CORRESPONDENCE. 
67 
The principal requirements of the shell collector are a net 
and boxes. The former will be used for collecting such species 
as inhabit water and the latter will hold them when obtained. 
The net should be made so as to fasten to a walking stick by 
a screw, socket, or some such other arrangement favourable to 
the collector. Sometimes a walking stick is not sufficiently 
long enough ; in this case a jointed bamboo rod will be found 
very handy. Bamboo rods are cheap, and very light, and ad¬ 
mirably adapted to an assiduous collector’s wants. In place of 
the above net, however, he will find that a strainer made of a 
zinc or copper hoop with a bottom of fine wire gauze is much 
more recommendatory in its action. A canvas net gets wet 
and takes a long time to dry, and unless one has an indiarubber 
bag to put it in, it is apt to become uncomfortable while in one’s 
possession. However the collector must suit himself. I, myself, 
have had in use for some few years a cheap coffee strainer and 
am quite attached to it—literally by a piece of string and 
morally by the good deeds it has performed—but we shall part 
company soon, for the bottom is wearing out. 
(To be continued .) 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
( The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents J. 
Notes on the CiciNDELiDse. 
The Cicindelidce , or “ tiger beetles ” as they are popularly 
called, from their predaceous habits as well as by the spots and 
stripes with which they are ornamented, are rather a numerous 
family, several genera and several hundred species have been 
described from various parts of the world, the genus Cicindeia 
alone containing over four hundred species, this is the only 
genus represented in Britain, of which only five species occur. 
The commonest species in this country is Cicmdela campestns , 
which is very generally distributed, and often abundant 
throughout the kingdom, in sandy places, on commons, &c. ; it 
is to be found throughout the spring and early summer, and, 
like the rest of its genus, is a very active insect and quickly 
takes to flight unless approached cautiously, they are very fond 
of running on pathways in the bright sunshine. A black variety 
of this species (var. funebris ) occurs in the Clyde district of 
Scotland, it is, however, very rare. The other species are very 
local ; C. germatiica occurring only at Black Gang Chine in the 
Isle of Wight ; C. sylvatica is another local insect, although 
generally common where it occurs, the principal localities for 
