9 FG, 15> PN TDD Ee Meat ara al eee ha RAN NUNGR NEND a Mi + aude Dy : ‘ Pa smar a uk Sas nen i Delon hgh, ; r ua atta a 4 Kh i. i eh, ; Ae Ci earth i hy iz 3 chloral} os Ay ay - ats ae AAAS rR ie ay *; ohn aa: x ‘a H ri SSAA INE kn) Ae vain fi ry bm , NW tr Ait hy NAN i SAT AN A nh) AMMAR NY ye SA NA) UK MAC Hee WRENS M4 oA { AA aa bh AANA Shape nth Vita ca ceo cep ae Meat alu eo ha 4), AN enh Nos \ Pica year ares RECN 149) q 4 jae 5 Nan edt Meiers a ae i a nee ad Sd . —— = ee ete tt | 3 vena S eee Se eee se, C3 - 2 = nn vy ye a aay RUA AC AN) yi Ty My ae SSS AHN A We Ven yas h ’, yy un vs Wn) q \ ys as } ahivot iru KY Ae ia ie » ( +9 iNal\ § Me 4) yi ui Pia - Be in ae vey i aa St 1 fe Anat Ne iM i i 2 VA Wh ‘ Aw vi if wilde fs y Se She igs ce ae 5 ay DYER ACR ACT PUSAN Ted Ne ih ait UMAGA OOD oh Is nes PER SENAY 4 ‘ Ve ATS) iri Ni } hn, ae MAN TAMRAC NGA KD ‘" \ cet a ss oh Ne i q #4 \ ria ine C Pee hs a % A ys Y iN! ie y hs SNORE AU CON una tNk hicnon aah oe a a “ we © i Woete s ’ te \\ ¥ a ri ial we ‘ath a AY ae *t fi i rae ae ee q 4 i Po aeabeata wean fl \ ny ty Ni ; “ : ny : y y HAN os hls 4 VHA oy) i RY che ‘i is ) \ H iy Kh f, me ih E aca Nat Wee oe AAG ‘ig kt j mis at i aaa NN aKn iN i An cRNA Ge 419 vk i Pont sn iN ath a Rall?) Oe ——— er’ = + 7 2 erSee~S-5e 4 4 nN hain seh SON ally ih Sie a i ie m ty ee ‘4 aN ay Nee aN ey paves seks tN ea mee pM : Hy Nay ane ‘ hs yea aut HVA co RN SSA Me RARER LN Hy 4 Say 4 Hy hy ue phe Wt, any ) is ‘ ar i y iy Wwe hs ee Hk Nt icv nt 2 Ori aaa tsi) “ ay Ree isan pi { marie BANA RHNRE THO Mahl’ te) a yi oe i ‘iat 4 WS tide AA tie Racy Se NAL ‘ Oe iN Ls me Koen i ay) oh ; a f ih ie in NM fons pyN A 'y H \ X xn Nae Ah ARO CRONIN btn ath Hari ny. i oe ty RNa ; ahah AN POC i si) CaN, h ANAS? ‘is ey Boa’) MY ! sien a ate inn ‘ Bice y i) RR i thet! ay hy Ay yy ‘i ah, : f Hien Xu) ah Ne a 0 CENA, Wah AN mee Nice hee t MV ALY baw HY ih a a ba Sse ‘ oe NY aA BISRUR EINE Gh anh Ay VARS Wert apace ce ANN Fats " yh oy NA i my Nauieka a ieee hi KK hada a a. Ne Kea if i sae 4 abe F Sho har S Tee SOONER ERIC PHA han AN iy iN r i: Akio WMO OCICRLC a toni) pa ha A 0 aM A cihah ne iw Tr in ww q he “ A, , Ay ‘ Hien Ha Ae Ay bi er Cge Ni ih THE ENTOMOLOGIST S MONTHLY MAGAZINE: CONDUCTED BY HG. KNAGGS, M_D:, F.ES. E. C. RYE. R. McLACHLAN, F.LS. HoT. STAINTON ES: NOT. ie EE: “The science which we cultivate is not one of names alone; we have living objects for our contemplation ;—who will affirm that a single individual of all the British species of insects has been thoroughly studied in all the various relations of its natural history and ceconomy, internal and external anatomy, in its affinities and analogies ?”— Westwood. SS Fs 245371 LONDON: JOHN VAN VOORST, 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1866-7. ) TON DON: Ta athe bo Bah}. 7 a ¥ ‘ Prinrep By A. Narter, 52, Seyuour Srreer, Evston Square. | ia , [ } a y Th ll 7 ule | A be th tin tare seer | aa © Titikret ‘ \ 4 Und tb ‘ “vf prot anor im rt i pie cw, an » La 0 AOL ; , ii , Vat 4 MN Be wae ine by ie ‘ / yi) { t I haf fe ’ Se Ae UN AOL AY } i : / i : a 9 { 1] \,° 1 , } / ct Ov PREFACE. THE conclusion of the 3rd Volume of the “ Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine” is considered by the Editors of that publication to be a fitting occasion for expressing their acknowledgments to their numerous supporters. As the Magazine derived its origin entirely from the personal friendship of its Conductors, and was started—as scarcely need be added—not only without any hope of gain, but with the tolerable certainty of loss, it is a matter of some gratification to them that they are now enabled to report their undertaking as in an unexpectedly satisfactory condition, with regard to the financial department. The sale of back numbers, having increased to an extent far greater than was anticipated, has (somewhat undesirably) caused several parts of Vol I. to be now out of print: it is, therefore, impos- sible to furnish complete series of that volume, except in its bound form ; the precaution of reserving a few sets of the latter having been. taken. With respect to the volume now completed, the Editors flatter themselves that an examination of its Index will sufficiently show its value, either from a scientific or a general point of view. To mention special papers would be invidious; but the publication of so many valuable contributions towards a more perfect knowledge of our native Insect-fauna as have appeared in Vol. III. must alone render it of lasting assistance to British Entomologists. It has been suggested by some of our compatriots, and also by the learned Editor of the “ Bericht tiber Entomologie,” that lengthy papers should not be too much subdivided. The Editors will endeavour il. to comply with this suggestion—of the importance of which no one can be more aware than themselves; but they may be excused for remarking that in some instances the convenience of the authors has been—and must be—necessarily consulted. To all friends who have directly or indirectly contributed to raise the Magazine to its present standard the Editors beg to express their feeling of deep obligation;—and, as they still intend to spare no endeavour to increase the utility of the publication, they will feel additionally indebted for any suggestion tending to further that project. Paternoster Row, 16th April, 1867. cy hae STOn INDEX. —<~ INDEX TO GENERAL SUBJECTS. PAGE Wear, Curious locality for. fs es ee eke wi ws te 213 Acidalia mancuniata, Noteson . . - «© © «© © © © © © © © # 8 8 110 me subsericeata or mancuniata (?) bred. - - - + + © + ee 90 a reutstntcinins INCE Me no odd Ol ed oreOl oe OOM my GO. 0 C 259 Acidota cruentata at Chelsea, Captureof . . . - + + + + + + + + 168 Acrolepia assectella, On the habitsof. . 2. - - + + +e es se ees 257 Acronyctaalnibred. . .. . ay ees ~ > he, Siete tenn cua Agrophila sulphuralis near Bury, Caine of x lead uke sac sto Shs: ya ee a 5 at Exeter, Occurrence of. . - + + + + + 2+ «+ + 112 Agrotis agathina near York . . . a O80 See, cao oe elit oat em « Ailanthiculture ; or the prospect of a new English Industry.” Review. . 47 Amara alpina, Occurrence in Britain of . . 2. + © + + + © © © = ¢ 92 America, Noxious insects naturalized in . . . - © + © © © © © © + 166 Anobium tessellatum, Noteon . . .. .- 5. Sete Ud oe Bo ee eS Anthophagus pyrenzus, Capture in Britainof. . - - + + 6 e+ ee 139 Anthrocera trifolii, Note on hybernation and moulting of . . . .- - +--+ 4I8 Apatania, Note respecting a speciesof . . . . PEERS pre LS: Aphides of the Elm, A few words on the gall- ne wip oy) stile tel ch ton aaeean Aplasta ononaria, Occurrence in Britainof . . . - 2+ + + s+ ee + + 110 Bembidium paludosum, Note on . . + + + © + 2 © © © © «© © «@ 216 Berlin Transactions, Note fromthe ... +... «+ «+ «-« « + 139 Boarmia rhomboidaria, Wood of ¢ /eie ie 5 ew Pelee he ho we, | a0 ay Gel Boreus, Synopsis ofthe gepus .« «se + + 6 ee ee ee te 132 Brachelytra, Descriptions of new species, &c.,of . . . . . » + + + + T21 « British Bees,” by W. E. Shuckard; Review . . .-.---+-+.- - 142 Batalis incongruella, Noteon. . - . » « -.s + + 5 ¢ 8+ © © 0 ae Cabera pusaria, Another extraordinary var.of . . . . . ....- + Il Cannibalism of the larvee of Coccinella . . . . - - + e+ + © ee se 9D 3 5 » Hupithecia minutata.. . . .. . . +. - - J91 Waptores at ivy; near Bristol, 4. < © 6 4s 6.2 us aie eae 8 Ef) Layer eP siya cao) aces ies Sec ere) car epee tier ee ek Sea EL UEIDY MY tak Wad Leg. ot eltiy s,s jel ula seie lone ane gl dl ah

- »- «+ + + + + + © © « Dl Cerura vinula, Note on the number ofeggsin . . . - « se e ee ~ 206 Chelonia caja, Capricesof. . . 2 5 2 es 2 4 He ee ew 211 / ii. PAGE Chcerocampa Celerioin the North . . . .... - o) Ao @Welduxey tikes ate ]mmmcen Cicindela campestris, Note ona dark var.of ... . awaits - 251 Gidanaammanata, Noteon ~. | je \yeriese es). oc. ES Pam sllaccata, NObC:OM «os. uae uen ell ite 4 235 Cirreedia xerampelina near York .. . : «obi Clisiocampa castrensis, Locality for . .... . 5 oO = hos Coleoptera in Japan. . . 5. 5 Aas ee pee lily/ af at Loch Rannoch, Noteon. . .. . 63, 93 a in London, Captures ofrare .... . . 67, 164 Bs Notes on, from the Berlin Transactions 2 139 55 - ri French “ Annales” 3 se eaito # INOLESIOnsSCObCh, . ule tacuee cu 4 .-, 24 “5 Note on the unnamed species in Mr. Waterhouse’s Catalogue 231 x at Wimbledon, Winter capturesof . . . Sec . 2 6 ake Collecting Micro (and other) Lepidoptera, On a new method of . . Asa i ly/ Cosmiajpyralinajin’ Suffolk” << 2 3 4's i * : c oe Oe Cotswolds, Lepidoptera on the Hee Lc 183, 187 Cryptocephalus 10-punctatus in Staffordshire 2 ° eG Cryptophagus, Description of a new species of, &e. . . Se iol Cryptus, Note on a short-winged species of . . . . 5 190 Cynipides, Observations on the study of . . . . .. 8 181 Damaster from Japan, Noteon. ...... : - 189 Deilephila Celerioin Westmoreland . .... . : 188 Depressaria capreolella, Occurrence of . . .. . : 22 Diantleeciaceesia, Noteon . «. « « « «+ « « . . 2386 5 capsophila, Noteon. ... . : : = 4206 Diasemia Ramburialis, Dup., at Lewes, Occurrence of 5 : - 163 Dicrorampha flavidorsana, Description of. . . . . : 176 * 5 Mole Gy BOA omate ay oils Diptera collected on twigs of alder, Masses of . oho ern A 94: Diurnal Lepidoptera in the collection of the British Museum, Descriptions of Somemewsspecies Of <4 2 <1) 22 hese : Pribeiialis *06) Lic 76 ** Double-brooded”’ Insects, Noteson. . . .. « st iketl's 4 20 Drypta emarginata near Gosport, Capture of . . ° ° 279 Elater, Description of a new species of . 249 Ennomos alniaria bred. . . . he eee Tea, Pee d 9 112 55 Notes on the British species of ' 159 Entomological Society of London, Proceedings of . Epione advenaria, New locality for . Epureea variegata, Occurrence in Britain of . . Eromene ocellea near Dumfries, Occurrence of . Mirgsiahinis, Occurremceiol oi veut) inet Ser? len! ena ie hae Erycina, Remarks on the distinctiveness of certain species of . . 23, 48, 72, 96, 119, 166, 191, 216, 239, 263, 280 . . . Erycinide, Description of a new genus and two new species of . . Euchromia rufanain Lancashire ... . . . . . 207 GE Hubolia meeniata near York, Occurrence of . . . . - . « « © « « e« "186 Eudorea new to Science, Description of a British Speciesof . . . .. - 1 + " " BS meek a oe to ae Eupecilia curvistrigana near Barnstaple, Occurrence of. . . . . . . . 116 Mirpiinecia lariciaia at LOrky% es 6 6 ew Se wet SS, Ce oF jollutralo (ole aio og: s so: A a Rr cme MASUR Re Se 6 CT, 55 TalOnisnataniplredemecnsse cole.) se wer Se uns, Ste” nelle: Ulade eee ton ele to mem preondan sphingids, Note on /. 0 je) oo se a ae Excursions, Proposed accounts of Entomological . . . . «. ». « - + + 46 French “ Annales,’ Notes on Coleoptera from the. . . . . . + « « « 215 Fulgora, Note on the luminosity of . . . . » »- «© - «+ «© « «© « = 42 Gall-flies, Observations on the study of . . . . =. = «© «© »« « « « «= JOD Gall-making Aphides of the Elm .. . of tet Joh’ sate hele: oiling. octet vol ote ae » of the Elm, Note on the contents of ne S, gone si, on) opuber Lely to) eo aU Gas-lamps, Notes on moths attracted by . . - »- »+ + + © = +» « « « 42 Geleehia arundinetella, Capture of «) «6 wis ¢ ste © © © © 0 Joe Pemeecorealolia, Mconomy!Of *42 3 J) 29 pallens, 39 ” Leucophasia sinapis, ,, 7 tine Nepticula aurella, Observations on the Thera firmata, Noteonthe ... . 5) 5, obeliscata, a Mice ae a 5 simulata, + hiss) aera Xanthia gilvago,at Derby ... . Spilodes sticticalis, Description of the. Lasiocampa quercis, Curious flight of. . . . 55 5 INU 6) 6) al Gao Lathridius filam, Occurrence in Britainof . . Leistus montanus in Scotland, Occurrence of . . . . . with notes on Lepidoptera on the eastern extremity of the Cotswolds . at Guestling, near Hastings, 1866 . of the Isle of Man (Rock) .. . inthe isle of Wight ~2 9.9. 7. 7. in North Perthshire ... . . in south Wales 2 0 jai ep 0s (ela =) sy ee Scoparia, Description of a British species of, new to Science . . . . = - ul 217 bP ” oP) oP Beoven @oleontors, Notes On) os... 6 2). « Gelvjel ans on = we ga vi. Sericoris euphorbiana, Re-discovery of . . . - + +--+ + «+ « « - 91,112 Nosia cymipiformis, Note on 4 ©) Wectes sa sf eis. jee Meine eer ee ee Sialis fuliginosa in Dorsetshire . .. . Aaah eee 5 (aa! Sp Silk of leaf-rolling larvee, Note on thd Senieunility Of thre (27 Oar 0) ote ome Sisyra Dalii and S. terminalis at Reigate, Occurrence of . Sitoncacinerascens, Note'on. ee eS 5 Sere) ee eg ee Smerinthus ocellatus, Note on the number ofeggsin . . . . «+ + + + 206 Sphingide, Note on Mr. Kirby’s paper on the European . . . .. - * 261 Sphinx ligustri feeding on Holly See SP a ee renee Spilonota lariciana, Occurrence of » 2 6s 6) 8 8 ee te ee ee RD Stauropus fagi at Exeter, Occurrence of . . . . . + - « « © « « « LD Stenus glacialis, Occurrence in Britainof . . . . +. + + « «+. 2 Stigmonota leguminana, Occurrence in Britainof. . . . . . « . + - 168 Stylops emerging five months after the death of the bee Pes suid 235 Tapinostola (?) Bondii, Note on . «eo ae, 5 aoa eer 3) elymi, Noteron 2.) 4, gel &, Silsl elute lo 206 “The Practical Entomologist; Review. . . . . »- «+ «+ «+ «+ + « « 22 Thiasophila inquilina, Note on : ae Se oo lich) iinoina, Observationson ... . + © 2 6 « | «l/s me Sas jo epee Tortrix ochreana, Occurrence in Britain of . Trichiura crategi, Hermaphrodite . . . . . + ++ + «#2 «© © + « 2&3 Triphzena orbona, Note on the ovipositing of . . . . + - + « «© « + 289 Trochilium chrysidiforme at Folkestone Oem ey ra oS Variation, Notes on ow te ue he, a ZO) 236) 251 2b2ioe Xylina Zinckenii, Occurrence in Britain of ee crane - 163 33 PA Noteion = gems cit wile, by bly ie soln. Oh xo 53 Second British example of ‘ 235 Xylomyges conspicillaris captured and bred. 2... 1 ee ee ee BD Myloterus quercis, Note on, ..,. + 4% hoe «ay 2) ay ede pees eee Zoological Literature, Record of; Review . . - + «+ «© + « + « = + 141 INDEX OF SUBJECTS NOTICED IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. PAGE Acidalia mancuniata from Mr. Gregson : : ; : ; : : 168 Acrolepia smilaxella, Larva of : , , : : / : ; 24 Ailanthus silkworm. . : . : : : ; : ; 120, 240 Anastetna raripila from Queensland : : : : - . . 120 Anniversary Meeting . , ; ‘ : 239 Aphides, Theory of Mr. Balbiani on the gener ation of 3 : 72 93 Fat apterous—found on rose-shoots which had been car efully wbaned 72 Argynnis Lathonia, Notes on habits of . : : : : : 167 Articerus, New Species of—from Western Mogens : 4 2 : . 48 Attacus Riciniand Guerinii . ; 240 Aulax glechomer, Galls formed by . 2 OI Grae ees. 23 Bahia, Insects from Brown silk from Chefoo . ‘ - : . Buprestide, Six new species of eS collected at Penang by Mr. Lamb. Burlington House, Meetings to be held at Cabera exanthemaria, Singular variety of . : »» pusaria, Lead coloured variety of Caddis-worm case attached to the extremity of a rush ae cases from Bavaria and Basle : Catalogue of British Insects, Proposed Catoptria microgrammana from Folkestone Charaxes Jasius, Note on larvee of Chelifers on a house-fly : : Cicada larva from Mexico, with Clavaria . : 6 Cidaria fluctuata, Curious variety of . Coceus covering on Eucalyptus Coleoptera from Jamaica ae », Melbourne 3 3, the New Forest 35 in South Australia frequenting Cow- — ay 5, New Zealand wool . Cone-shaped nest formed by an Australian spider Confluent galls on leaves of Glechoma hederacea Crambina, Pterophorina, &c., collected in Palestine & Beret byt the Rey. O. P. Cambridge Cryptoceride, New species of Damaster auricollis, a new species - es blaptoides Vil. PAGE 96 120 167 - 264 96, 120 Dasypolia Templi, Great number of small Hymenopterous parasites from one larva of Depressaria rutana . Dianthecia ceesia from the Isle of Man s capsincola, Curious variety of Dicranocephala Bowringii from South China a Wallichii from North India Dicrorampha flavidorsana, a new species Dipterous larvee in the stems of wheat Drepana sicula taken at Stowmarket Ectrephes formicarum from Western Australia & affinities of Eudorea basistrigalis, Series of : : : 3 Exotic Coleoptera Farnborough, Excursion at, with Sie John Lubbock 168 72, 119 viii. Galls on elms formed by Aphides : . : : . i ;, Pistacia lentiscus formed by Aphides : 2 95 terebinthus formed by Aphides’ . 3 5 Gelechia allied to costella on Hyoscyamus albus’. “ d an atrella bred from stem of Hypericum . é : . > biguttella (?) larvee of +) bred from galls on Gypsophila sduitrie op vicinella bred from Silene Geographical distribution of Lepidoptera in Gia Britain sé Berend ; Geometrous larva on willow at Shanghae (Agathia) Goliathide, Description of various species of Gracilaria scalariella, Living specimens of Heliconides distasteful to birds ; : : Hepialus larvae on roots of coltsfoot infested by a fungus. Hestio, Monograph of the genus Hipparchia Janira, Curious varieties of . Holes in Alpine snow fields, Insects in Hornet’s nest found in a bank . Humming-bird moth frequenting walls, sand-banks, &c. Hyeres, Notes on collecting at Hylurgus piniperda devastating a plantation of Pinus i insignis in Govnivall Hymenoptera from Champion Bay, Australia . Hypogymna dispar bred from larve fed on different vleniial Hyponomeuta egregiella, Larva of . Identity of the genera Sciops of McLachlan and Hydromanicus of Brauer . Japanese silk worm, Notes on Larva in alder berries. : on the bark of acting e europzus Lasiocampa trifolii, Varieties of . Laverna phragmitella, Larvee of Lepidoptera from the Isle of Man Lepidopterous larva in Aphis galls on Pistacia ishticede 5 Linnzan Society, Thanks to the . Locusts, Swarm of—in Algeria Macronychus 4-tuberculatus, a new British species Madagascar, Collection of insects from Mamestra brassice, Singular variety of Mantispide, A decade of new species of . Mauritius, Rhopalocera of Melitaa provincialis, Notes on larva of Mexican Lepidoptera : : Micro-Lepidoptera from South France : “ from Syria and Asia Minor Migration of an Australian beetle Mimetie resemblances—how caused . é Musca pumilionis, Larve of : ™~viapod, Minute with 9 pairs of Legs PAGE 168, 192, 216 167 191 167 120 . 119 24 48 119 264 120 48 191 192 24 216 167 72 216 239 24 240 264: 192 24 120 216 167 24 239 72 119 191 166 96 168 264: 239 280 120 72 72 120 167 280 23 167 Nest of a Lepidopterous insect from St. Paulo, Brazil New British species of Coleoptera (71) No sound produced by Atropos pulsatoria Notes on collecting at Hyeres ‘ South Australian Buprestidee Oiketicus, Case of Osmia bicornis, Nest of—in a lock of a sata Paper-like substance used by a Ceylon ant Phasmidz in Jamaica, Notes on . : ‘ Phycis subornatella of Zeller Pieride of India and Indian Islands Pieris Pyrrha, Curious example of . - Pistacia terebinthus, Galls on—formed by wide inhabited by oe of Stathmopoda Guerinii Poduridee, Black—in pools Pogonostoma from Madagascar Prays oleellus, Larva of : 3 Prize essay by Dr. Wallace on Bombyx Yasuda : Psocidze, New genera and species of Rapisma, a new genus of Hemerobide Reigate, Excursion at, with Mr. Saunders Rhaphidia, Notes on the genus Rhyssa persuasoria, Ovipositing of . Rio Janeiro, Coleoptera from Rumia crategata, Variety of . St. Helena, Ravages of white ants at : Salix capreea, Stem of—attacked by larvae of Sesia femipecitee mis Sericoris euphorbiana from Folkstone Shanghai, Insects from 3 : ‘ : 5 r Sierra Leone, Cetonide from : Spilosoma menthrastri rejected by young nkoy: aeatige Stathmopoda Guerinii, Living imago of . Stenoperla, a new genus of Perlidze Stenus major, a new British species Swarming of African wild bees Thecla betulee, Pupa of—without the usual silken band. Throscus elateroides, new British species ; Tinea oleastrella bred from larvee on olive 48, 120 ob, PAGE 240 168 240 24 24, 263 167 294, 168 264 168 167 280 Tomicus monographus, Larvee of—damaging staves of walt nique Gabe: in icin 263 Toxotus Lacordairei from Greece Trigona, Females of—from Catagallo, ona ee ee é Vancouver’s Island, Coleoptera from . ; 3 : ° Vanessa urtice, hybernating male specimens aeeaed pupa of—with filiform appendages from the wing-cases Velleius dilatatus from burrows of Cossus ligniperda . Venomous spider at Berdiansk : A SPECIAL INDEX. COLEOPTERA. PAGE Acidota cruentata at Chelsea ......... 163 Agathidium rhinoceros ...... seanteeenans 93 rotundatum ............-. 64 Agyriotes pallidulus (?) ........ mene ebaoss 233 pilosus ...... pbunBoonDSDAaNAON ACA 250 sp Do sasteuk baieeneasneiaeses 233 Aleochara brevipennis ...............65, 214 IAM ALAT ALPINA csvccscersedeeiresieetas +0092, 94 POMMOTIS eee ecseerscciieaescls iatesTsek 65 Anchomenus sexpunctatus ............ 214 VOUSUGIS maj teeessicee are 214. Ancyrophorus longipennis ............ 282 Anisodactylus atricornis ......... 214 FATT SOLOIIA GUDIG) Bag. -cescecseceeese nese 65 GUHMNE) caguceeno pecooodbenogcae 232 Anobium tessellatum ..............6005 279 Anommatus 12-striatus in London ... 164 Antherophagus, habitat of the species of 140 Anthicus flavipes (?) .......csssese seers 233 Sal PWT 5 Mano dos scaqdbc0decbaos 233 Anthophagus alpinus........ccsereees 66 OVROM Use wemctese seca 139 Aphodius depressus ........000606- seerd wOO iyo} stove S45 ego non cao odononnon 65 PUGS 2. aneoons snc stee cee OD Arpedium brachypterum ...........600 66 Athous undulatus ..........0...ccceveeees 94, Atomaria Barvani............0.sccteererers 232 Autalia puncticollis ................e0ee 65 Bagéus tempestivus, ovoid substances adherin evolu. p.e- erste 140 Bembidium paludosum ..............5065 216 Bledinsypallipes (P)is seccwwenceeeeesecces 232 BUDLECEANOUS nec sceceas- eerie 65 Bolitobius inclinans ..................05 94. Bolitochara Obliqua ........secsssseeces 64, IBOSEVICHUS WAIN ET, chine stcvesne ees 250 Bradycellus collaris ..............:s0000 64 BEYOpOLUS TULUS (PF) Cone.erssacavennecsone 66 BythiMusS SCCUrIger —.....c.00 sce pee erases 66 Calathus micropterus ............:..... 66 MUI SONA 5 cs opie oe cee aoe aetie ss 66 PAGE Calodera miptitayws.. ss: ecnuei es eens 231 PIPAVIB 0 cone adecaderlntersies ane 214 umbrosa in London ......... 67 Carabus glatbratus 3.20. /redeee ees 65, 93 Cetonia snes. 2.cccccon nee oraner 65, 93 Ceuthorhynchideus pumilio, food- plant of ...... 140 Ceuthorhynchus hirtulus ............... 65 Cicindela campestris (vay. funebris)... 251 Cis bidentatus arc. .seseaneerssueeeenenen 65 fegtiVUS: ..... save sexe vaceneeaaesetmorte 64 lineatocribratus) \-.ccsensneceelieeeer 56 TIUAUS: 1.3. snes pete can eee meena 65 Clerus formicarias(..-:ceecr eee ee 64 Coccinella bipunctata, cannibalism of larva Ol ry in .cseenee 95 D=punchatay seuseeeemeeeteee 65 Conopalpus flavicollis taken in cop. with ©. Gestaceus .....sesdece ees 140 Corymbites cupreus ............00.eecer 65 Crioceris asparagi in America ......... 166 Cryptocephalus 10-punctatus ......... 65 in Staffordshire 67 HaVIUADTIS oes ccnn ooesel 67 lineol ay eesere esters 65, 67 Cryptophagus fuscicornis ............... 102 pubescens and setu- losus, habitat of ... 140 Waterhousei ...... 101, 232 Damaster blaptoides .................s0+ 189 Deleaster dichréus in London ......... 67 Deliphrum crenatum ..............seeeee 232 PECHUTA iene: cca eae 65 Dendrophagus crenatus.........sscseeces 63 Diacanthus/eeneus .... rata bake hia at” : issue f Mleatp i Diy vi a aah | EL ere re ae ol Se iiaiesniapii ts me ; ak il esi Pas dvpatiaivt a ykaiphuh Lan rf Bait (Mig na abhi inns a ‘deceit it ne SEA Ee be Mee ty ie Riu inetd oom "| VO net) Mon TET. DESCRIPTION OF A BRITISH SPECIES OF SCOPARIA (EUDOREA) NEW TO SCIENCE. BY H. G. KNAGGS, M.D., F.L.S. SCOPARIA BASISTRIGALIS, n. sp. Alis anticis, apicibus rotundatis et mar- ginibus apicalibus fere verticalibus, sub-rhomboideis, canis, nigro- erroratis ; strigis basalibus conspicue nigris ; lineis primis costam versus obliquis ; secundis denticulatis, albido-marginatis ; margin- ibus apicalibus punctatis ; ctliis saturatiore regulariter intersectis : posterioribus candidis, sub-hyalinis, vie. fusco tinctis. Exp. alar. feminis, 92'"-10}""; maris, 9'"-92"". Habitat : Surrey, Sussex, Worcestershire. Fore-wings in both sexes broad, of rhomboidal shape, having the apex, rounded and the hind margin nearly vertical—ground colour i clear greyish white, thickly sprinkled with numerous black atoms. Basal area with two short distinct black Tens nastatrigatis. 2. S. ambigualis. streaks passing from the base of the wing along the sub-costal and median nervures respectively, the edge to the space preceding the first line generally paler. First line, commencing obliquely from the costa, passes backwards and inwards to the orbicular stigma, thence forwards and inwards to meet the claviform stigma, which is incorporated with (not detached from, as in some of the genus) this line, and finally with an S-like bend, reaches the inner margin. Medial area; the orbicular and reniform stigmata are situated on patches of dark fuscous colour, the black outline of the latter (the reniform or 8 mark) forming an @-like mark. Second line rather serrated, two of the serrations situated above the middle being promi- nently produced towards the hind margin. Aprcal area: in this space the edging of the second line is pale whitish-grey ; the upper and lower dark shades usually join; hind margin of wing dotted; the pale cilia cut up at regular intervals with square patches of dark-coloured scales. Hind-wings silky-white, with a very slight fuscous tint. June, 1866. 9 ‘ [{June, The only species with which Se. basistrigalis can possibly be con- founded is Se. ambigualis ; but the greater width of the fore-wing, giving the appearance of its being actually shorter, the rounded apex, and especially the vertical apical margin, together with the distinct basal streaks, the oblique commencement of the first line, &c., are amply sufficient to separate it from that insect. I believe that Sc. basistrigalis will be found pretty generally mixed up with Se. ambigualis in collections. I detected several examples, both g and 9, among a number of Scoparie forwarded to me for investigation from Haslemere, by Mr. Barrett. Mr. Bond, a few years since, noticed the insect in some numbers at Tilgate Forest ; but, con- sidering it at the time a variety of ambigualis, contented himself with the capture of only two or three specimens. Mr. Horton has also sent me this species for identification from Worcester ; and I have noticed it mixed up with Sc. ambigualis in some of the collections to which I have had access. I may add that in a future number of the Magazine it is my intention to make an attempt to smooth the difficulties which beset the study of this interesting but much neglected little group; and that Mr. Rye will draw on wood most of our indigenous species, for the purpose of illustrating my proposed paper on the subject. Kentish Town, May 9th, 1866. THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. Ten years having elapsed since the publication by the Dublin University Zoological and Botanical Association, of lists of Irish Lepidoptera, drawn up by the Rev. Joseph Greene and the Rev. A. R. Hogan, together comprising 636 species, I venture to offer the following revised and extended list, in which 961 species are recorded as indige- nous, amongst them seven species not known to occur in Great Britain. Much has yet to be done before a catalogue, even approximately complete, can be prepared; still I hope that a record of the present state of our knowledge of the distribution of Lepidoptera in Ireland will not be without value as a basis for future observations, and the sooner it becomes obsolete the better will its purpose be answered. “Enough if something from our hands have power, To live, and act, and serve the future hour.” I have been unwilling to reject any reputed indigenous species which could be retained with the least show of reason ; and in some 1866.) 3 cases species have been retained on the strength of very old and solitary observations ; but the authority on which this has been done will, I hope, be held fully to justify the step. That the observations of the late Dr. Ball and Mr. Tardy are in many cases unconfirmed, proves, in my judgment, not the absence of the insect, but merely the want of observers; and until there are resident entomologists in every part of Treland the indigenous species can never be otherwise than imperfectly known. Where only one or two localities are named, it is not intended that the reader should infer that the insect does not occur elsewhere, but simply that there was no further information at my disposal. The list is still a very meagre one compared with that of English Lepidoptera ; but when it is considered that an addition of upwards of 300 species has resulted from the very partial exploration of small dis- tricts in Dublin, Galway, and Kerry; that three-fourths of the counties of Ireland, including the whole of the great province of Ulster, and the extensive coast line of the island, except a small portion near Dublin, are up to the present time terra incognita, I think the idea which has been entertained that Ireland was singularly barren and unproductive in this order of insects, must be given up; it has probably arisen from the circumstance that the Lepidoptera are not by any means so generally distributed as in England; over a large portion of the island grazing farms now extend, wood of any kind is very scarce, and stone walls take the place of hedges ; such districts are not likely to possess a rich lepidopterous fauna; but in very restricted localities, and under more favourable conditions both species and individuals exist in extra- ordinary numbers. As a rule, if you take a species in Ireland you may take it in plenty, but you run a great risk of overlooking it entirely by missing the precise spot where it alone occurs. The lists of Zortrices and Tinee have been drawn up by my friend C. G. Barrett, and though undoubtedly still very incomplete, include 150 species not previously recorded as indigenous. DIURNI. Lrvcopnasia stnapis—Abundant near Galway and at Killarney ; but has not been noticed in Ulster or Leinster; only a June brood has been observed. Preris cratmeai—Mr. Greene inserts this species in his list on the authority of Mr. Hely. Ihave not met with it, and am unable to say where it occurs. » BRAssic®#—Generally distributed. » RAPE— do. 5, NAPI— do. 4, {June, ANTHOCHARIS CARDAMINES—Common in May, 1860. I observed this species in myriads at Sligo, reminding me of the migrating clouds of tropical Oallidryas. GoNEPTERYX RHAMNI—Killarney ; apparently confined to the south of Treland. Cotas EDUsA—Common in some seasons on the South and East coast; occurs more rarely north of Dublin. In profusion at Killarney in August, 1865. HYALE—In same localities as preceding species, but less fre- quently. ARGYNNIS PAPHIA—Common. Is very abundant at Killarney and in the county Wicklow. 5 AGLAIA—Common ; especially so on the sea-coast near Dublin. LATHONTA—Killarney, in the lane leading from Muckross to Mangerton, near a limestone quarry on the left of the road, August 10, 1864. MELITmA ARTEMIS—Common; Galway, Killarney, County Wicklow. - ATHALIA—Killarney, abundant. 99 VANESSA URTICH— Common. POLYCHLOROS P—A specimen seen near Galway in 1861, but as the insect was not captured, and has not been observed elsewhere, I insert it doubtfully. ” Jo—Common in Leinster, Munster, and Connaught; but apparently rare in Ulster. ANTIOPA—A specimen captured near Killarney, July, 1865, by W. G. Battersby. VANESSA ATALANTA—Common everywhere. of carpuI—Do. ; often to be found on the summits of mountains. EreBia casstope—CroaghPatrick, near Westport. The locality for this species is about half way up the mountain on the Westport side, in a grassy hollow where a little hut is erected for the shelter of the pilgrims. I captured a fine series here in June, 1854. SATYRUS HGERIA— MEG EHRA— ; eels 2 Nd, Generally abundant throughout the island. 5 JANIRA-— TITHONUS—County Wicklow, and near Cork. HYPERANTHUS—Rather local. I observed it in profusion near Galway and in Malahide Park. 1866.] . 5 Cuorrosius Davus—Common in Galway, Mayo, and Kerry. All the Trish and Seotch examples of this insect which I have seen are the typical form of Davus of Fab.; they may be dis- tinguished from the variety which occurs on the bogs of the north of England by their larger size, and by the more or less complete absence of the ocelli on the under-surface of the hind-wings: the English variety is the Rothliebu of German authors. = PAMPHILUS—Common everywhere. THECLA RUBI—Common Dublin, Wicklow, and Kerry. » QUERCUS—Do. do. »» | BETULm—Very common in the lanes and roadside hedges ot the south and west of Ireland in August, frequenting the flowers of the bramble, and settling the moment the sun is obscured, when it may readily be taken with the fingers ; has not been noticed in Ulster or Leinster. PoLYOMMATUS PHLZAS—Common. Lycana xGon—The Murrough of Wicklow, and near Ross Trevor. . AGESTIs— Dundrum, near Dublin. o ALEXIS—Common everywhere. “a corypDoN—Mr. Greene inserts this species on Mr. Hely’s authority. I have not met with it. _ ALSUs—Very common in Galway; also occurs near Belfast, and on the Portmarnock sand-hills. ; araioLtus—Generally abundant throughout Ireland where the holly, on which the larva feeds, is a very common tree. Nemeogivs tucina—In Mr. Tardy’s collection, now incorporated with that of Trinity College, Dublin, there are specimens of this insect, but I am unable to say where captured—most probably in the county Wicklow, a district he searched assiduously for many years. I have not met with the insect. THANAOS TAGES—Hitherto only noticed near Galway. Hesperius sytvanus—The Murrough of Wicklow. qe LINEA—Powerscourt and near Cork. It thus appears that only 43 of the 64 British Butterflies have been observed in Treland. The 21 absentees may be thus classified, following the divisions of Mr. H. C. Watson’s “ Cybele Britannica”: — Argynnis Euphrosyne— 3 species of the “ British Type,’ so called » NSelene— from the universal diffusion of the species Syrichthus alveolus— throughout Great Britain. I have little -doubt all three will eventually be found in Ireland, especially as they occur in Scotland, from whence Ireland seems, to a large extent, to have derived its insect population. 6 (June, Phecla w-album— 5 species of the English type; none of them Lycena Acis— occur in Scotland except A. Adippe. The » Arion— others are most abundant in the south Vanessa c-album— of England, and all decrease in frequency Argynnis Adippe— northwards. Papilio Machaon—- Pieris Daplidice — Thecla pruni— Polyommatus Hippothie— Lycena Adonis— Liminitis Sibylla— Melitea Cinzia— Apatura Tris— 11 species of the “ German Type,” also all absent from Scotland, and mostly attached to the south-eastern portion of England. Arge Galathea— Hesperia Paniscus— » comma— Hesperia Acteon—One species of the “ Atlantic Type.” It is not improbable that this insect will be found on the south coast. There is no part of the British Islands in which an Atlantic type of fauna and flora is so strikingly developed as in the south-western portion of Ireland. Erebia blandina—One species of the ‘Scottish or Northern Type.” As this insect is widely spread over the Northern part of Great Britain, and abounds in Argyleshire almost within sight of the Irish shores, I confidently anticipate its discovery in Ireland. I have never collected in Ulster, where it is most likely to be found. Enjoying, as Ireland does, a milder climate than any other portion of the British Islands, the absence (if it should prove such) of the foregoing 21 Butterflies, of which 16 are also absent from Scotland, is a remarkable circumstance; and I know of nothing in the physical condition, or in the flora, of the island, to account for it. In the present imperfect state of our knowledge of Irish Lepidop- tera, perhaps it is premature even to hazard a conjecture as to the cause; if, however, we suppose the separation of Ireland from England by the formation of St. George’s Channel to have taken place previously to the introduction of the bulk of the present fauna, and a connection to have existed with Scotland toa later date, it will offer an explana- tion of the northern character of the Irish fauna which is very strongly marked even in the extreme south of the island at Killarney, amidst conditions of climate and vegetation offering the most complete contrast with Scotland within the limits of the British islands. (To be continued.) 1866. ] 7 OBSERVATIONS ON THE ECONOMY, MOULTING, AND PUPATION OF A LARVA OF NEPTICULA AURELLA, TOGETHER WITH SOME REMARKS RESPECTING THE HABITS OF THE PARASITE OF THAT SPECIES. BY CHARLES HEALY. Early in 1863, I spent some time in the pleasurable study of the economy, &c., of this little bramble miner, and I noticed that it was rarely that any two larve agreed in their markings during the period of moulting, and in some few instances the differences were very great. On several occasions, after carefully following a larva through its moulting, &c., my studies were abruptly terminated, just as the larva was about to enter the pupa state, by the sudden appearance of the larva of a parasitic Hymenopterous insect. The parasitic larva emerges at the back of the head of the Mepticula larva, and then, ap- plying its mouth to the hole through which it emerged, it proceeds to absorb the juices of its victim, till there is nothing left of the unfortunate Nepticula larva but the dry empty skin. The parasitic larva is then full fed, fat and plump, there being just sufficient nourishment in the body of one larva of WV. aurella to supply it with the proper amount of food. The aureila larva whose moulting, &¢, I am about to describe, was collected in the last week of January, 1863. The day after I had it in my possession, it left off feeding, and remained perfectly quiescent in its mine, when all the colour and markings on the head disappeared, and on the anterior portion of the body of the larva were two reddish- brown lines, at an angle of about 60°, and ending with a dull red blotch; the head and all the parts of the body situate between the two angular lines having a semi-transparent appearance ; the remainder of the body dull yellow, the dorsal vessel being invisible. In this position the larva remained for the space of ten days. At the end of the first week in February, the mouth of the larva became brown, and on the back of the second segment there appeared a square dull reddish patch. The next day the back of this segment became decorated with two faint brown triangular spots, margined with darker ; these two triangular spots were followed by a couple of longitudinal lines, having a dull reddish blotch at their bases (the dull red blotch at the ends of the two reddish-brown lines had then disappeared). Two _days later a pair of reddish-brown spots became visible on the back of the second segment, and were immediately followed by a small reddish blotch. 8 (June On the 10th of February, the entire surface of the mouth turned dark brown, and all the various spots and markings on the anterior portion of the body of the larva became merged in one general dull blotch. The larva then re-commenced feeding, but at first very slowly, and appeared to be in a very weak and languid state. As the food passed into the stomach, the anterior portion of the dorsal vessel (which before the larva began feeding was invisible) became tinged with green, and after a short interval its posterior portion assumed a darker tinge. As soon as the larva has refreshed itself with a little food, it rested for a time, and, during this interval, threw off the old covering of its head. (On one occasion, as soon as a larva began feeding after moulting, I watched it narrowly, from the instant it swallowed the first mouthful of food to the moment it ejected the first pellet of “ frags,” and found that it occupied precisely half-an-hour, thereby implying that it requires that amount of time, after deglutition, for the food to be digested, the nutritious properties extracted, and the coarse indigestible portion finally ejected as “ frass.”) After this partial moult, the larva, as if trying to make up for lost time, fed with remarkable rapidity, its jaws being in constant motion ; and as it ate its way forwards, the anterior portion of its body became stouter. By the time the larva had fed for a space of six hours, it had so far extended its mine as to enable it to withdraw half of its body from its old skin, and then the “ frass” gradually began to accumulate in the partially thrown-off skin, the latter serving as a receptacle in which the “ frass’’ was deposited ; and as the larva moved the extremity of its body about within the walls of its old skin, the “frass” was distinctly observable as it fell pellet by pellet. The “frass’’ did not flow in a continuous line to the extremity of the body of the larva, but appeared in pellets at the base of the ante penultimate segment; each pellet then slid gradually down till it arrived near the centre of the penultimate segment, when it seemed to be taken in charge by the branched portions of two darkish coloured muscles, and conducted to the point where the remaining portions of the muscles lay parallel with each other down the posterior portion of the penultimate and the anterior portion of the anal segments; these muscles then immediately expanded, and received the pellet of “ frass,” and guided it to their extremities, and then deposited it near the middle of the anal segment, out of which it gradually slid, and became intermixed with the other pellets of “ frass” in the mine. (To be continued.) 1866. ] 9 AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 268 of vol. 2.) Subg.—Arnuysanus, Burm. Two only of the species referred by authors to this section have fallen in my way, but it is probable that several more will be found to exist in Great Britain, a considerable number being described by Flor and Kirschbaum. That the method of making divisions of intermediate value between genus and species is a bad one, few entomologists will be likely to dispute. It is not, however, so much the object of these sketches to deal with genera and reform systems, as to apply the existing materials, such as they are, to the recognition of our species. The sections of Burmeister are therefore introduced in this place, although they can only be regarded as a provisional and occasionally useful device for ascertaining the names of insects. The single character of distinction in the group Athysanus consists in the assumed absence of the membranaceous prolongation of the hemelytra. It is true that in some species this appendage is nearly obliterated, but in others it is plainly to be seen, although small; while some of the genuine Jassi are equally defective in this respect. The Athysani, in fact, would be as well merged in one or other of the co-sections, according to the form of their vertex and general habit. 14,—Tassus (A.) argentatus, Fab. Pallide fusco-testaceus. Vertex late rotundatus, angustus, medio non productus ; linea inter oculos incurva nigra, cui sepe additur alia posterior brunnea. Frons nigro-cancellata. Clypeus et lora nigro tenuiter limbata. Pronotum antice linea transversa, medio obtusangula, impressum ; post hanc lineam transverse rugulosum. Abdomen nigrum, segmentorum margines et latera (9 etiam segmenta tria ultima maximam partem) testacea. Hemelytra ¢ abdomen celantia; cellule fusco-marginate ; membrana brunnea :— ? abdomine conico, acuminato, breviora, cellulis vix fusco-marginatis; membrana concolor. Pedes pallidi, coxze et femora plus minus nigro-maculata; tibie postice intus nigro-lineatze. Long. ¢ 2, 2 34; alarexp. ¢ 4, 2 5 lin. Cicada argentata, Fab., Ent. Syst. 4, p. 38 :—S. R. p. 77, 72. Jassus argentatus, Burm., Gen. fig. 2—Boh., Ofv. 1845, p. 156: Handl. 1845, p. 28. Tassus interstitialis, Germ., Mag. 4, p. 90. 10 (June, Apparently an unusual species in this country, but once taken by me in abundance on water plants growing in a shallow pond by the side of the road from Ramsgate to Sandwich, in September. 15.—Jassus (A.) stylatus, Boh. Pallide fusco-testaceus. Vertex angulatus, productus, sua inter oculos latitudine quarta parte brevior, longior pronoto, apice supra nigro trimaculatus, macula media maxima; inter oculos etiam striole 4 breves, sinuate, transversim 2 et 2 disposite, nigre; vertex apice albidus. Frons late transversim nigro-trifasciata. Pronotum postice sepe nigro lituratum. Scutellum vel basi media nigrum, vel concolor. Hemelytra abdominis tertiam tantum partem obtegentia, fusco-testacea, immaculata; ale abortive. Pedes plus minus fusco-maculati et lineati. . Long. 14 lin. Athysanus stylatus, Boh., Handl. 1847, p. 31.—Flor, R. L., 2, p. 276.—Kirschbaum, Athysanus—Arten, p. 14, 18. This species has the facies of a Deltocephalus, with its elongate vertex, flattened above, and short body, of which at least two-thirds are uncovered by the hemelytra. It differs widely from the preceding, which has the vertex even more broadly rounded than that of the following sub-genus, and seems very ill-placed in the section Athy- sanus. A. stylatus may be found, but very seldom, on the dry parts of Wimbledon Common, in August. Subg. ITI.