It is remarkable that three species of Platyceri should inhabit 
Sweden, and are found as far south as Germany, whilst in 
Great Britain one only has been discovered, and that very 
rarely ; whereas upon the Continent it is very abundant. 
The P. caraboides must, notwithstanding, have appeared in 
plenty in this country many years back, as specimens were 
preserved in all the old cabinets, and most of our writers since 
Berkenhout have described it ; but as no authority was given 
for the examples, Dr. Leach did not consider it to be a native 
insect, and for the same reason it was not admitted into Mr. 
Samouelle’s u Useful Compendium.” It has however again 
appeared, having been observed in Aberdeen. Mr. Dale has 
also seen specimens taken by Mr. Waring of Bristol; and Mr. 
Hope informs me that one specimen was taken on the wing 
in Oxford. 
Continental writers describe it as inhabiting the roots of de- 
cayed trees in meadows and thick woods. 
The irregular appearance of insects arises from various and 
sometimes unknown causes ; but in a country daily becoming 
more extensively cultivated, their habitats are frequently an- 
nihilated or removed; for many species are so local that they 
are confined to a single or at most to two or three trees. The 
Trichius variabilis may be quoted as a striking example ; it 
was not known to collectors thirty years back, and is now only 
found in a few old trees in Windsor Park, where, however, 
Mr. J. H. Griesbach and his friends are able to take specimens 
annually; and this gentleman had the good fortune to confirm 
an insect that had only been recorded as British, (and not per- 
haps on the best authority,) the Lymexylon navale , a female of 
which he took last July on an oak tree in Windsor Forest. 
The plant is Iberis amara (Bitter Candy-tuft), for specimens 
of which I am indebted to Mr. S. Hanson, who gathered them 
last June near Oxford. 
