NOTES----ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
177
Helicigona lapicida I had no opportunity of searching the spot again until
October 2nd, after a heavy rain, and then found three or four living examples
of P. elegans, as well as several more dead shells." [The first record of
P. elegans in a living state in Essex, was by Mr. J. French in the Essex
Naturalist for 1890 (vol. iv., pp. 92-93) who found the mollusc at Felstead
in a very limited area of about 100 yards in diameter. Recently dead shells
have been recorded by Christy at Saffron Walden, and specimens are in the
Saffron Walden Museum from Wicken Bonhunt. Semi-fossil shells are
common in many localities in the Post-Pliocene deposits. By Mr. Rope's
kindness the Essex Museum now possesses specimens of the Wormingford
Pomatias —Ed.]
Variety of Arion ater near Bures.—On September 21st, 1901. I saw a
curious variety of Arion ater, on the Suffolk side of the Stour, near Bures.
The fore-parts, including the shield, were of a delicate cream or ivory tint ;
the rest of the upper surface pale silvery grey, almost white. The foot was of
the colour of an ordinary red cheese. The slug was about full grown and
was a beautiful object. I am not at all "well up" in the slugs, but have
noticed many striking varieties of this species, differing widely from one
another.—G. H. Rope, Blaxhall, Tunstall, Suffolk.
Aphodii in Epping Forest.—The coleopterous genus Aphodius, the
members of which live in dung, is well represented in Epping Forest, nineteen
species (or exactly half the total number found in the British Islands) having
occurred to me during the four years I have been collecting beetles in the
Forest district. Many of these are common everywhere, but others are
decidedly local It is unnecessary to give a complete list of the Forest
Aphodii here, but I may mention the following species as being the most
interesting of my captures :—
A, constans, Duft., common from March to May in horse-dung in various
parts of the Forest. I have also taken a few specimens in October. Its near
ally, A. ater, De G., which is generally supposed to be a much commoner
species, is, as a matter of fact, comparatively scarce in the Forest. A. rufescens,
F., not uncommon in some of the outlying fields. A. conspurcatus, L., in
numbers in a field near Chingford in the late autumn of 1898, and a few have
occurred at High Beach; it is also recorded from Loughton in Canon
Fowler's Coleoptera of the British Islands. A. sticticus, Payk, several in
horse dung in a space of a few feet only between Chingford and High Beach,
May, 1900. A. zenkeri. Germ., seven specimens in deer dung not far from
the Wake Arms, and one in horse dung at High Beach, July, 1899. A. luridus,
F., this handsome species is apparently by no means common in the London
district, and has hitherto been very scarce in the Forest; I took a male in a
field between High Beach and Sewardstone in May, 1898, and two females at
Chingford in April, 1900. A. depressus, F., a few in a ride between Chingford
and Fairmead, July, 1899.—F. B. Jennings, F.E.S., Upper Edmonton,
October, 1901,
The Blister-Beetle (Lytta vesicatoria) near Colchester.—In the
Times for September 3rd, 1901, Mr. W. H. Harwood, of Colchester, had the
following note, dated August 31st:—"Among the many notable insects which
have occurred in unusual numbers this year the blister beetle, or Spanish fly