—Tassvus, Fab. The following is a tabular view of the 18 species known to me up to the present date :— I. Hemelytra apice attenuata, acuminata. a. Cellula apicalis longissima, linearis, tota USCA acca tecbc 2 z eae ..attenuatus, Germ...(16). aa. Cellula ere tees Fusion ‘macula intus Hiya ina y, ci ctense.cs ocea ane pleaser eee ..rupicapra, a. sp...(17). II. Hemelytra apice non ait vix adtentinta, ‘rob eat, A. Yertex medio quam lateribus haud longior ; pronoto dimidio nunquam longior. a. Caput cum oculis pronoto latius ...... striola, Fall...(80). aa. Caput cum oculis pronoto haud latius. b. Vertex medio et lateribus equilongus, sue inter oculos latitudinis quadrantem non excedens. Caput cum oculis pronoto angustius. (Minimus, corp. long. 1 lin. Ale apice infuscate.) ...............pumetatus, Fall...(33). 1866.) bb. Vertex medio paulo longior quam lateribus, sux inter oculos latitudinis dimi- midium equans. Caput cum oculis pro- noto zequilatum. Cc. Frons ab antennarum insertione ad clypeum usque sua ipsius inter an- tennas latitudine brevior. Hemelytra striolis plurimis brevibus, transversis, nigris, sepe confusis ...............matus, Fab. ce. Frons ab antennarum insertione ad clypeum usque sua ipsius inter an- tennas latitudine non brevior. Hem- elytra atomis rubris dense con- SPOTS Ae aeien ete ec ohiss sjardisg sie names cruentatus, Fall. d. Vertex inter oculos maculis 2 nigris rotundis notatus. Prono- tum postice leve ........punetifrons, Fall.. dd. Vertex maculis rotundis nul- lis. Pronotum postice transver- sim rugulosum ............atomarius, Fab.. AA. Vertex medio longior quam lateribus, sub- angulatus. a. Antenne corpori longitudine equales ...... antennatus, Boh.. aa. Antenne corpore breviores. § Species parve; corp. long. vix ultra 1 lin. 1. 2. Seutellum immaculatum. * Vertex nigro 4-maculatus, (sed macule interdum desunt). Cly- peus quadrante brevior quam frontis inter antennas latitudo ... quadrinotatus Fab. ** Vertex semper immaculatus. Clypeus non longior quam frontis inter antennas latitudo ...virescens, Fall. Seutellum nigro-maculatum. * Hemelytra transversim irre- gulariter fusco bifasciata. Vertex 11 C10): ..(28). (19). (22). (18). (28). ..(27). [June, maculis 4 equalibus, nigris, ro- tundis ....0.....00... 400-0... variatus, Fall...(82). ** Hemelytra haud transversim fasciata, rarius longitudinaliter fusco-striata. + Vertex maculis pluribus quam 4 nigris. Abdomen nigrum. Hemelytra rarius longitudinaliter fusco-striata sexnotatus, Fall... (29). ++ Vertex maculis 2 minori- bus interocularibus, necnon 2 majoribus in fronte, rotun- dis nigris. Abdomen flavum, medio supra nigrum. Heme- lytra immaculata. septemnotatus, Fall...(31). §§ Species majuscule: corp. long. 2 lin. et ultra. 1. Hemelytrorum cellule nigro-mar- ginate, ocellatée ............+0+-+- striatulus, Fall. (24). 2. Hemelytrorum cellule non nigro- marginate. * Frons maculis 4 distinctis NIGTIS ........-.+4-++...---Splendidulus, Fab...(20). ** Frons haud nigro distincte maculata. + Supra pallide viridis, vel sub-rufescens, cellulis imma- culatis. Frons haud nigro- lineata. Scutellum immacu- latum...............0.....prasinus, Fall...(26). ++ Supra rufo-brunneus, cellulis quibusdam obscuri- oribus, brunneis. Frons ni- gro-lineata. Seutellum nigro varium ...............subfusculus, Fall...(25). (To be continued.) 1866. 13 ADDITIONS TO THE BRITISH FAUNA (HEMIPTERA). BY J. W. DOUGLAS AND JOHN SCOTT. (Concluded from page 276 of Vol. 2.) Section II.—OCULATINA. Famity 1.—SALDID. Genus 1.—Satpa, Fab. Species 9.*—Satpa Morro. Saztpa Morro, Zett. Ins. Lap. 267, 3 (1848). Deep black, shining, without hairs, and generally spotless; the ¢ with yellow legs. Head—4delicately crenate-punctate. Antenne with very fine hairs, some of which project; in the ¢ the Ist joint yellow on the upper side. Rostrum black, piceous at the apex; labrum yellowish or yellow. Thorax—Pronotum narrow in front; sides nearly straight, their margin narrowly reflexed ; hinder angles prominent ; anterior margin and the transverse furrow behind the callosity of the dise with a row of punctures, the callosity with a central fovea. Scutellum at the base somewhat flattened, delicately punctured, the central depres- sion sub-quadrate, wide, not very deep, finely shagreened, posterior to this the disc delicately transversely crenate. Hlytra :—Clavus narrow, punctured more distinctly and more crenate than the corium ; Coriwm sometimes with 2 or 3 fine yellow streaks in the middle; Membrane concolorous with the corium. Legs, in the ¢ yellow, the ends of the thighs and tibie and the last joint of the tarsi, black,—im the 9? entirely pitchy black ; ¢/bce with short, strong hairs ; tars? with fine close hairs. Length 24—2¢ lines. One specimen in Dr. Power’s collection, taken in Scotland by Mr. Robert Hislop ; four taken at Scarborough by Mr. T. Wilkinson; and one from Mr. Somerville, locality not recorded. The name of this species is incorrectly quoted by us in the “ British Hemiptera” as a synonym of SV. littoralis. Species 13.—Satpa Ftort. Satpa Frort, A. Dohrn, Stett. Ent. Zeit. xxiv., 393 (1868) ; xxi., t. 1, fig. 11 (1860). Black, broad-oval. Head, eyes, pronotum, and scutellum glossy. Antenne black; 1st joimt in both sexes on the apical 3rd, and 14 {June, in the ? the 4th joint, except the base and apex, orange yellow. Oorium with fine, erect, black hairs; anterior margin entirely yellow, the colour extending broadly and angularly inwards on the basal half. Legs yellow-brown. Head, especially the face, with fine golden hair. Antenne black, finely haired; 1st joint, in both sexes, on the apical 8rd, and the 4th, in the 9 only, except the extreme base and apex, orange- yellow. Rostrum light piceous ; labrum black, punctured. Thorax—Pronotum convex, trapezoidal, narrow and constricted in front; sides depressed, flattened, but a little incrassated, the margin scarcely reflexed ; anterior callosity large, with one deep impression ; the transverse furrow of the disc deep, filled with fine golden hairs; the sides and posterior portion of the dise with erect, fine black hairs. Scutellwm rather convex, with a few fine golden hairs; the central depression not very deep, foveate. Elytra dull velvety-black; Clavus with fine, close, appressed golden yellow hairs, and a thin white streak inwardly below the apex of the scutellum ; Coriwm broad, outwardly much rounded ; anterior margin rather wide and reflexed, yellow throughout ; disc with fine, erect black hairs; on the basal half the yellow colour extending from the margin inwardly as far as the nerve, in the form of a long triangle, which is intersected by an oblique black or brown dash, the black ground colour then extending almost at a right angle to the inner side of the yellow margin, like a large blotch, the outer margin of which recedes considerably before the apex, which is left broadly yellow: below the blotch, close to the posterior margin, a conspicuous, large lunate white spot; higher up are two small white spots nearly in a line transversely, another very small one near the apex of the clavus contiguous to a greyish blotch, and one or two more or less distinct on the inner side of the chief nerve. The disc is set with long, rather distant, fine, black, erect hairs. Posterior margin black or piceous. Membrane clouded, brownish-yellow, with broad black nerves and one or two blackish spots between them: exterior to the nerves the margin is concolorous with the disc, except that from the first nerve a black blotch extends to the extreme margin, and below the apex of the corium the colour is clear yellow. Legs yellow-brown, finely haired; thighs with spots on the inner side, light-brown on the 1st and 2nd pairs, black and forming a streak on the 8rd pair ; tibie narrowly black at the apex, ¢arsz, 38rd joint black, piceous at the base. 1866. ] 15 Abdomen—black, beneath with fine whitish pubescence. Length 2 lines. Taken by Dr. Power, near Hammersmith Bridge, in March and May. This is the species of which, in the “ British Hemiptera,” p. 534, we stated that Dr. Power had taken two specimens which in some respects differed from S. elegantula. Dr. Power having captured more examples, we were convinced it was distinct, and proposed to describe it under the name of 8.” pulchra; but Dr. Fieber, having seen two specimens, thinks it is probably 8. Flori of Dohrn, and although there are slight differences between his description and our examples, we conclude that they are not sufficient to establish a new species. CRY PTOCERATA. Secrion 5.—CORIXINA. Famity 1.—CORIXID &. Genus 1.—Corixa, Geoff. Species 9.*—CorIxa LIMITATA. CorIxa STRIATA, p., Zett. Ins. Lap. 284, 2 (1840). Corisa LimrTata, Fieb. Syn. Coris. No. 25 (1848) ; Spec. Coris. 35, 42, t. 2. fig. 20, pale (1851) ; Europ. Hem. 95, 19 (1861). Above blackish-brown, with pale yellow transverse markings, slightly shining. Pronotwm with 7— 8 fine yellow lines, mostly entire ; Clavus with rather wide, parallel, yellow lines throughout ; Coriwm with irregular markings, interrupted inwardly and posteriorly, and outwardly on the basal half, by a longitudinal black line ; line of the membrane-suture indistinctly yellow. Zibie of the g short, swollen on the upper-side; Pale of the g short, broad-cultrate, rounded above, oblique at the base. Head pale yellow; Crown sometimes brownish posteriorly ; Face, in the ¢ the depression obovate, reaching to the frontal angles of the eyes. Thorax.—Pronotum slightly rounded at the sides and apex ; dise with 7—8 fine, yellow lines, mostly entire. Hlytra:— Clavus with rather wide, straight, yellow lines throughout, broader and more distinct on the basal half; Coriwn with fine, close, irregular, confused transverse markings, interrupted posteriorly and mwardly by a 16 (June, longitudinal black streak, and by. another finer one on the basal half close to the edge of the anterior marginal channel, to which latter only a few of the transverse black markings extend ; anterior marginal channel clear pale yellow, its inner margin with a black line, at the end of the embolium an indistinct dusky spot, and a larger and darker one towards the apex ; line of the membrane- suture indistinctly yellow ; Membrane glossy, with somewhat broad, confused, hieroglyphic markings, more regular, straight, and trans- verse on the inner margin, the rest of the margins broadly black. Sternum black, side lobes pale yellow. Legs pale yellow ; 1st pair short, curved, in the ¢ much swollen on the upper side; pale, in the g short, broad-cultrate, rounded above but oblique at the base, on the under-side a little sub-angularly widened at the base ; in the ? roundly-cultrate, narrow, regular; 2nd pair, ¢ibie indis- tinetly brownish at the apex ; 3rd pair, cilia of the tarsi black. Abdomen—beneath, dusky yellow; in the ¢ the first three or four segments, in the 9 the first two, except on the sides, black ; genital segments black at the sides. Length 24—22 lines. A few examples taken by Dr. Power in Parkhurst Forest in July, and at Ditchingham, Norfolk, in August. This species comes next to C. semistriata, which it much resembles in many respects. [ We observein the Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine for November that Mr. E. Parfitt has described an insect under the name of Capsus miniatus as new to science, and, as he says, returned to him by us as such. We certainly did examine it, and expressed an opinion that it might be extra-European from its having been found in the Nurseries of the Messrs. Veitch, at Exeter, but beyond this we said nothing. Had it remained with us a little longer it would have been forwarded to Dr. Fieber along with other insects we were about to send, in order that he might, if possible, identify it. Capsus miniatus, although belonging to the Section Capsrna, is not a Oapsus, but stands near to, if not identical with, the Genus Dioncus of Fieber, Europ. Hemip- tera 268. | [It having been pointed out that the name Sphyracephalus has been previously used in a Genus of Dipterous insects, we propose to substi- tute for it that of Sphyrops. | 1806. | 17 On 4 NEW METHOD or COLLECTING MICRO (AND OTHER) LEPIDOPTERA. BY C. @. BARRETT. The extreme sensitiveness which many of the Tineina, and especially the Gelechie, exhibit to the slightest breath of wind, must often have attracted attention. Let a Gelechia or Depressaria be ever so snugly ensconced in a chink of bark, or among grass roots or rubbish, a puff of air is sure to send it skipping and darting about, to find a sheltered place to hide in. For this reason, those species that frequent tree trunks are only to be found on the sheltered sides, where they often creep close into the chinks of the bark for greater security. This peculiar sensitiveness makes it easy to capture them, by placing the net in a suitable position, and blowing sharply upon the tree trunk, when the moths will start off at once, and be intercepted by the net. I have adopted this plan with some little success during the last two seasons, the greater portion of species taken being among the Tineina, but several other families being represented. In May I obtained by this method Ornix torquillella and guttea and Trifurcula pulverosella, from apple trunks; Nepticula argentipedella and aurella, from birch ; Nepticula Tityrella, from beech ; Lithocolletis tristrigella and Schreberella, Buceulatrix Boyerella, and Nepticula marginicolella, from elm; and EHupithecia abbreviata, Leptogramma literana, Micropteryx Thunbergella, Gelechia aléella and luculella, Coleophora murinipennella, Bucculatrix ulmella, Nepticula atricapitella, ruficapitella, subbimaculella, floslactella, and salicis, from oak; many of them in some numbers. Nepticula sub-bimaculella continued common on oak trunks in June, and I found a lot of Gelechia fugitivella on a wych elm, to the bark of which they bore such a resemblance that it was very diflicult to see them until they darted off. It was in July and August, however, that I found blowing the tree trunks most productive. Elm trunks produced Cerostoma vittella com- monly ; sycamore, C. sequella ; oak, C. alpella; and apple, C. scabrella. Psoricoptera gibbosella tumbled off the oak trees in numbers, and was to be found till the middle of September. From apple trunks I obtained Oleora lichenaria, Gelechia umbrosella, and G. rhombella in plenty ; and, singularly enough, two specimens of Depressaria pul- cherrimella, almost the only Depressaria I ever saw on a tree trunk. Eudorea resinalis and mercuralis, and Grapholitha nisana, occurred on elm trunks; Eudorea truncicolalis was plentiful on firs, and Laverna is {June, sub-bistrigella on one little group of spruce firs. This species and L. decorella were also occasionally to be found on oak trunks, from which also I took Eudorea cembre and truncicolalis, Leptogramma literana, Pedisca profundana, Grapholitha Paykulliana, Tinea argenti- maculella, Gelechia sororculella, Lyellella, maculea, tricolorella, gemmella, and the pretty novelty, Knaggsiella, Chelaria conseriptella, and Tri- furcula atrifrontella; and once I was startled by blowing off —what I might have seen had I looked more closely,—Liparis monacha. The success of this mode of collecting depends, as will readily be supposed, in a great measure upon the weather. Ifa steady breeze is blowing, it is often very productive ; while, if it is stormy or gusty, hardly a moth can be obtained,—they doubtless get puffs of wind on all sides of the tree; if, on the other hand, it is still and hot, they have no need of the protection of the tree at all. I hardly need say that some little strength of lungs is almost indispensable. Indeed, it is impossible to avoid some inconvenience from constant puffing; and I have often been almost stupified with headache for a short time, when I have kept too closely at it. One great advantage of this plan is that such things as Cleora lichenaria, Leptogramma literana, Psoricoptera gibbosella, and Gelechia fugitivella, which so exactly resemble the bark or lichens of the tree that it is next to impossible to detect them upon it, can be collected with perfect ease, and those that creep close into the chinks of the bark can be persuaded to come forth, while it is obviously easier to box them in the net than on a tree trunk. Haslemere, 17th January, 1866. Note on hybernation and moulting of Anthrocera trifolii.cHaving never before reared from the egg any of the Burnets, I watched with much interest a brood from a batch of eggs sent me by Dr. Knaggs in the summer of 1864; and I have made a note of one or two things, which struck me as deserving notice. The larve were hatched about the end of July, and fed and grew slowly till the beginning of winter. Those I had in 1864 were about 2 lines in length when their hybernation com- menced, but another brood which I had in 1865 were half as long again. Having made up their minds that winter was coming, these larvee congregated together in two or three little companies on the side of their glass cylinder, and spinning—each for itself—a firm foothold of silken threads, put themselves side by side in position for their long fast. Up to this time they had been of a green tint, with rows of black spots, and this colouring was not affected by the variation in the size, which in the different years they attained before ceasing to feed ;—but for winter wear there came in a new fashion altogether: they became semi-translucent to look at, 1866 ] 19 and in colour dirty white ; their rows of spots changed to reddish-brown, a pair of small dots only on each segment being black, and their bristles seemed more prominent. And seeing them in this dress at such a time, one could not help thinking that it was meant to assimilate them whilst torpid to the withered stems of their old food plants. Some time in February they began to part company and to feed again, and not long after—having moulted--they appeared in a greenish-grey coat, with a row of pale primrose spots on each side of the dorsal rows of black X-like spots. Finally the ground colour became much more vivid, either of a bluish-green or else of a rich yellow-green, but the rows of black spots on the back retained their X-like form, and this seems to me to be one of the chief distinctions by which this species may be known from filipendule, these dorsal rows in the latter being formed of a broad and a narrow black spot alternately. Their cocoons may be distinguished by their colour—that of trifolii being yellow, while that of filipendule is white. By the way, has it been recorded before that Burnet larvee cast their skins, not by creeping out of them through a split in front, but simply by standing still, and bursting them open all down the middle of the back? and singular they look just at the change, with half their old coat lying in a crescent-shape on either side of them.—JouHN HELLINS, Exeter, February 7, 1866. Note on Lithocolletis mines in Sorbus torminalis.x—Last winter I found Litho- colletis mines in the upperside of leaves of Sorbus torminalis. These produced, as might have been expected, Lithocolletis corylifoliella. I have also found the mine of this species in leaves of Sorbus avia.—C. G. Barretr, Haslemere, Jan. 17, 1866. Observation on two species of Harma.—In the last part of the “ Exotic Butter- flies” Mr. Hewitson has figured and described a female insect, belonging to the genus Harma, under the name of H. Hypatha, and states that it is placed in the British Museum Collection as the female of H. fumana, of Westwood ; he also makes some remarks on their non-resemblance, and concludes by considering it a distinct species. We do not, however, possess the species figured by Mr. Hewitson, and I think the insect which, in our collection bears the name of H. fumanaw §, is undoubtedly the female of that species. It agrees with the male even more closely than some of the allied species do. H. fumana 2 Westw. differs from H. Hypatha 9 Hew. in having the hinder margin of the front-wings distinctly lobed below the apex: in pattern and coloration it differs as follows :— Front-wings above with the row of white spots much nearer the centre of the front margin, no red band within the cell. Hind-wings ; markings much less distinct ; outer margin clear, ochreous, as in the male, with no broad marginal brown border or sub-marginal waved line. Front-wings below with no central red band, white spots as above. Hind-wings; central red band much more irregular and less distinct ; the rest of the markings as in male, but less distinctly defined.—A. G. Burner, Assistant, Zoological Department, British Museum. 20 ‘ (June, Food of Boarmia rhomboidaria.—I wish to substantiate what Mr. Horton says about the food of this insect. Here it occurs in abundance, the larve always feeding on ivy. I have reared numbers on this plant, and never found them take other food.—H. Hatuerr Topp, Windrush, Eastern extremity of the Cotswolds. Notes on Variation.—Thanks to Messrs. Davis and Ingall for their communica- tions in Nos. 21 and 23 of the “ Magazine” respectively. I agree with the latter in preferring constant varieties to a chance aberration from the type. On referring to my Notes in No. 11 of the “ Magazine’”—a year ago—I find I omitted one species, Tephrosia crepuscularia of Stainton (biwndularia, Dbd.), which in this locality is subject to a very fine and tolerably constant variation. This consists not in size, but in colour which is an uniform smoky dark grey, in which the indented whitish sub-terminal line is conspicuous. The species is common here, and I have taken the variety regularly, but in limited numbers, for some years past; and this year I am glad to say I have a few ova from a dark female. As Stainton, in his Manual, gives Manchester as one of this species’ favourite haunts, and as that district is well worked, perhaps some of your readers would kindly inform us if the variety I have described occurs there also. The numbers in which I have observed the variety may be stated roundly at 1 in 25 or 30 of the usual colouring..-Jonn T. D. LiEWwELyN, Ynisygerwn, Neath, April 11th, 1866. Notes on “‘ double-brooded”’ insects.—Warmth, when coupled with an abundant supply of good and nourishing food, has clearly so much to do with rapidity of development, that almost any insect may be forced by artificial circumstances into having a second brood during the same season, thus, I lately had Orgyia gonostigma producing two, and Clostera anachoreta producing three broods in one year. Without doubt a hot summer may and often does perform the experiment naturally for us, and for the same reason (like the “‘ biferi rosaria Pesti’”’) an insect is often double- brooded in a hot climate, when in a colder region there is only one brood in the year. Polyommatus Argiolus certainly appears twice a year in the south of England, but seems only to appear once in thenorth. There seems another and more obscure cause of a second brood, where there is in some individuals a very brief duration in the pupa state, this stage of development seeming almost, as it were, hurried on unnaturally. This never happens to a whole brood, but only to single individuals, and there is some evidence that the reproductive organs are often in these cases not fully perfected. Insufficiency of food seems also to retard development to a _ certain degree, but its natural effect is probably rather to lessen the size of the specimen—bred specimens of some insects especially are always small, and un- usually diminutive examples are sure to be recorded in dry summers. I do not mean to infer that these are the only causes of these effects, but that they are amongst the chief causes I have no doubt. Another curious fact connected with this twofold appearance of some insects is the difference between the size and colouring of the two broods, the most familiar example being that of the common turnip white butterfly, Pontia rape, but the most striking being that of some species of Cynipide, the history of which cannot, however, be said to be as yet completely 1366. 21 worked out. As far as colouring is concerned, there seems to me some ground for the hypothesis that light is the chief agent, and that the chief time of its producing this effect is during the larva state. There is much ground from analogy for this belief, and some from actual fact. If we take Pontia rape for example, we find that the autumn brood, i.e. those whose larvae are exposed to the greatest duration of sunlight, are the most abundantly supplied with pigment scales. For the same reason boreal varieties, where the larvee are summer feeding, are generally darker than more southern examples. We must bear in mind that light produces its effect in a twofold manner—by intensity and by duration. Now, in any animal whose life is for a year, as the actual quantity of daylight is equal all the world over, intensity alone is brought into play ; but this is not the case with a larva living only, perhaps, for one or two summer months. That the chief period in which this is caused is during the larva state I presume from the fact that shutting up pups in dark boxes has no evident effect, and that many Noctue (as X. lithowylea for example), whose pups are always excluded from light, are yet strongly subject to boreal variation. That rapidity of development in the pupa state does not produce the difference may be easily proved, as the chrysalides of P. rape, if kept in a very warm place and perfected, before Christmas even, are always of the light variety or Metra. It must be remembered that these thoughts are only given asa possible hypothesis which may lead to the working out of an unsolved problem by calling other experimenters into the field ; and it must be looked upon as very fortunate that such a corpus vile as Pontia rape is provided for all who wish to work at the subject.—R. C. R. JorDAN. Occurrence of Stenus glacialis, Heer ; a species new to Britain.—My friend Mr. R. Hislop, of Falkirk, has sent to me for examination a specimen of a conspicuous Stenus, taken by himself on the 4th of last August, on the Cheviots ; and which I am inclined, from the preponderance of characters wherein it agrees with the published description of that insect, to refer to the S. glacialis of Heer (Faun. Col. Helyv., P. I, fasc. 2, 224, 35; Kraatz, Ins. Deutschl., ii., 787, 58). On account of its size, colour, general appearance, and build,—and especially its very slender legs and antennz,—Mr. Hislop’s insect is primo vist strongly suggestive of S. lustrator, and its allies with simple tarsi; but a close examination reveals the narrow and small bilobation of the fourth joint of its slender tarsi. It is black, slightly metallic, shining, sparingly and very strongly punctured; with thin long pubescence, and testaceous palpi and legs, the femora (especially of the middle and hinder pair) being broadly fuscous at the apex. The head is wide, with prominent eyes, and very long and slender antennz, dark at the apex, and set with fine hairs,—the 3rd joint being twice as long as the 4th. The thorax is somewhat strongly con- tracted behind, with a fore-and-aft abbreviated longitudinal furrow, and other slight irregularities ; the elytra are rather depressed at the suture, and about one-third longer than the thorax; and the punctuation of the abdomen, though deep and strong for the most part, nearly vanishes towards the apex. The long pubescence, especially pointed out by Kraatz as an efficient diagnostic for this species, is not conspicuous in all parts of Mr. Hislop’s specimen, which is rather abraded; but, towards the sides of the elytra, and elsewhere, it is very evident. 22 (June, Kraatz gives 1} lin. as the size of §S. glacialis in his diagnosis; commencing however, his description with ‘‘ Nicht unbedeutend grésser als St. impressus,’—for which he gives 2 lin. as the size. The 1} lin. is evidently a mistake for 24; Heer giving 2%. Mr. Hislop’s insect is apparently a large female.—E. C. Ryb, 284, King’s Road, Chelsea. Note on Butalis incongruella.—April 20th I took about 30 specimens of this insect at Witherslack, with the assistance of some boys; we had only occasional gleams of sunshine, so I got the little fellows each to watch one until it settled down, and then I went and boxed it; it was rather amusing to see them, and reminded me of so many pointer dogs at work, for if the eye were taken off the insecti for a moment there was no finding it again, as it would drop down among the withered sprigs of heath.—J. B. Hop@Kinson, Preston, May 12th. Cherocampa celerio in the North.—Whilst at Witherslack after some summer birds on 20th April, I had the pleasure of getting a very fine celerio that was taken last October, and a few weeks before I got a specimen at Carlisle, taken in October on a window-sill. This specimen had not been so well used.—Ip. Xylomyges conspicillaris.—I have now to announce the capture of two fine specimens of X. conspicillaris, one on the 24th, the other on the 27th of April; also the emergence of a crippled example of the same species. I am keeping a @ for eggs, but at present have not succeeded in getting any.—H. Horron, Powick, near Worcester, May 3rd, 1866. Occurrence of Spilonota lwriciana.—At the same place where I took Eupithecia lariciata last year, namely, Lickey Hill, near Bromsgrove, and at the same time (May 24th, 1865,) I beat out from larch three or four Tortrices, which I thought at the time were something different from 8. ocellana, especially as they were all alike, which would not have been likely if they had been merely varieties. I have since ascertained that they are undoubtedly the novelty Spilonota lariciana.—Ib. Occurrence of Depressaria capreolella.—My friend, Dr. Hearder, took a few examples of this variety in poorish condition this time last year, one at sallow, the others flying in the sunshine by a warm hedge-side. I saw one yesterday, but had no net with me, and did not secure it.—ID. Lobophora polycommata at Bristol.—I have as yet done very little in collecting here, but the capture of one L. polycommata may be worth mentioning, it being the second example taken in the Bristol district.—ALFrep H. Hupp, 1, Gloucester Row, Clifton, May 3rd, 1866. eviews. Tue Practicat Entomoxoecist ; a Monthly Bulletin published by the Entomological Society of Philadelphia, for the dissemination of valuable knowledge among Agri- culturists and Horticulturists. We have only seen isolated numbers of this useful and somewhat novel periodical (the last, No. 6, for March, 1866, extending to page 56). The enterprising 1866.) 23 Society from which it emanates deserves great credit for this attempt to disabuse the minds of agriculturists and horticulturists of the many popular misapprehensions respecting the insect pests by which they are injured and tormented, and to point out to them the real history of these natural enemies, and the most reasonable means of preventing or mitigating the evils they occasion, by an exposition of their modes of life. Our own countrymen engaged in kindred pursuits would probably find much in this periodical to interest and instruct them. We wish the Society every success in its laudable undertaking. The price (50 cents per annum) at which it is issued, cannot possibly recoup the expenses, and, with all justice, the deficit is attempted to be made good by advertisements, which figure largely in the later numbers. We would suggest that a little supervision as to the class of advertisements inserted would be desirable; one or two savour somewhat of quackery. A CaTaLoGuE or PHyTopHAGA (COLEOPTERA, PSEUDOTETRAMERA), by the Rev. Hamirr Crark, M.A., F.L.S., Part 1; with an appendix containing descriptions of new species by H. W. Bares and the Rev. H. Chark; WiLitAms and Noreatr, London, and A. DreyRoLue, Paris ; 1866. To the names of our countrymen, Messrs. Clark and Baly,—so well known in connection with the Phytophagous Coleoptera,—must now be added that of Mr. Bates as a worthy fellow-labourer in the same field,—with the additional distinction that the species he describes so well are of his own taking. The present part of the above Catalogue comprises the Sagridw, Donacide, Crioceride, and Megalopide of the world (giving many references to authors, synonymy, varieties, and localities) ,— being the families included in the first volume of the Monographie des Phytophages of Lacordaire. Of these families 975 species are here registered, including 368 not known to the latter author; and of these 158 are described in the appendix. The 2nd part is promised as soon as Mr. Clark is sufficiently recovered from his recent serious illness to be able to attend to Entomological matters. The benefit of concentrating the attention to any particular group is here exemplified to the fullest extent; and, from the differential characters given, it is evident that no new species have been passed over by the describers. EnromoLoaicaL Society or Lonpon. May 7th, 1866.—W. WiLson SAUNDERS, Ksq., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. W. Stavenhagen Jones, Esq., of 793, Gracechurch Street, and P. Green, Esq., of 11, Finsbury Circus, were elected Members. Mr. Borthwick, of Alloa, sent for exhibition some dipterous larvee in the stems of wheat, just above the root. These he supposed to be the larvee of Musca (Chlorops) pumilionis. Mr. McLachlan exhibited a cluster of four round confluent galls on the leaf of a dead stem of probably Glechoma hederacea, found recently at Lewisham ; he con- sidered them to have been formed by Aulax glechome, one of the Cynipide. Mr. Bond exhibited, on behalf of Dr. Hearder, a singular variety of Cabera eran- themaria (with the colouring of (0. pusaria). 24 (June, 1866 Mr. Saunders exhibited a singular cone-shaped nest formed of a leaf of some Australian tree, and explained the method of its construction; he considered it to be the nest ofa spider. Mr. Stainton remarked that the larve of the micro-lepi- dopterous Corisciwm cuculipennellum formed similar cones on the leaves of privet. Mr. Saunders also exhibited the case of Oiketicus from Australia, formed of twigs arranged in a regular longitudinal manner, and proving that they were constructed in three or four instalments, according to the requirements of the inmate, this latter taking the precaution, when it enlarged the case, to provide beforehand for a con- siderable increase of size. Mr. Haward exhibited a collection of insects from Natal. Mr. Layard, of Cape Town, said that he had been requested by the inhabitants of James Town, St. Helena, to bring before the Society an account of the extra- ordinary ravages of the white ants in that island. These insects had been intro- duced some few years previously, and now prevailed to such an alarming extent, that, unless some means were devised for their destruction, the whole of James Town would be ruined. Various remedies had been tried without effect, and the inhabitants had gone to considerable expense in importing cyanized timber from England, but this had proved worthless, owing to the wood being insufficiently prepared. Mr. Layard also remarked that it was generally understood that the swarming of bees was caused by insufficient room in the hives, but that in South Africa, where large numbers of wild bees, allied to the honey-bee, live in large caverns (the entrance to which they blocked up with a curtain of propolis), they invariably swarm, though there could be scarcely any want of space. Mr. Tegetmeier said that in England it had been found possible to prevent swarming by adding to the size of the hive before the usual period arrived. Mr. Newman sent for exhibition a number of larve, probably of Hepialus lupulinus, found by Mr. Whittaker, feeding on the roots of coltsfoot, and infested by a large fungus of the genus Clavaria, which had destroyed them; the mycelium of the fungus proceeded from the anterior segments, and equalled in length that of the larvee. Vide “ Entomologist” for May, and the “ Field.” Mr. Stainton exhibited a large number of beautiful coloured drawings by Miss Wing, representing the larve of various Tineina found by him during his recent visit to Cannes and Mentone, including Acrolepia smilacella of Milliére, found on Smilax aspera, Hyponomeuta egregiellus on Erica scoparia, Gelechia biguttella? on Dorycnium, Prays oleellus on the olive—the true position of the last-named insect had only been pointed out last year by Herr Kaltenbach of Aix-la-Chapelle, but both in the form and habits of the larve, and in the form and even markings of the perfect insect, it was manifestly closely allied to P. Curtisellus. Mr. Stainton also exhibited a drawing of a Lepidopterous larva which he had found commonly, gnawing the bark of Huonymus ewropeus in his garden at Lewisham, and which lived in galleries, formed under the “ frass” and web left on the spindle-bushes by the last-year’s larvae of Hyponomeuta ewonymellus ; he was uncertain as to what species it would produce. Mr. Janson exhibited a Coleopterous insect new to Britain, viz., Throscus elateroides of Heer; taken by Messrs. Brewer and E. Smith, and Dr. Power, near Rochester. The Rev. Douglas Timins communicated notes on collecting at Hyéres, in the south of France, during the first four months of 1866. July, 1866.] 95 ABOUT AQUATIC HEMIPTERA; INCLUDING NOTICES OF NEW BRITISH SPECIES, &c. BY J. W. DOUGLAS. The following have been recently taken, mostly in the spring, in the localities named. Hydrometra paludum, Fab.—About a dozen on an isolated pond at Caterham, and a single one at Eltham. This, one of the largest species, also remains one of the scarcest. Hydrometra odontogaster, Zett.—This species, new to our lists, has been taken at Gravesend, Lee, and Esher. It is smaller than H. lacus- tris, which it most resembles, but the abdomen is black beneath ; in the ¢ the last abdominal segment, on the under-side, is furnished with two short, black, downwardly and forwardly projecting spines, and inthe @? the first genital segment has a deep transverse furrow. These characters are best seen, in both sexes, by a transverse view, and by them the species is easily distinguished from all others. Hydrometra argentata, Schum.—Mr. Scott and I were fortunate enough to take several of this, the smallest European species, on a pond at Esher, through which a stream runs. The characteristic silvery scales on the hinder margin of the pronotum, conspicuous enough in life, for the most part got removed by abrasion in the collecting bottle. This may account for the want of any mention of them by Curtis in his description, or of representation in his figure of his H. apicalis, which is, nevertheless, identical with argentata. Mr. Dale, who furnished Mr. Curtis with the example he described and figured, had also the kindness to give me one, taken at the same time and place, in which a trace of the white scales still exists. Hydrometra Coste, H. Schf—Mr. McLachlan took a single specimen in Perthshire in June last, which I believe to be this species, new to us, but I should like to see more examples and some of each sex. I should therefore be greatly obliged if any collector in Scotland this summer would capture and send to me any Hydro- metre he may see, in the hope that this fine species may be among them. It is rather larger than H. thoracica, is broadly red on the middle of the pronotum, and is especially wide across the region of the middle coxe. Ranatra linearis, Lin.—In clay pits at Lee, and the pupa, covered with mud, in a pond at Esher; so it would seem that the winter 18 passed by the insects while in an imperfect state. 26 (July, Notonecta maculata, Fab.—This species, hitherto received only from the West of England, has been found in clay pits at Lee. Corixa Panzeri, Fieb.—Two or three ina pond at Esher. It is con- siderably smaller than C. Geoffroyi, which in the character of its markings it greatly resembles, but the lines on the pronotum are less in number, straighter, and wider apart. Oorixva affinis, Leach.—One only at Lee. Coriza distincta, Fieb.—Common at Lee. Corixa preusta, Fieb.—New to our list. A few taken in one pond at Lee; it has also been found at Cowley by Dr. Power, both in autumn and early spring, but one was first captured by Mr. Scott at Eltham several years ago, and overlooked. It has not occurred since April, although other species then existing with it remained five or six weeks later; hence it may be deemed to be a species that dies early in the season. The first joint of the yellow hinder tarsi is traversed posteriorly by a broad black band (very clearly seen on the under-side), which at once distinguishes this species. Oorixa concinna, Fieb.—Occurs sparingly at Lee and Esher. The first joint of the hinder tarsi has a large blackish spot on its inner side only, not extending across it as in C. preusta, but spreading a little only on the second joint, and being covered by the cilia, may be overlooked. Oorixa nigrolineata, Fieb—Abundant in ponds at Lee, Eltham, Esher, &c., in spring, also in running water at Southampton in September. Distinguished from all its allies by the dusky yellowish (not blackish) cilia of the hinder tarsi. Coriza semistriata, Fieb.—Scarce at Lee. Corixa limitata, Fieb.—Common at Lee. Corixa hieroglyphica, L. Duf.—Common at Lee. A constant and dis- tinguishing character is the blackness of the last joint only of the posterior tarsi. Coriza Stali, Fieb.—Abundant in a ditch at Gravesend. It is much like the following species, but is rather smaller, and the pleure and parapleure are yellowish on the outside only. Corixa lugubris, Fieb—Common at Gravesend and Lee. This species has the sternum black, like the last mentioned, but the pleure and parapleure are entirely light yellow. 1366.) 