462 
LEAVES FROM AN OLD DIARY. 
those of the Neuroptera, the abdomen was of a burnished purple 
& a little hairy, the six legs were of a light green, there appeared 
to be two palpi proceeding from the under part of the head, 
also a light greene colour. It was very active & clapped together 
its two cheliform antennae w th great briskness [added subsequently]. 
I sent the above insect to Mr. Marsham, who informed me it 
was the Cimex spessicornis a curious but not a very uncommon 
Insect of the hemiptera class.” Mr. Thouless informs me that 
the above insect is now known by the name of Heterotoma 
merioptera and that it is a common species generally occurring on 
nettles ; the Mr. Marsham referred to was Thomas Marsham, 
entomologist, Secretary to the Linnean Society from 1788 to 1798, 
he died in November 1819. Both Marsham & Sutton were 
original Associates of the Linn Soc. 1788. 
August 19th “Bode in the afternoon to B [illegible]* thorp, 
observe the Gleaners in that & the large parish of Docking convey- 
ing home their burdens upon asses in large bundles suspended on 
each side of the Asses ” (See 24th August). 
— ,, — 21st “Rode to Brancaster walked to the sea shore, 
found Althea officinalis, Gonvolv\ulus\ Sold[anella\ Geran [. Erodium? ] 
cicut \ avium] w th very hairy stalks and leaves, hairs very long and 
white, petals white sometimes pink, longer than calyx ; Silene 
marit[ima], Eryngium mar it. 2 species [?] of Salsola, Beta mar it., 
Althea. officin[alis] ; gathered by the road-side Marrub\ium\ album 
for Tom. Booker ” 
The following interesting note on the customs regulating gleaning, 
at that time a matter of great importance to the villagers with a view 
to their winter supply, is worthy of recording ; it is an example of 
the unwritten laws which were strictly obeyed in many instances, 
such as marsh-mowing in the common lands in the Lincolnshire 
Fens, and the placing of eel-sets on our own rivers (See ante, vol. iv. 
p. 442). 
August 24th. “ Took tea at Thornham at Bentons It is worthy 
of remark the regularity w th w ch gleaning is performed at Holme — 
here the Gleaners collect together at 8 O’Clock in the morning 
come home about 12 — go out again after having dined & return 
again at 6 in the evening as regular as they went out. They may 
* Probably Bagthorpe, be would pass through Docking on the way. 
