THE PRACTICAL NATURALIST. 
65 
virescens , Helix fusca. and Planorbis carinatus. The slugs too, 
are sadly wanting attention. I think Limncea glabra occasionally 
burrows into the moist sides of the banks of pools entirely out of 
the water, as I have now and again come across it in this position. 
L. peregra does, I know, burrow into the soft mud at the sides of 
field ditches.— h.d. 
PRACTICAL HINTS ON COLLECTING 
COLEOPTERA. 
By A. Ford. 
There are few, if any, of the various branches of Natural 
History which are more interesting to the student than the study 
of our British Coleoptera; the more one pursues this study, the 
more interested one becomes in the remarkable structure and 
habits as well as in the various methods of collecting. I know 
there are many abler writers than I, who could undertake this 
subject with, no doubt, much better results, nor do I profess to 
be original in any of the various methods of collecting, etc , 
which I intend to lay before the reader, but they are all based on 
my own practical experience or that of my friends who are inte¬ 
rested in this study, and if the instructions I intend giving will 
induce a few to start collecting or be of service to any who have 
already started, I shall be amply repaid for my trouble in writing 
them. 
Coleoptera may be said to be found everywhere; indoors, on 
pathways and pavements, even in our great cities, in woods, 
ponds, streams, haystacks, refuse heaps, carrion and in fact there 
is scarcely any locality where a diligent collector may not add 
specimens to his collection. I intend later on to deal as fully as 
possible with every method employed by Coleopterists, but, 
before starting this it will perhaps be best to give a description 
of the apparatus, etc., required. Firstly, a supply of air-tight 
store-boxes, or if the tyro be possessed of unlimited means, 
(which is generally among the desiderata of most collectors) he 
can purchase a cabinet for storing and arranging his collection, 
but I should not advise this latter until the student has obtained 
a few hundred species ; store boxes will, however, answer the 
purpose just as well, and they can be purchased of all dealers in 
Entomological apparatus for a few shillings each. The next 
most necessary articles are a supply of cards for mounting— 
ordinary white cards, a little thicker than visiting cards, will 
answer the purpose—these can be obtained of most printers and 
stationers for a few pence the packet—also, half an ounce of 
powdered gum, Tragacanth, which can be obtained of any chemist 