27 Mr. Scott took three species of Coriva at Dunoon, in May, of which there will be more to say hereafter. Two are new to us; the third differs a little in colour and marking from C. Douwglasi, Fieb., but as that species was described from a single ¢, and all Mr. Scott’s are 2, there is just room for a doubt about the identity until some males are captured at Dunoon; which event is “ on the cards.” I should be very glad if beetle-hunters in Scotch waters captured Corixe also, for I have great reason for hope that there would be new species among them. I believe I do not err in saying that all the Corive hybernate in the perfect state, in the mud at the bottom of the water, as particles of earthy matter adhere to examples taken in the early spring; but, as Westwood has recorded in his “ Introduction,” they may sometimes be seen moving about when the surface is covered with ice. In spring and autumn they are most abundant ; in summer they are scarce, ex- cept in the larva state. All the species love open water of which the bottom is clear clay or mud, free from vegetable growth, although they like to cling to the stems or higher leaves of aquatic plants ; some in- habit indifferently running or stagnate water, others only the latter. They often come to the top for air, but their usual habit is to swim rapidly about near the bottom, frequently assembling near the margin, whence they recede quickly into deeper water and to the bottom on the slightest alarm. Therefore, he who would capture them should reach beyond them with his net, force it at once to the bottom, and then draw it towards him. The individuals of a species-are not only gregarious, but several species usually live together ; yet though they are so mixed, their respective characteristic markings are preserved wonderfully dis- tinct, and the differences in the structure of the pale of the males, peculiar to each species, are retained with undeviating regularity. Lee, June 7th. OBSERVATIONS ON THE ECONOMY, MOULTING, AND PUPATION, &c., OF A LARVA OF NEPTICULA AURELLA, TOGETHER WITH SOME REMARKS RESPECTING THE HABITS OF THE PARASITE OF THAT SPECIES. BY CHARLES HEALY. (Continued from page 8.) At the expiration of twelve hours, the larva succeeded in entirely escaping from its old integument; the “frags,” instead of forming a continuous line down the centre of the mine as it had done before the 28 (July, larva moulted, then assumed a scattered appearance, this change in its arrangement arising from the larva jerking its posterior segments about each time it deposited a pellet of “ frass.” The larva continued feeding for ten days longer, by which time the dorsal vessel lost its green appearance, but could be traced by its faint brownish outlines. As the larva lay in the clear space which it makes in the mine previous to quitting it, it appeared, judging from the movement of the jaws, to be eating something, but though I watched it very closely with a lens, I failed to detect the exact nature of the substance it was ap- parently swallowing. The larva then being quite full fed bit a hole in the leaf, which hole was exactly of the same shape and form as the front and sides of the head of the larva, and gradually drew its body out of the mine. The larva was then exactly four lines in length, and rather more than half-a-line in width. (The larva does not always spin up on a leaf or twig, nor even amongst the leaves on the ground, several instances having come under ‘my notice in which the larva has penetrated the damp sand in the breeding jar to the depth of more than an inch, and there spun its cocoon. ) The larva under observation, directly it had crawled on to the sur- face of the leaf, twisted and tossed itself about, as if not knowing what to make of its new position; these gambles occupied some little time, after which it set about the more serious work of fabricating its cocoon, and began carpeting with silk the part of the leaf on which its body lay curled up, twisting and twining itself about in all kinds of ways, whilst constructing the flooring of its cocoon; when this was done, the larva still keeping its body in the same cramped position and moving its anterior segments backwards and forwards, gradually threw a number of silken filaments over its body, fastenig them to the sides of the cocoon flooring, thus imparting a slightly convex form to the cocoon ; this formed only the frame-work of the cocoon, but the larva set vigorously to work and continued spinning additional threads till, after nearly nine hours of assiduous labour, it had entirely completed its cocoon. I find that a larva, if ejected from its cocoon at this period of its existence, is not only unable to spin another cocoon, but does not even possess the power of entering the pupa state, and, after lingering a few days, ultimately dies. The body of the larva, curled round as it was, occupied nearly the whole of the interior of the cocoon ; a fortnight later its body had so 1866. } 29 much shrunk that it lay in the centre of the cocoon with much room to spare. If the larva be allowed to remain in its cocoon till this stage of its economy is reached, and it be then turned out, though it has no power to construct another cocoon, it is yet able to assume the pupa state, and being acquainted with this fact, I cut open the cocoon and gently ejected the larva, when, on measuring it, it was found to be only two lines long, and one line wide in its stoutest part, having thus lost just half its length by the peculiar shrinking process it had undergone, and the body was also of a paler yellow than it had been when in con- structing the cocoon. ' At this time it lay quite motionless. The fol- lowing day the head became slightly swollen, and gradually the four anterior segments assumed the same swollen appearance ; the posterior segments also became slightly swollen, but not nearly so much so as the four anterior segments. Doubtless the convex form of the cocoon is designed by the larva to allow ample room for this change in its form. At this stage I perceived a pale reddish patch at the back of the head, which I apprehended was the first indication of the reddish tuft on the head of the imago. The swelling of the anterior segments continuing, eventually caused the larval skin to crack, and the larva then began to enter the pupa state. The head had a pale reddish blotch on the back, but on the front only the faint reddish outlines of a couple of spots were indistinctly traceable. The larval skin slowly contracting, ultimately collected in a little heap at the posterior end of the pupa. (To be concluded in our next.) AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 12.) 16.—Jassus (1.) attenuatus, Germ. Angustus, elongatus, albidus, nitidulus, longitudinaliter testaceo- striatus. Vertex obtuse trigonus, transversus, pronoto brevior; apex striis 2 brevibus punctisque totidem ante oculos lateralibus fuscis, inconspicuis: supra lineis 3 testaceis. Pronotum lineis 5, scutellum 2, longitrorsum ductis, testaceis. Hemelytra abdomine longiora, apice perquam attenuata, lanceolata; nervi albi, interstitis linearibus, testa- ceis; cellula apicalis elongata, fusca, cum cellula preecedentesub-infuscata 30 [July, lineam longam constituens. Clavi apex interdum infuscatus. Abdomen supra nigrum, basi late, apice anguste, testaceum. Pedes testacei ; tarsorum apices, cum linea interiore tibiarum posticarum, fusci. ¢ ?. Long. 2—2+; alar exp. 4 lin. Lassus attenuatus, Germ. Mag., 4, 91, 31. ? TIassus tenuis, Germ. Mag., 4, 92, 32. Amblycephalus nervosus, Curt., B. EH. 572, No. 7. Lassus striatulus, Brit. Mus. Collect., nec Fallén. The apical nervures of the wings are darkened, forming a fuscous cross. The living insect has a pearly or metallic gloss above, and from its pale hue, longitudinal yellowish-brown stripes, and narrow shape, superficially resembles Delphax lineola, being also of the same size. The hemelytra have no vestige of the apical membranaceous apendage, and herein resemble those of the division Athysanus, Burm. Locally abundant among grasses in several localities of the midland district : on the railway embankment near Leicester,—on the islands near Wakering, Essex (Curtis),— Milford Haven, with the following species: Rare near London. 17.—Lassus (1.) rupicapra, u. sp. Precedenti persimilis ; differentiis hisce abludit :—Hemelytra tertia parte breviora, apice minus angustata, vix lanceolata, testaceo-hyalina, nervis inconspicuis; cellula apicalis breviter oblonga, fusca, macula intus pallida ; corii cellule plus minus fusco marginats, seu ocellate ; costa late immaculata. Clavi apex tenuiter nigricans. Abdomen supra nigrum, lateribus et apice segmentorum 2 apicalinm testaceis. ¢ 9. Long. 1}; alar. exp. 3} lin. Two sutural black spots, formed by the ends of the clavus, are con- spicuous when the wings are closed. The membrane at its interior apex presents a slight hyaline extension, as in Jassus proper. Numerous in thick tufts of grass and among marine plants at the base of the cliffs which surround Milford Haven, occurring all the year round. 18.—Jassus (I.) antennatus, Boh. Pallide brunneus ; supra (excepto vertice) nitidus. Abdomen nigrum, lateribus et apice testaceum. Vertex Deltocephali, apice nigro bipunc- tulatus. Antenne prelonge, corpori equales; articulus 2dus basi interdum nigricans. Pronotum transversim rugulosum. Hemelytra abdomine longiora, apice rotundata, perparum angustata, pellucida, 1866. | SL nervis distinctis, flavicantibus ; membrana appendiculata. Pedes testacei, tarsis brunneis ; tarsorum posticorum articuli 1—2 apice subtus fusci ; femora postica apice, tibiw postice latere interiore, nigro lineata. ¢ ?. Long, 24; alar. exp. 5 lin. Thamnotettix antennatus, Boh.. Handl. 1845, 1, p. 35. I. antennatus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 335. Similar in appearance to J. 4-notatus Fab., but larger, of a colour more inclining to brown, and with much longer antenne—the last character separating it easily from all its congeners. Found in abund- ance on reeds surrounding a pool near Leicester, in August and Sep- tember. 19.—Iassus (L.) punctifrons, Fall. Flavus, supra pallide brunneus, nitidus ; pectore, atque abdomine supra, nigris. Vertex brevior quam apud precedentem, apice rotun-- datus, medio perparum longior quam lateribus, flavus ; maculz 2 inter- oculares nigre, vitta rufo-brunnea plerumque connexe, (interdum he macule in lineas products medio fere concurrunt) ; frons supra maculis 2 magnis sub-rotundis nigris, utrinque transversim nigro tenuiter can- eellata. Pronotum flavum, antice bi-impressum, fascia obscura trans- versa rufo-brunnea. Hemelytra brunnea, nitida, nervis pallidioribus ; corii margo externus late hyalinus. Pedes testacei; tibiarum posti- carum linea intus (raro), tarsorum posticorum articuli apice, fusci. ¢ ?. Long. 1$—2 lin. Cicada punctifrons, Fall., Hem. 2, p. 42. Thamnotettia punctifrons, Boh., Handl. 1847, p. 33. Tassus punctifrons, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 328. This species is common in Epping Forest, frequenting apparently several different kinds of trees. (To be continued.) THE DEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. (Continued from page 6.) NOCTURNI. SMERINTHUS OCELLATUS— Widely distributed, but apparently rare. Ms poputi—Common everywhere. ACHERONTIA ATROPos—Generally distributed, but not so abundant as might have been expected in the metropolis of the potato plant. 32 {July, SPHINX CoNVoLVULI—In 1859 very common in Dublin and adjoining counties. » Llaustri—Mr, Haliday has found the larve, but I am unable to say where. DeEILEPHILA GALII—Two specimens said to have been taken on the coast (Mr. Greene’s list). i: EUPHORBIH—lInserted in the list by Mr. Greene on Mr. Hely’s authority, who observed the larve at Killiney. The food plant, Euphorbia Paralias, grows abundantly on many parts of the Irish coast. LINEATA—Two specimens are in the collection of Trinity ~ College, captured near Youghal by the late Dr. Ball; and I possess a pair taken near Killarney in 1864, hovering over a bed of Petunias. CH@ROCAMPA PORCELLUS— Widely distributed and common. 3) ELPENOR— Do. do. do. MacroGrLossa STELLATARUM—Very common ; seems to be on the wing day and night for the greater part of the year. It frequently comes to sugared flowers in the evening, and once, about midnight, it tapped for admission at the lantern of the Bailey Light House, and was secured. rs BOMBYLIFORMIS—Common in suitable localities, espe- cially in the County Wicklow. SESIA BEMBECIFORMIS— Common in the County Wicklow ; also occurs at Howth. ApPrFoRMis—Cork and Waterford; but has not been observed farther north. MYOP#FORMIS—Dublin and Cork. rormMicmFormMis—Mr. Haliday. No information as to locality. TIPULIFORM1s—Common near Dublin. §COLIBFORMIS ?—I have observed traces of a Sesia in the trunks of the birch trees at Killarney, which I believe to be this species, but I have not yet obtained the insect. Cossus LIGNIPERDA— Wicklow ; apparently scarce. Heptatus necrus— Wicklow and Killarney ; common. LUPULINUS—Common everywhere. syLvInus—County Wicklow, by Mr. Bristow. VELLEDA—Common everywhere. A HuMULI—Do. do. Procris statices—Generally distributed, and common. 1866. } ZyamNa MINOS (Type) [Plate I., fig. 5 a]—Galway. 33 I captured a considerable number of this insect in a pasture near Galway, in July, 1860. i. NUBIGENA (Variety) [Plate I., fig. 6 6|—Galway and Clare ; local, but in profusion wherever found. The differences between minos and nubigena are, I think, sufficient to justify the separation which has been made by continental entomolo- gists, and may be thus stated :— Minos. Imago appears middle of July ... Frequents pastures ‘3 Expanse of wings, 13 to 14 in.... aie steel blue.. 25 eA sree apa ie — ‘The red costal streak never meets or overlaps the point of the discal or cen- tral streak . Peck Tendency of eae 18 ears division of streaks into spots... NUBIGENA. End of June. Rocky places. 1 in. 2 lines. Covered with long, shaggy, dead black hair. Costal streak always meets or overlaps the point of the discal streak. Tendency of variation is towards a suffusion of the whole wing with red. The specimens of Zygena taken in Argyleshire, and noticed in the Zoologist for 1861, p. 7716, as minos, are nubigena. I possess a pair of them through the kindness of Professor Wyville Thomson. ZYGHNA TRIFOLII—Galway ; local. a FILIPENDULZ—Hverywhere ; but most common on the eastern side of the island. It occurs on the same ground as nubigena, but in comparatively small numbers. Nota cucULLATELLA—Common. », ORISTULALIS— Wicklow, Dublin, and Howth; Mr. Barrett. », STRIaULA— Killarney. NvpariA MUNDANA—Common. SETINA IRRORELLA—Common on the coast. CaLLIGENIA MINIATA—Galway. Lirnosta MESOMELLA —Mr. Greene’s list ; locality unknown. x AUREOLA—Abundant at Killarney. - HELVEOLA—Mr. Greene’s list ; locality unknown. - cCOMPLANULA—Generally distributed. MA RUBRICOLLIS—Do. do. canroua [Plate I., fig. 4]—Discovered by Mr. cabal in 1860, on the Hill of Howl : abundant, but extremely local ; 34 (July, far as at present observed, it only occurs on one closely-sheltered bank, although its food (Lotus corniculatus) grows everywhere on the hill. The larva feeds at night on the flowers of the Lotws, pre- ferring them to the leaves, though it will eat the latter in confine- ment. On the Continent it is understood to feed exclusively on lichens, frequenting the roofs of houses and churches. Lichens of various sorts abound at Howth, but the larve do not appear to eat it. How this South European insect obtained a settlement on one point of the Irish Coast, and in no other part of the British Islands, is a curious problem in Natural History. The extreme sensitiveness of the larvee to cold, the slightest frost (in confinement) proving fatal, gives the idea of an insect not thoroughly acclimatized ; and it does not seem improbable that it has been introduced in the larva state among moss or lichen by some of the smugglers for which this part of the coast was formerly notorious, and for whose repression a numerous coast-guard is still maintained, as the entomologist who attempts to use a lantern on the cliffs of Howth will soon find to his cost. The moth appears early in August; it flies for about half-an-hour at dusk, and again in the morning dawn. The males may be attracted abundantly by a bred female, and both sexes come freely to sugar. EUCHELIA JACOBHEZ—Very common. CALLIMORPHA DOMINULA—Mr. Haliday ; locality not stated. EUTHEMONIA RUSSULA—Abundant on the heaths of the south and west. CHELONIA PLANTAGINIS—Generally distributed. casa—Common. FS vrLLicA—In Mr. Greene’s list; I have not met with the insect. ARCTIA FULIGINOSA—Common. MENDICA—Mr. Greene’s list. LUBRICIPEDA—Common. » MENTHRASTRI—Do., especially in the west. Liparis CHRYSORRH£A— Common. AURIFLUA— Do. SALICIS—Do. pDIsPAR—Dr. Ball. I have turned out large numbers of the larvee of this insect among the Myrica Gale on the bogs at Killarney. monacHa—Not uncommon. OrGyiIa PUDIBUNDA—Common. 4 ANTIQUA—Do. ) 99 ” 1866.] 35 Dermas coryrI—Common. TRICHIURA CRATHGI—Killarney ; but seems a scarce insect. Pa@crinocamMPpa POPULI— Very common. ERIOGASTER LANESTRIS—Not scarce. BomMByxX NEUSTRIA—Common. ? ”? 9 CASTRENSIS—Dr. Ball. I do not know any locality for this insect, and I think it possible Dr. Ball mistook a variety of neustria for it, as no Irish specimen is extant. RUBI—Common. guErcus (Var. cALLUN/)—Abundant. I have not met with the true quercis in Ireland. TRIFOLII—Mr. Tardy is said to have found the larve. I have not met with the insect myself. ODONESTIS POTATORIA—Common. ENnpDROMIS VERSICOLORA—Larve on alder at Powerscourt. SATURNIA CARPINI—Common. 70 species only of the 108 British Moctwrni appear to have yet been noticed in Ireland. The poverty of the list is most marked in the Seside and Lithoside, of which 8 and 11 respectively of the British species are absent. It may also be noted that all the fen insects— Macrogaster arundinis Arctia urtice Nudaria senex Orgyia caenosa Lithosia muscerda appear to be absent. GEOMETRA. OURAPTERYX SAMBUCATA—Common. EPIoNE VESPERTARIA— Wicklow ; Mr. Bristow. 9 APICIARIA— do. Powerscourt. Rumia cRaTHGATA—Common everywhere. Veninta MacuLata—Common, especially at Powerscourt. ANGERONA PRUNARIA—Common. MerTrocaMPA MARGARITATA— Very common. Exboria FasctarrA—Howth and Killarney. EvuryMENE DoLoBRARIA—Mr. Haliday’s list ; locality unknown. SELENIA ILLUNARIA—Generally distributed. 9 LUNARIA—Powerscourt, by Mr. Barrett. ODONTOPERA BIDENTATA—Common. CROCALLIS ELINGUARIA— do. 36 (July, Ennomos bErosarta—Cork and Kerry. . ANGULARIA—Common. HIMERA PENNARIA— do. PHIGALIA PILOSARIA— do. Nyssta zonartsa—Malahide. Larve from the Cheshire sand-hills turned out here haye made themselves at home. Biston HIRTARIA— Wicklow. AMPHYDASIS PRODROMARIA—Do. - BETULARIA— Common. HEMEROPHILA ABRUPTARIA—County Wicklow. CLEoRA VIDUARIA—County Wicklow, by Mr. Bristow. » LIcHENARIA-—Generally distributed, and common. BoaRMIA REPANDATA— do. do., and very common. The variety conversaria, Hiibner, which has a broad blackish bar across the middle of the wings, is common at Kil- larney. 7 RHOMBOIDARIA—Counties Dublin and Wicklow ; but much scarcer than repandata. > cincTar1a—Common at Killarney. m4 ROBORARIA—County Wicklow, by Mr. Bristow. TEPHROSIA CONSONARIA—Common ; Wicklow and Kerry. CREPUSCULARIA—County Wicklow, by Mr. Bristow. & BIUNDULARIA—Dublin and Wicklow. ites! puncTULATA— Wicklow and Kerry. GworHos opscurATA—Generally distributed, and common. Dasypra opFruscata—County Wicklow, by Mr. Bristow. PsEUDOPTERPNA CYTISARIA—Generally distributed, and common. GEOMETRA PAPILIONARIA—Common at Killarney; also in County Wicklow. NemorIa Virtipata—County Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. Iopris VERNARIA—County Down ; do. ,, LACTEARTA—Generally distributed. HeEMITHEA THYMIARIA—Galway. Epuyra porata— Mr. Greene’s list. ye PENDULARIA—Do. » PuNcTARIA—County Wicklow. Hynrta avrorARIA—Common on the heaths of the South and West. ASTHENA CANDIDATA—Common. a sYLvVATA— Wicklow and Galway. VENUSIA CAMBRICARIA—Powerscourt. 1866. 37 AcIDaLia scuruLata—Generally distributed, and common. be BISETATA— do. do. TRIGEMINATA—Galway. 5 rusticaTaA—Killarney ; Dr. Battersby. OSSEATA— do. (To be continued.) Captures at Witherslack.—On the 20th of May I paid a visit to Witherslack, and, considering how cold it has been lately, I met with very fair sport. Butterflies were plentiful, including rhamni, Argiolus, Lucina, rubi, Ageria, sinapis, Jc. It turned out a fine warm afternoon, and for the first time I met with Gelechia velocella, of which I boxed about 20 specimens. I also captured Bapta punctata,1; Cidaria suffumata, 2; Hupithecia indigata,5; Cochylis ruficiliana,6; Anchylopera siculana, 2; Penthina marginana,1; Micropteryx Allionella, 6; M. Tunbergella, 12; Enny- chia octomaculalis, 2, &c., &c.—J. B. HopGKrnson, 31, Christchurch Street, Preston. Captures at Lytham.—On the 22nd of May I visited Lytham, and took a few Gelechia wmbrosella and desertella, and found in the shoots of the dwarf sallow a good many larvee of Gelechia temerella. I also found several larvee of Depressaria nanatella in the leaves of the carline thistle ; and rather to my surprise, I took a specimen of Pancalia Lewenhickella, the first time I have ever met with it on our coast.—ID. Acronycta alni bred.—Early in August last, a full-fed larva of Acronycta alni was picked up in an orchard here, and given me. That it might have every facility for spinning up, I supplied it with some bits of bark, and with these it formed a strong cocoon, from which, on the 3rd inst., the perfect insect, a very handsome specimen, emerged.—C. G. Barkett, Haslemere, June 17th. Re-occurrence of Madopa salicalis at Haslemere.—-A few specimens of Madopa salicalis have again occurred. ‘This insect seems completely to change its locality every year or two. This year it wasin a piece of two-years-old underwood, and showed no preference for the long grass of the paths, while in the old localities not a specimen could be found.—Ib. NOTES ON COLLECTING, MANAGEMENT, &c., (LEPIDOPTERA). BY H. G. KNAGGS, M.D., F.L.S. THE CATERPILLAR STATE—MANAGEMENT. (Continued from page 278, Vol. IT.) Manipulation.—The diversified habits of larvz, from their exclusion out of the egg forwards, frequently perplex the breeder as to the best means of managing them. To begin with the juveniles: some of them will not take kindly to their food :; and this often happens if a substitute have been forced upon them in lieu of 38 [July their legitimate diet; they become restless, crawl wildly about, flock to the lightest part of the cage, squeeze themselves through ridiculously small apertures, entangle and suspend themselves hopelessly in festoons, and in fact do anything rather than settle down rationally to their breakfasts. Such individuals should be reared, until more accustomed to their new mode of life, in air-tight jam-pots, the tops of which are covered over with green glass, for the purpose of darkening the interior of the vessel ; a condition of things usually promotive of quietude amongst the brood— quietude giving time for reflection, and rise to second thoughts (proverbially best) that the cravings of nature should be satisfied even though the fare set before them be not precisely to their palate, and the apartment suggestive of the converse of their ideas of liberty ; moreover, at this, and indeed every stage, they should not be overcrowded. Then, again, others drop by silken threads on the approach of real or imaginary danger ; a wise provision, as I believe, for their preservation against birds and also cannibals, which, of course, could not well follow them down the thread. These, too, are most easily and best fed in air-tight cages; but in their case the green glass cover may be dispensed with. It is the peculiarity (evidently in some way connected with the well-being of the creatures) of certain larve to make their first meal off the egg-shells, or part of them, from which they have recently emerged ; others, for some inscrutable reason, shedding and devouring their first skin* before betaking themselves to their more orthodox mode of living. These should be left alone to crawl to their food; indeed it should be put down as a rule that stationary larvae (especially little ones) should never be meddled with; while crawling larve are generally in want of some attention. Nor must it be forgotten that many small larvee (and big, too, for that matter) render themselves invisible by mining, entering buds, and spinning together leaves ; or elude our vigilance by closely fixing and assimilating themselves to the twigs, stalks, mid-ribs, and edges of the leaves of their food. With such experts to deal with, great circumspection is necessary in the changing process, not only that none of our cares may escape observation, but also that no clumsy handling may bring grief or even demolition to the tender objects of our solicitude. When larve are known to have this sort of propensity, it is best to supply them with as small a quantity of fresh food as is consistent with their requirements, ard in changing the same to let all parts remain which are in the lest degree suspected of, or capable of, containing occupants. N.B.—Of course, when pellets of excrement, even though in the case of certain neophytes microscopic, are observable, it may be taken for granted that (always excepting the presence of interlopers introduced with the food) our “cares” are availing themselves of their diet. Having thus touched upon some of the habits of little larvee which act as obstacles with which the larva-rearer has to contend, let us see in what manner other habits may be turned to account in assisting us in the changing process. Firstly, sometimes a very slight jar or even a puff of breath will dislodge pretty nearly every tenant of the bunch of food,—in which case we can quickly transfer * Some larve also, Cerura vinula, for example, eat their cast skins after each moult. 1866. 39 them to the jam-pot, or the cylinder turned topside (muslin end) downwards : in the latter case they will not be long in attaching themselves to the muslin. Secondly, a more or less sharp jar will cause certain of them to lower themselves by threads, by which they may be readily shifted on to the fresh food. Thirdly, a slight touch with a camel’s-hair pencil causes others to fall perpendicularly down- wards ; while a fourth batch exhibits a very keen sense of the proximity of newly- gathered food, and may be left to find their own way from the stale to the fresh supply, and go on. In conducting the changing process I would impress upon the reader the advisability of first preparing a duplicate cage (whether jam-pot, flower-pot, or cylinder), by “sweetening” it with free currents of dry fresh air, and then stocking it with a proper quantity of appropriate food. In the second place the contents of _the cage to be operated on, live-stock and all, should be turned out on a large white meat-dish, an utensil possessing prodigious advantages over the more-often- used sheet of paper, both in point of cleanly whiteness of material and also in smoothness of surface, such as would puzzle even a “lubricipede” to escape from ; while a similar attempt on the part of a geometer would be simply preposterous ; indeed, the position of most larvee on the glazed superficies is much that of an incipient skater down on the ice, and gladly as a rule do they avail themselves of the proffered twig: easily, too, may such as spin threads be lifted by their silken appendices with the aid of a camel’s hair brush, and transferred to the newly- prepared quarters; while those that sham death can be literally shovelled into their fresh domicile. The old food having been jarred over the dish, and larvee which fall transferred, should next be searched over for such as show no disposition to leave go their hold, and these latter may be detached by clipping off carefully (for if done witha “ snap” the larves are jerked away) with a pair of scissors the portion of the food on which they rest, and allowing the larvee with the pieces thus cut off to fall gently on the fresh supply of food ; for I hold that, though several kinds of larvee do not appear to sustain injury from tender handling, it is, as a rule, neither necessary nor desirable to touch them with the fingers.* The old food should not always be thrown away at once, but left on the glazed dish for future examination, in the event of there being amongst it any larvee which may have eluded us. In a few instances, these being chiefly among the larvee of the Noctwina, it is necessary to provide hiding-places; for those of Orthosia, Xanthia, Noctua, &c., dead leaves, pieces of bark, broken chip boxes, bits of flannel, &c., may be employed ; - while for Agrotis and a few others a considerable depth of fine earth or sand is necessary. Larves which in Nature hybernate must either be stimulated by warmth and fresh food to feed up unnaturally fast, or else through the winter must be exposed to out-door temperature. Some hybernating larve are full fed before taking up their winter quarters, in which case they will of course feed no more. Others exhibit no desire for food * Painfully undesirable indeed is it to handle the larva of Porthesia chrysorrhceea, and other hairy larve in less degree, for should their easily detached spines become applied to any tender part of our skin, an intolerable irritation is produced, which is very difficult to alleviate. Indeed, on the Continent, the hyperzsthetie symptoms produced by the larva of Cnethocampa processionea and pityocampa have been known to result even in death. 40 [July, until the spring. But not a few come forth during the warm days and evenings of winter and early spring to practise with their jaws. These latter, when reared in captivity, require some attention on the part of the breeder. Of a certainty however, as trees and shrubs, with the exception of evergreens, are bereft of foliage in winter, larve feeding ordinarily upon them must, if they have to eat at this season, content themselves with other pabulum in the shape of non-deciduous plants, of which arbutus, lawrustinus, ivy, heath, and fir are the greatest favourites, or low growing plants, such as forced seedlings of knotgrass (strongly recommended), chickweed and groundsel, plantain seeds, as well as grasses and mosses; though in the case of some low feeding larvz, especially geometers (Acidalie), they are quite satisfied with nibbling during the winter the withered leaves and stems of the plants on which they have been reared; but this does not prevent their keeping a very sharp look-out for the earliest buds that come in spring. T may just note here that, as water in its metamorphosis to ice is apt to inconveniently expand our vessels, potatoes are serviceable not only as supplying moisture in its place, but also as a provender, it being sometimes found that larves, on becoming aware of the presence of the tuber, have availed themselves of it as food. Hybernating hairy larvee must during the winter be kept dry, or in a well- ventilated place, otherwise the damp seems to hang about their fur, and causes them to be attacked by a white fungus which creeps through their frame and speedily destroys them : smooth larve, on the contrary, seem to require the natural dampness of the soil. Most of the hybernating larve of the Noctwe require hiding- places, seeming to quickly pine away if not freely supplied, for the purpose, with soil, dead leaves, &c. Norr.— My friend Mr. Gibson strongly recommends that during the winter all cages containing larve be placed in front of a window facing the east or north east, so that the inmates may be kept as cool as possible. This he considers of vast importance; and his very great success in rearing hybernating larves, so generally looked upon as stumbling-blocks in the path of the breeder, adds much force to his suggestion. As soon, however, as he can procure food, he supplies them with it, and simultaneously endeavours to rouse them to activity with all the natural heat of sun-rays at his command. A word or two is necessary concerning the treatment of cannibal and viciously disposed larvee. Some, such as Cosmia trapetzina, have such depraved notions of gastronomy that they cannot always be trusted even with their own brothers and sisters,—these must, of course, be fed separately. Others, which devour with avidity the larvee of other species, feed up harmoniously enough inter se, such are the larvz of the blood-thirsty Scopelosoma satellitia, Teniocampa miniosa, and Orocallis elinguaria; they must not be stinted in their food, though, for the cravings of a hungry stomach would probably render them conveniently oblivious of the ties of relationship. I suppose, too, they should be supplied with living animal food occasionally ; but it seems a horrible thing to recommend, and it is doubtful whether it be absolutely necessary. Again, certain larve, though not actually carnivorously disposed, but not naturally meant to live grogariously, act in a quarrelsome, snappish, and vicious manner to other larve crossing their path or interfering in any way with their comfort, often by their bite causing the victim to dwindle and eventually die: these individuals also should be placed in solitary 1866. | Al confinement; others not naturally cannibalistic (at least I suppose not), would appear to assume the habit in captivity, as the account of that of Thecla quercis coolly demolishing the pupa of his more advanced brother seems to indicate. A weather eye must be kept open for, such customers, and their propensities circumvented, Then, again, nothing is more common with careless breeders than for the peaceable hawk-moths, “kittens,” and other larve, when kept on short commons, to nibble off the caudal appendages of their relatives, an operation which [ am by no means sure does not originate in their erroneously considering these excrescences to be of a vegetable character. What a blessing to the slovenly would such larve as those of Glottula pancratir be! M. Milli8re thus quotes from a letter of his friend M. Danbe:—They eat the leaves of the Pancratiwm, then the flowers, the seeds (if not too forward), and the root, which they attack in the last place ; and when they have demolished the bulb, which they void just as if it had been ground up by their powerful mandibles, they eat their frass; and curious to tell, those which are nourished after this strange fashion, undergo their transformations quite as well, and produce imagos quite as fine, as the others!! It is, the only larva which has this peculiarity.” I fear that M. Daube is quite right in his latter supposition : at least, no such contented and utilitarian larva has yet been detected in Great Britain. (To be continued.) On the similarity of the insects of North America and of England.—On receiving lately a box of Lepidopterous insects from an entomological friend in Quebec, it was impossible to help being struck at the first glance with the great similarity between them and our British species. Sixty-six species were sent to me (the only selection being that when an insect was known by my friend to be English it was excluded) ; of these no less than ten may be classed as decidedly common to the twocountries. These were Vanessa Antiopa, Chrysophanus Americana (C. Phileas), Deilephila chamenerii (D. galii), Smerinthus evcecatus (I think, without doubt, ocellatus), Hydrecia nictitans, Mamestra adjuncta (M. brassice), Agrotis tritict Scoliopteryx libatrix, Melanippe hastata, and Scotosia undulata. On the other hand, there were eighteen only without any English generic ally : andin making this last selection a rigid exclusiveness has been observed: thus, Danais Archippus, Limenitis Disiphus, two species of Neonymphe, and three Saturnie (Io, Polyphemus and Cecropia), are amongst the eighteen, as also are Ellopia ribearia, Zerene catenaria, and Cidaria diversilineata, as these three last-named scarcely seem to belong to the genera to which they are referred. The remaining thirty-eight are generically related to our native species, and in many instances the approximation is so close as to suggest specific identity also. It is the business of entomologists to deal with facts, and not with hypotheses, yet the question of how are wo toaccount for this similarity will obtrude itself upon our minds. Naturalization will account for some part of it, certainly: and the history of this in Pieris rape has been most admirably traced out by the friend to whom I am indebted for the very specimens now under discussion, Mr. Bowles ; thus the Vanessa and Scoliopterye may be brought over whilst in their winter sleep, ‘and awake in a new country, there to deposit their eggs, but hastata and undulato. 42 (July, at least would be difficult to account for on any theory. If there was a distinct centre of creation for the two countries, we must either suppose that undulata was created alike in both regions, and Nature reproduced herself, or else if we turn Darwinians for the nonce that wnduluta was “ developed” in both regions ; now it seems to me that if we are to take two cells or germs as our starting points, it is but an N’th chance (where N is infinitesimally small) that any process of natnral selection should even develope the same order, Lepidoptera, in both the centres. How utterly impossible, then, must it be that that they should both develope the same species! Tf, on the other hand, the Continents were ever continuous. we have then in our friend undulata that often often quoted individual “the oldest inhabitant,” and a thorough-going Tory he seems to be, for not a spot or speck is changed on his coat, though he must have lived under different climates and under different circumstances in the two countries from those old days when mammoths were plentiful as blackberries, and long before the time when Adam was a little boy. Seriously speaking, however, the wndulata must teach us how vain at pre- sent is any attempt at a theory of creation, and how difficult to reconcile with the facts around us. We feel how little we do know, and how truly Tennyson speaks when he calls man— *« An infant crying for the light, And with no language but a cry.” R. C. R. Jorpan, M.D., Edgbaston, Birmingham. Note on the luminosity of Fulgora.—At the séance of the Entomological Society of France, 22nd November, 1865, M. Moufflet communicated some details on this question, which has been so frequently asserted and denied by Entomologists ; he affirmed that he had seen examples of Fulgora laternaria near Soleda, in Mexico, which in the evening emitted a somewhat brilliant light from the cephalic pro- longation. Notes on Moths attracted by Gas Lamps. —While in London, in 1858 and ’59, I worked hard many a night in the examination of the gas lamps which light the various roads round the outskirts of London, for the sake of the insects attracted by the lights. Several of my friends have, I know, tried the same plan of col- lecting since then, and have taken many good things; but a few notes on what was to be done in that locality may still be interesting. I hardly need say that, for success in this mode of collecting, a dark night is almost indispensable, and a moderately still one nearly equally so. It should also be dry, for moths do not seem to approve of wet lamps. On such suitable nights something may be found at almost any time of the year, although, in the first three months, it is not likely to be anything much rarer than Phigalia pilosaria, the Hibernia, Larentia multistrigaria, &e. In April occurred my first specimen of the then very rare Camptogramma fluviata, hybernated of course, but tolerably fine. Selenia lunaria, too, made its first appearance In May Smerinthus populi, though common, looked a fine thing on alamp. Scotosia certata frequently occurred in the first half of the month. Selenia lwnaria was still out, and Drepana hamula, Peridea trepida, Notodonta dictea, and Dianthecia carpophaga made their appearance with Parapony» stratiotalis, which continued to appear till August. 1866 .] 43 In June, Smerinthus ocellatus made its appearance, and Drepana hamula was still out. Ptilodontis palpina dashed round the lamps in a furious and bewildering manner, or, when settled, looked precisely like a bit of dry stick: and, on one memorable night, Madopa salicalis occurred on a lamp at Dulwich. The attitude of this specimen struck me as remarkable. It stood with its wings arched exactly in the style of Platypteryx lacertula, but not so much so as Cilia spinula. In this month I found, too, the handsome Arctia villica ; and Pyralis fimbrialis was rather common, and continued out till October. Eupithecia plumbeolata, Pempelia betule, and, oddly enough, Pterophorus trigonodactylus, occurred occa- sionally, while the host of other common things would be wearisome. Much more was this the case in July, when the number of species was really remarkable. Among them were the following :—Zenzera Alsculi, Gastropacha quercifolia, Iodis vernaria, Acidalia emarginata, Cidaria dotata, Drepana hamula (second brood) Apamea ophiogramma, Agrotis corticea, Cosmia affinis, Tethea subtusa and retusa, Hadena chenopodii, which had been out ever since May, Pyralis glaucinalis, Pionea stramentalis, Spilodes cinctalis, Phycita formosa, Myeléis pinguwis, Pempelia earbonariella, and even a few common Tortrices and Tinew, Pelurga comitata (at the end of the month, and plentiful the next), and Campt. fluviata, which appeared occasionally till October. In August, a diminution in the number of species was observable, but the quality was in no degree deteriorated, for in this month I met with the best capture I ever made at a gas lamp, Sterrha sacraria, at that time the second or third British specimen, I believe. In this month the second broods of Ptilodontis palpina, Notodonta dictea, and many others, made their appearance ; with Hepialus sylvinus, Ennomos fuscantaria, tiliaria, and angularia (all three out also in September), Emmelesia wnifasciata, Phibalapteryx vitalbata, Cosmia difimis (common, but most lovely), Cerigo cytherea, Catocala nupta, a grand looking thing on a lamp, Spilodes sticticalis, Myeliis advenella, Acrobasis twmidella and consociella, and many more. In September there was a material decrease in the number of species, but not so of specimens, the lamps being fairly alive with the numbers of Anthocelis lwnosa and Luperina testacea, dashing wildly about all the early part of the night, and afterwards settling down on the lamp frames in plenty. Hydracia micacea was less common, and Agrotis saucia and Xanthia citrago occurred. For the remainder of the year, besides the species already mentioned, little, except very common things, was to be found. Occasionally I have been surprised by the appearance of day-flying species, such as Orgyia antiqua, Pyrausta purpuralis, and others; and once I found a Vanessa Atalanta actually on the lamp door, which had been opened when the lamp was lighted. Probably it had been accidentally disturbed from its roost for the night. My plan of collecting was, generally, to climb the lamp-posts. Moths flying round may often be netted, but somehow it is not very easy; and some may be touched by the net when settled, and then caught, but very many, especially the good ones, settle under the lamp, or on some part of the frame-work where they are not easily got at, or even seen, without climbing. Tf I had not climbed, on speculation, the lamp on which it was settled, 1 should 44. (July, 1866. never have taken Sterrha sacraria, as it was quite out of view from the ground; and another time, on descending, I found a splendid Gastropacha quercifolia on my waistcoat, by which it was actually wiped off the iron without my noticing it. Notodonta dictea, the Smerinthi, and many others, get close underneath the lamp, and peep at the flame from below; while the Phycide, and numbers of other small species, find their way into the flame, and sometimes, though not by any means always, get burned, as was the case with an unfortunate Agrophila sulphuralis, of which enough only remained to identify it and tantalize me. Very many species, Noctue especially, delight in posting themselves on the dark outside of the upright frame which generally supports a lamp, or on the leaded case itself, and settle themselves so closely, that a very near and keen inspection is required to detect them; while Peridea trepida, and some of the other “ prominents,” viewed from the ground, have a most inconvenient resemblance to dead leaves, sticks, and the lumps of mud which are often thrown at the lights by small boys, and individuals under the exhilarating and ennobling (?) influence of intoxicating liquors. / I, therefore, most decidedly recommend the “swarming” plan, as my friends derisively call it ; for, although it is not desirable in the case of a newly painted lamp- post, nor easy in that of one a dozen feet high, —straight, smooth, or fluted, with no rest for the feet,—luckily these cases are the exceptions. Any one who feels himself too heavy to climb may, if he thinks proper, carry a ladder, or get some one to carry it for him, for a night’s work would tire him without carrying a load; but he must place it very carefully, as the least jar will send many moths away, not to return. An opera glass, too, might probably be useful, though I never tried it or the ladder. ; ‘ The time to commence the search is about ten o’clock, p.m.; very few things come to lamps sooner, but they continue to appear till dawn, and often settle down towards the latter part of the night, so that all the sport sometimes occurs in the last hour or two, from two to three o’clock a.m. being a capital time.—Cuaries G. BARRETT, Haslemere. Description of the larva of Acidalia ornata.—I have more than once had eges of this species, but never succeeded in rearing the larve to full-growth. Onthe 30th last July I received eggs from Mr. Wright, the larve from which are at the time IT write this still quite small, and not looking likely to come to perfection, although I took some trouble to procure for them plants of wild thyme, thinking it might suit them better than the garden sort. However, almost on the same day with Mr. Wright’s eggs, I received from the Rey. J. Greene some larve feeding on mint, which had even then (last July) nearly attained their full growth; and from other larvee of the same brood, Mr. Greene, in the course of last autumn, bred the moths, My small hybernating larve are about 4 lines in length, very rugose, and very dark and dingy to look; but with alens one can see that the back is brownish ochreous, with a pale grey interrupted dorsal line, and five dusky As on the middle segments, with their apices pointing forward. When full-grown the larva is not quite an inch in length, rather slender, almost uniform in bulk throughout: the head slightly notched, the skin rugose; the spiracular region puffed out and puckered. The ground colour of the back is brownish ochreous ; the dorsal line fine and 1886. | 45 interrupted, darkest near the head, afterwards showing pale grey edged with dusky ; sub-dorsal line dark brown, commencing very distinctly on the head. On each segment from five to nine there are two obtuse dark Ys, one pointing forward, the other backwards (their arms reaching nearly to the sub-dorsal line, and terminating in the usual 4 dots), and between them enclosing a blunt diamond of the ground colour, through the centre of which the dark-edged dorsal line shows distinctly. The posterior segments are marked only with the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines, and the usual 4 dots in each, here showing more distinctly as being not confounded with the other markings. The spiracular stripe pale ochreous, freckled and edged below with dusky ; the belly pale grey, freckled and mottled in the same way. Certainly mint seems to have suited the growth of these larve better than thyme, but I perceive that after they have once tasted the latter they will not leave it for another food.—J. Hretuins, February 7th, 1866. [N.B.