190 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCE*. 
of my study and a fig tree, fastening its 
lines to both, the wind blowing N.E. and 
waving the brauch so as to keep the web 
rising and falling. I did not disturb the 
little weaver; but what was my surprise 
on going a few hours after to find that he 
had dropped a line to the ground and 
fastened it to a pebble about half an 
ounce in weight. This acted as a kind 
of counterpoise, rising from the ground 
when a strong gust of wind came, and 
swinging like a pendulum, so that the 
web was comparatively stationary, and 
left the spider more at liberty to 
strengthen his outworks, which he did 
very sedulously and adroitly. Since this 
I have found another of the same kind ; 
but in this instance the stone was much 
smaller, and had an entirely pendulous 
motion. — An Academician ; August 25, 
1856. 
MEMORABILIA FOR SEPTEMBER. 
Coleoptera. — By T. V. Wollaston. 
— The land, far more richly tenanted as 
it is for the Coleopterist, is, nevertheless, 
scarcely more interesting , as regards its 
insect population, than the waters ; and 
yet how few of our collectors devote 
much time to the investigation of the 
Ilgdrocantharidce. We have our Clarks 
and Powers, it is true, to fathom the 
ponds and roadside puddles around our 
modern Babylon, and to dive with 
anxious net into the deep black ditches 
of the Huntingdonshire fens; but then, 
unfortunately, they are not numerous : 
whilst even they do not often (or rather 
cannot, from the want of leisure) strike 
towards the far north, or ascend the 
mountain tracts, into the “unfislied” re- 
cesses of our island group. There are 
some few others, again, who work well 
their own immediate localities, and much 
praise is due to them for their zeal ; 
still, however, we want more labourers 
yet, who will be willing for a time to de- 
vote their exclusive energies to this pecu- 
liar field of research before we can hope 
to gain a thorough knowledge of our 
Hydradephagous fauna. Already has 
the long lost Ilydroporus Scalesianus 
been “ turned up ” in the vicinity of 
York, whilst the immortal Power has de- 
monstrated, with a master’s discrimina- 
tion, that the Haliplus fluviutilis, which 
was supposed to be well-nigh unique, is 
as common as its (nearly related) generic 
comrades, its diagnostic characters having 
been hitherto but imperfectly understood. 
Hence, at once arises the necessity of 
studying, tn masse , the distinguishing 
features of some of our closely allied 
forms: and now, above all others, is the 
season for doing so. September is par 
excellence the month for water-beetles, 
and we would gladly, therefore, inoculate 
some of our incipient Coleopterists with 
the desire to add to our knowledge by 
throwing their attention, be it but for 
a few passing weeks, into the rivers and 
pools. The ldydroporus opatrinus and 
Cybisler Rceselii (reputed as British) 
have yet, inter alia, to be found; whilst 
the cosmopolitan Nogrus griseus may be 
expected to occur, for there are already 
“loomings” of it in Devonshire. Oh! 
that a few aquatico-Linnaeus’s would 
arise and fill up some of those numerous 
gaps which have remained as heir-looms 
to our English cabinets since the days of 
Gricsbach and Leach. 
MISCELLANEA. 
Indian Micro-Lepidopteka. 
I am quite aware of the importance of 
sending a series of specimens for descrip- 
tion, but collecting and setting takes so 
much time that it is not always in my 
power at present to preserve duplicates of 
even large insects, and with the small 
things the trouble is many-fold greater. 
