INSECTS' Sussex is one of the largest of the English counties, and with the exception of Hampshire, Kent, and possibly Norfolk, probably con- tains a larger number of species of insecta than any other English county. The richness of its insect fauna ^ may be accounted for by its varied geological formations, its long coast line, its large extent of common or waste land, amounting to nearly 24,000 acres, and its numerous and ex- tensive woodlands. Although the great forests have during the last few hundred years been almost destroyed a large extent of moor and woodland still exists in the northern part of the county in Ashdown Forest, Tilgate Forest, Worth Forest, and St. Leonards Forest between Three Bridges and Horsham, making up with the other woods and plantations of the county, nearly 114,000 acres. ORTHOPTERA Earwigs, Cockroaches, Grasshoppers and Crickets The Orthoptera have been so little collected in Sussex that the list is very meagre, and observation will without doubt add to the number of species known to occur in the county. Hampshire and Kent are two of our richest counties from the point of view of the orthopterist, and so Sussex, situated between them, should at least possess some of the more uncommon forms that have been found in them. Labidura riparia. Pall., has yet to be recorded for the Sussex coast, but has been taken both in Hampshire and in Kent ; Apterygida albipennis, Meg. (= media, Hagenb.), an earwig very rare in England, has been taken in Kent, and will very likely be discovered one day in Sussex. It should be sought for by sweeping among shrubs and flowers, especially in marshy places or by the side of streams. Mecostethus grossus, L., our finest grasshopper, is quite common in some boggy places in the neighbouring county of Hampshire, and might well be found also in Sussex. A common and widely distributed grasshopper, Tettix subulatus, L., has not been actually
- The sequence of the orders here followed is that adopted by Dr. D. Sharp, F.R.S., in the Cam-
bridge 'Natural History, 1889-92. — H.G. 3 We have to express our cordial thanks for valuable assistance received to Mr. R. Adkin, F.E.S. ; Mr. Joseph Anderson, F.E.S. ; the Rev. C. D. Ash, M.A. ; Mr. C. G. Barrett, F.E.S. ; the Rev. E. N. Bloomfield, M.A., F.E.S. ; Mr. Malcolm Burr, B.A., F.L.S. ; Mr. E. A. Butler, B.A., B.Sc. ; Mr. W. M. Christy, M.A., F.L.S. ; Mr. D. A. Edgcll ; Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher, M.A., F.Z.S. ; the Rev. Canon Fowler, M.A., D.Sc, F.L.S. ; Mr. J. H. A. Jenncr, F.E.S. ; Mr. A. Lloyd, F.C.S. ; Mr. W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. ; Prof. Raphael Mcldola, F.R.S. ; Mr. Claude Morley, F.E.S. ; Mr. Edward Saunders, F.R.S. ; Captain Savilc Rcid, R.E., F.Z.S. ; and Mr. A. C. Vine.— H.A.D. and H.G. IIO
