HINTS FOR THE MONTH. 
161 
lew, dunlin, black-backed gull, nightingale, oyster catcher, 
meadow pipit, rock pipit, golden plover, ring plover, stone chat 
(in furze,) willow warbler (sometimes in sloping banks, and sand¬ 
piper (banks of rivers). 
In T rees. 1'urtledove, hawfinch, sparrow hawk, and chaffinch. 
Fir Trees. Gold crested wren. 
In Reed Beds. Coot, great, crested, and little grebes. In 
sedges. Reed bunting. On Sea Cliffs. Guillemot, kittiwake 
gull, puffin, and rock pipit (sometimes).—A. H. Waters. 
COLEOPTERA. 
This is the best month of the year, not only for the Coleopter- 
ist, but for the student of any order of insects. 
Hawthorn blossom is very attractive to beetles, an umbrella 
will be found necessary for this, as mentioned last month. The 
sweep net will be found very useful this month, and the water 
net will also be required to secure the handsome Donacias , some 
of these are common everywhere, on waterplants, a bright sunny 
day is the best for them, as they hide themselves in cloudy 
weather. Carrion will sometimes yield large numbers of beetles 
and sometimes “ rarities,” it is surprising the number of beetles 
which may sometimes be shaken out of a small bird or animal, I 
have beaten out 200 or 300 specimens from a gull picked up on 
the seashore; the collector must not mind the “ game ” being a 
trifle “ high.” Heaps of cut grass and other refuse when left for 
some time will often swarm with beetles. Sandpits are generally 
well worth working, as numbers of beetles fall in or get blown in 
and fail to get out again. Palings, especially new oak palings, 
will, especially on sunny days, sometimes produce good species, 
and the collector should continue to keep a sharp eye on path¬ 
ways, etc., and he will be sure to come across many scarce 
beetles.—A. Ford. 
LEPIDOPTERA. 
The Lepidopterist is fully engaged in May, with pinning out 
such of his bred moths as he destines for specimens. There are 
such facilities nowadays for the purchase of rare or uncommon 
pupae, that a large number of collectors fill their cabinets by this 
means. 
Entomologists of the old fashioned type, who value most the 
specimens they capture with their own hands, and find by that 
diligent seeking and knowledge of habits, which makes our science 
an inestimable strengthener of the wits, should look out for Pieris 
daplidice, Leucophasia sinapis, and the May fritillaries. 
Examine tree trunks and palings early in the morning for 
moths. Odontopera bidentata will be found on the former and 
Hemerophila abruptaria, looking very much like a chip of wood, 
on the latter. 