—I always find A. ornata amongst wild marjoram, not thyme.—H. G.K.] Eupithecia lariciata near York.—I had the good fortune to capture a long series of the above insect, in very fine condition, in a small larch plantation near York. The first was taken on May 20th. I found them as good at the end of a fortnight as at first, which, with the fact of their being difficult to dislodge from the trees, and that when beaten out they generally drop and remain on the ground, would suggest that the imago is sluggish, or does not fly much, which may account for its comparatively recent discovery as a British species. I obtained a small batch of ova from one female by placing her in a tube containing a sprig of larch. I had tried several others in gauze-covered boxes, but they would not deposit eggs.— T. J. CarninGton, Fulford, York, 9th June, 1866. Larve of Xanthia gilvago at Derby.—I was fortunate enough this morning to beat the larva of X. gilvago in some numbers off wych-elm, in this neighbourhood.— Gero. Baker, 47, Kedleston Street, Derby, June 7th, 1866. Eupithecia plumbeolata and Eup. valerianata bred.—On the 12th of this month I bred E. plumbeolata from larve taken last season off the Melampyrum pratense ; also at the same time FE. valerianata from larve taken on Valeriana officinalis last July.—Ib., June 18, 1866, Economy of Gelechia cerealella.— A grain of wheat or of barley contains the precise quantity of food necessary to nourish the larva from its birth till it is full fed. If we open a grain which contains a larva just ready to change, we find it is nothing but a husk ; the entire farinaceous substance has been devoured. In the cavity then occupied by the larva, which is the most spacious apartment it has had in its life, we find some brown or yellowish particles, which are its excrements. If we open a grain inhabited by ayounger and smaller larva, we find that there is more or less of the substance of the grain still to be consumed, according to the size of the larva. But what is remarkable is, that in the latter case we find at least as much, and probably more excrement, and in large pellets, than we find in a grain tenanted by an older larva. If we bear in mind that the grain has no perceptible opening —no place by which the larva could extrude its excrement, we may conclude that at first it feeds with little economy, and that afterwards it is driven to eat 46 - (July, over again what it has already eaten, and perhaps to repeat this process more than once.” (Reaumur, Memoires II., pp. 490-491.) This curious notice of economy of material in the larva of Gelechia cerealella has not, that I am aware of, been verified by any subsequent writer. I stumbled upon it quite by accident just as I was writing the last sentence of the General Observations on the genus Gelechia for the 10th volume of the Natural History of the Tineina.—H. T. Stainton, Mountsfield, Lewisham, S.E., May 18th, 1866. Proposed accounts of Entomological excursions.—I fancy it would be interesting to English readers to learn what our districts, which are of so different a character from England’s, produce in Lepidoptera. How would it answer were I in each month to write out a full account of the most productive excursion? I can only account for our not having such notices, as far as I can recollect at this moment, in our German periodicals, by supposing that one fears to make a communication which should not be of sufficient interest ; hence we have accounts of excursions to the Alps, to the Riesengebirge, &c., but none of excursions in the immediate neigh- bourhood of towns in the plain. In the Intelligencer there are, indeed, many such ; but as it appears to me they are generally written by beginners, who therefore confine their attention to a few butterflies—P. C. ZyLLEr, Meseritz, Prussia, May 15th, 1866. Occurrence of Lathridius filum, Aubé ; a species new to Britain.—I have taken a species of Lathridius here, under the following circumstances :—Two years ago I wished to dry specimens of some of the species of Aconite cultivated in the Botanic Garden; and accordingly gathered a few examples from plants growing here. The plants were put in drying paper, and left untouched for some time,— absence from home preventing my changing the papers. On returning, I found the specimens moulded and useless, and several examples of a beetle among them. Beetles and plants were immediately destroyed, with the excep- tion of two of the former; as I desired to rid myself of what I thought a pest. These specimens were in February shown by me to Mr. D. Sharp, who at once recognised them as belonging to a species new to Britain; and by careful exami- nation of the old drying paper, which had been left undisturbed, numerous other examples were discovered. The Aconites were not British species, but had been for some time in cultivation ; and there are but few exotic specimens in my herba- rium. I do not think, therefore, that the insect can have been introduced in any way from abroad. The drying paper and remains of the Aconites have again (June) yielded a few specimens.—W. R. McNas, Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, June llth, 1866. (Mr. McNab has kindly sent me some examples of the insect above recorded, which I have no difficulty in referring to the Lathridius filum of Aubé, Ann. de la Soc. Ent. de France, 2me Série, 1850, 334, 44; a species much resembling L. fili- formis, Gyll., but differing from that insect in being even more linear in shape, with its thorax more cordate, less widely margined, and with a small but distinct and rounded impression on the disc. M. Aubé mentions that it was detected by M. Guérin Méneville, who bred it from a fungus received from Algeria: the species, however, is probably as much entitled to rank as British as many of its easily introduced allies.—E. C. R.] 1866. 47 Ocewrrence of Meligethes ochropus, a species new to Britain.—In May last I took a large bright-looking Meligethes on the sea-banks near Hartley, which I at once referred to ochropus, Schiip. Sturm, Ins. Deutsch, xvi. 23. Tab. ocevi. fig. h. H. ; and, having recently submitted the specimen to Mr. Crotch, he has confirmed my opinion ; remarking that he has examples of the same insect taken in the London district.—Tuos. Jno. Botp, Long Benton, Newcastle-on-Tyne, March 26th, 1866. Note on Meligethes Kunzet, a species not included in the British list of Coleoptera.— In examining my specimens (taken in the London district) of Meligethes allied to distinctus, memnonius, &c., I find one that agrees very well with Hrichson’s descrip- tion of M. Kunzei (Ins. Deut. iii., 182, 15). It resembles difficilis in size and build, but has even more widely and strongly punctured elytra, of which the pubescence is very fine and scanty: it is, moreover, of a deeper black colour, without any trace of greenish reflections on the head and thorax; and the anterior tibiz are not so strongly denticulated, the teeth being finer and blunter. Hrichson appears to have originally had some doubts whether M. Kunzei was specifically distinct from difficilis, but to have finally determined that their diagnostic characters were constant and sufficient. Both these insects resemble M. ochropus (recorded in the present No. by my friend Mr. T. J. Bold),—a species not uncommon in the London district, and long known both to Mr. Waterhouse and myself; but not brought forward on account of a slight difficulty in connection with the Erichsonian types examined by Mr. Waterhouse.—E. C. Ry, 284, King’s Road, Chelsea, S.W. AH eviel. AILANTHICULTURE ; or the Prospect of a new English Industry. By ALEXANDER Wattace, M.D., Oxon., M.R.C.P., Lond. (Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1866, 3rd ser., vol 5, pp. 185-245. The Society, or Longman and Co.) It is now about ten years since the repeated failures of the silk-crop in Europe induced sericiculturists to look about them for some other silk-producing species which should in some way be able to supply the place of the Bombyx mori. Amongst those, species experimented upon with so much success in France by M. Guérin Méneville and others, Bombyx cynthia, the Ailanthus silkworm, has probably found more favour than any other, producing a silk, inferior in fineness and gloss to the old-fashioned sort, but to the durability of which there is said to be no end; and in Paris, fabrics woven from this silk are publicly sold. In England, Lady Dorothy Nevill and others had made, to a certain extent successful, trials of this novel kind of sericiculture, but it was probably not carried on to any considerable extent until the author of the above-mentioned paper tried it on an extended scale on the railway bank at Colchester, he having planted half a mile of the bank with Ailanthus trees to the number of about 2,300, and in this valuable paper, to which was awarded one of the prizes offered by the Entomological Society of London for the best essays on Utilitarian Entomology, Dr. Wallace details minutely the plan pursued, and gives copious extracts from the many notices on the same subject published in France, winding uv with a discussion of the events which led to the introduction of 48 [July, this new silkworm, and of the prospects of its ultimate success, regarding which latter point we will allow him to speak for himself. “Fortunate will it be for England,—fortunate, indeed, for Ireland, if land, “hitherto valueless, can be so tended as to furnish, with little care and slight cost, “a fabric warm and durable. Fortunate will it be for women and children (espe- * cially for workhouse habitués) if another health-giving industry be opened up for “their nimble fingers.” “T cannot but be deeply struck with the remarkable chain of events which “have preceded these novel projects, and I feel confident that at no very distant “period Ailanthiculture will take high rank among English industries.” As to whether this day-dream will ever be realised, is not for us to say; both the insect and its food-tree are perfectly hardy in this climate, and it is to be hoped that when we shall have overcome the (in England) hitherto unconquered difficulty in winding the silk from off the cocoons, Dr. Wallace may, in watching the develop- ment of a new kind of manufacture, earn the reward he so justly merits. ENToMOLOGICAL Society oF Lonpon. 4th June, 1866.—Sir Jonn LussBock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The President announced that Mr. W. Wilson Saunders had invited the Mem- bers to an excursion at Reigate on the 6th of July. Osbert Salvin, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., of Bolton’s Grove, Brompton, and T. Turner, Esq., of Exeter, were elected Ordinary Members; and Count Mniszech, of Rue Balzac, Paris, was elected a Foreign Member. Prof. Brayley communicated an extract from the report of Mr. Consul Zohrab to Government, respecting the occurrence of a venomous spider amongst growing wheat at Berdiansk, from the attacks of which many persons had suffered severely. Mr. McLachlan made some observations concerning a caddis-worm case con- taining a dead pupa, which had been found attached to the extremity of a rush, two feet above the surface of the water. He remarked that the instinct of the larva had been at fault, for when it had fixed its case previously to assuming the pupa- state, it had not taken into consideration the growth of the rush, and had thus been carried out of its element. Mr. Pascoe exhibited a number of Coleoptera, chiefly from ant’s-nests, sent to the Rev. H. Clark by the Rev. G. Bostock, of Freemantle, Western Australia ; they included two new species of Articerus, a singular insect (Ectrephes formicarum, Pasc.) with somewhat the form of Paussus, species of Anthicus, &c.; descriptions of these were laid before the Meeting. Prof. Westwood exhibited coloured drawings and read descriptions of various species of Goliathide, including G. Kirkianus of Gray, from the Zambesi, G. For- nassinit of Bertolini, &., &c. Mr. Stainton mentioned that from galls on Gypsophila sawifraga, recently found at Mentone, he had bred a species of Gelechia very closely allied to leuco- melanella, and remarked on the difficulties attending the discrimination of those species of this genus which fed on Caryophyllacee. Mr. C. A. Wilson, of Adelaide, communicated further notes on South Australian Buprestide. August, 1866. | 49 NEW SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES FROM GUATEMALA AND PANAMA. BY H. W. BATES, EGS: (SUPPLEMENT.) According to the promise made in the first volume of this Magazine, p- 205, I now proceed to describe a further series of species of butterflies from Guatemala and Panama, received from the collectors of Messrs. Salvin and Godman. These descriptions, as well as those already given, it is scarcely necessary to remark, are merely preliminary; it being the intention of Mr. Salvin to publish a more complete faunistic work on the Diurnal Lepidoptera of the countries he explored, wherein will be figured a large number of the new species. . Some of the species now described are from Costa Rica and Veragua. 84.—HESPEROCHARIS CROCEA. Exp. 2” 4." Light yellow, deepening in tint towards the apex of the fore-wing ; outer half of the hind-wing clear saffron-yellow. ore- wing triangular, apex pointed, outer border a little incurved: hind-wing elongated at the anal angle, outer border a little ineurved near the anal angle, then rounded outwards. Wings, beneath, deeper yellow than above, apical part of the fore-wing and the whole of the hind-wing saffron-yellow ; destitute of the dusky lines which distinguish other species of the genus; sides of prothorax and breast reddish-saffron, a small spot at the root of the hind-wing sub-costal nervure bright red. This species exhibits the short clavate antennew and peculiar neuration of the genus Hesperocharis, notwithstanding the absence of the charac- teristic dusky lines beneath. From Costa Rica, Central America. 85.—HESPEROCHARIS COSTARICENSIS. Exp. 2” 1." White, tinged with greenish-yellow above towards the fore-wing apex, where the nervures are dusky olivaceous; beneath, pale buff, except the basal three-fourths of the fore-wing, which are white. Fore-wing triangular, pointed, outer border distinctly incurved ; hind-wing produced, and obtusely pointed at the anal angle, outer border regularly and slightly rounded. Under-side of hind-wing with the nervures, a zig-zag line near to the outer border, and an oblique streak extending from the base to the origin of the third median branch, faintly dusky. The costa of the hind-wing strongly dilated at the base. Tnhabits Costa Rica. 50 [August, 86.—OLyras T'HEON. gb. 4.” Near O. Crathis. Fore-wing more broadly rounded at the apex, with outer margin a little incurved after the middle. Hind-wing much less angular and longer, the length of the lower radial nervure being 68” instead of 53” as in O. Crathis. Colours very similar ; fore- wing crossed by three transparent, yellowish, macular belts (besides an oblong spot at hind angle), but the first belt across the cell is very oblique and narrow, and is not continued between the branches of the median nervure except as a round spot near outer margin. The longi- tudinal spots forming the second belt and the costal spot of the third belt are very much longer than in O. Crathis, and the black outer margin is very much narrower, both in the fore- and hind-wings. The underside differs in the disc of the hind-wings being dull brownish- tawny, without a trace of yellow tinge either on membrane or nervures ; the number of oblong shining white spots near the costa is three instead of two. Guatemala. 87.—Tuyrip1ia MELANTHO. g. Exp. 8” 8.” Resembles closely, in size, form of wings, and — neuration, Zh. Atdesia. Differs conspicuously in colours, the hind- wings being of a rich orange-tawny instead of isabelle-colour, and the fore-wings being of a deep black, with semi-transparent spots scarcely tinged with pale greenish-yellow. The spots are much smaller than in Th. Aidesia, there being two confined within the cell (the basal one small and dusted with black), and three sub-apical in the same relative positions as in 7. Adesia, but less rounded, as well as smaller. The hind-wings have a black border and spot over the end of the cell; the border has three or four small white spots, and is broad and indistinetly limited towards the apex. Antenne black, club yellow. Underneath : same as above, except that the black outer-borders have a continuous row of white spots. Panama. 88.—DIRCENNA XENOS. g. Exp. 2” 9."" Insize and general appearance resembles a small male of Thyridia Jemima, Hubn., but differs remarkably in important points of structure. The terminal fork of the fore-wing sub-costal nervure is much farther removed from the apex, and the second sub- costal branch arises from near the end of the cell; the recurrent nervule in the fore-wing arises from the middle, instead of the lower, disco- cellular, and is absent altogether from the hind-wing; the corneous receptacle for the pencil of hairs in the hind. wing is broad, and resem- 13866. : 51 bles that of the section of Ithomia, to which I. Hyala, Diasia, &e., belong. The colour and markings are the same as in tawny specimens of D. Jemima, but the dark borders form only a very narrow and ill- defined edging, and there is no pale yellowish tinge on the dise of the wings. The antenne are yellowish, with the base black. Costa Rica. 89.—ITHom1A Hippocrents. o. Exp. 2.” Closely allied to LZ. Diasia, Hewits. (Exot. Butt., Ith. f. 28) and belonging to the same section, in which the males have an oblong vessel near the costa of the hind-wings filled with long hairs. The wings are hyaline with black borders, and the fore-wing has a black streak across the middle and another over the end of the cell ; but the latter in LZ. Hippocrenis forms a broad spot, very wide on the costa, and the two radial nervures are white near the base. The black space behind the median nervure is much narrower and longer than in I. Diasia ; the wing is more elongated, and the outer border rounded. Beneath: the borders of the wings are all rufous. The antennas are black; the collar is red, and the thorax streaked with white. Panama. 90.—ITHOMIA HERALDICA. 3 2. Exp. 2" 5.” Closely allied to I. Iphianassa (Dbldy. & Hew.), but quite distinct from all the local forms of that species. The neuration of the hind-wing differs from that of Z. Iphianassa in the middle disco- cellular running much less obliquely towards the apex, and the whole wing is shorter. The fore-wing differs in being very much broader, andin having an upper disco-cellular of considerable length, whilst this nervule in J. Jphianassa is so short as to be scarcely visible. The fore-wing is blackish-brown, with an elongated diaphanous stripe extending from the base to near the hind angle, a second oblique discoidal belt consisting of two elongated spots, a third sub-apical belt also of three spots, and an apical row of three round spots; the basal stripe and middle macular belt are bordered with dark tawny, which colour also occupies the basal half of the costal area ; the other macular belt is yellowish, the apical spots whitish. Antenne black, club tawny- yellow. Collar dark fulvous, thorax and wing lappets black lineated with grey. The hind-wing is reddish-tawny, paler, and diaphanous in the middle, and having a dentated narrow black border. Beneath: all the dark parts are ruddy-tawny ; fore-wing with five rounded white spots at the apex, hind-wing with six white marginal spots, and basal streak yellow. Costa Rica. 52 (August, In the “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society” for 1863 (p. 245, pl. xxix., f. 5), I described a local form of I. Iphianassa brought home by Messrs. Godman and Salvin from Panama. I have since found that this form, J. Iphianassa, var. panamensis, agrees very closely with Fabricius’ description of his Heliconia Lycaste in Entom. Systematica Il. I. 161, 497. Mr. Tryon Reakirt, of Philadelphia, has received this species from Kansas, much beyond the northern tropic.* 91.—ITHOMIA ADELPHINA. I. vireinrana, Hewits. Exot. Butt. Ithomia, f. 112 (?). This species is closely allied to L. virginiana, Hewits. loc cit. f. 54, and it is probable the same as represented in fig. 112 of the same work. Its chief difference from J. virginiana consists in the dark parts of the under-surface being of a deep black hue, including the outer border of the hind-wings ; these parts in the true L. virginiana being of a muddy- tawny hue. There is also a difference in the extent of the orange- tawny spot of the upper-side of the fore-wing, which in Ith. virginiana extends as far as, or beyond, the second median branch, and in J. adelphina does not reach the first median branch. I. virginiana inhabits Mexico and Guatemala; Ith. adelphina the Isthmus of Panama and New Granada; they may therefore Be con- sidered local forms of one and the same stock ; the differences, however, are constant and well-marked, and the two forms must be designated by separate names. 92.—ITHomr1a (OLERIA) XANTHINA. o. Exp.1’10." Alhed to Z. Gazoria, Godt., and I. Zemira, Hewits- Wings blackish ; fore-wing with an elongate triangular basal spot, and an oblong sub-apical one yellowish-hyaline, the former sulphur-yellow and sub-opaque in the middle. Hind-wing with a broad discal stripe of the same colour (also opaque and sulphur-yellow in the middle), extending to the abdominal edge. The broad outer borders have a row of white spots in both wings. Beneath: the same. Antenne black ; collar and wing-lappets reddish. Panama. (To be continued.) * An interesting form of the group to which I. heraldica and I. Iphianassa belong is the following, which I alluded to in the Proceedings Zool. Soe. loc. cit. as a local form of I. Iphianassa. Its differ- ences are too well marked to allow of its being considered as merely a local form of that species. Ith. Spruceana. Similar to the var. of J. Iphianassa figured in Hewits. Exot. Butt. Ith. f. 92, differs, however, in having a distinct upper disco-cellular nervule in the fore-wings (¢ & Q), in the cell spot of the fore-wing being prolonged towards the base, aud in the hind-wings being free from all trace © of black spot at the end of the cell, The colours are nearly the same, but the black border of the fore- wings is searcely widened at the apex. Western foot of Chimborazo, alt. 3—4,000 feet. Sent home in considerable numbers by Dr. Spruce. 1866.) = 53 REMARKS ON THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF CERTAIN SPECIES OF ERYCINA. BY A. G. BUTLER, F.Z.S. I find in the “ Annales de la Société Entomologique de France,” Tom. VI., p. 419 (1837), that Hrycina Butes of Clerck, and H. Lhetus of Cramer, are placed by M. Morisse as synonyms of #. Licarsis of Godart. In the “Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera,’ #. Butes being the older name, has been adopted as the specific title, and £. Licarsis placed as the synonym, #. Rhetus of Cramer being very properly con- sidered as a distinct species. Although the Licarsis of Godart may be identical with H. Butes, I do not think that the ZLicarsis of Fabricius can be the same, as his description does not suit that insect; and, moreover, he quotes #. Rhetus of Cramer as his species : with regard to the Licarsis of Morisse, I am fully convinced, from a careful examination of the two insects, that it is quite distinct from H. Butes. It is very probable that Fabricius’ species may be distinct even from Cramer’s insect, as the description does not at all agree with his figure ; it runs as follows :— “ Ale antice supra atre, fasciis duabus albis, subtus concolores, lineola punctoque baseos rubris. Postice supra atre fasciis duabus obliquis, albis, posteriore obsoleta. Cauda elongata, obtusa, punctis aliquot obsoletis, albis. Ad angulum ani puncta duo rubra. Subtus concolores at inter maculas anales puncta duo parva cyanea.” This description more nearly approaches H. Butes than the other species. Fabricius, however, makes no mention of the brilliant blue which is always found upon the hind-wings of that insect, and his description of the anal spots is rather vague. M. Morisse evidently considers his Licarsis to be the Brazilian form of Butes. He says— “Tes individus du Brésil ont les bandes blanches, un peu plus larges et moins teintées de bleu.” There are, however, several specimens of Butes from Rio Janeiro in the National Collection, and it is impossible to distinguish them from Venezuelan specimens. The species figured by Dr. Boisduval, Sp. Gén. Lép. pl. 20, f. 6, is undoubtedly the true Butes. The following description of the insect will, I think, show how very distinct H. Butes and EH. Licarsis are from one another : ~ ~ D4 [August, E. Bures, Clerck, Icon., pl. 46, t. 6 (1759). ' Ale antice supra atre, fasciis duabus angustis albis ceruleo tinctis ; macula basali rubra: postice atre fasciis duabus, interna brevi albi, externa coerulea ad caude extimum continuata; macula, fasciave brevi anali iridescente rubra, punctisque duabus tribusve indistinctis albis serve undulata positis; cauda elongata, obtusa, nigro-acuminata ; corpus nigro- Jfuscum, thorace ceruleo. Ale subtus atre, fasciis albis velut supra dispositis, macula anali rubra, punctisque tribus analibus albis : corpus fuscum, abdomine a latere rubro-punctato : exp. alar. une. 1, Hab. Brazil, Venezuela. E. Licanrsts, Morisse, Annales de la Société Entomologique de France Tom. VI, pl. 24, f. 1 (1887). Ale antice supra atre, fasciis duabus latis obliquis albis, macula basali rubra: postice atre cauda elongata cerulea albo-acuminata ; fascius duabus albis, interna lata angulum analem approximante, externa apicali, obsoleta ; fascia anali parva iridescente rubra, punctisque tribus albis distinctis serie obliqua positis. Ale subtus fasciis posticarum iridescentibus, cauda nigra: corpus abdomine a latere rubro: exp. alar. wne. 1%. Hab. Brazil. Both of these species are figured as HZ. Rhetus of Cramer in “Swainson’s Zoological Illustrations.” OBSERVATIONS ON TINEINA* BY H. T. STAINTON, F.LS. Incurvaria masculella.—On the 20th of June, 1864, Mr. Healy sent me a small case-bearer, which he had found at Snaresbrook on the 16th of that month. It was then mining the leaves of the wild rose, making a small whitish-green blotch ; and, afterwards, it appropriated the upper and lower cuticle of its blotch mine in the construction of its first case. Mr. Healy only collected three of these larve, but found many rose leaves with indications of where the larve had been. By the Ist of July, these larve had enlarged their cases on one side only, in the true Incurvaria fashion. In the spring of 1865, these larve produced Incurvaria masculella; thus this species also feeds on rose. Ihave an impression that it feeds on nearly all sorts of shrubs and young trees. SE gE OR AN Dal BE SS Ae * These were intended to appear in the Entomologist’s Annual for 1866, but were unavoidably excluded from want of space, 1866.] 55 Micropteryx unimaculella.—Farly in March, 1864, Mr. Healy kindly sent me pups of this species, from which I bred a nice series. It is ordinarily one of the most opaque of the group, and the bred specimens have a very fine appearance. Mr. Healy bred upwards of © 80 specimens, all of which were wnimaculella ; the larvee were collected by him at Wimbledon at the end of April and beginning of May, 1863. Mr. Healy says the larve were identically the same with those described as Nos.-8 and 9, Ent. Ann., 1862, p. 124. I have no doubt whatever that semipurpurella, purpurella, salopiella, and wnimaculella, are all good, true, and distinct species, and am disposed to believe others of the group will yet be detected. The continental specimens I have of amentella do not seem to accord with any of our species. Micropterya fastuosella.—1 visited Manton Copse, near Marl- borough, the first week in June, hoping again to meet with these larve in the nut leaves, but was entirely disappointed. I neither saw a single larva, nor even a leaf that had been mined by the larve, yet I looked on the very bushes where I had met with them in 1863.* It is well known that a leaf mined by a Micropterysx larva will remain in sitw for weeks and weeks after the larva has quitted it ; and as I could not have been too early, for the leaves were rather more expanded than in 1863, we have here an instance of the apparent disappearance of an insect. With reference to the habits of some of the larve of this genus, I may remark, that when they quit their mines and descend to the earth, they sometimes penetrate beneath the surface to a considerable distance ; thus, in February, 1865, Mr. T. Wilkinson wrote to me as follows :— “J am much afraid that I shall not breed any Microptery« this spring, as I believe that most of the larve which I had collected escaped out of the bottom of the flower-pot before I was aware of the fact of their going such a depth into the mould; this, no doubt, accounts for my non-success of last year with them.” Cerostoma nemorella.—When at Bideford in May, 1865, I collected these larve pretty freely by beating the honeysuckle towards dusk ; at that time of day they come up to the top of the plant to feed on the leaves. Mr. Healy had called my attention to the fact that it had been recorded that the larve of this species fed on the bark of the honey- suckle, but that, according to his experience, they fed on the leaves * Visiting the same locality this year, June 13th, I found a few nut leaves which had been tenanted by these larve, but was too late to find any larve still in them. 56 {August, (and I can now confirm this from my own observations). Mr. Jeffrey informs me that the young larve of this species are extremely like the young larvee of the common C. xylostella. Theristis caudella.—On the 10th of May, 1865, Mr. Dorville wrote to me that he had induced a specimen of this insect to lay some eggs, and had the young larve then feeding. The female deposited her eggs on the inside of the leaves of the expanding bud on the 6th and 7th of April, and the larve hatched on the 18th. Mr. Dorville kindly sent me some of the larve, which fed up with great ease before the end of June. It will be remembered, that in the Entomologist’s Annual for 1865, p. 182, it is noticed that larve of this species occurred near Saffron Walden, at the end of July and beginning of August. Eidophasia Messingiella.—Of this pretty species Mr. Jeffrey took a single specimen in a lane, near Saffron Walden, in the summer of 1864. About the third week in June, 1865, Mr. Hodgkinson met with this insect at Wildbottoms flying amongst Hgwisetwm ; he took about 100 specimens between 4 and 7 p.m., the dry weather having made the swamp traversable. Mr. Hodgkinson says that they seem to be attached to the Equisetum, that they are extremely local, and never leave the spots where that plant grows.* Depressaria capreolella.—l have bred specimens of this species from larve received from Dr. Schlager, of Jena., in the middle of June, 1865, feeding on Falcaria Rivini. This larva was “ Green, with the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines slightly darker; the head black; the second segment black, inclining to brownish-black at the front and sides ; the first pair of anterior legs black; the second and third pair pale green.” It will be remembered that this insect was bred June 26th, 1855, from a larva found by Mr. Douglas near Mickleham on Pimpinella saxifraga (Ent. Annual, 1856, p. 50). Depressaria carduella.—Through the kindness of Mr. Hodgkinson I have received the larva of this species, and have thus been able to describe it ; and Miss Wing has made an excellent portrait, both of the larva and its mode of feeding. Mr. Gregson, also, very kindly sent me a sketch of the larva, and its mode of feeding, lest by any chance I should have been away from home whilst the larva was figurable. * T have found this species in the marshes of the Darenth.—R. McL. 1866.] 57 Mr. Hodgkinson meets with these larve the first week in June, at Witherslack, in Westmoreland, on a high rocky situation amongst stunted thistles not above 8 or 9 inches high ; they must be no great rarity there, as in the season of 1864, Mr. Hodgkinson had 41 in the pupa state. The specimen forwarded to me, after being figured, duly entered the pupa state, and the moth appeared on the 2nd of July.* Gelechia desertella.__W hen at Bideford in May, 1865, I gathered some little pieces of moss on the sand hills at Northam Burrows; on the 31st of May, I bred from amongst this moss a specimen of Gelechia desertella, and, on searching amongst the moss, I found a firm sand cocoon, in which the pupa must have been reposing when I collected the moss. Gelechia aléella.—Mr. Healy informs me that a friend of his has bred this species from larvee which fed in the moss growing at the root of an oak tree in the autumn. This insect is the Tinea scalella of Scopoli, whose name, by the law of priority, must supersede the Fabrician name of aléella. (To be continued.) THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. (Continued from page 37.) AcIpALtIA INCANARIA—Common. - promutata—Cork and Kerry; common at Howth and Malahide. Bs SUBSERICEATA— Howth ; common. x imMutTaTA—Killarney ; do. _ REMUTATA—Do., and Wicklow. 5 FuMaTA— Widely distributed. 55 imrraRrA—Cork and Kerry. Ss sTRIGILATA—County Wicklow ; Mr. Bristow. ADVERSATA—Common. = INoRNATA— Kingstown, Killarney. TIMANDRA AMATARIA—Galway and Kerry. CaBERA PUSARIA—Common everywhere. - EXANTHEMARIA— Do. Corycra TEMERATA—Killarney ; abundant. S TAMINATA—Do. do. Macaria notata—Do. do. us LITuRATA— Widely distributed. * This year Mr, Hodgkinson has again kindly sent me a supply of the larva of this species. 58 , [August, Hata wavartaA— Widely distributed. STRENIA CLATHRATA— do. do. PANAGRA PETRARIA— Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. NuMERIA PULVERARIA— Powerscourt. ScopIONA BELGIARIA— Widely distributed, and common. SELIDOSEMA PLUMARTA—Common at Killarney. Frponia aTOMARIA—Common everywhere. pInrARIA—Mr. Greene’s list: locality unknown. I have not met with the insect. Scorta DEALBATA— Killarney. STERRHA SACRARIA— do. one specimen, 1864. ASPILATES STRIGILARIA—do., very abundant. cITRARIA— Powerscourt. GILVARIA— do. and Galway. ” ” +P) ABRAXAS GROSSULARIATA—Common. “3 uLMAaTa—County Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. Lrepra apustata—Counties Wicklow and Galway. LOMASPILIS MARGINATA—Common. HIYBERNIA RUPICAPRARIA— do. a LEUCOPH HARIA— do. . AURANTIARIA— do. <5 PROGEMMARIA— do. - DEFOLIARIA— do. ANISOPTERYX HSCULARIA— do. CHEIMATOBIA BRUMATA— do. OporRABIA DILUTATA— do. LARENTIA DIDYMATA— do. MULTISTRIGATA— Dublin cms1aTa—Generally distributed. saLticata—Killarney, by Dr. Wallace; also Galway. oLIvaTa— Common. és PECTINITARIA—dO. EMMELESIA ALCHEMILLATA—Common. ALBULATA— do. DECOLORATA— Powerscourt. T£xNtATA—Common at Killarney ; may be beaten freely from holly trees, but I believe only seeks them for the purpose of concealment. The larve, at present unknown, will probably be found to feed on the seed-vessels of Silene inflata, which is a common plant in the district. 1866. | 59 EMMELESIA UNIFASCIaTa—Taken at Kingstown by Mr. Greene. # pRIcETATA—Mourne Mountain; very local. n BLANDIATA—Common near Galway; also at Killarney, by Dr. Wallace. HuPITHECIA VENOSATA~— Generally distributed; very common at Howth. x PULCHELLATA—Kingstown ; Mr. Greene. % CENTAUREATA—Common. & SUCCENTURIATA—Howth. fa SUBFULVATA—Common. ms SUBUMBRATA—Galway ; common. ‘ PLUMBEOLATA—Killarney ; do. x ISOGRAMMATA— do. do. be PYGM#ATA—County Wicklow, Galway, and Portarmnock. . ARCEUTHATA— Killarney. fe SATYRATA— Generally distributed and common. - CASTIGATA— do. do. do. ms pENnoTaTaA—Killarney ; Dr. Wallace. : InnoTATA— Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. ‘9 consTrictata—Generally distributed and common - NANATA— do. do. do. - SUBNOTATA— do. do. do. _ VULGATA— do. do. do. a EXPALLIDATA — Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. iy ABSYNTHIATA— Common. "7 MINUTATA— do. = ASSIMILATA— do. Dublin. i VIRGAUREATA— do. - TRISIGNATA— Howth. . TENUIATA— Killarney. ; ABBREVIATA— Common. - ex1auaTa— Wicklow and Dublin. 5 SOBRINATA—Commonly at Kingstown, by Mr. Greene. ze PUMILATA—Generally distributed and common. a coronatTa— Dublin and Wicklow. 7 RECTANGULATA— do. do. 53 DEBILIATA— Very abundant at Killarney. Losopuora sExatata— Dr, Bull; locality unknown. ‘e VIRETATA— Common at Killarney. THERA SIMULATA— Common. YPsIPETES IMPLUVIATA— Pupa at Rathfarnham, under moss on Alders, by Mr. Greene. 60 (August, YPSIPETES ELUTATA—Generally distributed and common. MenanTHia RUBIGINATA— Dublin and Wicklow; not uncommon. a3 OCELLATA— do. do. do. i" ALBICILLATA— Wicklow, Kerry, and Galway. Metanrppp nastaTa— Killarney ; common. 5 TRISTATA— Widely distributed and common. a UNANGULATA— Belfast; Mr. Bristow. 3 rivata—Cork; Mr. Clear. . SUBTRISTATA— Common. 7 MONTANATA— Very common. Aa GALIATA— do. on the Coast. x FLUCTUATA— Very common. ANTICLEA BADIATA— do. Bs DERIVATA— Wicklow ; common. Coremia MunNiITATA— Belfast ; Mr. Bristow. * PROPUGNATA— Powerscourt ; abundant. = FERRUGATA— Generally distributed and common. * UNIDENTARIA— do. do. 5 QUADRIFASCIARIA—A specimen in the Belfast Museum ; locality unknown. CAMPTOGRAMMA BILINEATA— Generally distributed and very common. a FLUVIATA— Howth and Malahide. PHIBALAPTERYX LIGNATA—County Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. Scoros1a DuBITATA— Kingstown, by Mr. Greene. . ceRTATA— Malahide. + UNDULATA— Powerscourt. Crparta PstTracaTa— Common at Ivy in County Wicklow. | “4 MIATA— do. do. do. also at Howth. a coryLaTta— County Wicklow, common. E RUSSATA— do. do. fs mManatTa— Killarney and Galway; abundant. surrumMaTa— Abundant and generally distributed. Ls SILACEATA— do. do. * PRUNATA— do. do. A TESTATA— do. do. ‘3 POPULATA— do. do. _ FULVATA— do. do. PYRALIATA— Powerscourt and Howth. potata— Cork, Kingstown, and Powerscourt. PELURGA COMITATA— Common at Howth. 1866. ] 61 EvsBouia cervinartA— Common at Howth. MENSURARIA— Common. - PALUMBARIA— do. i BIpUNCTARIA— Mr. Greene’s list ; no locality given. - LINEOLATA—On Mangerton Mountain, near Killarney, at a considerable elevation ; a strange locality for this coast-loving insect. Carsta IMBUTATA— Howth. ANAITIS PLAGIATA.— Generally distributed and common. CuHEsIAs sparTiata— Mr, Tardy’s collection. TANAGRA CHHROPHYLLATA— Very common. 192 species of the 269 Geometre in the British list. Of the genus Phibalapteryx there is only one representative. 12 of the British Acidalig, and 16 of the British Hupithecie, have not yet been observed in Ireland. (To be continued.) OBSERVATIONS ON THE ECONOMY, MOULTING, AND PUPATION, &c., OF A LARVA OF NEPTICULA AURELLA, TOGETHER WITH SOME REMARKS RESPECTING THE HABITS OF THE PARASITE OF THAT SPECIES. BY CHARLES HEALY. (Concluded from page 29.) The pupa presented a very pretty appearance, the head, thorax, and wing-cases being enclosed, as it were, in a covering of very thin white glass, the abdomen being of a pale sulphur-yellow; the pupa was then exceedingly tender, and could only be touched with the greatest caution. About three parts down the dorsal surface of the abdomen a pale brown patch was observable, and on the back of the head were two parallel chains of dusky coloured dots; after two days the eyes became pale brown, and the two parallel chains of dusky spots disappeared, and their place was occupied by a pale reddish patch, and three little dark spots were visible near the base of the thorax. The colour of the abdomen gradually deepened to orange-yellow ; the next day the spots near the base of the thorax disappeared, and also the brown patch on the abdomen. The pupa, which had hitherto remained inactive, now wriggled its abdomen about, and the parts of the pupa having now become much firmer, it could be turned about and examined with less risk of injury. 62 [August, No further change took place in the markings of the pupa till about the middle of the month of March, when the brown abdominal patch re-appeared, and showed through the ventral surface; the next day two short projections were observed at the posterior end of the abdomen; these proved to be the ends of the wing-cases, which I had previously noticed were gradually retiring over the sides of the pupa; the following day the eyes, which had been slowly deepening in colour, turned quite black, and the ventral surface of the pupa became ~ partially split open, and down the centre of the portion so split open, several faint dusky spots were dimly traceable (these spots, I believe, were caused by the thoracic, and a portion of the abdominal ganglia, faintly shadowing through the body of the pupa). The next day a rather thick dark streak appeared down the centre of the thorax, and two days later, this streak was crowned by a little circular dusky spot; the brown patch on the dorsal surface of the abdomen shrank lower down, and the feet of the future imago slowly began to separate themselves from the pupa; the following day the dusky streak, which had appeared three days previously down the centre of the thorax, became reduced to a mere line, and instead of being crowned, as before, by a little circular dusky spot, the place of the latter was occupied by two short parallel lines; a small cluster of three dusky spots also appeared on the centre of the abdomen. On the 2nd of March the thorax became free of all markings, and one of three dusky spots on the back of the abdomen disappeared, and the other two soon followed it, and the light brown abdominal patch (wnich had become reduced to a mere speck) had almost dis- appeared, having shrunk down to the extreme end of the abdomen, from which it ultimately retired altogether. Seven days later a dark spot was observable on each side of the base of the thorax; these spots gradually enlarging, finally became blended into one dark coloured blotch, which slowly spread over the thorax, head, and wing-cases, turning them shining black; after which, the deeper colour spread to the abdomen, though the latter only became slightly discoloured in comparison with the head, thorax, and wing- cases, on which the usual markings of the imago gradually made their appearance. On the 3rd of April the pupa skin, splitting at the back of the head, enabled the imago to effect its escape by leaving the skin behind it on the leaf; it hurried up the side of the cage, and unfolded its wings to dry. 1866.) : 638 For three days, every time the glass cover of the jar was raised, the imago raced up the side of the jar at its very hardest, anxious to effect its escape; by the end, however, of the fourth day, it was not quite so lively in its movements. On the evening of the sixth day, its movements were confined to little jerky flights amongst the lower part of the jar; and on the 7th and last day of its existence, it was only capable of fluttering about the bottom of the jar in a feeble state, and ultimately expired with its wings fully expanded. Notes on Coleoptera at Loch Rannoch ; including two species new to Britain, and description of a new Oxypoda.