451 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
to visits of Lixus algirus L ., Aethiessa jloralis F. 
and Oedemera simplex L whilst Labidostomus 
taxicorins F. moves its serrate antennae on every 
sort of flower. Mallows are infested by Podagrica 
semirufa Fust. 
Some of the handsomest of our beetles appear 
now. Rosaceous trees will afford the rose-chaffer 
Potosia ftoricola FLerhst. Var. cuprina Motsch , and 
two longicorns the Cerambix nodulosus Germ. 
and Niphona picticornis Mids. 
In the moist soil at Marsa the collector will be 
glad to find the handsome Chlaenius azureus 
I) uft , C. variegatus Fourc and C. festivus F., 
besides Stenolophus teutonus Schr , Acupalpus dor- 
salis F ., Anthicus J+ yuttatus Rossi, A. minutus 
Lat, and A. liumilis Germ, and the ever varying 
Anysodactylus poecilioides Steph. which presents 
all shades of black, bluish black and metallic green, 
so that at first it is very easy to mistake it for 5 
or 6 different species. Scarites planus Bon., Aristus 
capita Deg., Ditomus calydonius Rossi and D. 
dama Rossi and Acinopus ambiguus Dej. have 
also no claim to be considered as rarities. 
A. superficial search under stones or on walls 
will reveal Cleonus excoriatus Gyll. to which in 
June will be added C. madidus Oliv. plentiful on 
house terraces, and Larin us flavescens Germ, on 
thistles. 
In summer the more remarkable species are the 
tiger-beetles on sandy beaches like Birzebbugia, 
Marsascala, Mistra and the Marsa. Of these Cicin- 
dela littoral is F. is common and C. melancolica F. 
is rarer. In fields the orange-coloured Aulacophora 
abdominalis F. feeds plentifully on melon and 
cucumber plants, and Epilachna ckrysomelina F. 
lives on the Echallion claterium. 
Before concluding I must not forget to mention 
one of our commonest beetles, the ladybird, 
Coccinella 7 punctata Z. which together with her 
tw r o allies Chilocorus bipustulatus L. and Echoco- 
mus J pustulatus L. wage for us a useful war on 
scale insects. 
iSTo one is to expect that I could exhaust the 
subject in this short paper. I shall be satisfied 
and amply repaid for my labour if it induces 
others to continue this study to which I could not 
nor can henceforward devote the amount of time 
required. 
When we have such a limited area before us and 
such an interesting field for our researches we 
ought not to stop until it be fully explored and 
before a catalogue of our beetles be completed. 
Such a work will be not only of local interest but 
also a valuable contribution to the knowledge of 
the distribution of beetles in the Mediterranean 
Region. 
The Victoria Cavern. 
The Victoria Cavern is situated in the Har 
Dalarn Gorge midway between the Har Dalam 
and the Asciak caves. 
The gorge probably owed its origin to the erosive 
action of torrential volumes of water that swept 
through it at a time when the geographical and cli- 
matal conditions were of a much severer type than 
those that now endure; and it may, therefore, be 
assumed that most, if not all of the numerous 
caverns, caves, fissures, and minor gorges with 
which the sides are perforated, were formed at 
about the same period, and by means of the same 
turbulent agencies. 
•The sides of the gorge in the immediate vicinity 
of the Victoria Cave are very irregular in outline, 
and variable in character, presenting on the off 
sides, mural escarpments scored with parallel, 
longitudinal undercuttings, showing the volume 
and power of the torrents that had formely swirled 
against them and had affected the final sculpturing 
of their bold reliefs; and on the near side taking a 
less abrupt form, which towmrds the summit in- 
clines backwards and forms long, sloping and 
softly rounded banks. 
Owing to the numerous diversities of internal 
structure and surface configuration of the rocks in 
the locality, both sides have been much fissured 
and broken up; and huge masses of rock have 
been thus displaced and in many cases precipi- 
tated into the gorge bed. 
It was by the action of one of these local faults 
that the existence of the Victoria Cave was 
revealed. 
This cave, which may be appropriately classed 
as a fissure-cave, originally consisted of at least 
two large chambers and two galleries of conside- 
rable length. 
