THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
37 
miserable tract of lanrl, not bearing a 
single tree, and intersected with ditches 
rivalling Styx in blackness, is rather 
barren of insects. At the end of April 
and the beginning of May, however, 
Elaphrus cupreus, Phcedon betulce and 
Bemhidium gullula are common on the 
ditch-sides. I have also taken specimens 
of Pcecilus cupreus^ var. versicolor, under 
sods on the roads ; the dark variety is 
nearly as plentiful as the common cupreus, 
and might no doubt be found in num- 
bers, if well looked for. Towards the 
end of April, especially if the sun 
shines brightly, Cicindela hyhrida ap- 
pears on the sand-hills, affording much 
amusement in the capture ; now flying 
over the hills, now taking short flights 
and runs in the hollows, and ever ready 
to receive its captor with its strong man- 
dibles. Stray specimens of Sitona Lineata, 
Oliorynchus ovatus, Phytonomus niyri- 
rostris and araior may now be taken, 
either crawling up the hill-sides or under 
the rubbish on them. The bright and 
loug-wished-for month of May arrives, 
and suddenly we start into a whole mine 
of riches ; first, and most beautiful, comes 
Carabus nitens, glittering like a jewel in 
the damp slacks, and attracting the atten- 
tion of the most cursory beholder: this 
year they have been very plentiful, and 
non-entomological gentlemen have paid 
daily visits to their haunts for the purpose 
of capturing this beautiful beetle. Cleonus 
sulciruslris now stalks along, as if “ mo- 
narch of all he surveys,” now and then 
stopping, as if to take an observation. 
The iiill-sides now swarm with Sitona 
lineata, Phytonomus nigrirostris and ara- 
tor ; Pkylan yibbus and Sitona fusca are 
now not uncommon ; Opatruin tibiale 
quite sprinkles the hill-sides ; and Psani- 
modius sulcicollis and Sarrotrium muti- 
cum are now found ; the former is far 
from rare, the latter comes “ few and far- 
between.” In the “slacks,” which arc 
damp pieces of ground between the hills, 
Byrrhus Juscus may be found stickiug ou 
to the moss. On the willows may now 
be taken Phyllobius uniformis, oblongus 
and argentatus : Orchestes avellance is also 
not uncommon, but care is needed in 
bottling it, as the slightest touch to the 
bough causes it to jump no one knows 
where. Cicindela hybrida is now in the 
height of its glory : on bright, sunny 
days he eludes your utmost attempts to 
take him, even with a net. During the 
early part of the month of June the in- 
sects remain in the hills, and in the hotter 
days there is the more chance of dis- 
covering S.muticurn. On one particular 
hill I took last year three specimens of No- 
toxus monoceros, but this year, although 
my brother has searched well, be has not 
found a single specimen. As the month 
advances old familiar forms disappear, the 
last that remains being Cicindela hy- 
brida. In July fresh visitors appear, and 
now let us turn to the shore: here under 
the sea-weed is found in abundance Bem- 
bidiuin pallidipenne, also a few speci- 
mens of Stenolophus vespertinus, B. lam- 
pros and guttula. In the hills now Ano- 
mala Frischii is abundant flying about; 
the local Hoplia argentea is common, sit- 
ting on the sand near Ainsdale. This 
year I took a specimen of C. nitens, to- 
wards the end of J uly, but this a])pears 
to have been one that had either come 
out late, or had escaped death i from the 
10th to the 25th I took many specimens 
of Bembidium pallipes under grass in the 
slacks. September comes, and then a few 
autumnal specimens of Cicindela hybrida, 
Sitona hispidula, Haltica Jlava and con- 
cinna may be taken, but not anything 
worth taking a long walk for. Some 
light specimens of Cleonus sulcirostrisy 
the remains of the spring brood, may be 
seen ciMwling in solitary grandeur up the 
hill -sides before hyberualing. If we now 
take a walk into the adjoining parish of 
Scarisbrick, at the end of this mouth, we 
shall perhaps obtain Salpingus planiros- 
tris, Crioceris cyanella, Droinius A-macu. 
latus and ayilis, under lichen and bark of 