—Having recently visited this now well-known Ento- mological hunting-ground in pursuit of beetles, under somewhat different conditions as to weather, and at a rather later time of the year, as compared with the trip recorded in Vol. II. by Mr. Sharp and myself, I have hurriedly written a few remarks which I hope may prove not altogether uninteresting to Coleopterists who have not worked in the Highlands. As before, I was not left in solitude during my stay ; being joined soon after arriving at Camachgouran by the Rev. T. A. Marshall (from whose pen I can promise a notice of the Homoptera, §’c., observed during his visit),— and, after a time, by Messrs. T. Blackburn and Geldart. The general insect pro- ductions of the district had, therefore, rather a warm time of it, all being fish (so to speak) that came to our nets; though fish in the flesh was scarce, as, indeed, was everything eatable and potable,—barring oatmeal and water. We heard rumours, moreoyer, of other collectors at Glencoe, some 25 miles distant ; and our own immediate district had been already worked by Messrs. Crotch and Sharp in the spring; so that it will be readily understood that the indigenous Gaels were quite accustomed to the ways of Entomologists: their familiarity, indeed, almost verging upon contempt, e.g., a spasmodic effort on my part to obtain meat from Kinloch pro- duced a parcel by the mail cart directed “To the fyman at Camachgouran.” Of course, the majority of the Coleoptera observed were of the same species as we remarked last year; some, however, then abundant, were conspicuously rare on the present occasion, notably the whole of the Elateridw, for which I expect an earlier journey must be made. Hn revanche, I founda few that I had not succeeded in capturing during my former visit. First of these, I may notice Dendrophagus crenatus (of which two were taken by my friend, Mr. R. Hislop, here last year) ; many visits to the saw-pit at Dall, undertaken chiefly in the hope of getting it, finally rewarded me with one specimen of this elegant creature, which I found coursing rapidly towards evening over a bare fir log, one of many stripped of their bark by me. Here also, on unbarked and licheny larches, I found Rhagiwm indagator in great profusion, running and prying about in the hot sunshine; and was much struck with the great resemblance between the tints of the insect and the trees, in the crevices of the bark of which, especially near the ground, stragglers of Dictyopterus Aurora were still to be seen. This species turned up in some numbers in its old habitat among the damp pine chips under the logs, accompanied by its Lampyriform 64 { August, larvee, one of which I observed making a meal of a defunct Geotrwpes; and the perfect insect was taken flying rather freely towards evening, and more sparingly in the middle of the day. On the logs I captured the fragile Dircea levigata, Hlater pomorum, a few Pytho depressus (whose forked-tail larva abounded under bark, with that of the ever present Rhagivm), and divers wandering Clerus formicarius, the latter much resembling a large exotic ant. Here also, among the damp chips, were Trechus rubens (as before), and Pterostichus orinomus, which I also found under stones at the Loch side and on the mountain slopes. With these, in fungoid growth, Hister succicola, Triplax russica, and Philonthus succicola occurred (one of the Staph. with two five-jointed tarsi to one of its hind- legs), accompanied by hosts of the beautiful though common Bolitobius atricapillus. Towards evening, divers Tomici (bidens and acwminatus) and Cis festivus were to be taken wandering on barked logs; and the welcome sight of powdery black fungus assured the presence of Liodes, very many specimens of castanea, glabra, and humeralis lurking in such growth, and whole families of them haunting the mouldy chips and dirt immediately beneath the trees whereon it occurred. Astinomus, Pissodes, Hylobius, Hylastes, Rhizophagus, and Epurea pusilla in swarms, were exposed by turning over newly-sawn planks ; all being, indeed, more or less common everywhere. Astinomus, judging from the freshness and perfect condition of some of my specimens, appeared to be just emerging from pupa, though the insect had been observed for months. I found several live pupze under bark, and was startled one morning at 5 a.m. (broad sunlight) by seeing a fine male of the beetle fly down upon my modest bed (and dining) room window, which his horns nearly spanned. Asemum was not so intrusive as formerly, though common enough, lurking in the deep layers and cracks of fir bark ; it is so abundant as to be well known to the wood-cutters, who call it the “ soft timberman.” There were but few unbarked logs to be found within some miles of the village : but by pertinacious hunting I contrived to find here and there one fit to work,—the best things obtained therefrom being Hpurea angustula (2), Omalium inflatum (4), Xyloterus lineatus (several), Quedius wanthopus (rare), Q. levigatus (common), Bolitochara obliqua, Homalota pilosa, H. imnversa, Placusa sp., Phleocharis, Leptwsa analis (not rare), Philonthus splendidulus, &c. Lalso found a fine male of Homalota fusco-femorata, Wat. (picipes, Thoms.), very like occulta, but readily distinguishable by the abrupt central triangular notch in its upper penultimate abdominal segment. The Quedii are easier to see than catch (except a wide beating-net be held beneath the log when ripping off the bark), as they drop and race off directly their hiding- places are exposed. I obtained many mature pupe, but failed to rear the insects satisfactorily in a box, as they require a point d’appui to assist them in shuffling off their mortal coil. Stumps left in the ground were productive in a less degree, and not easy to discover with bark on, Those recently cut had the accustomed Asemum, Ips 4-punctata, &c., on their turpentine-oozing upper surface ; and the older ones pro- duced Melanotus castanipes, Rhyncolus chloropus (abundant), Agathidiwm rotundatum (common), and Liodes, Quedius, Leptusa, &c., with two species of Cerylon. Once I found Bradycellus collaris under bark,—a curious locality, only to be equalled by finding a fine large black Malthodes (near marginatus) and Salpingus ater in moss on the top of one of the mountains. ; : 1866.] 65 On stripping the bark from moderately recent stumps, I was much gratified at being able to see so easily the relations of Ips, Rhizophagus, and Epwrea with regard to Hylwrgus and Hylastes, as mentioned by M. Perris in the French Annales. The galleries of the latter insects, carried down to the sappy living wood, were thronged with species of the three first-mentioned genera, as well as by their legitimate tenants ; and I even caught a Rhizophagus (ferrugineus) with its head and thorax sunk into the rear of a sickly Hylurgus piniperda. Bulky specimens of Ips, piratically intent, seemed quite blocked up in the narrow channels of Hylastes’ larvee. Generally, sweeping was but of little use. No Ceuthorhynchus save erice gladdened my eyes; though at Longniddry, on my way north, I got upwards of 50 of the rare C. hirtulus. The Telephori were nothing like so common as before ;— T. paludosus, elongadays, testacews, and the much vexed 21 sp.*—?, being the chief (and sparse) so ae of the genus. One or two species of Malthodes, and Scymnus nigrinus, occurred under fir trees; the curious little Anthonomus mentioned in my former notes was still common in marshy places, certainly off dwarf sallow only, and never varying ; Saperda scalaris, a gorgeous sight, fell to my net off alder bushes on the banks of the rapid burn; and Cryptocephalus 10-punctatus was to be found on dwarf sallow as before ;—an additional insight into its habits being afforded by my observing that it does not care much for rain, as I took several specimens (in cop.) during showers. Inthe very hot sunshine this insect absolutely flies almost as sharp as a Cicindela when approached. C. lineola could only be found by me in its ordinary striped condition, and that but sparingly: and Thyamis holsatica, as before, represented the Halticide. A few Diacanthus impressus, vars. of female Campylus, Elater nigrinus, and Sericosomus brunneus were the chief of the Elateride ; except some females of Corymbites cwpreus, which sex was very rare last year, though hundreds of males were to be had. Donacia aquatica, also, was much less common than heretofore. Agarics on old birches produced Cis bidentatus, nitidus, and lineatocribratus in swarms ; one puffy little white fungus containing four or five Thymalus imbatus. Hunting among stones by the burn-side, I found Helophorus arvernicus, Parnus awuriculatus, Bledius subterraneus, Hydrena riparia, and a Homalota, which I hope will turn out to be cambrica ; also the pretty Coccinella 5-punctata, running rapidly among the Lotus plants, to the red calyx of which it bears a superficial resemblance in colour. I was much surprised to find no less than eleven specimens of Anisotoma dubia (in all its varieties) under a stone on the sandy spit at Dall; though last year I found a single example under similar circumstances. The habits of the members of this genus are certainly as erratic (tending to “ fluky” captures) as those of Tachinus elongatulus, which I found crawling on a wall, and also under a stone on the hill side; one can never be sure of a locality for this species. . Carabus glabratus, Amara bifrons, Silpha nigrita, Otiorhynchus mawrus and rugifrons occurred in the paths; Aleochara brevipennis, Stenus fuscipes, and Ocalea picata in moss; Ptinus crenatus in numbers in my bedroom woodwork; Cetonia enea flying passim ; and sheep dung produced myriads of the Aphodius known to us as lapponum, A. putridus, A. depressus, &c., accompanied (on the high ground) by Deliphrum tectum, Autalia puncticollis, Tachinus provimus, T. pallipes, T. | flanipes, &e. 66 jAugust, By exploring a tall mountain behind Cross Craig, known to the aborigines as “Grayvel” (signifying “rough,” as I was informed, and amply deserving that adjective), several insects came to light which were not to be had elsewhere; Miscodera arctica at the summit, Calathus micropterus and C. nubigena, the usual Patrobus septentrionis and P. clavipes (abundantly), Otiorhynchus maurus, Trechus obtusus, Oxypoda aterrima (Wat. Cat.), Homalota tibialis, H. nitidula, and the insect previously recorded as Schistoglossa viduata, but which is not that species (of which I only know of two examples,—one in Mr. Crotch’s possession, taken by Mr. Wollaston, and the other in Mr. Waterhouse’s cabinet), but an apparently undescribed Homalota (Atheta, Thom.), being all taken here, with Tachinus elonga- tulus, Mycetoporus nanus, &e. Turning over stones, and shaking the rough moss between them, produced Anthophagus alpinus in numbers (with many cornuted males), Arpedium brachypterum and Geodromicus globulicollis in some quantity, and Stenus geniculatus, Bythinus securiger, and the Lesteva formerly brought forward as monticola (but which appears to be undescribed) more sparingly. Here also I found, in moss near the summit, a specimen of an insect about the size and build of Mycetoporus punctus (Mr. Marshall also found one, but much smaller than mine), but which, from the structure of its maxillary palpi, is evidently a Bryoporus, and I think must be referred to B. rufus, Er. (Gen. et Spee. Staph., 273, 8), a species new to Britain, of which it appears to be a not previously noticed dark variety. It is almost pitchy-black in colour, with the edges of the thorax and elytra and margins of the abdominal segments lighter; and, as far as colour goes, would seem to fit better with the descriptions of the already recorded B. cernwus, which is noticed as varying from black with red elytra to almost entirely red; but the proximity of its thoracic punctures to the fore and hind margins,—the greater length of its elytra, the punctuation of the striz of which is somewhat obsolete, and of the interstices both irregular and obsolete,—and the evident thickening of its antenne (Er., loc. cit., p. 273; a character not noticed by Kraatz or Thomson), all point to B. rufus; of which, although no dark form has been recorded, a variety with the head and breast pitchy-black is given by Erichson. I also found, on the summit of the same mountain, some specimens of a very small and (when alive) almost entirely pale Oxypoda, identical with a species sent me some time ago by Mr. Morris Young, which I am inclined to refer to the O. soror of Thomson (Ofv., 1855; Skand. Col., iii, 24, 1), a species also new to our lists. Its entirely testaceous hue, except a very slight infuscation in the middle of the abdomen, scarcely perceptible (if at all) when alive, but becoming darker and spreading after death,—short elytra, which are not so long as the thorax,—and long antenne, which are distinctly as long as the head and thorax, and are but slightly thickened towards the apex,—readily distinguish it from all our other small testaceous species. Under stones near the top of “ Grayvel,” I took a few examples of another Oxypoda, allied to lentula, Er., but with somewhat more the form of longiuscula, Er., and which, imagining it to be undescribed, I characterize as follows: O. RUPICOLA (n. sp.): elongata, sub-parallela, nigra, sub-opaca, tenuiter sericeo- sppubescens, elytris depressiusculis, antennis pedibusque piceo-nigris, his genubus tarsisque vie dilutioribus. Long. 14 lin. 1866.) 67 Compared with O. lentula, it is of a rather deeper black colour, with longer antenne, the joints of which are not quite so transverse,—the thorax not so wide,— the elytra longer, the head more inclined to be parallel-sided, not being widest behind and contracted in front, as in that species,—and the tarsi (especially the hinder pair) longer and thinner. There is another insect, O. islandica, Kraatz (Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1857, 285), also allied to O. lentula; but which, from its shorter elytra, fusco-testaceous apex, &c., cannot be identical with O. rupicola. Compared with O. longiuscula, the species now being described may be known by its uniformly black colour, smaller size, and shorter and slighter antennz, the joints of which are less conic. 0. rwpicola must also be closely allied to O. obscura, Kraatz (Ins. Deuts. II., 1057) ; from which, however, it seems by description to be sufficiently distinguishable through its smaller size, darker legs, the dark base to its antennz (which are, moreover, less stout, and have the apical joint especially less broad), its narrower head, &c.—E. C. Rye, 284, King’s Road, Chelsea, S.W., 17th July, 1866. Oryptocephalus 10-punctatus in Staffordshire.—I have much pleasure in recording the capture (I believe for the first time in England) of Cryptocephalus 10-punctatus, Linn. in Staffordshire. My friend, Mr. Harris, of Burton, happened to show me, about a fortnight since, a Cryptocephalus that he said was new to him, and as he had found only one specimen, he thought by chance it might be a variety. I so liked the look of it that [ agreed to make an excursion with him on purpose to take some more. The day we went was unfortunately very windy, but 1 managed to take three and Mr. Harris one. On coming home and looking at last year’s Annual, I found it was the insect taken by Messrs. Rye and Sharp last year at Rannoch, C. 10-punctatus of Linnzus. Two of my specimens are yellow with black spots; the other is the black variety, with red spots on the forehead. We found the insect on birch, accompanied by Cryptocephalus flavilabris, Vineola, and labiatus, Elater balteatus, Sericosomus brunneus, Magdalinus carbonarius, Lwperus rufipes, and flavipes, ¥c.— W. Garneys, Repton, June 23rd, 1866. Capture of rare Coleoptera in London.—The following three rather rare species of Coleoptera have been recently taken in the court-yard of the British Museum, viz., Homalota hepatica, male and female, and Calodera wmbrosa, by myself; and Deleaster dichrius by my brother Frederick; this last insect was found under a stone in a damp situation. Epwp. WATERHOUSE, British Museum, July 17th, 1866. Query respecting Lithosia caniola.—Mr. Birchall states that this species is found ‘on one point of the Irish Coast, and in no other part of the British Islands.” The first British specimens of this species that I saw, were in a box of Lepi- doptera which Mr. King brought here. Nearly all the insects in this box were unset, and he assured me they were all taken near Torquay. They were mostly in very bad condition. Mr. King told me that these Lithosie were caught on the coast near Torquay, and he supposed them to be faded specimens of one of the common species. 68 (August, Has Mr. Birchall any doubts about the correctness of Mr. King’s statement ? and if so, where does he suppose Mr. King’s specimens were taken ?—Hrnry Dovptepay, Epping, July 14th, 1866. Note on Notonecta maculata and other water-Hemiptera.—In the last number of “The Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine,” my friend Mr. Douglas records the capture, in clay pits at Lee, of Notonecta maculata, a species which, he says, had hitherto been received only from the West of England. It was common here, years ago, in the gravel pits on the edge of the forest; quite as common, I think, as N. glauca and furcata. Ranatra linearis and Naucoris cimicoides were also common in the same pits, most of which are now filled up and the land cultivated.—Id. Occurrence of Sisyra Dalii and S. terminalis near Reigate.—On the occasion of the Entomological Society’s excursion to Reigate on the 6th inst., I captured four examples of Sisyra Dalii (vide Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. 2, p. 268) by beating the bushes on the banks of the river Mole. These are not so large as the specimens I had previously seen, of Mr. Dale’s capturing, and thus the comparison of sizes already given (loc. cit.) is scarcely correct. A subsequent visit to the same locality has produced three more, and I also found §S. terminalis rather commonly; but the generally distributed S. fuscata was represented by a single individual only; pro- bably the Mole is too turbid and sluggish a stream for the latter species. Both 8. Dalit and S. terminalis are at present known only as British, but I can scarcely suppose that they do not occur on the Continent, where they are probably over- looked, being undoubtedly confined to particular streams.—R. McLacutan, Forest Hill, July 14th, 1866. Description of the larva of Leucania pallens, with notes on its habits, §c.—After many attempts to rear this species from eggs, I have at length succeeded, much to my satisfaction. The moth is common enough, yet the larva is not often found by collectors, even when specially searching for grass-feeders, as I have had ample proof through many seasons. Eggs, however, can readily be obtained, and friends have supplied me with them in previous years that duly hatched, but the young larvee always died or escaped when a few days old. When they leave the eggs they are exceedingly active and restless, evincing no desire for food, but seem bent on escaping from confinement; possibly the proper species of grass not having been supplied, previous broods having been placed on Triticum repens and Dactylus glomeratus. I am indebted to Mr. D’Orville for a further supply of eggs in September, 1865, which hatched during their transit by post, and the young larves were put on a tuft of Aira cespitosa, aud after a day or two of incessant exercise they settled to their food, eating only the cuticle or green portions of tle blades, leaving transparent patches on the grass. They appeared to hybernate in December, but as they were kept within doors all the winter, their hybernation was but partial, for I observed them once or twice on the tops of the grass in January and February, at that time about half-an-inch Jong, and much darker in colour than most of their congeners at that stage of growth. 1866.] ; 69 When nearly an inch long they ate the grass through, generally from the tops downwards, remaining on it by day if their glass covering was shaded, but other" wise hiding close to the roots. The most forward one was full grown by the 14th March, and the latest by ' 30th May, 1866, the perfect insects appearing from June 4th to July 9th. The larvee are cylindrical, ground colour ochreous, greyish, or greyish-ochreous, with a whitish dorsal line outlined with dark grey running through the middle of an oval shape of brownish-grey on each segment. Sub-dorsal, line whitish, margined above with a greyish stripe, and below by a thin brownish line, and after an interval of the ground colour, another fine line of brown, edged below with a thin line of pale ochreous, followed by a broad stripe of greyish, the black spiracles being along its lower edge; below is a broad stripe of pale ochreous; belly and fore-legs ochreous-grey ; ordinary dots along the back dark brown, and very small. Head mottled with grey-brown.—W. BuckiEr, Emsworth. Description of the larva of Acidalia contiguaria.—Through the kindness of Messrs. Greening and Bond, Mr. Buckler and myself have had the pleasure of rearing the larva of this species this season. The larva, after hybernation, at the beginning of April, was about half-an-inch in length ; and at that time, although rugose, and presenting a most decided wave- like appearance, was not at all so plainly marked as it afterwards became. The ground colour was a warm ochreous-brown above, and a dark chocolate brown beneath ; and on the middle segments was a row of elongated diamond-shaped markings, slightly darker than the ground colour, with the four usual dots on each segment blackish ; along the spiracular region the dark and light shades of brown met in a sort of zig-zag line. About April 20th the larva moulted for the last time, and after that continued to feed for about four weeks. When full-fed it was about three-quarters of an inch in length, belonging to the shorter and thicker type of Acidalia larve, rather flattened below, slightly tapering from tail to head, rugose ; the head small and bifid. The back of a buff- brown, brighter on the head and three following segments ; a dark sub-dorsal (but no dorsal) line on these same segments; at segment five the sub-dorsal line ceases, and the dorsal row of dark-brown elongated diamonds begins ; this contracts to a double dorsal line, but is much darker, on the hinder segments; the usual dots black, emitting bristles ; the spiracular region puffed and puckered, bordered below with a broad irregular stripe of dark brown; the centre of the belly of an ochreous-brown. When disturbed the larva draws back the front segments, but I did not see it twist into a coil. Understanding that the food must be Empetrum nigrum, we troubled our friends to send us a supply of this plant out of Yorkshire, and then soon found that ling, whitethorn-buds and Polygonum aviculare were just as acceptable! The two moths emerged on June 27th and July 5th.—J. Heiuins, July 12th. Trochiulum chrysidiforme at Folkestone.—During three weeks’ stay at Folkestone, I met with several fine specimens of this beautiful clearwing.—E. Mrxx, 5, King Street, Old Ford Road, N.E. 70 [August, Note on the food-plant of Lycena Corydon.—The larva of L. Corydon is frequently said to feed on the bird’s-foot trefuil (Lotus corniculatus), but I strongly suspect that it has never been found on that plant. The food of the species is Hippocrepis comosa, a plant closely resembling Lotus corniculatus in the flowers, but differing widely from it in the leaf and legume. This plant is confined to chalk and limestone districts. In the neighbourhood of Cambridge we get the larva in abundance on the Hippocrepis, and lately I have been trying to make them take kindly to the Lotus. I mixed some of these two plants together, and found that, while they eat up every morsel of the Hippocrepis, they left the Lotus. The leaves of this latter, however, had minute notches, as if the larva had tasted them, found out their mistake, and passed on; but though I made my larve fast, they still refused to feed on it. This preference that the larva shows for the chalk plant, and its reluctance to touch the widely distributed one, throws much light on the distribution of the butterfly. I might mention, as an instance of how easily these two plants may be mistaken, that the other day, when I told an entomologist (who has sent these larve all over England) my opinion about the food-plant of this insect, he replied, “‘ Why! I have never seen the larva on anything else but bird’s- foot trefoil.” I found, however, that those he had in his possession were all feeding on Hippocrepis. It would be well if entomologists would pay a little more attertion to botany.—J. Greper, Cambridge. [We shall be glad to hear from other observers on the same subject.—EDs. | Remarks on Dr. Jordan’s notes “ On the similarity of the insects of North America and of England.” The subject of the similarity of the insects of northern Europe and the tem- perate and boreal portions of the North American continent has attracted the attention of entomologists, ever since the natural productions of America became familiar to us, and it is now known that upwards of three hundred North American species of all orders are considered as absolutely identical with Huropean forms while numerous others are so closely allied as to be the subjects of remark. Before proceeding further, it may be as well to enumerate the various “theories of creation,” one or other of which is most congenial to this or that mind. Firstly, we have the original hypothesis of a comprehensive creation, which included all forms now living, as well as those now extinct, many of which have left their testimonies in the rocks as the sole indication of their existence at periods more or less remote. Secondly, the idea of special separate centres of contemporaneous creations has its adherents. Thirdly, there is the theory of progressive creation, either continuous or per saltus. Fourthly, the “origin of species by means of natural selection,” or the Darwinian theory, more or less modified. In another place (Trans. Ent. Soc., ser. 3, vol. ii., p. 466) I have stated that, although, perhaps, not prepared to accept the latter hypothesis in its entirety, I still look upon it as a reasonable manner of accounting for phenomena which are otherwise inexplicable, and have brought forward the subject of Dr. Jordan’s notes in support of my opinion. In scrutinising Dr. J.’s remarks, it appears that, while he is, at all eyents, not ready to accept either of the two last mentioned theories, and is still, like all of us, “ crying for the light,’ he is yet decidedly opposed to give a favourable reception to “ natural 1866] 7 selection.” In saying, thatif we support this theory, we must suppose that a certain species was developed in both regions, he will, I know, pardon me if I state that the ‘‘ developmental” idea is misunderstood. It is not necessary for a moment to imagine that a dual development has taken place. On the contrary, may we not surmise, that long before that remote period when the bed of the Atlantic had no existence as such, and when the dry land was continuous between what we now term Europe and America, this species had already spread itself over a vast area; and that, when the outlying boundaries of the region peculiar to it had become separated by an immense expanse of ocean, it still continued to preserve its pecu- liarities intact? JIthink so. Natural selection does not work in a regular manner, but is most capricious and uncertain in its effects, as is well exemplified in the human race; for do we not find that the Hebrew nation, dispersed as it is from one end of the globe to the other, has preserved from remote historic times, and still preserves, under all conditions of surrounding circumstances, its physical charac- teristics ? whereas the inhabitants of the States of America have already, in very few generations, acquired national physical peculiarities of the most marked nature. The occurrence, therefore, of an identical form in two widely separated districts, does not prove that it was “‘developed” in both, but rather that it is slow to become affected by various changes in surrounding conditions, in contradistinction to those forms which, there is every reason to believe, readily adapt themselves to organic physical changes, and are highly susceptible of alterations in conditions. I must protest against the assertion that “‘it is the business of entomologists to deal with facts and not with hypotheses.” When the matter is purely descriptive entomology, the more facts areadhered to, and hypotheses dispensed with, the better ; hut when on a subject of phenomena similar to that which we are now consider- ing, it is our duty to enquire how these facts became facts, and if we are precluded from perfectly satisfying ourselves as to these points, we should lean towards that hypothesis which, to our individual inward conviction, seems the most reasonable. Above all, we should never become conservatives in science, allowing traditional and educational influences to weigh against a comparatively recent idea, because it is recent. The days in which naturalists occupied themselves ewclusively in mechanical descriptive work, or in “facts” only, are fast passing away, and the time has com- menced in which facts are no longer considered as valuable for their intrinsic merits alone, but as guides to point out the intricate path of philosophical enquiry. The physician does not seek to cure a disease through a simple knowledge of the symptoms; he first seeks rather to ascertain the probable cause, as evidenced by the symptoms or facts. I know of no more expressive, more trite, language bearing on this point, than the following extract from a lecture delivered by the Rev. Charles Kingsley at the Royal Institution. He says, “I can conceive few human states “more enviable than that of the man to whom, watching for his life under the tropic “forest, Isis shall for a moment lift the sacred veil, and show him, once and for “ever, the thing he dreamed not of—some law, or even mere hint of a law, explain- “ing one fact; but explaining it with a thousand more, connecting them all with “each other, and with the mighty whole, till order and meaning shoot through “some old chaos of scattered observations.’—RoBpert McLAcuLan, Forest Hill, 2nd July, 1866. 79 [August, 1866. ENTomoLocicaL Society or Lonpon. 2nd July, 1866.—Sir Joun Lusszock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The Hon. Thomas De Grey, M.P., of Arlington Street, Piccadilly, and Merton Hall, Thetford, and Christopher Ward, Esq., of Halifax, were elected Members. The President invited the Members to spend the day with him at Farnborough, on Saturday, the 11th of August next. Mr. Stainton exhibited a seed-head of Typha latifolia which had been sent to him by the Hon. T. De Grey, and which was infested with the larve of Laverna phragmitella; and also a series of the Gelechia bred from the galls of Gypsophila sawifraga. He mentioned that he had received a letter from M. Milliére, stating that the rye crops near St. Etienne, in France, had suffered greatly from the ravages of a larva which he (Mr. 8.) believed to be that of Ochsenhevmeria taurella. Mr. Bond exhibited an example of Dianthacia cwsia, specimens of which had recently been taken by Messrs. Gregson and Hopley, in the Isle of Man; and specimens of Sesia philanthiformis bred from pupz sent by Mr. Greening from the same locality: together with a Phycita which he thought might benew. He further exhibited a series of remarkably large examples of Papilio Machaon, and stated that most of those bred this year were very fine. Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited an old example of Dianthecia cesia from the late Mr. Bentley’s collection, which was said to have been captured in Yorkshire ; it was identical in appearance with the Isle of Man specimens. Mr. E. Saunders exhibited some Lepidoptera from Mexico, including a fine gynandromorphous example of a species of Euterpe. Mr. Stevens exhibited specimens of Dicranocephala Wallichtt from Northern India, and D. Bowringii from Southern China. The Rev. Douglas Timins sent some notes on the larvae of Charawes Jasius and Melitea provencialis, which he had bred in England from continental larvae. Mr. Pascoe made some further remarks on the insects found in cylindrical holes in the snow fields of Switzerland (see Proceedings for April 3rd, 1865, Ent. Month. Mag., Vol. I., p. 284), in connection with a paper by Mr. Albert Miller, in the July number of the “ Zoologist,” in which he referred to Von Tschudi’s “‘ Thierleben der Alpenwelt,” p. 465, the latter stating that insects fly on the snow, apparently for the purpose of absorbing oxygen. Professor Brayley alluded to an old idea that melting snow contained free oxygen. Professor Westwood stated that bees, during sunny weather, when the snow was on the ground, had a habit of settling on it, and were thus killed. The President called attention to a paper by M. Balbiani on the generation of Aphides, published in the June number of the “ Comptes Rendus,” in which the author advances the theory that these insects are true hermaphrodites. Professor Westwood mentioned, in regard to this subject, that he had been much puzzled at observing, that on some rose-trees which were placed away from any overhanging trees or shrubs, the young buds, morning after morning, were each occupied by a fat apterous Aphis, although the plants had all been carefully cleaned on the preceding day. Hecould not imagine by what means they had come there. Mr. Edward Sheppard said he had observed similar occurrences. September, 1866. | 73 THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. (Continued from page 61.) NOCTUA. THYATIRA DERASA—Very common, Killarney, Wicklow, Galway, Howth. ms BATIS— do. do. CyMATOPHORA DUPLARIS—Killarney. bs FLUCTUOSA— Do. - DILUTA— Do. 53 or—Dr. Bull. No locality known to me. Sy ocuLARIS—Powerscourt ; Mr. Greene. * FLAVICORNIS— Common. BrYOPHILA PERLA— do. Acronycta TRIDENS-—Dublin and Galway. Ms pst—Common. ts LEPORINA— Wicklow and Kerry ; common. ss AcERIS—Galway. a MEGACEPHALA—Common. ye ALNI— Wicklow ; one specimen. S LIGUSTRI—Galway ; not uncommon. = RUMIcIs—Very common. a Myrico®—Killarney, by Dr. Battersby. LEUCcANIA ConIgERA—Very common, and generally distributed. - LITHARGYRIA— Do. do. i opsoLeTa—County Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. " LITTORALIS—Common on the Eastern coast. 2s PuDoRINA—Abundant at Killarney. Ns comMAa—Very common. f IMPURA— do. : PALLENS— do. ” PHRAGMITIDIS—NSaid to have been taken near Belfast. Nownagrta DESPeCTA—Galway and County Wicklow; common. Pt FULVA— Widely distributed. concotor—Mr. Greene’s list. a TYPH®— Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. GorTYNA FLAVAGO—Common, and widely distributed. Hyprecta nicrirans—Do. do. 3 prerasttis—Howth; Mr. Dunlop. mMicacea—Common, and widely distributed. AXYLIA PUTRIS— do. do. 74 |September, XYLOPHASIA RUREA—Common, and widely distributed. 7 th) LITHOXYLEA—Do. do. SUBLUSTRIS—Very abundant near Galway; also taken near Dublin, by Mr. Barrett. POLYODON—Common everywhere. HEPATICA— Powerscourt. Nevria saronarr®—Mr. Greene’s list; no locality known to me. HeELIOPHOBUS POPULARIS—Generally distributed and common. CHARZAS GRAMINIS— do. do. CrERIGO CYTHEREA— do. do. LUPERINA TESTACEA— do. do. ”? cespitis—Abundant on the coast near Dublin. Mamestrra absecta—Abundant on the coast near Waterford. 99 ANCEPS—Common on the Dublin coast. ALBICOLON—Do. do. FURVA— do. do. BRASsIcH—Common everywhere. PERSICARI@—Near Dublin; Mr. Shield. APAMEA BASILINEA—Generally distributed, and common. 9 29 9 9? @EMINA—Very common near Galway. uNnaNrim1Is—Dublin and Wicklow. OPHIOGRAMMA—One specimen in the collection of Trinity College, captured by Mr. Tardy ; locality unknown. ocuLEA—Common everywhere. MIANA STRIGILIS— do. do. 2) 9? 9? PP) FASCIUNCULA—Do. do. LITEROSA—Common on the coast. FURUNCULA— Very abundant. The variety rufuncula of Haworth occurs commonly at Howth. The wings are uni- formly clay-coloured, without limes or spots, and the insect has a strong superficial resemblance to Nonagria-concolor. EXPOLITA—Common near Galway. The Irish specimens are smaller and much more richly coloured than any English ones 1 have seen. CrLENA HAWORTHII—Common on the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. GRAMMESIA TRILINEA—Common in most places. CaARADRINA BLANDA— do. do. bs cubicuLARIS—Do. do. RUSINA TENEBROSA— do. do. AGROTIS VALLIGERA—Abundant on the coast. 9 SUFEUSA— Wicklow and Howth. 1866.) “I cu Agroris savcta—Dublin, in 1865. 9 ” 9) 2? 9 ? SEGETUM—Too common everywhere. LUNIGERA—Common at Howth; has also occurred at Cork. EXCLAMATIONIS—A bundant everywhere. corticEA— Widely distributed, and not uncommon. RIP®—Malahide sand-hills. cursoRIA—Do., very abundant. Ni@RIcANS—Do., and Howth. TRITICI—Common everywhere on the coast. AQUILINA— Malahide gand-hills, OBELISCA—Abundant at Howth; frequents the higher slopes of the hill, where it may be taken freely from the Ragwort flowers in August, in company with lunigera. Although triticc swarms at the foot of the hill and along the shore, it rarely intrudes on the more aristocratic society of the higher levels. acaTutna—Howth and Wicklow. Taken not uncommonly by sweeping the heath at night, in August and September. PORPHYREA—Very common at Howth, secreting itself by day among the broken limestone shale. PRecox—Common on the sand-hills of the Dublin coast. RAVIDA—Mr. Greene’s list; locality of capture unknown to me. LUCERNEA— Very common at Howth. TRIPHENA JANTHINA—Abundant in most localities. Noctva ”? ? ”? ” > 39 9 99 ?? ” PP) ”? FIMBRIA— do. do. INTERJECTA— do. do. SUBSEQUA—I captured two specimens of this rare species at sugar near Galway, in August, 1858. ORBONA—Common everywhere. PRONUBA—Do. do. aLarEosa— Widely distributed, and frequently common. AUGUR— do. do. PLECTA— do. do. c-NIGRUM— do. do. DITRAPEZIUM—I captured a pair at sugar near Galway, in July, 1857. TRIANGULUM—Common in most localities, BRUNNEA— do. do. FESTIVA— do. do. 76 (September, Noctua pautit—Howth and Killarney. . ruBI—Howth, abundant. 55 UMBROsA—Common in most places. > BAJA— do. do. 5 NEGLECTA—Galway. » XANTHOGRAPHA—Common everywhere. (To be continued.) DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW SPECIES OF DIURNAL LEPIDOPTERA IN THE COLLECTION OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. BY ARTHUR GARDINER BUTLER, F.Z.S. 1.—APATURA ATHALIA, 0. sp. gd. Ale supra fusce, margine postico brunneo; antice, apice nitente, punctis quinque minimis sub-apicalibus albis; cella fasctis duabus rufo-fuscis, altera media, altera terminali ornaté; margine postico fasciis duabus nigris sub-marginato: posticw, margine postico fascia nigra marginato, fascidque lunulata, sub-marginato; puncto uno rufo-cincto apud angulum analem : corpus olivaceo-fuscum, antennis fuscis, rubro-acuminatis. Ale subtus pallidiores, fasciis duabus mediis fuscis, fascia externa paulum indistincta: antice, cell’, fasciis duabus rufis nigro-ciuctis ornaté; puncto uno basali nigro, tribusque sub-apicalibus albis, imo nigro-cincto ; macula apud marginem posticum oblonga, ochreo-cincta, sub nervula mediana secunda posita; fasciis duabus altera sub-anali, altera sub-marginali lunulata, fuscis: postice, cella, maculis duabus ferragineis nigro-cinctis, quarum una apud angulum analem nigra rufo- cincta, punctoque nigro; margine postico linea fusca marginato lunu- lisque fuscis indistinctis sub-marginato: corpus ochreo-fuseum. Alar. exp., une. 25. . Q. Ale supra; area basali ochreo-varia, apicali ochrea, fascia media fuscescente ; fascia media irregulari de maculis hastatis formata, post posticarum cellam ochreo-confusa : margine postico fasciis duabus fuscis sub-marginato: antice punctis sex albis, apud apicem nigro- cinctis; macula apud angulum analem parva nigra ochreo-cincta: postice similiter maculate. Ale subtus mari simillime, pallidiores autem, fasciaque media alba. Alar. exp. unc. 24. Hab., Celebes. This species is allied to A. parvata (Moore), N. India; A. Nakula (Moore), Jarva; and A. Parisatis (Westwood), India and China. 1866.] Ta 2.—D#DALMA INCONSPICDA, 0. Sp. Ale antice apice sub-sinuato ; margine postico subapice angulato, medio sinuato ; margine anali obliquo: postice margine postico inter venas sinuato; margine anali caudis duabus longis, externa majori. Ale supra fusce: corpus fuscum pree-rufescens. Ale antice subtus rubro-irrorate basi fusee ; fascia irregulari fusca post cellam posita, maculaque apud apicem costali ; margine postico fusco inter venas convexitatibus elevatis; macula apud marginem analem fusca: postice fuse ochreo-varie ; strigis, lunulis, maculisque ochreo-argenteis script : corpus fuscum, palpis antennisque ferrugineis. Alar. exp. unc 2i.. Hab., Quito. Closely allied to D. Dinias (Hewitson), especially in the form and underside marking of the hind-wings; indeed, unless both male and female of that insect had been figured, I should have been tempted to consider the two insects as sexes of the same species. 3.—Derxsis EMBOLIMA, 2. sp. Debis Embolima, Walker, M.S. Ale supra olivaceo-fuscw: postice margine postico fusco linea media pallida marginato, maculisque quatuor apicalibus sub-marginato : corpus olivaceo-fuscum, antennis flavescentibus apice nigro-fasciato. Ale@ antice subtus, area basali olivaceo-fusea, fasciis duabus irregu- laribus violaceis apud basim positis, externa fusco-interrupta; area apicali ochrea violaceo olivaceoque variegata ; ocellis quatuor violaceis nigro-pupillatis inter venas positis ; margine postico lineis duabus mar- ginato : postice olivaceo-fusce, fascia media pre-pallidescente, irregulari angulata, medio latissima, linea fusca ochreaque utrinque marginata ; area basali fascia lata ocellata violacea ocellis nigris flayo-cinctis inter venas positis, prima, tertia et quarta albo-pupillatis, aliis argenteo- irroratis, prima et quarta maximis: corpus pallidé fuscum. Alar. exp. une. 27, Hab., Ceylon. 4,—CYLLo CRAMERI, n. sp. Ale supra fusce, antice fascia media flava de coste medio ad angulum analem eurrente: costa valde convexa: postice elongate neryulo mediano primo longissimo. Alz subtus fusce, preter apices cinereo-varie: antice fascia media ochrea pallida apud angulum analem flavescente ; margine interiori ochreo ; margine postico rufescenti-ochreo ; costa albido varia; ocelle 78 [September, uno sub-apicali duplice, nigro, albo-pupillato flavoque cincto, oculo minori preposito : postice linea media fuscescente de coste media ad nervulam medianam secundam currente ; ocello magno sub-apicali ovali nigro, albo-pupillato, flavoque cincto ; ocellis tribus minoribus similibus inter nervulos medianos positis; margine postico linea sub-marginali irregulari fusca: corpus fuseum. Alar. exp. unc. 8 (cire.). Hab., Oceania ; exact locality undecided. Allied to Cyllo Constantia (Cramer), but smaller, and with less continuous sub-marginal ocelli. 5.—C@NONYMPHA CERES, 0. Sp. Al supra pallide ochre: corpus pallidum. Ale antice subtus rufescentes, basi pallide ; margine antico basique cinereis ; fascia transversa ochreo-ferruginea post cellam posita; fascia lata sub-apicali indistincta cinerascente: postice pallidé cinerese basi fuscescentes ; fascia media, valde irregulari, ochrea, pallida; punctis duabus sub-marginalibus nigris inter nervulos medianos positis, ochreoque pallido cireumcinctis : corpus ochreo-cinereum. Alar. exp. unc. 14. Hab., California. This species is closely allied to C. californica (Westwood) ; but, as far as I can judge from the small number of specimens of allied species in the National Collection, it is quite distinct from that insect. OBSERVATIONS ON TINEINA. BY H. T. STAINTON, F.L.S. (Concluded from page 57.) Gelechia tenebrella and tenebrosella.—In the Stettm Entomol. Zeitung for 1864, p. 158, is an interesting notice of these insects by Herr A. Gartner, of Briinn. That writer discovered the larve in the roots of Rumex acetosella, sometimes burrowing beneath the bark of the root, but more plentiful in the lowermost shoots which spring from the root of the plant, in an excavation made in the centre of the shoot and spun over with silk; here the larvae may be found in the autumn, and also in the spring. By the 10th of May most of the larve had already attained the pupa state. The larva is described as of a carmine red, a little paler posteriorly, and sometimes also paler anteriorly; the head pitchy-brown, and the thoracic shield of the same colour, divided by a paler line; the anal segment bears a small pale brown plate ; ordinary spots brown; spira- cles brown; the belly reddish-white. 1866.) 79 The perfect insects appeared in June; those with dark antenne were all males, those with white-tipped antenne were all females, whence the author concludes that tenebrosella is the female of tenebrelia, and calls upon all those who doubt, to satisfy themselves, by breeding the insect, of the correctness of his determination. Cleodora striatella.—In the Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift for 1864, at p. 29, is a notice of this insect by Herr Gartner, of Briinn. That entomologist had observed that the perfect insects of striatella frequented a “wood-meadow,” which was thickly studded with the flowers of Anthemis tinctoria, and that specimens were constantly to be noticed reposing on these flowers. Herr Gartner drew the conclusion that the larve must feed in the seed-heads of the Anthemis tinctoria, and seeking in the autumn found a larva feeding in the receptacle. He then collected a number of the seed-heads of this plant, and was agreeably surprised to breed from them both Cleodora striatella and Parasia paucipunctella. The larva of Cleodora striatella quits the head of the plant when full fed ; it is described as white or brownish-white, with three rust-red lines along the back, interrupted between the segments; the head reddish-brown ; the thoracic plate shining brownish, divided by a slen- der pale line. The larva of Parasia paucipunctella (a species not yet known to occur with us) does not quit the seed-head ; it is extremely similar to the other known larvee of the genus Parasia—shining-white, with a dark brown head, and dark brown plate, divided in the middle, on the second segment. It will be remembered that the larva of Parasia paucipunctella was detected at Ratisbon by Herr Hofmann in October, 1860, in the heads of Anthemis tinctoria (Ent. Annual, 1861, p. 118; 1862, p.180). I had the pleasure of rearing a fine series of the insect from larve sent me by Herr Hofmann. Butalis incongruella.