INSECTS' A comparatively small county like Surrey, some considerable part of which is absorbed by south London and the suburbs, cannot of course be expected to have an insect fauna equal to any one of the adjoining counties of Hampshire, Sussex or Kent, each of which has not only a much larger acreage but an extensive coast line. Whilst making allowance for the size of the county as compared with that of any one of those just named, the suburban character of the north-eastern portion of it, and the absence of sea coast and conse- quently of all maritime species, it must be confessed that considering the varied geological formations of Surrey and the great extent of its heaths and woodlands, the number of species in one or two orders is smaller than would be expected, the Rhopalocera (Butterflies) being especially poorly represented.* It is believed that no other county in England of similar size possesses anything approaching the extent of wooded common land and heaths, and in proportion to its acreage Surrey includes more wasteland than Yorkshire. ORTHOPTERA Earwigs, Cockroaches, Grasshoppers and Crickets The list of Orthoptera known to have been taken in Surrey is very meagre ; in fact only the generally distributed forms occur, with a very few of the more restricted species. This may possibly be due to want of observation, for several good collecting grounds are within the borders of the county. The fact remains however that the list compares very unfavourably with that of Hants or of Kent. Such a rarity as Decticus verrucivorus, L., the Wartbiter, has occurred in both these counties, but has yet to be recorded for Surrey ; Platycleis roese/ii, Hagenb., and Apterygida albipennis, Meg., have also been taken in Kent, which should encourage entomologists to search carefully for them in Surrey. The number of localities, too, from which Orthoptera have been recorded is small, and a very little trouble will doubtless greatly add to the number 1 The sequence of the orders here followed is that adopted by Dr. D. Sharp, F.R.S., in the Cambridge Natural History, 1889-92. H. G.
- I have to express my cordial thanks for valuable assistance received to Mr. R. Adkin, F.E.S. ;
Mr. Ernest E. Austen ; Mr. C. G. Barrett, F.E.S. ; Mr. Alfred Beaumont, F.E.S. ; Mr. E. B. Bishop ; Mr. C. A. Briggs, F.E.S. ; Mr. Thomas H. Briggs, M.A., F.E.S. ; Mr. G. Bowdler Buckton, F.R.S. ; Mr. Malcolm Burr, F.L.S., F.Z.S. ; Mr. G. C. Champion, F.Z.S. ; Miss Ethel F. Chawner, F.E.S. ; Major A. Ficklin ; Mr. J. G. Hewat ; Mr. W. J. Kaye, F.E.S. ; Mr. R. W. Lloyd, F.E.S. ; Mr. W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. ; Mr. Robert McLachlan, F.R.S. ; the Rev. F. D. Morice, M.A., F.E.S. ; Mr. Percy Richards ; Mr. Edward Saunders, F.L.S. ; and Mr. Sydney Webb. H. G. 73
