the year, 

 nticipate a few days of consecutive fine weather. The East wind, 

 which all through March, has been drying the wet fallows and nipping 

 the early peas in exposed gardens, sinks in these halcyon days to a 