—Dr. Jordan has met with this insect on the Lickey Hills near Birmingham ; I visited the locality in September, hoping to meet with the larva, but was not successful in finding it. héslerstammia Hrelebella.— When at Hanover in September, 1865, I saw bred specimens of this insect in the collection of Herr Glitz. In the Ent. Annual, 1857, p. 125, I observed that “Some years ago Mr. T. Wilkinson found this in plenty at the end of May and beginning of June in Leigh Wood, near Bristol, on the leaves of some Lime trees ; frequently in copuld on the leaves, also freely on the wing. Mr. Wilkin- SO (September, son is inclined to think there is a second brood towards the end of August and beginning of September, but not nearly so numerous as in May, and rarely met with except by beating.” Herr Glitz informed me that the larve fed on the leaves of the lime ; when young. they are miners, but when about half-grown, they come out of the mines and gnaw the under-side of the leaf. There are two broods in the year. Glyphipteryx Haworthana.—Mr. Barrett has met with this species near Haslemere, and Professor Zeller, who had not previously seen it alive, found it in a marshy place near Meseritz, where he also obtained Crambus alienellus (Stettin Ent. Zeitung, 1865, p. 41). Antispila Pfeifferella.—It appears from Mr. Healy’s observations that the larva of this species buries itself and its case underground ; all the larve retiring beneath the sand at the bottom of the jar in which the larvee were. Mr. Healey adds (23/11/64) “ They took their cases with them, and then turned to pupe ; I cannot state how it was effected, never having caught them in the act. That a case-bearing larva can take its case underground I have had proof of in Adela De- geerella, for three full fed larve of that species having disappeared mysteriously in a jar, where I had placed them on some mould, I turned the earth over, and found one larve just under the surface, another about the centre, and the third had actually penetrated to the bottom of the jar.” (See Zoologist, p. 9065). Mr. Healy, who bred hundreds of the closely allied Antispila Treitschkeella, remarked, that none of the larve of that species went beneath the surface of the mould. Gracilaria falconipennella.—This insect has always hitherto re- mained a great rarity in this country ; but last autumn Mr. Barrett had the good fortune to obtain three specimens by beating thatch at Hasle- mere. From his known perseverance and skill, | have no doubt he will soon find the larva. Gracilaria elongella.—When I visited, with Dr. Jordan, the Lickey Hills, near Birmingham, last September, we met with several Gracilaria cones on the leaves of the birch, from which specimens of G. elongella made their appearance. This food for the larve of this species had already been noticed by Mr. E. C. Buxton (Ent. Annual, 1856, p. 55). Ornia larve on Pyrus torminalis.—In the autumn of 1864, Mr. Healy discovered two cones of an Ornix on a tree of Pyrus torminalis growing in Epping Forest. In September, 1865, Dr. Jordan, whilst 1866. 81 searching near Teignmouth for the larve of Ornia devoniella, observed the same cone-formations on the leaves of the Pyrus torminalis, but was too late to find the larve. The subject is one well worthy of further observation. Coleophora apicella.—In the autumn of 1864, the Rev. Henry Burney handed over to my custody some Coleophora larve which he had collected on the seeds of Stellaria graminea; from these I had the good fortune to breed five specimens on the 16th and 17th of June, 1865. These specimens were undoubtedly apicella, but the males have the anterior wings broader than the females, and the original apicella was described from a female specimen. Before describing the insect de novo, I should like to see an extensive series of bred specimens. Unfortu- nately Mr. Burney did not meet with the larve during the season of 1865. Elachista ochréella.—On the 23rd August, 1865, I received from Mr. Scott some Hlachista larve, collected by him in a species of Poa (?) at Stockton Forest, near York. The mines were long, flat (or only very slightly puckered), and of a whitish-brown. It was expected that these larvee would have produced £. ochréella, but unfortunately nothing was bred from them. Lithocolletis nigrescentella.—N early three years ago I received from Mr. Sang the following communication, which should have been noticed ere this in the pages of the Entomologist’s Annual, but had got acci- dentally overlooked, “I think I shall now prove to your satisfaction that nigrescentella and Bremiella are forms of the same species. They appear to be very variable in colour and markings, the ground colour varying from that of the figure in the Annual of 1856 to the dark olive of nigrescentella. I bred none so dull in colour as that figured in the Natural History of the Tinezna, vol. 2, p. 4, fig. 3; the bright ones have broader margins of black to the spots than you figure. The con- vincing specimen is marked, so that the left wing is Bremiella, and the right wing is x2grescentella. “ The specimens with the light ground colours copulate with those of the darker ground colour, but the difference in colour is not sexual ; those with the darker ground colour are the more numerous. “T bred two of an allied species from clover found on the coast. Are these insignitella ?” And in the following year Mr. Sang added some additional obser- vations, thus: “I have bred a number of the Lithocolletis from clover (which I wrote about last year), and see no real difference between 82 {September, them and Bremiella, which Tam having out as-well. They are, in my opinion, both alike, as I find that the same varieties and colourings are — assumed by both the clover and the vetch insect. If anything, the clover ones are the brighter, and the vetch ones have more of the nigrescentella pattern among them.” On this subject I may remark, that Professor Frey has bred Bre- miella repeatedly, both from Vicia and from Trifolium, but that insignitella appears to feed only on Trifolium, and not on Vicia. Nepticula decentella, Herrich Schaffer.—On the 19th June, 1865, I received, under this name, a number of pupe of a Weptieula from my kind friend Herr Anton Schmid, of Frankfort on the Main, who had collected the cocoons in the crevices of the bark of sycamore trees. From these I have bred a fine series of the perfect insects, all of which have the tuft of the head yellow, so that it cannot be identified with the decentella of Herrich-Schiffer and Von Heinemann; the former saying “capillis nigerrimis,’ and the latter “die Kopf-haare tief schwarz.’ These specimens differ somewhat from my best specimen of sericopeza, being larger, glossier-looking, with the ground colour of the anterior wings not so black, so that I should not be at all surprised if the Wepticule of the sycamore were to prove distinct from that of the common maple. Sericopeza is still so scarce in our collections that a good series is a great desideratum. Nepticula basiguttella, Heinemann (Zoologist, 1863, p. 8358.—Of this species Professor Frey and I found (September 25th, 1865) that the larve had been rather plentiful at Wilhelmsbad, near Frankfort on the Main, on oak trees, on which the larve of Tischeria dodonea was tolerably common. Mr. C. Miller once found a mined oak leaf in this country, which I believe bears the mark of Nepticula basiguttella, the whole width of the mine being entirely filled up with dark green excrement. Probably we may be more likely to find it in lovalities where Zischeria dodonea occurs, as the two species were in company at Wilhelmsbad. AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 31.) 20.—Lassus (I.) splendidulus, Fab. Niger; abdominis segmenta flavo-marginata. Caput, pronotum, scutellum, flava. Vertex apice nigro quadri-maculatus: frons trans- versim nigro-cancellata, cancellis medio interruptis. Pronotum antice 1866. ] 83 punctis 6-7, striisque 4 obscurioribus disci longitudinalibus, fuscis. Scutellum flavissimum, maculis duabus triangularibus magnis, duabusque parvis rotundis, nigris. Hemelytra pellucida, pallide brunnea, auro sub-nitida; nervi albidi; cellule quedam fusco-nebulose. Pedes tes- tacei, tibiis plus minus fusco-maculatis. ¢ ?. Long. 13-2 ; alar. exp. 5 lin. Cicada splendidula, Fab., 8. R., 79, 838. Fall., Hem. 2, p. 43. Act. Holm. 1806, p. 29. Lassus splendidulus, Flor., R. L., 2, p. 356. ? Cicada nitidula, Turton, Syst. Nat., 2, p. 598, is given as a syn. in Mr. Walker’s Catalogue (Jassus No. 14), but this is obviously Lupteryx nitidulus, Lin., figured in Donovan’s Engl. Insects, vol. 8, tab. 288, fig. 1. One of our handsomest species, very nearly allied in structure to the following, but distinguished by its size, and by the bright yellow scutellum, which at once catches the eye. It is common in woods in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, and occurs occasionally near London. 21.—Lassus (I.) mixtus, Fab. Niger; abdominis segmenta flavo-marginata. Vertex, pronotum, scutellum, flava, nigro-varia. Vertex punctis 6 minutis transversim antice marginatus; postice puncta 4 inter oculos arcuatim disposita, nigra. Frons nigra, flavo-cancellata, interdum autem maximam partem flava. Pronotum maculis incurvis discalibus fuscis irregulariter nota- tum; postice (in emortuo) sub-ceruleum. Scutellum basi maculis 4, quarum exteriores 2 triquetre, grandes, interiores parve; ad apicem maculis 2, nigris: sed hee pictura instabilis. Hemelytra pellucida, nitida, pallide brunnea, striolis minutis transversis fuscis plus minus dense notata: costa, et macule disci nonnulle, hyaline. Pedes tes- tacei; tibie postice ad basin spinarum nigro-punctate ; antice basi, femorumque anticorum annuli duo, nigri: tarsi apice nigri. ¢ 9. Long. 23-3 ; alar. exp. 6 lin. Var. a. Hemelytra striolis fuscis tam dense obsita, ut (preter maculas solitas hyalinas) tota atra evadant. Cicada mixta, Fab., S. B., 86, 7. Tassus reticulatus, H.Sch., D. Ins., 180, 11; nee Fall., Thunb. I. mixtus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 322. Burm., Gen., fig. 8 (heme- lytron). ? Cicada nervosa, Fall., Hem., 2, p. 39. Aphrodes marmorata, Hardy, Tynes. Trans., 1, p. 427. 84 [September, This and the next are the largest of our species; they are both common in woods, on birch, hazel, oak, &c., and are easily confounded. I. mixtus is a trifle smaller and narrower than atomarius, its hemelytra are much more darkened with transverse streaks, and present several distinct hyaline spots. In atomarius they are uniformly pale brown, with obscure, short, fuscous, transverse strie ; and the fore-thighs have only one black ring, or sometimes half a ring, near the apex. 22.—TJassus (L.) atomarius, Fab. Preecedenti sat similis. Vertex, pronotum, scutellum, fusco-testacea, plus minus atomis vel striolis fuscis irrorata, ¢; @ supra fere im- maculata. rons nigra, tenuiter utrinque flavo-cancellata ; supra clypeum fascia transversa flava. Striga utrinque inter oculos obliqua, nigra. Scutellum punctis 2 mediis fuscis. Hemelytra pallide brunnea, pellucida, striolis fuscis transversis plus minus dense obsita, ¢; 9? fere immaculata. ¢ 9. Long. 3-33 ; alar. exp. 64-7 lin. Cercopis atomaria, Fab., 8. R., 97, 48. Cicada reticulata, Thunb., Act. Ups., 4, 21,37. Fall., Hem., 2, p. 40; nec H. Sch. Cicada lineata, Fab., Ent. Syst., 4, 36. I. atomarius, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 326. Common in the London District ; Surbiton; Birch Wood, &e. It nearly resembles J. plebeius, Fall. (according to that author), which, however, differs in the straight suture of the hemelytra, and is therefore an Athysanus: it is given in catalogues as British, but I have never captured a specimen, and those commonly named plebeius in collections are I. mixtus, Fab. 23.—Tassus (I.) cruentatus, Fall. Flavo-brunneus, atomis sanguineis plus minus dense irroratus. Frons maculis 2 nigris rotundis. Pedes flavi, sanguineo-punctati; tibie postice linea interiore nigra. Long. 23 lin. Cicada cruentata, Fall., Hem., 2, 41. Thamnotettix cruentatus, Zett., Ins. Lapp., 293, 5. Tassus cruentatus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 330. This species can hardly be mistaken, being dusted all over with blood-red specks. It must be rare in this country ; I have only seen one specimen, which is in the collection of Mr. Douglas. 24.—Tassus (L.) striatulus, Fall. Niger; caput, pronotum, scutellum, flavo-fusca, maculis nigris plus 1866. 85 minus obsita. Linea nigra oculos connectit, ante quam linea alia antice angulata ducitur ; inter oculos macule 2 nigre. Frons nigro- cancellata. Clypeus et lora nigra, flavo-varia; sed facies tota spe nigra. Hemelytra flavida, nervis pallidis, nigro tenuiter marginatis, hine ocellatis. Femora antica nigra, apice et annulo flavis: postica flava, striola subtus nigra; tibia extus flave, intus nigre. Long. 13-2 lin. A single specimen is in Mr. Douglas’ collection. : 25.—LTassus (I.) subfusculus, Fall. Niger, supra brunneus. Abdominis segmenta nonnulla (¢) an- gulis posterioribus testaceis,—(?) segmenta 2 ultima subtus testacea. Vertex apice utrinque striola transversa, incurva, fusca. Frons fusco- eancellata. Clypeus basi et apice niger. Pronotum fusco irregulariter notatum. Scutellum vel immaculatum, vel medio nigro-binotatum, et ad angulos anteriores maculis 2 triangularibus nigris. Hemelytra brunnea, immaculata, sub-pellucida. Alle infuscatw. Pedes testacei; femora et tibie posteriores nigro-lineate et punctate. ¢ 9. Long. 2 ; alar. exp. 5 lines. Cicada subfuscula, Fall., Hem., 2, p. 44. Lassus pectoralis, Germ., Mag., 4, p. 91. Tassus subfusculus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 354. Tassus subfusculus of the Brit. Mus. coll. is I. prasinus, Flor. Common in woods. Very similar to prasinus, q. v. (To be continued.) NEW SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES FROM GUATEMALA AND PANAMA. BEYee Elo ee Wielte DASE iS, gm Bedi. (SUPPLEMENT.) (Continued from page 52.) 93.— IrHom1a (CERATINIA) CALLISPILA. ) o. Exp. 2” 9”. Allied to IL (Ceratinia) mergelena (Hew. Ex. Butt. Ith. f. 58), but differing greatly in colours and pattern. Like I. mergelena, the recurrent nervule of the hind-wing proceeds from the middle disco-cellular, instead of the lower, as in Ith. (Cerat.) ninonia and the allied species. Fore-wing brown-black, with a triangular basal spot not reaching the costa orange-tawny, and thirteen large light yellow _ spots, the latter arranged as follows :—an elongate one across the end of 86 [September, the cell and touching the costa, five arranged in a strongly curved line beyond the middle of the wing, and seven along the apex and outer margin. — Hind-wing entirely orange-tawny, except two dark brown spots, one at the apex and one below the lower disco-cellular nervule; there is also a sub-costal dark brown streak. Beneath: same as above, except that there is a row of small white spots close to the hind-wing outer margin, becoming obsolete towards the anal angle. Antenne yellow, base black, collar and wing lappets orange-tawny. Costa Rica. 94.—TITHOREA UMBRATILIS. 9. Exp. 3’ 6”. In shape of wings precisely similar to 7. Har- monia (Cram.), to which species it is most closely allied. The fore- wings, however, are wholly of a dark brown colour, with yellow spots, and the hind-wings have not a black discoidal stripe. The yellow spots of the fore-wings are 14 in number, one of them, irregular in shape, occupies the end of the cell, and is accompanied by a smaller spot on the costal side of the sub-costal nervure; four are arranged in an oblique row near the apex, as in 7. Harmonia; the rest are placed very irregularly between the sub-costal nervure and the hind angle. The hind-wings are of a reddish-fulvous, with a costal stripe and hind borders black ; the only trace of a discoidal stripe consists in two small — spots between the branches of the median nervure and between the last branch and the lower radial nervure. The antenne are fulvous, with the base black: the collar is very dark chesnut-red, ana the wing-lappets are black ; this latter character distinguishes the species thoroughly from all the local forms of 7. Harmonia. | Panama. 95.—HELICONIUS OCTAVIA. Allied to H. hecalesia Hewits. (Exot. Butt. Hel. fig. 6), and closely resembling it in colours. Wings more elongated and narrower, the fore-wing costa being strongly arched and the apex broadly obtuse, with the outer margin slightly incurved, less scalloped, and destitute (as well as the hind-wings) of white edging in the sinuses. Ground colour of the fore-wing above deep blackish-brown, as in H. hecalesia, but having a broad central dark orange-tawny stripe, extending from the base to near the middle, and the yellow spots, of which there are two belts between the middle and the apex, obliquely elongated. Hind- wing dark orange-tawny, with a dark brown outer border of nearly uniform width, and marked with five moderately small and squarish a 1866.] 87 yellow spots. Beneath: same pattern as above, but the orange-tawny colour replaced by pale reddish-brown, changing into lilac on the dise of the hind-wing; a row of small whitish spots close to the outer border of the hind-wing. Table land of Guatemala, near Duenas. 96.—HELICONIUS FORMOSUS. Closely resembling H. octavia, having the same elongated shape of fore-wing with elongated yellow spots and outer margin, destitute of white edging ; but the base of the fore-wing wholly blackish-brown, and the dark border of the hind-wing gradually increasing in width from the anal angle to the apex. The hind-wing beneath is of the same ruddy colour as above, with the exception of a lilacine stripe across the disc: the row of pale spots is close to the outer margin, as in H. octavia. Isthmus of Panama. 97,.—HELICONIUS MELICERTA. Exp. 3” 9’. Closely allied to H. sylvana (Cramer) ; but larger, fore-wing broader, more broadly rounded at the apex, without incurvure of outer margin; outer margins of all wings slightly scalloped, and with short white fringe in the smuses. Black ; basal third of fore- wing, to the middle of cell and first median branch, orange-tawny ; to this succeeds a large yellow spot deeply indented in the middle of its outer edge, and distant from the outer margin, where (near the anal angle) are two or three yellow spots; there is also a line of three yellow spots near the apex. In the middle of the cell is a large black spot, | over the end of the cell another rather smaller spot, and between the first - and second median branches a very small spot. The hind-wing has the | basal half orange-tawny and the outer half black, with a yellow spot near the apex. Beneath: the same, except that the hind-wing has the base of the costa yellowish, and a series of short white marginal streaks, two between each nervure ; also two larger white spots near the apex and distant from the margin. Antenne black; club and apical part of the shaft, beneath, pale tawny. The separation between the orange-tawny and black portions of the hind-wing is well defined in some examples, but rather broken in others, and showing, near the middle, traces of the black, discoidal, macular stripe, as in H. sylvana. Isthmus of Panama; also found in the neighbourhood of Santa Martha, New Granada, whence Mr. Bouchard recently sent home 88 [September, a series of examples. These latter being all nearly alike, and sent without admixture of other allied forms, induce me to think the present a decidedly distinct species of Heliconius. 98.—HELICONIUS ALBUCILLA. Exp. 3” 9'". Very closely allied to H. .melicerta, differmg in nothing but the following points:—The central spot of the fore-wing white instead of yellow, the spot nearest the hind-angle orange-tawny. Hind-wing orange-tawny, with a narrow black outer margin, and a narrowish, continuous, black, discal stripe. Panama. 99.—EUEIDES LEUCOMMA. 6. Closely allied to Hu. lybia, Fab., agreeing with it in size and shape of wings, but the latter a little shorter, and the fore-wing more broadly rounded at the apex. Colour black, with an orange-tawny vitta and the inner margin of the fore-wing, and a very broad stripe on the hind-wing, occupying the whole middle part of the wing, black ; apical part of the fore-wing crossed by a short belt or elongate spot of pure white, divided by three dusky nervures. Wings beneath; sameas above, but paler, and costa of hind-wing paler tawny at the base; the outer border of hind-wing has a row of broad and indistinct pale ashy lunules. Antenne black ; collar with four tawny spots; abdomen tawny. Panama. (To be continued.) Rock Lepidoptera of the Isle of Man.—Situated in the heart of the British Islands, sea-girt, yet land-surrounded, and of a temperature more equal than any other in the home-group of Great Britain, it might with reason be anticipated that on this charming island many species were to be found which would well repay the investigation of the naturalist; and a very few days’ experience of its capabilities warranted Mr. Gregson (to whose persevering research and liberal information Mr. Greening and myself owe the good fortune of our visit) in forecasting the great and important success attending even a short study of one of the characteristic localities of almost a terra incognita. As a proof of the careless way in which the island has hitherto been “ worked,” I extract the following from the popular and interesting shilling “Guide to the Isle of Man,’—where, speaking of its Natural History, we are told that “the Entomology of the island is not attractive.” Collecting the rarities on which we were chiefly bent—(Sesia philanthiformis and the new Dianthecia)—may, without self-complacency, be stated to be no work for Parlour Naturalists; and unfortunately,—woman’s rights notwithstanding,— | no lady-collector can ever aspire to such exciting and interesting mental and bodily elevation. Essentially rock species, to this, possibly, may be attributed the great 1866.] 89 searcity of the clear-wing, and tho entire absence from our lists of the Noctua. They are not only rock species, but evidently select certain aspects amidst these almost inaccessible masses of clay slate. Our time became divided into a search for S. philanthiformis, in its pupal stage, during the day ; and the new Dianthecia pending the twilight half-hour it devotes to flower-hovering ; with, of course, the concurrent opportunities attending each pursuit. And first, concerning S. philanthiformis. The decorative Armeria maritima,— the sea-pink, or common thrift of our garden, blossoms out at this period of the year in great clusters from any crack or crevice where enough soil has lodged to support its not very exacting existence. It is not “ the blossom,” however, which we seek; to us the “canker” presents the greatest temptations; and if, amongst these flowers, an infected stem is apparent—especially a stunted one with a brown eye, it becomes our desperate effort to clamber, crawl, and reach it somehow; and often our fate to discover, when found, and carefully and gently examined, a last year’s empty cocoon, or a this year’s empty pupa-shell, beautifully displayed at the opening of its silken cell. Occasionally, however, the little bright brown being is himself in the—vegetable. This examination is often accomplished while clinging to the jagged shelves of these portentous rocks, holding on by a toe or two, one elbow or both, and a waistcoat ; while the seething waters explode alarmingly in their caverns many hundred feet below ; with, however, this small crumb of comfort to any accomplished diver, that the ocean is said to be as many fathoms deep close to the rocks as it is in mid-channel. A week of this sort of hunting sufficed to set up great blisters on my feet; melancholy scars on my shins; an almost pulpy state of finger-tips, through climbing and picking ; several important openings in lower garments, not contemplated by their fabricator ; and, to descend still further into detail and fact, quite wore out three pairs of stockings and one pair of boots. These noble rocks have, notwithstanding, much to be said in their favour. Chiefly of tenacious grey slate, each jag, however small, ensures a safe footing—or toe-ing would be the better word; for they would be but poor cragsmen who always expect an entire foot to stand between them and annihilation. Other less fortunate animals than ourselves may serve to illustrate the danger. For instance, while exploring one morning, we discovered first, the dried and bleaching carcass of a sheep, and then that of acow; both having toppled over from above, victims to injudicious browsing: and Mr. Gregson, on some more elevated pinnacle, found the remains of a lamb: some large falcon had evidently been enjoying his meal to the musical reverberations of the rock-harmoniums played upon by the sea-gods below. The twilight ’vantage-ground for the capture of the Dianthecia having been care- fully selected during the day,—at the approach of the eventful half-hour it elects to sip from the fresh-opened flowers of the Silene maritima,—we set out to occupy our hazardous shelf; and, with ready-poised net, control our ardour, and wait, wait, wait, until they come withinits sweep. An insect so instantaneously scared I never knew. It is impossible this singular timidity can be through its experience of man. The least movement of a limb, and “ cesia” is off. Possibly it may be thus ever- lastingly alert by reason of dodging the numberless bats which skim along the perpendicular sides of the rocks out of which hang those festoons it most affects. 90 [September, Superb examples of D. capsophila, together witha pleasing var. of A. segetwm, much frequent the blossoms of the Silene at the same time; and, one evening, I missed thirteen insects before taking a single example of the new Noctua,—so very averse were they to come within reach, and so impossible was it to move a step one way or another, and save one’s neck. These fastnesses present another advantage not to be underrated. You are submitted to no reflections from astonished ‘‘ natives.” q Seldom during day-time, and never at dusk, were these solemn solitudes disturbed by any other sound than the almost mocking voice of the clamorous waves below,— often to the fancy uttered as in shouts of taunting laughter, or syllabled so signifi- cantly as to cause you to look around and imagine the said “ natives” before alluded to not so far off after all. In conclusion, I may state that amongst the collateral advantages afforded us by our search for these rarities were a presumed new Phycis, allied to dilutella ; some fine examples of Sciaphila Colquhownana; Sericoris littorana in profusion ; some rare species of Eupecilie; Butalis grandipennella ; Gelechia vicinella ; and many others too numerous to mention.—Epwarp Hop try, 14, South Bank, Regent’s Park, June 22nd, 1866. Note on the larva of Acidalia circellata.—I obtained a few eggs of this insect on the 15th of July. They hatched on the 23rd, and are now nearly full fed. Iam feeding them on Polygonum aviculare. I notice a strange feature among them; on removing the lid of the box in which they are feeding, they commence rocking themselves to and fro. Is this noticeable in any other species? - CHas. CAMPBELL, 145, Lower Moss Lane, Hulme, Manchester, August 10th, 1866. [Many young larve have this habit.—H. G. K.] Acidalia subsericeata or mancuniata (7) bred.— After having distributed among some of my friends the eggs deposited by about 20 females of this species, I have just bred a fairish quantity of the perfect insect. The eggs were deposited from the 22nd to the 25th of June, and hatched in about five days. The larve com- menced pupation on the 12th July, and the perfect insects began to appear on the 26th, thus passing through all their stages in one month’s time. They were, of course, forced. Food-plant, Polygonum aviculare.—Ip. [Will Mr. Campbell kindly forward a specimen of his insect for determination ? Mr. Batty has this year again reared A. mancuniata.—H. G. K.] Hadena swasa bred.—I obtained some eggs from a moth captured on the 21st June; they hatched on the 27th, and are all now gone down. I sent the larvze to Mr. Newman for description. This insect has been very plentiful here this, as well as last, season. On the date given above, I captured about 70 at sugar, returning home without having occasion to light my lamp. ‘The larve feed freely on knot- grass, lettuce, plantain, &c.—Ip. Notes on Rhopalocera at High Wycombe.—As the district round High Wycombe ig not very extensively known to the entomological world, the names of a few of the more local British species of Rhopalocera found in it may be interesting. Colias Edusa was taken here a few years ago, but has not since been seen. Avge Galathea is very plentiful in one or two localities. a 1866. | 9) Cynthia cardui was very abundant last year, and is just re-appearing. Vanessa Polychloros has been taken once; a brood of larve having been found on an elm tree. Nemeobius Lucina is always plentiful. Lycena Corydon ditto L. Agestis ditto L. comma, found plentifully in one locality. Thirty-seven species in all have been captured within a five mile radius. The note in the last number of the Magazine about the food-plant of L. Corydon was interesting ; the species is abundant here, particularly on one hill which abounds with Hippocrepis comosa. Iam sorry I shall not be at High Wycombe next year, or I should certainly try to assist in settling the question. I have duplicates of the following to spare, for any who like to send to me for them :—A. Paphia, H. Semeleg, A. Galathea, L. Corydon, L. Agestis, L. comma. —HeEnry ULLyert, High Wycombe, August, 1866. Re-discovery of Sericoris euphorbiana.—I have the pleasure to record the capture, by myself, of this hitherto unique species at Folkestone, last July.—E. MEEK, 5, King Street, Old Ford, N.E., August 6th, 1866. Capture of Catoptria microgrammana at Folkestone.—I also had the good fortune to secure a few specimens of this rare insect at the same time and place referred to in the above note on S. ewphorbiana.—Ip. [This so-called Catoptria is surely a Dicrorampha: in facies and habits (fre- quenting Ononts by day) it reminds one of D, ulicetana.—H. G. K.] The food-plant of Lycena Corydon.—It is well known that the larvee of Lycena Corydon are generally found upon Hippocrepis comosa, but they must also feed on other plants. Six or seven years since this butterfly appeared in an open part of the forest; and a year or two afterwards was common in several localities in this neighbour- hood—some of them five or six miles apart. It was plentiful in the forest near Loughton, and in clover fields here. ‘ I believe no Hippocrepis grows within twenty miles of this place. Boisduval says, that in France the larve feed on Lotus, Saintfoin, and some of the trefoils, as well as on the Hippocrepis. I have placed larvee upon the common Lotus corniculatus, but they would not eat it; but this and Ornithopus perpusillus are the only leguminous plants that are common in our forest where L. Corydon is found, except Ononis spinosa, upon which the larva of L. Alewis feeds.—Henry Dousiepay, Epping, August 8th, 1866. Gelechia arundinetella.—On the 11th inst. 1 found this insect in a swampy place here, among Carex riparia or paludosa. The specimens are wasted, but recognizable. Hitherto, this species has been found in this country only at Hackney and Cambridge, and abroad at Glogau, where it was first detected by Zeller in 1849. The larva mines in the leaves of the Cavices above mentioned.—J. W. Dovetas, Lee, August 14th. 92 F [September, Hemiptera and Hymenoptera of Freshwater Bay, Pembrokeshire.—Last Saturday I met with Tytthus insignis, D. and 8., and its larves, at Freshwater Bay, Pembroke- shire, on the sand hills, at the roots of thick clumps of grass. See p. 247 of Vol. 2 of this Magazine. The only other locality where it has been found is the Common at Esher. I take this opportunity of mentioning some other captures which I have made at the above first-rate and little known sand hills. Of the Hemiptera, Pseudophleus Fallenit, Schill., occurs commonly ; Neides depressus, Fieb.; Berytus clavipes, Fab., and B. montivagus, Bremi; Metacanthus punctipes, Germ., in great profusion; Chorosoma Schillingi, Schml., rarely ; Coranus subapterus, Deg., com- monly; Zosmerus capitatus, Wolff, and Z. quadratus, Fieb.; Cymus glandicolor, Hahn, commonly; Dereocoris bipunctatus, Fab., and many others not worth mentioning. The Hymenoptera of the same district are interesting, including very large specimens of Tiphia femorata, Fab., and numerous Pompilide, which I have not yet determined. Of the Ichneuwmonide I took the rare Cremastus geminus, Gray. (many specimens), and a fine Anomalon. Of the Braconide I noticed Hormius moniliatus, Nees, in plenty; Bracon, several species; Orgilus obscurator, Halid., commonly ; Meteorus ictericus, Nees, in societies of a dozen or more at the roots of grass. A curious little insect of the group Evaniide, Pachylomma buccata, Bréb., frequents the runs of a cockroach, Blatta or Ectobius nigripes, Ste., which swarms on the sand hills. I suspect that the Pachylomma is a parasite of the Blatta, since we know that Brachygaster fulvipes, Curt. (another of the Evaniide), infests the common house Blatta orientalis. I found the Blatta nigripes also on the Chesil Bank. Time and space forbid me to extend this notice any further than to mention that, on the same day, I took four more of my recently discovered Tettigometra (Homopterous), shortly to be described, and also discovered the long sought for haunts of Acocephalus histrionicus, see p.179 of Vol. 2, and captured two specimens. —T. A. Marsuatt, Milford, 8. Wales, August, 1866. New British Amara.—I have to record the capture of Amara alpina, Fab., Dej., a species new to Britain. In M. de Marseul’s ‘‘ Catalogue of Kuropean Coleoptera,” it is placed in the sub-genus Cyrtonotus. A. alpina is, in size, about 44 lines (being decidedly smaller than aulica), pitchy, with the base of the antennz, the femora and the tibie ferruginous. On the head, hetween the bases of the antennz, are two deep impressions. The thorax is short and broad, with a divided, deep, and thickly-punctured pit on each side at the base. The elytra are punctate-striate. A. alpina may readily be distinguished from the other British Cyrtonoti by its smaller size and much more parallel shape. It bears a superficial resemblance to A. apricaria, but may easily be divided from that insect by the deep impressions on the front of its head; by the punctured space on its thorax being smaller, and containing deeper punctures ; and by its superior size and more elongate form. Several varieties of this species, as regards colour, are mentioned by Gyllenhal and Thomson; my specimen differs from the type in having reddish elytra, with the suture broadly but obscurely darker, although it is perfectly mature. T took a single specimen of the above insect on Grayvel, a mountain in Perth- shire, about 8,000 feet above sea level, early in July this year.—T’. BLACKBURN, Grassmeade, Southfields, Wandsworth, S.W., August, 1866. 1866.] | 93 New British Homaliwm.—I have great pleasure in recording the capture of Homalium Heerii, Heer, 571, a species new to Britain. This insect is very closely allied to H. iopterwm, but presents the following distinctive characteristics. It is a little smaller and more linear; the thorax is rather more contracted behind, and more invariably bi-foveolate, and the punctua- tion of the head, thorax, and elytra, is much closer than in iopterwm, while in the latter species it is much deeper than in Heerit. Heer, in his description, omits to remark on the closeness of the punctuation of Heervi, though he says that that insect is punctured “ minus profunde”’ than lucidum (iopterum, Steph.), and does not notice its thoracic fover,—but the latter is a variable character. I took this insect, not uncommonly, from fungi on rotten birch trees near Loch Rannoch, in July of this year.—Ip. New British Epurea.—t have lately met with EHpurea variegata, Herbst (Er., 146), an insect new to Britain. This species is likened to EH. obsoleta by Erichson. It is, however, a little smaller, rather broader, and less depressed. Its colour is a full red; antennz concolorous with the elytra, having the apical joint of the club slightly narrower than the two preceding ; thorax short and broad, rounded at the sides, but con- tracted in the hinder fourth part, very widely margined, straighter behind than in obsoleta, with the hinder angles somewhat acutely produced ; elytra broadly mar- gined, with a large dark brown central spot, and the apex generally dark. Erichson describes the joints of the club of the antennz as of equal size, and fails to notice that the thorax is not quite regularly rounded at the sides, but is rather more contracted behind than the mere word “rounded” would imply ; otherwise his description of H. variegata and my specimens agree. I took four examples of this insect, from fungi on rotten birch trees, near Loch Rannoch, in Perthshire, in July this year.—Ib. Notes on Scotch Coleoptera.—The following account of my captures in North Perthshire, in July of this year, may prove not uninteresting to some readers of the Magazine. Those who have read Mr. Rye’s “Notes on Coleoptera at Loch Rannoch,” and observed that I joined him “after a time,” will scarcely expect a good report, especially if they know anything of that gentleman’s exhaustive method of collecting. J can add few to the list of captures in the forest, as I had to walk miles in search of the few unbarked logs that I found, and they were not, when detected, of the best quality, or, I suppose, they would not have been left. I obtained, in much smaller numbers, several of the species mentioned by Mr. Rye as occurring in the forest, including three specimens of Homalota fusco-femorata, and also, from cracks in the stumps of felled fir trees, Ischnoglossa corticalis, Scydmenus ewilis, and Ewplectus bicolor. In the forest one Agathidiwm rhinoceros, Sharp, also occurred (urder bark of a log), and Quedius lateralis; and, when I sugared there for Lepidoptera, Dromius agilis and Carabus glabratus were frequent visitors at the banquet, preceded, before dusk, on old sugar,by numbers of Cetonia enews. 94: ; (September, On the ground where Cryptocephalus 10-punctatus occurred, I looked for that insect in vain after the first days of my stay, the brood evidently being passé; but near the same place the handsome Trichius fasciatus began to be met with sitting on thistle-flowers and orchids after four o’clock, p.m., while Strangalia 4-fasciata might be found flying about the rotten birch stumps. Near Pitlochry, Diacanthus eneus occurred. Besides many of the species mentioned by Mr. Rye, I found at the sawpit at Dall, Hallomenus hwmeralis some- what commonly, in the fungoid growth under a large log. Quedius fulvicollis occurred on the damp margins of ponds and streams; and to the fauna of the “modest bedroom” J can add Cryptophagus cellaris. On “ Grayvel,” I captured two specimens of Bolitobius inclinans hiding under- stones, about a thousand feet apart in altitude,—a little higher still, Owypoda aterrima (besides most of the species already mentioned as occurring there), and on the summit Amara alpina, a species new to Britain. (See ante.) Near the foot of Cross Craig is a birch wood, which I found very productive. On an old rotten birch stump a specimen of Athius undulatus occurred, and agarics produced (in addition to the species of Cis mentioned by Mr. Rye) Epurea variegata, a species new to Britain. (See ante.) I also found, in similar situations, some very interesting specimens of E. deleta, many of them being double the size of an average Southern type; and the series which I how have in my cabinet proves EL. deleta to be, in point of size, one of our most variable beetles. So singular, indeed, was this variation, that till I brought my insects home, and the truth was forced upon me, I considered the larger specimens specifically distinct from the smaller. In the above list I have carefully avoided repeating the names of species men- tioned in Mr. Rye’s list, otherwise mine would be much longer than it is——Ib. Masses of Diptera collected on twigs of alder.—Dr. McCullough brought home with him, from a fishing excursion, a small branch of alder on which was collected a solid mass of flies about eight or ten inches long by three to five thick, and containing probably several thousand individuals. He said that he observed on the twigs numerous similar collections, but the one brought was much the largest. These twigs, though four or five feet above the water, were so placed that they might be drawn into it when the stream was very full. On examining the mass, I found it contained nothing but flies, some few still alive, but most of them dead ; and small bundles of their eggs, but nothing to serve as a point of attraction, nor any débris, to indicate that they had been collected from the surface of the water. The eggs were obviously laid, as we often see insects lay their eggs, simply because the parent fly was unable to extricate itself, and must deposit them there or not at all. What I should like to know is, were the flies gathered from the surface of the stream, or were they collected in some other way, and is the phenomenon well known? ‘The date of the observation was about June 9th. Isend specimens of the fly for determination.—ALGERNON CnapmMaNn, M.D., Joint Counties Asylum, Abergavenny, July 10th, 1866. [The insect is Atheria ibis. Vide Insecta Britannica, Diptera, Vol I., p. 70, where Mr. Walker states as follows :— 1866. ] 95 “The female of this fly is gregarious, and attaches its eggs in large clusters “to boughs hanging over streams, and there remains, and shortly dies. The “cluster is generally pear-shaped, and sometimes contains many thousands of dead ‘flies, and continually receives accessions by new comers settling upon it. When “the larva is hatched it falls into the water, its future residence; it has a forked “tail about one-third of the length of the body, and has the power of raising itself ‘in the water by an incessant undulating motion in a vertical plane.” See also Proc. Ent. Soc. London, 1848, Aug. 7th; where is reported the exhibition by the late Mr. J. F. Stephens of a large mass of this fly, about two inches in diameter, found by the Rev. F. W. Hope on the banks of the Severn, at Berwick, near Shrewsbury. This mass was composed of an immense number of individuals, closely adhering together around a small branch. In the Proc. of 2nd July, 1849, is, also, the following note :— ** Mr. Westwood showed some flies and their eggs, part of a cluster of sixty or “seventy found in a tuft of hawthorn, about twelve miles from Derby, and sent to “him by Mr. Spencer, who had remarked that each fly seemed to remain as a “protector over the eggs it had deposited. They were identified as Atheria ibis.”— Eps. | Offer of Nyssia zonaria, jc.—Having duplicates of N. zonaria, as well as of Liparis salicis and Cicindela hybrida, I shall be happy to supply any collector with some of each of these insects (as long as my stock lasts), on receipt of a box and return postage.—H. L. Raconor, 5, Clifton Crescent, Clifton Park, Birkenhead. Sialis fuliginosa in Dorsetshire.—Mr. Dale showed me examples of this species captured near his own residence at Glanville’s Wootton, which do not differ from the individuals from Rannoch (vol. 2, p. 107). In these the character of the posi- tion of one of the transverse nervules (as represented in the figure) holds good, notwithstanding that, as I before mentioned, the neuration of Sialis is scarcely ever precisely identical even on the two sides of the same individual.—R. McLacuian, Forest Hill. Cannibalism of the larve of Coccinella.—A few evenings since I came upon a whitethorn hedge at Lewisham, which was abundantly tenanted by the larvee of the common two-spotted lady-bird, Coccinella bipunctata. Whether their usual food (Aphides, Sc.) had run short, or whether they preferred a pabulum that afforded a greater supply of nutriment with less trouble, I cannot say, but any way I observed numerous larvee busily engaged in sucking the juices of such of their own kindred as had recently turned to pup: their heads being deeply ensconced in the interiors of their helpless companions.—Id. Clisiocampa castrensis.—I have found the larvz of C. castrensis in abundance at Mersea and St. Osyth, near here. I have no doubt it occurs all round the Essex coast. I had hoped to have plenty for disposal, but confinement does not appear to suit them, as great numbers died; and although they were amply supplied with what is said to be their proper food, they did not thrive well—Hernry Laver, Colchester, Aug. 1st, 1866. 96 [September, 1866. Note on Bombyz querciis.—A few days since I saw a B. quercils emerge, and on testing a fluid observed on the head, I found it gave a decided alkaline reaction to litmus-paper. This alkaline fluid may probably account for the easy exit of moths through such tough things as some cocoons are.—ID. EntomoLocicaL Society or Lonpon. 6th August, 1866.—Prof. Wrstwoop, _ M.A., F.L.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. It was proposed by Mr. Pascoe, seconded by Mr. Stevens, and carried by acclamation, that the cordial:thanks of the Society be given to W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., for his entertainment at Reigate on the 6th ult. Mr. Stevens exhibited a collection of insects of all orders, sent from Bahia by Mr. Reed, including some fine Cicindelide, Yc. He also exhibited species of the genus Pogonostoma, collected in Madagascar by Mr. Gerrard, and some Cetonrade from Sierra Leone. Mr. D’Orville sent for exhibition an example of Cabera pusaria (male) with the wings entirely of a silky lead colour, the body retaining its ordinary white appear- ance; this had been captured in his own garden at Alphington, near Exeter. Mr. Bond exhibited a series of Hudorea basistrigalis, Knaggs (Hnt. Mo. Mag., vol. 3, p. 1), and some remarkable varieties of H. ambigualis from Mr. Barrett, of Haslemere ; also examples of the rare Catoptria microgrammana taken by Mr. Meek at Folkestone, and two specimens of the hitherto unique Sericoris ewphorbiana also taken by Mr. Meek at the same locality. Mr. McLachlan exhibited a collection of cases of caddis-flies recently received from Bavaria and Basle (those from the latter locality given to him by Mr. A. Miiller) ; including some remarkable forms of the case of Halesus digitatus ; that of Enoicyla pusilla (of which the larva lives out of the water); and a singular case (of uncertain genus, possibly Brachycentrus,) formed of vegetable matters neatly arranged transversely, so as to form a partially angular tube, closed by a solid operculum, in the centre of which are four small holes to admit the water ; &c., &c. Mr. Janson exhibited a box of rare British Coleoptera taken by Charles Turner in the New Forest, including two fine examples of Velleius dilatatus which had been found in the burrows of Cossus ligniperda. Professor Westwood mentioned that having at the last meeting expressed an opinion that the singular insect then described by Mr. Pascoe under the name of Ectrephes formicarum might pertain to the Pausside, he had since examined the parts of the mouth, and had arrived at the conclusion that it had no relationship with that family, and was, in fact, of doubtful location. He also read an extract from the Journal of the Society of Arts respecting the recent swarms of locusts in Algeria, they having prevailed to such an extent as to cause a famine, the water- courses being blocked up with their dead bodies, and the military having been employed to mitigate the bad effects by clearing them away. With respect to the Ailanthus silkworm (Attacus Cynthia), he remarked that hesaw noprospect of obtaining a second brood this season from those reared by him. It was announced that the next (September) meeting would be the last held in the rooms now occupied by the Society; that after then it would meet in the apartments of the Linnean Society at Burlington House; due notice would be given of the necessary alterations of the days of meeting, &c. October, 1866. ] . 97 A FEW WORDS ABOUT GELECHIA TRIANNULELLA. BY H. T. STAINTON, F.L.S. This insect was figured by Herrich-Schiffer on the 63rd plate of the fifth volume of his Schmetterlinge von Europa, in the year 1853 ; in the following year, at p. 201 of the letter-press, the brief description of it appeared, Herrich-Schiffer quoting as a doubtful synonyme the inornatella of Douglas. We there read— “Testaceo fusca, inter costas elevatas obscurior, punctis limbalibus et tribus disci, utrinque albido terminatis, nigerrimis. “Habit of cinerella, yet with the wings much narrower and longer, even narrower than in Jineolella, but not with so oblique a hind margin. The colour is of a fresher brown, more inclining to coppery-red that in cinerella, the nervures and the two dividing lines of the cilia not so distinct as in lineolella. All the three typical spots are produced lengthwise, especially that towards the inner margin, which is nearer the base, and dashed with whitish at both ends. “ Both sexes from Hungary, the female with the wings still nar- rower, four specimens; also from Switzerland, from Mons. de la Harpe.” In 1856, a brief notice of the same insect appeared in Frey’s Tineen und Pterophoren der Schweiz. “ Alis ant. testaceo-fuscis, inter venas elevatas obscurioribus, punc- tis disci atque marginis postici utrinque albido terminatis, nigerrimis. Sekt S. 9’, 6 hn. “T only saw a single female specimen. As this was not quite fresh, I use Herrich-Schiiffer’s description [which he then quotes]. “This species, found in Hungary, was obtained by Laharpe in the neighbourhood of Lausanne ; but as it appears, only a single specimen.” The diagnosis above given is supposed to be copied from Herrich- Schiffer, only a few words being altered to make it more uniform with the other diagnoses in Professor Frey’s work ; in this transposition of words a slight alteration has, however, been effected in their sense. The careful reader will perceive that Herrich-Schiffer had informed us that the “three spots of the disc are each terminated with whitish ;” in Frey’s diagnosis the whitish terminations are also appended to the hinder marginal spots, a meaning of which possibly Herrich-Schiffer’s words are capable, but clearly not that which was intended by him. In the month of April, 1856, I visited Chartres, in order to make the personal acquaintance of Monsieur Achille Guenée, and when I returned to Paris in the evening 1 brought with me some few visible _ memorials of my visit; amongst these was a specimen of an insect, 98 [ October, with which I had been much struck when I first saw it in M. Guenée’s collection, and of which I dotted down the note “like rufesceus, but with three ocellated spots.” It was given to me with the name inulella (?). In the autumn of the same year (1856), I received a letter from Monsieur Pierre Milliére, of Lyons, in which there occurs the following passage : “T have just discovered at Lyons two species of Micro-Lepidoptera new for France; these are Diasemia Ramburialis, H.S., Gue., and Anacampsis triannulella, H.S. The latter I bred from the larva, of which the habits are very interesting.” In February, 1858, Monsieur Milliére sent me a box of insects, in which were two specimens of this triannulella; my correspondent adding “of which I hope soon to give you the history of the earlier stages.” These specimens were identical with that I had received from M. Guenée under the doubtful name of inulella. In February, 1863, I paid my first visit to Monsieur Milliére at Lyons. In looking through his collection, I dotted down sundry notes, and amongst others the following: “ Gelechia trimaculella—larva rolls leaves of Convoloulus sepium in October, imago in November.” T am disposed now to think that ¢rimaculella was a slip of the pen, or rather of the pencil for triannulella. In April, 1868, there appeared in the Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift, p. 131, the following notice by Dr. Réssler, of Wiesbaden : “ Gelechia triannulella, H.-S., fig. 458.—The late Vigelius first found this moth in his garden, which lies on the southern slope of the pleasure grounds here. He beat it in early spring from some low box- bordering. I met with it quite fresh and: in first-rate condition on a grass plat in the town on 6th of April, and amongst grass in the Salzthal. At the end of June, 1862, I was in a stone quarry, which had a very warm aspect towards the south, and there, on some bushes of “ Ackerwinde” (Convolvulus arvensis), 1 found a leaf which was turned down at the margin (just as the larva of Hypsolophus quadri- nellus treats the leaves of Origanwm vulgare), and fastened by some threads, and being eaten, appeared to be the abode of a larva. On closer investigation, a larva endeavoured to make its escape by running rapidly backwards, which in form and markings reminded one forcibly of the larva of Gelechia terrella, so beautifully figured by Fischer von Réslerstamm. It was attenuated at each end, especially at the three 1866.) 99 anterior segments (spindle-shaped), broad and flat in the middle. The ground colour of a rich blackish red-brown, with whitish markings. The anterior half of the body with the belly and back red-brown, the incisions of the joints white, also the rings round the belly, the two first of which appear as collars. The posterior half of the body, viz., the seven last segments, have the back red-brown, without any such rings, but with a whitish dorsal stripe and the sides are white, on which, beginning each time between the legs and directed anteriorly, are four stouter and one fainter oblique streaks of the dark ground colour. The belly of the anterior half of the body is red-brown, of the posterior half whitish. Head small, dark brown; legs of the colour of the adjoining part of the body. “The change to the pupa state took place within the abode of the larva, and the imago appeared eight days afterwards. “Probably, from what has been mentioned above, there are two broods in the year, and the other brood passes the winter in the pupa state.” The new part of the Stettin Entomologische Zeitung, 1866, 7-9 (received here yesterday), contains a very interesting notice by Dr. ’ Steudel, of Kochendorf (p. 312), headed— GELECHIA SEPIELLA, 2. sp. “The writer bred last summer, from a larva feeding on Convolvulus sepium, a Gelechia, which he was unable to ’determine. It wandered, therefore, along with other Micro-Lepidoptera, in the autumn to Frankfort for determination by Herr von Heyden, who, with his usual goodness, determined my Micro-Lepidoptera, incited me to a scientific occupation with this group, and freely gave me of the riches of his collection. Hight days before his death, so painfully felt by surviving entomologists, I received back the Gelechia in question with the notice, that neither the Frankfort entomologists, nor Professor Frey, of Zurich, to whom he had sent the insect, knew it, and that the latter pronounced it to be a new species, which, probably on account of the neuration of the wings, ought to be arranged near Gelechia rufescens. I give, therefore, a description of the insect and its larva, and observe that I bred three specimens, one of which was spoilt in setting, and that none of them shewed any essential differences in colour, marking, or size. “ Capite, palpis, alisque anterioribus cinnamomeis ; alis anterioribus sub-acutis, elongatis, radice discoque concoloribus, apice dilutiore ; punctis tribus disci nigris albo-notatis, duobus oblique transversis ante, tertio post medium in vena transversa; venis post cellulam mediam nigro-squamatis, margine nigro-punctato. 8 lin.” 100 [ October, The entire description is too long to be given here, but the following extract will serve as a specimen of the care with which it has been written : “The colour of the anterior wings is a dull cinnamon-brown, to- wards the apex paler from the scattered yellowish scales, especially on the costa. At of the length of the wing are two elongate black spots, obliquely placed, the lower one nearer the base, on the fold; both are surrounded by an incomplete white ring. Just beyond the middle of the wing on the transverse vein, in the same line with the upper of the two previous spots, is a third larger spot, but not so deep black, in an oval, white, almost complete ring. Beyond this the veins are clothed with black scales, as also the ends of the veins in the hind margin; sometimes also there are black marginal spots on the costa before the apex.” All of which applies most excellently to my specimens of Gelechia triannulella. Dr. Steudel’s notice of the larva is as follows: “The larva feeds on Convolvulus sepium, and turns the top of the leaf by a horizontal fold upwards, and fastens it flatly to the upper side of the leaf. In this triangular abode it eats a portion of the paren- chyma; on the leaf being disturbed it quits its abode by a hasty, springing movement at one end of the fold, like the larve of the genus Depressaria, or like the similar larva of Hypsolophus Schmidiellus (Durdhamellus). By this means three of the larve which I found escaped, and a fourth was injured and killed in the attempt to cateh it hastily. If Iam not mistaken, I found the larve in July, and the perfect insect appearec in September. “The larva is rather elongate, thickened anteriorly, the head brown-black, the thoracic segment of the same colour, with paler shield anteriorly and three white spots posteriorly; the second to fifth seg- ments thickened, dark brown, the third segment with a series of raised white spots anteriorly, the fourth unicolorous, the fifth with lateral white spots anteriorly, beyond that the body is of a rather paler brown, with a white dorsal line, and with oblique white streaks on the sides. The anterior legs are black, the prolegs and belly are dirty dark green.” From the foregoing descriptions it is evident that the larva of triannulella is closely allied to those of rufescens and lutatella, which are so extremely similar that it is hardly possible to distinguish them. I am strongly disposed to fancy that the larvee of cinerella, tripunctella 1866.) Fr 101 maculosella, lineolella, and inornatella, will be found to be all very similar. Cinerella is an insect generally distributed and not rare, yet the larva is still (September, 1866) totally unknown to us. My friend, Monsieur Milliére, has lately bred a species closely allied to the Alpine tripunctella, of which I believe he will shortly publish the transforma- tions in his valuable “ Iconographie et Description de Chenilles et ’ Lépidopterés inedits:”” and with this observation I will conclude these “few words about Gelechia triannulella.” Mountsfield, Lewisham, September 11th, 1866. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF CRYPTOPHAGUS; AND NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF ANOTHER SPECIES OF THAT GENUS NEW TO BRITAIN. BY E. C. RYE. CrYPTOPHAGUS WATERHOUSEI, 0. sp. Elongatulus, leviter convexus, densé subtiliterque punctatus, pube breviori depressdé dense vestitus, fusco-testaceus, capite thoraceque ferrugi- neis, hoc basin versus fortiter angustato, angulisque anterioribus fortiter prominulis, cyathiformibus, postice laminatis acuteque productis ; dente laterali quasi prominentia anteriore confuso. Long. 14 lin. A single example of this exceedingly distinct species was taken in one of the open corridors leading to the Crystal Palace in May, 1857, by Mr. Waterhouse, to whom I have dedicated it. This specimen, luckily (on account of its Paramecosomiform build) a male, with four- jointed posterior and dilated anterior tarsi, represents the Cryptophagus 16 sp.—(?) of that gentleman’s Catalogue. It is intermediate in size and general appearance between C. acu- tangulus and C. vini, from both of which species, and, indeed, from all others which I have seen, or to the descriptions whereof I can refer, it differs considerably in the structure of its thorax. In the latter insect, which it most resembles in this respect (but from which its larger size, more cylindrical shape, finer punctuation and closer and shorter pu- bescence would amply separate it), the thorax has the anterior angles (the dentes anteriores of Erichson) widely dilated and cyathiform, behind which the sides, which are finely but distinctly crenulate, are slightly emarginate and then contracted behind ; the usual lateral denticle (dens posterior of Erichson) of Cryptophagus being absent. In C. Waterhousei the equally dilated and cyathiform anterior angles are continued behind 102 [ October, in almost a straight line, parallel with the sides of the thorax, until they terminate in a minute and acute point; the whole projection occupying about a third of the lateral length, and suggesting the idea of the dens posterior being amalgamated with the prominence of the anterior angle. Below the acute point above mentioned, the sides (which are strongly and straightly narrowed behind) are exceedingly finely crenulated; the margins, as compared with those of C. vini, being indeed almost entire. In other respects this insect is conspicuous by the almost cylindrical shape of its elytra, which are closely and deli- cately punctured, and thickly clothed with short pubescence. Another species of this genus, C. fuscicornis (Sturm, Deutschl. Ins., xvi, 97, 18; Er., Ins. Deutschl., iii., 358, 10), must, I think, be added to our lists, as I have found a specimen, agreeing in the majority of its cha- racters with Hrichson’s diagnosis, among some Cryptophagi belonging to Mr. D. Sharp, and taken by him in the London district. It is ¢ lin. long, rather smaller than any -C. dentatus, from which the much stronger and wider punctuation of its elytra, its somewhat more cylindrical shape and the structure of its thorax distinguish it ; the anterior angles being strongly prominent, and terminating behind in a sharp tooth, and the lateral tooth being situated at the middle of the sides, which are more narrowed behind it, and less strongly crenulated. I am, however, compelled to bring this species forward with a certain amount of doubt, not only on account of its pubescence being too long to accord exactly with Erichson’s description, but also because it has been already introduced as British by my friend Mr. G. R. Crotch, who has recently, in another place, withdrawn his exponent of it as only an abnormal C. dentatus (with any form of which Mr. Sharp’s insect cannot, however, be possibly confounded), and because the sole repre- sentative of it in the European collection of the British Museum* (sent, I believe, by Dr. Kraatz), is without doubt wrongly so named, having the anterior angles of the thorax not sufficiently prominent, and not acute behind, with the lateral tooth situated above the middle, and the punctuation of the elytra not sufficiently strong. Mr. Sharp’s insect somewhat closely resembles specimens of C. qguercinus, Ky., in the Brit. Mus. Coll. ; differing, however, from these in its smaller size, the more evident contraction of its thorax behind, and the stronger punctuation of its elytra. * It is somewhat consoling to the ‘“ Britisher,” often despised by cosmopolitan coleopterists for confining his study to the productions of his own country, to find that the extension of range frequently entails an extension of error, as proved by the constantly occurring instances of erroneous Continental *“types,”’ even when sent by the best ‘‘ authorities.” Wishing recently to see Continental specimens of Epurea variegata, | duly received five; whereof one was @stiva, and the remainder pusilla.—E. C. R. ee 1866.] : 108 AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 85.) 26.—Lassus (I.) prasinus, Fall. Fusco-flavus vel pallide viridis, interdum sub-rufescens. Abdomen nigrum, segmentis flavo-marginatis; 9 subtus totum, ¢ apice tantum, flavescens. Vertex immaculatus. rons obscure fusco-cancellata. Pronotum, scutellum, hemelytra, flavescentia, sub-nitida, immaculata : hee abdomine longiora, sub-pellucida, membrana leviter infuscata: nervi concolores. Ale infuscate. Pedes testacei; tibiz ad basin spinarum nigro puncte; postice intus nigro-lineate: ungues fusci. ae. Long. 23; alar. exp. 53 lin. Cicada prasina, Fall., Hem., 2, p. 40: Act. Holm., 1806, p. 27. Jassus prasinus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 352. Tassus subfusculus of the Brit. Mus. Collection. Aphrodes sulphurea, Curt., B. E., 6383, No. 10. Flor (I. ¢.) says that Cicada prasina, Fab., Ent. Syst., 4, 38, and S. R., 77, 70,—although quoted as a synonym by Fallén (1. ¢.),—is not the present insect, but a Bythoscopus. He does not, however, give the reasons for this conclusion. The Fabrician enigma is as follows: “ Flavo-viridis : alis cerulescentibus.” The pale colour, rather larger size, and immaculate upper surface, suffice to distinguish both sexes from subfusculus. The males are further separated by their external genital apparatus. In prasinus the lamine genitales are unusually long, three times the length of the valvula; in subfwsculus they are only half as long again as the same organ. On various trees in woods, throughout the kingdom ; perhaps the easiest to meet with of all the larger Jassz. The following species are smaller, resembling Hupterys. 27.—Tassus (L.) virescens, Fall. Angustus, pallide flavus vel flavo-viridis. Abdominis segmenta 5 prima supra medio nigra, vel nigro-limbata, lateribus late pallidis ; extera flaventia. Hemelytra pellucida, nitida, abdomine longiora ( ¢), vel paulo breviora (?). Vertex acutangulus, apice obtuso, sua inter oculos latitudine vix brevior, pronoto longitudine equalis. Tibize postice ad basin spinarum vix fusco punctate; tarsi apice fusci. Anus 9 apice albido setosus. ¢ @. Long. 2-23; alar. exp. 33 lin. Cicada virescens, Fall., Act. Holm., 1806, p. 33 ; Hem., 2, p. 52. Tassus virescens, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 333 (?) 104 [ October, When this species was made out I had not Flor’s work before me: the perusal of his description makes me now rather doubtful as to the correctness of the identification. Fallén’s diagnosis (with which my 18 specimens agree) is as follows :—“ Viridis, supra immaculata ; capitis apice obtusissimo [i. e., as compared with Pediopsis]; alis albicantibus. C. punctata vix minor. Supra virescens, nitida, post mortem flavescens. Caput impunctatum [i.e., without black spots]. Antenne longiuscule. Elytra corpore longiora, exalbida; nervis tenuibus, viridibus. Abdomen supra atrum, subtus sepe virescens. Tibie nigro-punctate.” Flor mentions a black dot upon the gens, which I cannot discern, and speaks of variations which my examples do not present. This species is from an osier bed on the banks of the Soare, near Aylstone, Leicestershire. It difiers from 4-notatus, Fab., in the longer vertex, narrower and longer body, abdomen only black in the middle above, colour after death more ochreous, and absence of black spots on the frons and vertex. 28.—Jassus (L.) quadrinotatus, Fab. Statura pracedentis. Pallide viridis, capite magis flavo. Abdomen ¢d nigrum; ? nigrum, flavo-marginatum. Vertex pronoto quadrante brevior, porrectus, apice rotundato. Macule due verticis, dueque frontis, rotunde, nigre: posteriores nonnunquam parvee,—sed caput aliquando immaculatum. Sub antennarum insertione, in genis, punctum nigrum ; facies tota seepe linea tenui nigra circumscripta. Antennarum articulus 2° plerumque niger. Hemelytra pellucida, nitida, viridia, nervis flavis. Pedes flavi; tibiz postice nigro punctate et lineate ; coxee saepius, femora raro, fusco-notata; femora antica extus, postica intus, linea nigra,-—sepissime obsoleta. ¢ 9. Long. 13-2; alar. exp. 4 lin. Cicada 4-notata, Fab., 8. R., p. 78. Lassus 4-punctatus, Germ., Fn., 14, tab. 15. Lassus 4-notatus, Flor, K. L., 2, p. 336. Thamnotettia spilotocephalus, Hardy, Tyneside Trans., 1, p. 424 (according to the type in the Brit. Mus.). This* species is less common than seawnotatus, but still sufficiently abundant in damp grassy places throughout the kingdom. (To be continued.) * The above insect, and many others of the smaller and softer Cicadas (ex. gr., Deltocephalus, Eupteryx), are often infested by an oval parasite, destitute of limbs, and immoveably attached to the abdomen or sides of the pronotum by a peduncle, The parasite first appears on the voung larva, and is then pale coloured, but grows with the growth of its victim, and finishes by becoming black. The Cicada is often malformed, owing to the constant presence of this excrescence, equal in size to its own head, but which does not appear to cause death. I have observed this fact a hundred times; and have read accounts of it in books, but nothing satisfactory.—T. A. M. 1866.] 105 THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. (Continued from page 76.) TxN10CAMPA GoTHICA—Common everywhere . RUBRICOSA—County Wicklow ; Mr. Bristow. - INSTABILIS—Common. 3 poruLeti1— Wicklow and Killarney. . STABILIS—Common. er @RaciLis—Killarney. us MuUNDA—Do. , crupa—Very common. OrtHosta yestLton—County Wicklow. 4 Lota—Common, and widely distributed. i MACILENTA— Do. do. ANTHOCELIS RUFINA—Do. do. A PIsTAcINA—Do. do. LUNOsSA— Do. do. . LiruRA— Do. do. CERASTIS VACCINII—Do. do. “a sPADICEA—County Wicklow ; Mr. Bristow. ScoPELOSOMA SATELLITIA—Common. DASYCAMPA RUBIGINEA— Widely distributed. I have taken specimens at Dublin, Tullamore, and Killarney. Hoporina croceaeo—County Wicklow. XANTHIA CITRAGO— do. CERAGO do. common. Fa s1zago—- Wicklow and Dublin ; not uncommon. s auraco—Mr. Haughton ; locality unknown. FERRUGINEA—Common everywhere. Evuperta FULVAGo—Mr. Greene’s list ; no locality known to me. CosMIA TRAPEZINA — Common everywhere. » AFFINIs— Powerscourt. DrantH@cra carvpopuaca—Mr. Greene’s list. All the Irish specimens which I have seen are referable to the following species :— y CAPSOPHILA (pl. 1, fig. 9)—First captured by Mr. Barrett in June, 1860. See Zoologist, p. 7324. Occurs com- monly on the hill of Howth, but has not yet been found elsewhere.* The larva feeds on the unripe seeds of Szlene maritima from June to August; and the moth, though * This insect has been taken during the present summer, near Waterford by Dr. Wright, and in the Isle of Man by Mr. Hopley and others.—E. B. 106 (October, only single-brooded, is on the wing for the greater part of the same period. There has been much discussion as to the claims of this insect to be considered a species dis- tinct from carpophaga, some of the darker varieties of which from Scotland approach capsophila both in form and colour. The larve of carpophaga and capsophila, like the perfect insects, differ principally in colour, capsophila in both cases being darker. The larve of capsincola and conspersa are, however, equally difficult to separate ; and these slight variations in the larva state seem to be cha- racteristic of the Dianthecie, and alone are insufficient to enable us to discriminate the species. Some may sup- pose that the common origin of the various species of the genus is indicated by these slight differences in the larva state ; but for the purposes of classification, carpophaga and capsophila seem to me abundantly distinct, and must be so recorded. Diantrua@cra capstncotra—Generally distributed, and common. cucuBALI—Howth and Killarney ; not uncommon. BARRETTII (pl. 1, fig. 7)—This fine insect, discovered at Howth by Mr. Barrett in June, 1861, and described by H. Doubleday in Entomologist’s Annual for 1864, p. 124, is not known to have occurred either in England or upon the Continent. Four specimens have been captured— the first, a male, by Mr. Barrett, and the others, one male and two females, by myself. The larva has not yet been discovered ; it will probably be found to feed either on the leaves or seeds of Silene maritima in July. CONSPERSA— Belfast ; Mr. Bristow. compra (pl. 1, fig. 8)—A pair of this well-known species, taken in Ireland by Mr. Tardy, are in the collection of Trinity College ; but I am unable to indicate the exact locality of their capture. The insect has long been a reputed British species, and I confidently anticipate its admission to our lists when Dublin collectors bestir them- selves a little. Ireland appears to be peculiarly rich in the genus Dianthecia, producing seven species, whilst only four are known to occur in Great Britain. HercaTrera Dysoppa—Mr. Greene’s list; locality not stated. 2? SERENA—County Wicklow and Howth. Poxta cH1—-Generally distributed, and common. Prd FLAVOcINCTA—County Wicklow. 1366.) 107 DASYPOLIA TEMPLI—Common at Howth. Epunpa LutuLenta—County Wicklow ; Mr. Bristow. 7 viminatis—Belfast ; also at Killarney. Ne LICHENEA—Common at Howth. Misenia oxyacantno—Abundant in most places. Aq@riopis aprinina— Dublin and Wicklow; common. PHLOGOPHORA METICULOSA—Common everywhere. EUPLEXIA LUCIPARA— do. do. ApLecta HERBIDA— Widely distributed, and common in many places. .. NEBULOSA— do. do. Hapena satura—County Wicklow ; one specimen by Mr. Bristow. a? apusta—Very common, and widely distributed. + PROTEA—County Wicklow ; common. * DENTINA— Widely distributed, and often very common. » CHENOPopII—Near Dublin, by Mr. Greene. 4 suasA—County Wicklow; not common. a OLERACEA— Common. a PISI— do. x THALASSINA— do. - cont1avaA— Wicklow and Killarney ; common. RS GENIsT®—County Wicklow; not common. e. RECTILINEA— Killarney ; not common. XYLOCAMPA LITHORIZA—Common in the County Wicklow. CaLOCAMPA VETUSTA— do. do. and Dublin. be EXOLETA do. do. do. Xyumwa RuIzo~tirHA—Common at Killarney; also occurs in the County Wicklow, but rarely. % PETRIFICATA— Widely distributed, and frequently abundant. I once saw an ivy bush near Tullamore, the flowers of which were swarming with this insect. CucuLLiIa VERBAScI—Dublin and Wicklow ; common. é CHAMOMILLE— do. do. nd " UMBRATICA—Generally distributed, and common. ANARTA MYRTILLI— do. do. Erastria Fuscuta—In profusion at Killarney. BaNKIA ARGENTULA— do. do. HyYDRELIA UNCA do. do. Any one who has traversed the bogs of the County Kerry in the early part of June, will not soon forget the astonishing numbers of the three last-named insects, which rise around him as he pushes his way through the thick growth of Myrica gale. 108 | [October, ABROSTOLA URTICE— Widely distributed, and common. #8 TRIPLASIA— do. do. PLUSIA CHRYSITIS— do. do. BRACTEA—County Wicklow. FESTUCH — Widely distributed, and common. » IOTA— do. do. »» V.-AUREUM— do. do. GAMMA— do. do. GONOPTERA LIBATRIX— Widely distributed, and common. AMPHIPYRA PYRAMIDEA— Killarney ; common. . TRAGOPOGONIS—Generally distributed, and common. Mania TYPICA— do. do. * MAURA do. do. STILBIA ANOMALA—Howth; not uncommon. CaTOCALA FRAXINI—A specimen captured at Kingstown by Mr. Greene. a nupra—Dr. Bail; locality unknown to me. OPHIODES LUNaRIS—Two specimens captured at Killarney by the late P. Bouchard, in 1864. Evucxiip1a Mi—Widely distributed, and common. GLYPHICA—Do. do. ” PHYTOMETRA HNEA—Do. do. Although the foregoing list contains 200 of the 304 British species of Noctue, I look upon it as still very incomplete. It may be noted that of the Heliothide only one species, Anarta myrtilli, has been observed ; and it is possible that the cloudy skies of Ireland are ill adapted to the habits of this sun-loving family ; but whilst hundreds of square miles of bog and marsh remain unexplored, it is impossible to believe that 13 of the British Lewcanide are not to be found in Ireland. The probability is that a proper search would result in the discovery, not only of most of these insects, but of other and unknown species. Irish specimens of Moctue are generally more richly coloured and darker than specimens captured in England, as is also the case with Noctue from Scotland. Possibly the moister climate of the northern and western portions of the United Kingdom may, in some degree, account for this ; but, taken in connection with the occurrence of such species as Acronycta myrice, and Hadena rectilinea, in the extreme south of Ireland, this similarity between Scotch and Irish insects seems to point to the northern origin of many of the Irish Lepidoptera. 1966. } 109 DREPANULA.* PLATYPTERYX LACERTULA—Common. Wicklow and Kerry. s FALCULA— do. Kerry. Cruix sprnuLtA — Common. PSEUDO-BOMBYCES. DicraNURA VINULA—Common. » FuRcULA—Not uncommon, and widely distributed. < BIFIDA— do. do. PETASTIA CASSINEA—Dr. Ball. Py@#Ra BUCEPHALA—Very common. CLosTERA CURTULA—Larve near Clonmel. - 3 ANACHORETA—Larve turned out at Howth, are, I believe likely to effect a permanent settlement. zs RECLUSA—Generally distributed. PrinopoNTIS PALPINA—County Wicklow; Mr. Bristow. Noroponta camenina—Abundant at Powerscourt and Killarney. : BICOLORA—Seyveral specimens taken by the late Mr. Bou- chard. x pict#a—County Wicklow ; not uncommon. Fe DICT HOIDES— do. do. e DROMEDARIUS— _ do. do. - TRITOPHUS—Larvee at Howth on alder; by Mr. Shield. - ziczAc—Not uncommon. 33 TREPIDA—Not uncommon in County Wicklow. i cHAONIA—I have a specimen taken at Killarney. It has also occurred in the County Wicklow. + poponEA—Not uncommon at Killarney. DILoBa CHRULEOCEPHALA—Generally distributed, but apparently not abundant. (To be continued.) Notes on the Catalogue of Irish Lepidoptera.—The great interest with which I have studied the valuable Catalogue of Irish Lepidoptera by my friend Mr. Birchall, must be my excuse for the following remarks :—Firstly, I wish to know why P. Actewon should be called an Atlantic insect ? The only two English localities are on the coast of Devon (Sidmouth) and in Dorset (Lulworth). Both are washed by the British Channel. I have taken it at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, which may be called Central Europe. * We accidentally omitted to place the Drepanule and Pseudo-Bombyces before the Noctue.—Ebs. 110 [October, I would also observe that Melitwa Cinwia is stated in the “ Manual” to occur at Falkland, in Fifeshire. My other remark is on Lithosia caniola. Mr. Doubleday has well reminded us already that it was taken at Torquay; but, independently of this, instead of being surprised at its occurrence in Ireland, I would fain hope that more instances of the insects of Southern Europe turning up there may yet be found; for we must bear in mind that Ireland claims as her own several plants from Spain, &c., unknown to England ; such is, for example, Ononis reclinata, Erica Mediterranea, and Hrica Mackaiana. Give two other instances: Hrica vagams is found in Cornwall also ; Naias flevilis and Dabecia polifolia occur only at Connemara. Analogy leads us, therefore, rather to look out for more instances than to feel surprised at this one.— R. C. R. Jorpan, Birmingham, August, 1866. [We presume that in his remarks on the distribution of the Irish Butterflies, Mr. Birchall has followed the admirable system of ,geographical divisions used in Watson’s ‘‘Cybele Britannica” and Moore’s “Cybele Hibernica for the plants of these islands. In Mr. Stainton’s “Notes on the Geographical Distribution of the British Butterflies” (Trans. Ent. Soc. 2 series, vol. 5, pp. 229—2385), published subsequently to the “ Manual,” no mention is made of the occurrence of M. Cinwia in Scotland, he having learnt that the reputed Fifeshire Cinzia were only Artemis.—Ebs. | Lithosia caniola.—In reply to Mr. Doubleday’s remarks (p. 67, vol. ii.), I can only say, if I have done Mr. King an injustice I am sorry for it; but I did not think the finding specimens of Lithosia caniola in his boxes, taken in connection with the circumstance that no subsequent capture of the insect in the supposed locality has been made, sufficient to establish the fact of its occurrence at Torquay, and I therefore omitted all reference to it.—Hpwin Bircnatt, Bradford, Sept. 3rd. Occurrence of Lithosia caniola at Waterford.—Since my remarks on this insect were written (p. 33), it has been taken on the coast near Waterford by Dr. EH. P. Wright, of Dublin.—Ib. Acidalia mancuniata.—Mr. Campbell has obligingly forwarded for inspection a long series of both bred and caught examples of the insect referred to by him at page 90. They pertain undoubtedly to the species to which the above name was applied.— H. G. Knaces, Kentish Town, August 27th. Ocewrrence of the larva of Cidaria (?) sagittata.—I have this season again noticed larvze of C. sagittata in plenty. They feed on Thalictrum flavum, which grows abundantly by the sides of our fen drains, eating the seeds and partly bitten older leaves. Should not this insect class with some of the genus Hupithecia rather than with Cidaria ?—A. Fryer, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, August, 1866. Capture of Aplasta ononaria, Fuessly; a genus and species of Geometride new to Britain.—On or about the 18th July last, I captured a specimen of A. ononaria in the Warren at Folkestone, amongst Ononis arvensis. My opinion is, that a week later would be a better time for the species.—B. Pirrarp, Hemel-Hempstead, 10th September, 1866. 1366.) lil [This is a very interesting addition to the English fauna. Aplasta belongs to the Fidonide, and at one time the single species was placed in Fidonia. Guenée places the genus before (of the European genera) Strenia. In Staudinger’s cata- logue it comes next after Scoria. A. ononavia is common in some localities not very far distant from Paris, and is also found in North Germany. The larva, which has long been known, feeds on Ononis; and, according to Duponchel, it remains a very short time in the chrysalis state, the moth appearing all through the summer ; hence it is inferred that there is a succession of broods. In Guenée’s Phalénites, vol. ii., p. 105, a lapsus calami occurs. In the generic description are the words “ Larv. ignot.,” yet immediately below it is fully characterized.—Ebs. ] Agrotis agathina and Cirredia xerampelina near York.—I captured a few very fine specimens of A. agathina on the night of August 25th, by searching the flowers of Calluna vulgaris near York. By digging for pups at Ash trees, I was rewarded with a beautiful pair of C. zerampelina, a male on August 21st, and a female on August 25th.—T. J. Carrineton, Fulford, York, September 12th, 1866. Capture of Enmelesia bifasciata.—In the first week of August I went to an old hedge on our marshes with the intention of finding an odd specimen of this insect, as it appeared to me a very suitable place; I was not long in starting game, and by continuous attention for a week, and by dint of hard work with a heavy stick, I managed to secure about forty specimens, of which, however, very few were in fine condition, and the best part of the job was that no other moths annoyed me, for those which did turn out, or rather were made to come out, were all bifasciata. The hedge is in a fair way for being destroyed. I got a good many eggs, but the larvee all died young.—J. B. Hopaxrnson, September 12th, 1866. Another extraordinary variety of Cabera pusaria.—About a fortnight since I obtained what I believed to be an example of Lithostege nivearia. It differed, however, sufficiently from a specimen I had previously, that I did not feel confident, though I had not much doubt that J had rightly named it. On reading, however, an account in this month’s Ent. Mon. Mag. of Mr. D’Orville’s specimen of C. pusaria “of a silky lead colour, the body retaining its ordinary white appearance,” my insect was immediately suggested tome. I should thus describe it— Spread of wings 1” 3”. Fore-wings: ground colour white, so closely dusted with grey as to give apparently an almost even ground colour of leaden-grey, the tone resembling that of A. Ashworthii. Hind-wings: the same, but paler at the base; the whole with a very satin-like gloss. Body nearly white. Two of the curved lines common to pusaria are faintly indicated on the hind-wings, but I cannot trace them on the fore-wings. The fringes are white.—W.O. Hammonp, St. Alban’s Court, near Wingham, Sept. Ist, 1866. Capture of Leptogramma Boscana and L. scabrana ; with notes—I have the pleasure to announce that I have again been successful in taking L. Boscana, having found it rather freely this year. The last year I met with it in any numbers was 1858, since which time I have never seen more than two or three specimens in a 1 [October, season, and some years none at all. They began to come out in the second week of July, and the larvex of scabrana, about half grown, are now feeding in precisely the same way on the same elms. The larvee of the two species are not to be dis- tinguished from each other. I recorded, in 1858, the breeding of one scabrana apparently identical with Boscana. I have now to record the capture of two decided scabrana in company with Boscana; one of these I sent to Mr. Doubleday. My attempts to procure eggs of either species have all proved futile, and I should be glad of any hints from practical entomologists on the subject of breeding Tortrices from the egg.—E. Horton, Powick, Sept. 5th, 1866. The re-discovery of Sericoris euphorbiana,— With regard to this, I have to men- tion that I took the species (one specimen) at Malvern, May 28th, 1861, and sent it to Mr. Stainton, who named it for me.—Id. Scarcity of Macroglossa stellatarum in 1866.—In reply to “H. U.” I beg to say, that I have not observed M. stellatarwm this season, and that I predicted its scarcity in the autumn of last year, from having examined a good number of females of the second brood and found them all destitute of ova.—Id. Scarcity of Macroglossa stellatawm.—I have observed this insect two or three times only this season : last year it was in greater plenty than in any year since 1808.—J. C. Dax, Glanville’s Wootton Sherbourne, September 9th. Ennomos alniaria bred.—Yesterday morning I bred from the larva that Mr. Hellins sent me to figure, a most splendid specimen of Ennomos alniaria.—W. Buck.ER, Emsworth, August 29th, 1866. Ennomos alniaria bred.—I have been successful in rearing 2. alniaria from the eggs obtained last year by Mr. Lacy, of Gosport.—J. HELLIns, September 18th. Agrophila sulphuralis at Eweter—Mr. Barrett’s mention of this species, as being found by him in a lamp, reminds me that on one of the last days in July, 1865, Mr. Norcombe told me he had, the night before, seen a specimen of sulphuralis settled on a lamp in front of the County Prison—not twenty steps from my house. The time was about 11 p.m.,—too late, he thought, to knock me up,—and unfortunately he had neither pin nor pill-box with him; so after having a good long look at the moth, he slid down the lamp-post to consider what he should do, and presently had the mortification to see sulphwralis knocked off its perch by some bouncing Noctua, and fly away, but he told me he had looked long enough at it to be quite sure of the species.—Ib., July 12th. Stawropus fagi at Exeter.—I took a wasted male of this species sitting in the middle of one of the lower panes of my dining-room window, at about nine a.m. on the 28th of last month: the night had been sultry, and a lamp was burning in the room till after midnight, but I had not noticed the moth knocking at the window.—I». 1866. j 113 Notes on Cidaria immanata.—In the beginning of September last year, Mr. Birchall kindly sent me a batch of eggs of this species. Having cut out the part of the pill-box on which the eggs were deposited, I pinned it to a bit of wood, which I stuck in a flower-pot with a plant of Fragaria vesca. During the winter I noticed that the eggs were washed off the card, and fell upon the earth in the pot below ; however, they were not injured by this change of position, and on the 20th March, 1866, I noticed one larva had been hatched. At this time the flower-pot was un- luckily upset by the gardener, who did his best to replace the earth, &c., without saying anything to me, consequently, out of the whole batch I obtained but four larve in all. This small brood has, however, given me great satisfaction, for they fed up well, and have produced four good specimens of the moth; three of them being the type immanata, and the fourth being the variety marmorata of Haworth. —Ib. Note respecting a species of Apatania.—In my “ Trichoptera Britannica,” pp. 74, 75, I mention a species of Apatania taken at the little lake in Arundel Park, which I considered to be probably distinct from A. vestita, but of which I had only -seen females. I have now visited the locality four times—thrice in August, once in June—and have taken probably near one hundred specimens; still all are females, most of them full of ova, which they deposit freely. The occurrence of this sex only is to me inexplicable; and one is almost led to suspect that this species may be able to dispense, partially or entirely, with the companionship of males,—as is known to be the case in some few species of other Orders, and, as there is strong reason to believe, prevails also in many more (e.g., several species of Tenthredinid@). I still adhere to the opinion that it is distinct from A. vestita, and name it pro- visionally A. muliebris. The occurrence of an Apatania at Arundel is additionally interesting, because that genus is alpine or sub-alpine in its habits; it may be remarked, however, that the little lake springs out of the chalk, and the water of it is very cold. A slight correction is necessary with respect to A. vestita. Kolenati takes the name from Zetterstedt, whose species, though probably of this genus, is yet unsatis- factorily determined. That my vestita is the same as Kolenati’s I have no doubt ; for, contrary to his usual custom, in his generic description he describes the appendices of A. vestita, and these agree precisely with the British species.— R. McLacuian, Forest Hill. Note on Lepidoptera attracted by blackberries.—As I found sugar comparatively unproductive last autumn, while Noctue were flying at the same time in plenty about the blackberries on the hedges, I turned my attention to them, and with results that I think deserve a passing notice. In consequence of the long continued hot weather, the blackberries were remarkably abundant and sweet, and therefore, I suppose, more attractive to insects than usual, for the abundance of moths upon them was surprising. Xanthia cerago, silago, and ferruginea, Anthocelis rufina, Orthosia lota and macilenta, Glea vaccinit, Miselia owyacanthe and Phlogophora meticulosa were in great abundance; Anthocelis litura and pistacina, Scopelosoma satellitia, Agrotis suffusa and segetwm, Hadena eo . 114 {October protea and Chariptera wprilina were common enough, and Glea spadicea, Gonoptera libatriz, and even wasted Amphipyra pyramidea, were occasionally to be met with. But besides these common things, I obtained several Hoporina croceago, Xylina rhizolitha and petrificata, Calocampa vetusta, and Epunda nigra. The Geometre were represented by Cidaria psittacata and russata ; Scopula ferrugalis was common and very lively, seldom waiting to be boxed, but flying frantically round the lantern; Pterophorus pterodactylus was excessively abundant,— more so, I think, than any other moth,—and one specimen of Sarrothripa Rewayana suffered the penalty of his weakness for sweets. ‘ The moths appeared to have some means of piercing the skin of the fruit ; their trunks were constantly to be seen penetrating it, while their bodies were fairly distended with juice. I have seen as many as six Anthocelis rufima on one bunch, and believe that the shrivelled and withered branches so commonly to be seen were due (with the assistance of plenty of wasps) to the abundance and greediness of the moths. This mode of collecting has one great advantage—it can be continued until very late. Instead of retiring, as moths generally do, from the sugar as soon as they have made a meal, they continue on the blackberries as though they could never have enough, and are almost as plentiful at eleven o’clock as in the first part of the evening. Later I did not try —Cnaries G. Barrert, Haslemere. Nemeobius Lucina.—This species occurs here in an extensive copse intersected with deep valleys. It frequents the bottoms of these valleys, where it flits about over the underwood, almost always returning to one particular spray; indeed, certain bushes, and even twigs, seem to be especially to their taste, since if one be taken another soon occupies its place. In this way one alder-bush afforded me two or three specimens, and a little oak-bush, in a particularly warm and pleasant corner, was always sure to have a fresh tenant in a few hours, or, at any rate, in a day or two after the previous occupant had been captured. Occasionally, though rarely, a specimen would settle on a spurge-bloom, the only flower they appeared to affect. —C. G. Barrett, Haslemere. Note on Hermaphrodites.—The following two instances of hermaphroditism seem not to be mentioned by Dr. Hagen in his catalogues in the Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung for 1861 and 1863, and as the*completion of such valuable records ought always to be one of the aims of the student of entomology, I give the entire passages as contained in Dr. F. A. Nickerl’s “Synopsis der Lepidoptern Fauna Boehmens,” Prague, 1850, inferring that English readers generally have no ready access to this work. Dr. Nickerl mentions of Satyrus Semele, L.— “My collection contains a very fine hermaphrodite taken near Prague, the right half of which is male, whilst the left is female.” Op. cit., p. 15. The same author says of Lycwena Argus, L.—‘ An hermaphrodite, taken near Prague by Herr Maloch, painter, the left half of which, viewed from above, shows the colouring of the female, whilst the right half produces the colouring of the male, is in my collection. A bluish stripe extends from the base (Innenwinkel) of 1866.) ; af 115 _ the left hind-wing towards the hind margin, so that the wing is divided into two brown patches (Felder), the lower of which has also the appearance of being pow- _ dered with some bluish scales near the inner margin of the wing (Hinterleibs- klappe).” Op. cit., p. 19.—ALBERT Mutirr, Penge, 11th September, 1866. How to find the larve of Gelechia costella.—In hedges where Solanwm dulcamara _ (Bitter-sweet, or very frequently called simply Nightshade,) grows, the larva of G. costella may readily be met with in the months of August, September, and October; they are perhaps the most frequent in the first half of the latter month. The habit of the larva is varied; in the first place we meet with them as leaf-miners. Now Acrolepia pygmeana is often abundant as a leaf-miner on the same plant. How, then, are we to distinguish the mines of the two species? The mine of the Acrolepia remains flat, and is of an uniform pale green; whereas the mine of Gelechia costella (which is almost invariably at the edge of the leaf,) is more or less puckered, and with a brownish tinge. Besides these differences in the mine, a glance at the larves abundantly enables us to distinguish them, as the Acrolepia larva is of an unicolorous pale green, and the costella larva has a very conspicuous black plate on the second segment, which can be readily seen whilst the larva is still within its mine. Secondly, we meet with the larva of costella feeding between united leaves, and forming yellowish-green blotches in the upper leaf. Thirdly, we find it boring in the stems of the Solanwm; if we find the terminal leaves of a shoot of Solanum dulcamara are withered, and we split down the stem of the shoot, we shall find that it has been excavated, and we shall not need to split far before we discover, snugly ensconced in the stem, the larva we are seeking. At other times it betrays its presence in the stem by the little pellets of excrement which are ejected frequently at the base of a leaf stalk. In the month of October last year, having noticed that none of the collections of my German friends possessed this insect, I assiduously sought for the larvee, and distributed them to various parts of Germany, Switzerland, and Holland: whilst thus seeking, I noticed that many of these October larvee were quite small, and this suggested to me the idea they would perhaps hybernate in the larva state. I have always looked upon Gelechia costella as a most exceptional species in the genus from its late appearance in the perfect state, having frequently bred it in November; but larve which were quite small as late as the 9th of October, could _searcely attain the perfect state before December. England and Holland (whence I have seen one specimen) are the only two countries known to produce this species; but in a box of insects which Monsieur Milliére, of Lyons, was lately so kind as to send me, I found specimens of a closely allied species, which he had bred from larvee feeding on Hyoscyamus albus at Cannes. w Those who have the opportunity of searching in this country amongst henbane ; 4 3 P. (Hyoscyamus niger) would do well to turn their attention to that plant.—H. T. Srainton, Mountsfield, Lewisham, S.H., September 14th, 1866, Nepticula centifoliella; a species new to Britoin.—In the month of April last I was asked to name some insects for Mr. W. C. Boyd, of Cheshunt, and was 116 [October, agreeably surprised to find, that amongst the Nepticule bred by him from larva collected in his own neighbourhood, were several specimens of Nepticula centi- foliella. Since we first began to breed insects of this genus some fifteen years ago, so much had heen done in many parts of the country without centifoliella turning up, that I had almost abandoned the idea of our finding it here.—Ib. Gracilaria fidella, Reuttii—The day is long gone by when an English entomolo- gist religiously abstained from looking for a Continental species in this country till by some accident a single specimen had been picked up, when immediately it be- came his bounden duty to search and hunt for the insect because it had been found ; an inverted process, for it would at any time have appeared more natural to seek in order to find, than to follow the Hibernian policy of “when found, then seek.” The larva of this hop-feeding Gracilaria, to which our attention was called a few years ago by the late deeply lamented Senator V. Heyden, forms cones by turning down the tips of the hop leaves towards the under side; like others of its genus, it is a larva without character, unicolorous pale green. V. Heyden found the larva at Freiburg, in the Breisgau (the locality where Reutti had met with the perfect insect), on wild hops, afterwards at Speyer on cultivated hops, and published a notice of it in the Stettin Entom. Zeitung for 1862, p. 860. In 1864, Herr Venus, of Dresden, sent me some larvz of this species, but they unfortunately arrived when I was from home, and I did not see the larves, and the hop leaves were quite withered before I returned home. Professor Fritzsche, of Freiberg, told me last September, that the insect was not uncommon in his neighbourhood, and last evening I had the pleasure of receiving several of the larvee from Herr Hofmann, of Ratisbon. The period given by Von Heyden for the larva is the end of August, but the date of those sent from Dresden, in 1864 (September 15th), and the fact of my describing a living larva this morning, shows that in the middle of September one ig still in time to look for this larva.—Ib. Occurrence of Eupecilia curvistrigana near Barnstaple.—Of this handsome Tortriv I captured two specimens in the neighbourhood of the above locality,—one by beating, from mixed herbage in the day time; the other flying along a lane at dusk.—H. G. MrErk, 5, King Street, Old Ford Road, September 15th, 1866. Lepidoptera in North Perthshire.—In the September No. of the Magazine a paper was published, in which I gave a sketch of the result, as regards Coleoptera, of an expedition into the North of Perthshire, which I made in company with my friend Mr. EK. M. Geldart. Our “ game,” however, was threefold. I believe Mr. Geldart intends publishing some notes on the Diptera that we met with, and I pro- pose to give now a brief sketch of our operations in pursuit of Lepidoptera. I know not whether to blame the season, or the Coleoptera and Diptera, or ourselves ; but certainly something or somebody deserves blame for the paucity of our captures among the butterflies and moths. In the Rhopalocera of course few species could be expected. C. Davus swarmed everywhere, and the var. Typhon was by no means scarce. Near the foot of Grayvel we found H. Cassiope out in abundance (at least a thousand feet lower in 1866.] VG locality, and nearly a month later in the year than it is taken in Cumberland), and, towards the close of July, E. Blandina occurred commonly in the glades of a wood behind Camachgouran. ; The Sphingina were represented by a solitary specimen of A. Atropos, which my companion met with near Dall. Among the Bombycina we captured several species, N. plantaginis occasionally on the Moors, and E. russula not uncommonly where we took FE. Blandina. The Noctue presented an unexpected blank. The average “take” at sugar (which we applied to about fifty trees every night but two,) was two specimens, which generally were Noctua festiva or conflua, or R. tenebrosa. However, besides these we secured several of H. rectilinea, and single specimens of C. duplaris and A. tincta. The species of Aplecta were just coming out when we left. On the 20th of July we “ started” and missed two specimens of A. occulta. Plusia interrogationis occurred commonly on all the Moors, and Mr. Geldart took Anarta melanopa (on the summit of Schichallion) and Plusia festucw (near the foot of Cross Craig). Of the Geometre we took several that pleased us. D. obfuscata occurred not very uncommonly (but, contrary to its reputation, flying slowly) on the sides of rocky roads about Camachgouran. E. fasciaria was very abundant over the whole district; FP. brunneata swarmed in the Black Forest (where E. indigata also occurred); on the summits of Schiehallion and Grayvel (but not on Cross Craig) we took P. trepidaria sparingly ; on most mountains C. munitata, L. salicaria, and ZL. flavi- cinctaria were common ; near the foot of Cross Craig EH. ericetaria was not un- frequent, and in every spot L. cesiata swarmed in countless thousands. Besides these we took, in various localities, T. firmaria, E. blandiata, L. tristata, and C. imbutata. The Pyrales were not common. 8. alpinalis occurred frequently on and near Grayvel flying rapidly over almost inaccessible slopes, and elsewhere we captured Bud. lineolalis, muralis, and alpinalis. \ In the Black Forest Coccyx ustomaculana was taken sparingly, with Tortriv icterana and Ant. corticana and prelongana, and on the top of Grayvel Sericoris alternana fell to our lot occasionally ; where I also took a species which appeared to be Sericoris herbana. ‘ Tinea ochraceélla was, of course, common at dusk about nests of Formica rufa and T. flavescentella occurred in a house. Ccophora similella was common in a shed at Camachgouran, and from sallows and birches beside a mountain stream, we beat Argyresthia glaucinella and retinella respectively, while Argyresthia Gadar- tella fell to our lot high up on the mountains.—T. BLackBuRN, Grassmeade, South- fields, Wandsworth. Leistus montanus in Scotland.—I omitted to mention in the September No. of the Magazine that, while in Scotland, in July last, I took a fine specimen of L. montanus on the summit of Schiehallion.—Ib. Coleoptera in Japam.—lI found a fine Velleius yesterday disputing the sweets of a Cossus-burrow with an enormous hornet. My Cuwrculios of this season amount to 140 species, all taken within a radius of six miles. Collections in Japan are at present necessarily very local ones.—G. Lewis, Nagasaki, 5th July, 1866. 118 [October, Hemiptera at Loch Rannoch.—The following short list of species taken in June and July in this locality may interest some readers. At that time insects of this order were, of course, few, not being fully developed. Rhacognathus punctatus, L., on sallow, near the place were Cryptocephalus 10-punctatus is found. Mr. Rye also secured one. Sehirus biguttatus. Miris holsatus, F., and ruficornis, Fall., both equally common. Drymus brunneus, Sablb., and Scolopostethus afinis, Schill., sole representatives of the Lygvidw. Sphyrops ambulans, Fall., abundant. Lygus pra- tensis, F., and campestris, L. Rhopalotomus ater, L. A single g of Zygonotus pselaphiformis, Curt. Agalliastes pulicarius, Fall. Salda morio, Zett., one g taken on the beach of the Loch, in company with hundreds of S. littoralis, L. Salda riparia, Fall., and Salda saltatoria, L., in wet places of the moor, and on mountain sides. Besides the above, there are several which I cannot determine from “ British Hemiptera,” and which probably are novelties. Among them are anew Lopomorphus; Nabis allied to limbatus, Dahlb., with very short hemelytra, but fully developed, abundant in a field close to the Loch, males and females constantly seen in copula ; two new species of Salda from the mountains; a pretty Globiceps (?) with grass- green hemelytra, and black head and pronotum, the latter with two yellow spots; a large Psallus (?), rosy-coloured and black, on birch trees; Coriaa from peat ponds, not yet examined; Hydrometra Costae, H. Sch., with the pronotum broadly rufescent (from ditto); Derwocoris and Litosoma, not yet examined. At Tummel Bridge, near the Inn, I captured four females of a Zygonotus, probably new, and saw the winged males, which unluckily escaped.—T. A. MarsuAtt, Milford, S. Wales. Homoptera at Rannoch.—The general result of some weeks’ hunting for these little obscurities in and about the Black Wood is rather disappointing. It would appear that the sum total of our species is more nearly reckoned up than in the case of any other order, judging from the very few novelties that occurred. These, as might have been expected, belong chiefly to Delphax. There are from 3 to 5 species not before noticed, but they require much labour, and cannot be dealt with in this place. Ciavius was represented by nervosus, contaminatus, and a large dark species with very long hemelytra, and which does not agree with any description. A single leporinus also occurred. Ulopa obtecta at the roots of heather; and Megophthalmus scanicus frequent on the ground. The ¢ of the latter was observed in copulé with pallidipennis, Curt., thus confirming the theory of their identity. Tettigonia viridis and Euacanthus interruptus were both to be found occasionally ; the latter is abundant on Ailsa Craig, about the last place where any one would look for it, feeding on fern. JIdiocerws larvae, probably populi, were on poplars ; and Pediopsis fruticola on every birch, One birch tree at Tummel Bridge produced nothing but the yellow variety, in unlimited quantity, while the tenants of the surrounding trees were all brown. Copious expectorations denoted everywhere the presence of Ptyelus. Acocephalus rusticus and agrestis were hardly to be found; but the pretty bifasciatus was in profusion, both sexes in equal numbers; I took about forty in one spot in half-an-hour. Deltocephalus was represented by socialis and abdominalis, abundant near the shores of the Loch. The closest search for Iassus produced only a few of subfusculus, a number of punctifrons, and a black species near fenestratus, H. Sch. The last I proceed to describe, after vain attempts to identify it. ’ 1866. ] | 119 Tassus (?) corniculus, n. sp. Deep black, with obscure testaceous specks and striea. Vertex obtusangular, one-third as long as its breadth between the eyes, less than half the length of the pronotum, black, with about six testaceous specks, the two largest on the middle of its hinder edge. Frons convex, the length of one of its sides (from the antenna to the clypeus) equal to its breadth between the antennee ; black, with about six obscure, imperfect, transverse testaceous stripes, widely in- terrupted in the middle, and traces of a longitudinal streak near the clypeus. Rostrum black. On the black clypeus and gen are three or four testaceous specks. Pronotum transversely cordiform, produced and rounded in front, faintly and widely emarginate behind, very finely wrinkled transversely, and with many short, irregular, transverse, testaceous marks. Scutellum with a medial impressed transverse line; black, with very obscure testaceous marks. Hemelytra somewhat ~ shining, longer than the abdomen, the nervures testaceous ; cells of the clavus and corium sharply and rather broadly margined with black, leaving a hyaline space in the middle of each cell, and thus forming ocellated spots: membrane blackish, the two nervures obscurely testaceous. Abdomen wholly black, or with the mar- gins of some of the segments narrowly pale. Under-side and legs black: the knees, some spots on the fore tibia, the four anterior tarsi, the outer edge of the hind tibiee, and their spines, with the apex of the second and third joints of the hind tarsi, dull testaceous : the spines of the hind tibie are set in black punctures. Eyes black, margined with dull testaceous. Genital processes of the ¢ divergent, not projecting beyond the abdomen; ‘lamina: genitales of the 2 with black apical bristles. $2. Long. 1-14; alar. exp. 3% lin. On Pteris aquilina in open places where the heather had been burned, rather common, together with its larvee, in July. The species of Ewpteryx were very scarce, limited to citrinellus, Zett., on grasses near the Loch, and vittatus, Lin., occurring, strangely enough, near a mountain top.—ID. EntomontocicaL Society oF Lonpon. 8rd September, 1866.—Sir Joun Lussock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. Monsieur Depuiset, of Rue des Saints-Péres, Paris, was elected a Foreign Member. It was moved by Prof. Westwood, seconded by Mr. Stevens, and carried unanimously, “That the cordial thanks of the Society be given to the President for his entertainment at Farnborough on the 11th ultimo.” Mr. A. F. Sheppard exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Gregson, a box of Lepidoptera from the Isle of Man; including Sesia philanthiformis, Dianthecia cesia, D. carpo- phaga, and D. capsophila (which latter Mr. Gregson considered a variety of carpo- phaga), Sciaphila Colquhounana, Sericoris littorana, Eupecilia albicapitana, Gelechia leucomelanella and vicinella (which Mr. Gregson was inclined to think identical), &c. Mr. Stainton exhibited Gelechia vicinella bred by Mr. Gregson from Silene, and G. atrella bred by Mr. Jeffrey from Hypericum. The larva of the latter species bored down the stem, and Mr. Stainton remarked that he was greatly surprised at the food-plant, because, judging from analogy, G. atrella should feed on a leguminous plant, after the manner of anthyllidella and allies. 120 (October, 1866. Mr. Janson exhibited a box of Coleoptera collected by Mr. Gloyne in the neighbourhood of George Town, Jamaica. Mr. Bond exhibited a series of the Ailanthus silkworm moth, bred by Dr. Wallace, varying greatly in size, the largest measuring 64 inches in expanse, and the smallest not more than 3 inches. The Secretary stated that Dr. Wallace would be happy to show his Ailanthus plantations at Colchester to any Member, provided he received a day’s notice. Professor Westwood said that he had found wasps very destructive to the young larvee of the new silkworm. Mr. 8. J. Wilkinson read an extract from the Report of Mr. Consul Lay, at Chefoo (received from Prof. Brayley) respecting the quantity of “brown silk” grown annually in that province. It was not stated what species produced this silk. Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a house-fly to which no less than six Chelifers had attached themselves. Mr. E. S. Haines sent for exhibition a curious variety of Cidaria fluctuata, resembling the C. costovata of Haworth. Mr. Stainton exhibited a series of Micro-Lepidoptera received from M. Milliére, of Lyons, amongst which were the Depressaria rutana of Fabr., bred from Ruta angustifolia, and a new Gelechia, resembling G. costella, bred from Hyoscyamus albus. Mr. Pascoe read a description of Anastetha raripila, a new genus and species of Tmesisternine, recently received from Queensland. He mentioned, with respect to the presumed Australian origin of the fauna of New Guinea according to the views of Mr. Wallace, that the Coleoptera of the two countries did not appear to confirm this origin; for instance, a hundred species of Tmesisternine had been found in New Guinea, whereas, only three were known from Australia; others had been found in New Caledonia, presenting certain peculiarities inter se. Mr. Trimen communicated a paper on the Rhopalocera of the Island of Mauri- tius. He enumerated twenty-five species. He considered that this portion of the Mauritian fauna was decidedly of African origin, most of the species being identical with those found in South Africa and Madagascar. Mr. Wilson communicated some further notes on South Australian Buprestide. Mr. Schrader, of Shanghae, sent drawings and description of the metamor- phoses of a species of Geometride found upon the willow in the neighbourhood of Shanghae. Mr. Moore recognised it as a species of Agathia. Mr. Smith read a paper on certain Hymenoptera from Catagallo, South America, sent to him by Mr. Peckolt. The most interesting amongst these was the female of Trigona, a genus of which the males had only previously been noticed. These females had enormously developed abdomens when in a gravid condition, and in this respect resembled the same sex of Termes. There was also an ant parasitic in the nests of Trigona. Mr. McLachlan remarked, that the new genus of exotic Trichoptera, described by him in the last part of the Transactions under the name of Sciops, is identical with Hydromanicus of Brauer, published in the last vol. of the Verhandlungen der Zool. bot. Gesellschaft in Wien. The latter name has priority. The next Meeting of the Society will be held in the Linnean Society’s Rooms at Burlington House on the 5th of November. November, 1866.] 121 DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES, &c., OF BRACHELYTRA. BY E. C. RYE. Homatota SAUNDERSI, Nov. spec. Nigra, nitida ; antennis validioribus, nigro-piceis, basi Suscis ; elytris fusco-testaceis ; pedibus rufo-testaceis ; thorace transverso, equali; ab- domine supra segmentis (2-4) anterioribus parce subtiliterque punctatis, posterioribus (5-6) levigatis. gS. Abdominis supra segmentum sextum medio dentibus duwobus latis, incurvatis, apice quasi truncatis, spindque utrinque validé, acutd, intus curvatd, paulo ultra dentes medianos porrecta, instructum. Long. corp., 1% lin. Two male examples of this apparently undescribed species were taken in a sand pit near Reigate by Mr. J A. Brewer; in deference to whose wishes I have dedicated it to Mr. W. W. Saunders, of that town, whose claims to entomological distinction are well known. It is very closely allied to H. djlaticornis, Kraatz; the general structure of the two insects, and especially that of the antennz (except that the apical joint is a trifle longer in A. Saundersi), beg almost identical ; it differs, however, from that species in its rather larger size, darker colour, and more strongly punctured elytra, and in the sexual characters. In the male of H. dilaticornis the sixth abdominal segment has a very slight spine on each side, and on its upper-surface (as de- scribed by Kraatz) two medial tubercles, which are, as it were, continued and flattened behind into two discs (which, meeting in the middle of the hinder margin, form a gentle emargination), the whole reaching further backwards than the apex of the lateral spines. In certain lights (and this appears to me the more correct description) the two tubercles appear to be situated at some distance within the hinder margin of the segment, which is flattened, and exhibits an ordinary slight central emargination. It is to such an aspect that the “6#me. of Fairmaire, Faun. Ent. Fr., p. 419, must be re- ferred,—though primo visi at variance with Kraatz. segment échanchré”’ In A. Saundersi the two medial tubercles assume the form of wide and apically truncated tooth-like elevations, projecting beyond the apical margin. The lateral teeth, also, are longer and more robust, reaching, at their points, slightly beyond the middle elevations. HoMALOTA ATRICILLA, Er. Herr Scriba (Berlin Ent. Zeit., 10 [1866], p. 289) points out that H. puncticeps, Thoms., is distinct from this species; and that Herr 122 [ November, Baudi’s remark, quoted by Dr. Kraatz (ib., 1 [1857], p. 75), as to the Erichsonian description being from a not fully coloured specimen, is correct. Dr. Kraatz (loc. cit., and in Ins. Deutschl., 1, p. 1060) has erroneously stated that H. atricilla and H. puncticeps were specifically identical, on the authority of a fully coloured example of the former received from Herr Baudi, and that the latter name should be sunk. Mr. Waterhouse, in his Catalogue (p. 18), has remarked this Kraatzian decision ; but his inversion of the two names, and the note of excla- mation following atricilla, sufficiently indicate his opinion on the point. Herr Scriba also points out that H. flavipés, Thoms. (which Dr. Kraatz, Berl. Ent. Zeit., v., 1861, p. 219, mentions as being allied to, if not identical with H. puncticeps), is identical with H. atricilla; and I think there can be no doubt but that he is correct in this opinion, as the differences pointed out by me in Ent. Annual, 1864, p. 43, between HI. puncticeps and H. maritima (a name given by Mr. Waterhouse to Thomson’s flavipes, on account of Gravenhorst’s prior use of the latter specific appellation) are entirelyn accordance with Herr Scriba’s ob- servations with regard to these insects. Their synonymy will, therefore, now stand as follows : Homatora punoticers, Thoms. ( Halobrechtha); Kraatz ; Waterh. (but not of Cat.). atricilla, Ktz., nee Er. alge, Hardy and Bold. anthracima, Fairm. algicola, Woll., M.S. (teste Dom. Seriba). Homanora arriciLua, Er. maritima, Waterh. (Proc. Ent. Soc.). flavipes, Thoms., nec Hrav. alge var., Hardy and Bold. puncticeps, Wat. Cat., nec Thoms. Homatora prcka, Mots. This species, attributed to Britain only in De Marseul’s Catalogue (as mentioned by me in Ent. Annual, 1866), and unknown to English coleopterists, is thus characterized by Motschulsky in the Bull. de la Soc. Imp. des Nat. de Mose., 1858 (vol. 31, pt. 2), p. 254, 222. rs Voisine de la H. oblita, Aubé |? Erichs.], mais plus étroite “et de couleur plus foncée. Noire, corselet, élytres et pattes rem- “ brunies, tarses et genous d’un testacé sale. Téte arrondie, convexe, “lisse et luisante. Corselet plus large que la téte, transversale, arrondi “sur les cOtes, finement ponctue. LHlytres un peu plus larges que le 1866.) 123 “ corselet, et moitié plus longues, carrées, distinctement ponctuces, et “recouvertes d’une pubescence grisdtre, peu serrée comme le corselet. “ Abdomen etranglé a la base, luisant, les bords des premiers segments “seulement ponctuées. Antennes plus longues que la téte et le corselet “réunis; 2™ article un peu plus court que le 1*, mais le double plus “longue qne le 4°; les suivants conique, le dernier un peu plus longue “ gue les deux précédents réunis, acuminé. “ Angleterre. “ Parmi les espéces décrites par Stephens il n’y en a pas une seule “que puisse étre rapportée a celle que je viens de décrire.”’ HoMALOTA EREMITA, nov. spec. Parallela, nigra sew piceo-nigra; abdominis apice excepto, parum nitida ; pube flavescenti depressd vestita; pedibus piceo-rufis, femoribus plerumque infuscatis ; antennis picescentibus, basi plerwmque dilutioribus ; thorace transverso, convexiusculo, basi obsolete foveolato, medioque sepe late obsoleteque canaliculato, capite paulo latiori, elytris longitudine equali; his depressiusculis, marginisque apicalis medio obsoletissime sepe impressis ; abdomine supra segmentis (2-4) anterioribus confertim sub- tiliter, posterioribus (5-6) parcius, punctatis. Sexis differentia haud conspicua. Long. 13-13 lin. To this species (which belongs to Thomson’s section A/heta) must be referred the insects erroneously recorded in former numbers of this Journal as Schistoglossa viduata, to which it bears great resemblance ; differing (apart from generic characters) in its average larger size, wider head and thorax, shorter elytra,—which are, moreover, not quite so thickly punctured,—and more elongate antenne. There are, besides, no evident male characters, as in that insect ; except, perhaps, a scarcely perceptible increase of punctuation on the upper surface of the penul- timate abdominal segment. Some specimens, however, exhibit a shght depression (only visible in certain lights) in the middle of the apical margin of the elytra, and which may possibly be a sexual indication. Of our other British species the only one to which it can be likened is Homalota tibialis, from which its larger size, longer antenne, rather longer elytra, more convex and usually more evidently foveolated thorax, and duller appearance, will readily separate it. This insect appears to be common in the northern parts of the kingdom, especially in elevated districts, as will have been observed from the notices of its capture. Mr. Sharp has found it abundantly in the Edinburgh district ; and it was not by any means scarce under stones, &c., on the sides and summit of “ Grayvell” and Cross Craig at Rannoch, when I was there in July last. 124 [November, STENUS ELEVATUS, Mots., Bull. de Mosc., 1857, 511, 44. It seems to me, from Motschulsky’s description (loc. cit.), that the abeve species (taken near Paris)is synonymous with (and, of course, long subsequent in date to) the S. ossiwm of Stephens ; as it appears to be of the size, form, and colour of S. subeneus (gonymelas, Steph.), but with the punctuation closer and less strong. The specific name seems to be given from the inequalities of surface of the elytra; which, viewed in certain lights, assume the form described by Motschulsky. Our common insect appears to be incumbered with a long tail of dignities ; as impressipennis, Duv., carinifrons, Fairm., and sardous, Kr., have all been laid to its account, besides the above. Lesteva SHARPI, nov. spec. Fusco-picea, abdomine nigricante ; longius flavescenti-pubescens, minus erebre sat fortiter punctata ; antennis longioribus pedibusque rufis ; thorace longiori ; elytris (aliquando dilutioribus) hoe duplo longioribus, postice dilatatis. Long. 25 lin. This insect, formerly brought forward (and, as I conceive, in error) as L. monticola, has been taken by Mr. Sharp in various Scotch localities (especially, with Mr. Henderson, in numbers, at Gareloch-head), and by myself and Mr. T. Blackburn at Rannoch. It is distinguished from Z. bicolor by its rather longer antenne, which are of a clearer red; its longer thorax; the rather wider and stronger punctuation and evidently longer pubescence of its thorax and elytra ; and the greater width behind of its abdomen and elytra, which latter are (possibly from this width) apparently shorter than in L. becolor. It is, moreover, altogether rather more bulky, and of a somewhat lighter tone of colour. The head is more strongly and not quite so closely punctured ; and has the two depressions between the eyes more strongly marked, so that the middle elevation is more definite. Its larger size, much coarser punctuation, and rather stouter an- tennex, at once distinguish it from L. pubescens. The punctuation of the elytra in LZ. monticola (to which it must be very closely allied) should be fixer than in Z. bicolor, and the hinder angles of the thorax not so acute as in that species. LZ. Sharpi cannot, therefore, I think be identical with the former, as its punctuation is rather stronger throughout than in ZL. bicolor, and I fail to detect any less acuteness in its hinder thoracic angles, compared with that species. The pubescence, moreover, is yellowish, instead of grey, as in L. monticola. 1806.] 125 The following somewhat vague description of Z. oblonga, Mots. (Bull. de Mose., 1857, 493), shows that LZ. Sharpi can have no con- nection with that species. “Size of ZL. bicolor, but narrower, which “makes it (and especially its head and thorax) appear more elongate. “Colour generally clearer and more reddish. Antenne half-again as “Jong as the head and thorax ; the latter of which is as long as wide, and “rather cordate, with the posterior angles acute. Elytra more than “ double as long as the thorax, and more finely punctured. Scutellum “visibly punctured.” Since the above description was in print, I have received from Mr. Crotch a copy of the second edition of his Catalogue, wherein he places next to L. bicolor a species under the name collina, Hal., which, from the synonymical reference to muscorwm, Sh. (probably in error for monticola, Sharp), I presume is intended to represent the insect last described by me. I do not, however, withdraw my description ; as the only reference to L. collina (and which is not accompanied by any descrip- tion) appears to be in the Nat. Hist. Review; where, in a report of the Proceedings at a meeting of the Dublin Nat. Hist. Society, it is said that Mr. Haliday exhibited specimens of a Lesteva from the hills allied to bicolor, but with shorter elytra, and thought they were varieties of that species, but that they might be distinguished by the name of collina. As L. bicolor actually does vary somewhat in the length of its elytra, and the character of their shortness (the only one given) would equally apply to Z. pubescens, I consider it impossible to adopt Mr. Haliday’s name for this insect. 284, King’s Road, Chelsea, S.W., October, 1866. AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 104.) 29.—Iassus (I.) sexnoratvs, Fall. Precedenti similis, minor. Flavus; abdomen nigrum, segmentis flavo-marginatis, subtus interdum flavum. Vertex minus porrectus quam apud precedentem, nigro quadri-maculatus ; macule 2 majores, rotunde, in ipso apice approximate, 2 minores, distantiores, ad marginem pronoti posticum site. Inter hee macularum paria linea utrinque brevis, transversa, ad oculos excurrit. rons plus minus nigro can- cellata; limbus etiam genarum clypeique tenuiter niger. Pronotum 126 | November, postice sepe fusco-nubeculosum. Scutellum apud angulos anticos nigrum, vel medio tantum flavum, vel denique totum nigrum. Heme- lytra flavo-hyalina, plus minus fusco irregulariter longitrorsum notata. Pedes flavi: femora antica nigro-varia: tibie postice ad basin spinarum nigro-punctate ; tarsi nigro annulati. ¢ 9. Long. 1-14; alar. exp. 33 lin. Cicada 6-notata, Fall., Act. Holm., 1806, p. 34; Hem. 2, p. 47. Hupteryx 6-notata, Curt., B.E., 640, No. 10. Lassus 6-notatus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 341. Variations from the typical form are numerous; the black spots on the vertex often coalesce, or are absent; in dark examples the hemelytra are almost entirely fuscous; and in one specimen the pro- notum is black, with a pale medial line. See also No. 82, I. variatus. Perhaps the commonest of British Homoptera. It may be found everywhere in grassy places, often in prodigious numbers. It has been observed throughout Europe, from Lapland to the Mediterranean. 30.—Iassus (1.) strrota, Germ. Post mortem fusco-flavus. Vertex brevissimus, fere ut in Bytho- scopis, medio vix longior quam lateribus. Prope verticis apicem linea tenuis nigra oculos connectit, sub qua linea altera, bis arcuata, frontem supra determinat. rons tenuiter nigro cancellata et circumcincta. Clypeus medio niger. Abdomen ceruleo-nigrum, incisuris flavis; 9 ad latera etiam flavescens. Pedes pallidi. ¢ 9. Long. 1% lin. Cicada striola, Fall., Act. Holm., 1806, p. 31; Hem. 2, p. 44. I. striola, Germ., Fn., 15. Flor., R. L., 2, p. 315. I. frenatus, Germ., Mag., 4, p. 86. Not common, but taken by Mr. Douglas in the London district, and by Mr. Bold near Newcastle. 31.—lIassus (1.) srpreM-notatvs, Fall. Aureo-flavus; abdomen supra medio nigrum. Vertex pronoto triente brevior, nigro 4-maculatus: macule 2 majores in ipso apice, sub-quadratz, 2 minores ad marginem pronoti posticum site. Frons apice nigra. Scutellum ad angulos anteriores nigro-bimaculatum. Hemelytra albida, pellucida; clavus ad marginem interiorem, et corii spatium discale elongatum, aureo-flava. Clavi sutura tenuiter fusca. Pedes flavi; tibize posticee nigro-punctate. 9. Long. 14; alar. exp. 34 lin. Cicada 7-notata, Fall., Act. Holm., 1806, p.35; Hem. 2, p. 49. ? Tassus 7-notatus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 339. 1866.] 127 The above description applies to all the British specimens I have seen, and agrees with that of Fallén. Flor mentions dark varieties which do not seem to occur with us. Locally abundant on willows. In an osier-bed near Leicester. Found also by Mr. Bold in the north of England. 32.—Iassvus (I.) vartatus, Fall. Precedenti affinis. Flavus; abdomen supra nigrum. Vertex pronoto triente brevior, nigro 4-maculatus: macula 2 in ipso apice, 2 minores, distantiores, ad marginem pronoti posticum site. Frons flava, immaculata, nigro tenuiter cireumcincta. Scutellum angulis anteri- oribus nigris; interdum fere totum nigrum. Hemelytra hyalina ; clavus plus minus flavus, intus et apice infuscatus ; margo clavi sutu- ralis anguste fuscus, medio albo-interruptus : corium pellucidum, lituris 2 transversis (hac ante, illa post medium), et margine interiore, infus- catis vel brunneis ; membrana pallide brunnea. Pedes flavi. ¢ 9. Long. 13-2; alar. exp. 3? lin. Cicada variata, Fall., Hem., 2, p. 48. Lassus 6-notatus, var., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 341. On oak trees in Leicestershire, Bardon Hill and Buddon Wood ; rather scarce. According to Flor, this insect is a large variety of 6-notatus ; it differs, however, not only in size, colours, and general appearance, but also in habitat. 33.—Iassus (1.) punctatus, Fall. Facies Hupterygis. Niger, supra pallide viridis. Vertex perbrevis, medio vix longior quam lateribus, pronoto tribus partibus brevior. Scutellum antice, pronotum postice, rarius nigro-bimaculata. Heme- lytra viridia, sub-pellucida: clavus et corium maculis 5-6 irregularibus nigricantibus, quarum una semper clayi apicem, altera tres cellas super membranam apicales pro parte oceupat. Alarum apex, cum vena unica, infuscatus. Pedes pallidi. ¢@ 9. Long. 1; alar. exp. 34 lin. . Cicada punctata, Fall., Hem., 2, p. 55. Lass. punctatus, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 320. Euptery« clypeata, Curt., B. E., 640, No. 12. This insect varies in being sometimes pale salmon-coloured, or rosy, instead of green, above, and the spots on the hemelytra are evanescent. The most constant markings are those of the three apical cells of the corium (forming incomplete ocellated spots), and the black sub-apical streak formed by a single vein of the wings, and which is surrounded 128 : {November, by a light fuscous shade. When the hemelytra are closed, but not otherwise, Curtis’ description of elypeata (1. ¢.) will be seen to apply, if a well marked specimen be examined. In hedges, near Weybridge; and in woods, Leicestershire; not common. 34.—Iassus (I.) connicvuLus, n. sp. See p. 119, where a query (?) has, by mistake, been attached to the genus, of which there is not the slightest doubt. (To be continued.) THE LEPIDOPTERA OF TRELAND., BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. (Continued from page 108.) DELTOIDES. Hyrrna PROBoscIDALIS—Common. 3 ROSTRALIS—Mr. Greene’s list ; locality unknown. ih CRASSALIS— Common in the South. SCHRANKIA TURFOSALIS— do. Killarney. RrvvLa seRtcEALIs—Abundant, and widely distributed. HerMinia BarBaris—Mr. Greene’s list ; locality unknown. e TARSIPENNALIS—Galway. + GRISEALIS— Kingstown. PYRALIDES. PYRALIS FARINALIS—Common everywhere. AGLOSSA PINGUINALIS— do. PYRAUSTA PUNICEALIS—Mr. Greene’s list. » PURPURALIS— Common. 3 OSTRINALIS— do. RHOoDARIA SANGUINALIS—Galway ; abundant, but local. HERBULA CESPITALIS—Common, and widely distributed. ENNYCHIA OCTOMACULALIS—Do. do. ENDoTRICHA FLAMMEALIS—Galway. CATACLYSTA LEMNALIS—Common. PARAPONYX STRATIOTALIS—Do. HyprocaMpa NYMPH ZALIS—Do. F STAGNALIS—Do. 1866.) 129 Borys panpatis—Galway. » vYerticarrs—Mr. Greene’s list ; locality unknown. » Fuscaris—Common everywhere. » URTICALIS— do. do. Epvunea croceatrs—Dublin, Wicklow, Galway, Howth. » SAMBUCALIS—Common. PronrEA FORFICALIS—Common everywhere. » STRAMENTALIS—Common; Cavan and Killarney. SprnopEs sTrcTrcaLis—Howth ; by Dr Wright. ScoruLa LUTEALIS—Howth ; Mr. Barrett. a OLIVALIS—Common everywhere. e, PRUNALIS— _ do. do. ks FERRUGALIS—Abundant on the coast near Dublin. STENOPTERYX HYBRIDALIS—Common in most places. ScoPpARIA AMBIGUALIS— Powerscourt ; common. - CEMBRALIS—Howth in July. » PYRALALIS—Common everywhere. a mMuRALIS— Belfast ; Mr. Hogan. , LINEOLALIS—Galway in August. Howth; by Mr. Shield. =“ MERCURALIS— Common. ss craTHeaLts—Howth in July. A RESINALIS—Powerscourt in August. is coarcraLis—Dublin, Howth, August and September; and in May and June hybernated specimens. CRAMBITES. CRAMBUS PRATELLUS—Common everywhere. 35 ADIPPELLUS—Killarney ; by P. Bouchard. 53 HAMELLUS— do. do. + PASCUELLUS—Common everywhere. a MARGARITELLUS— Galway. ;3 PINETELLUS—Killarney ; and at Blarney, by Mr. Hogan. 5 PERLELLUS—Very Abundant. ~ SELASELLUS—Belfast ; Mr. Hogan. Be TRISTELLUS— Very common. 4 GENICULELLUS—Abundant on the Dublin coast. < CULMELLUS—Common everywhere. s HORTUELLUS— do. ScHHNOBIUS FORFICELLUS— Killarney. ANERASTIA LOTELLA—Malahide, Portmarnock ; common. 130 {November, Hom®osoMa sINUELLA—Howth; common. NIMBELLA—Malahide, Howth, and Wicklow coast. NEBULELLA— do. ELUVIELLA— Howth. EPHEsTIA ELUTELLA—Very common. PHYCIS CARBONARIELLA— Generally distributed and common. DILUTELLA—Galway and Howth; June, July, and August. 3» ORNATELLA—Howth in September. ME 1a socretLa—Common everywhere. GALLERIA CEREALLA—Common. MELIPHORA ALVEARIELLA—Common. ” TORTRICES. HAtias PRASINANA— Wicklow. » QUERCANA—Wicklow. Inserted in Mr. Hogan’s list on the authority of Mr. Tardy, but supposed to be an error. ToRTRIX PYRASTRANA—Dublin; common. CRATEGANA— Killarney. XYLOSTEANA—Dublin and Wicklow ; plentiful. ROSANA— do. do. HEPARANA— do. do. common. Cork (?). RIBEANA—Generally common. coryitana—Mr. Hogan’s list; probably near Cork. UNIFASCIANA— Wicklow; common. Belfast (?). VinuRNANA—Killarney. ICTERANA—Howth and Sutton, near Dublin. 9 ? 3 vVirn1pANA—Generally common. MINISTRANA—Newtownlimavady Co Derry. ms ADJUNCTANA—Howth. DicuELta GROTIANA—Powerscourt ; common. AMPHYSA GERNINGIANA— Wicklow Mountains (?). LEepToGRAMMA LITERANA— Killarney. PERONEA FAVILLACEANA— Howth. " RUFANA— do. MIXTANA— Powerscourt. SCHALLERIANA— Wicklow Mountains (?). PERMUTANA:-—Howth, on the cliffs. ”? 9? VARIEGANA— do. plentiful. CRISTANA— Belfast. umMBRANA— Wicklow Mountains (?). > FERRUGANA— do. do. and Killarney. 1866.] i1Gall PrRoNEA rRiIsTana—Belfast. A ASPERSANA—Howth. Teras caupana—Blarney Co Cork, and Belfast. » CONTAMINANA—Belfast, Howth. Dicryopreryx LHFLINGIANA—Galway. Pe HOLMIANA—Belfast. ee - BERGMANNIANA—Common everywhere. Ara@yroroza conwayana—Abundant in Galway and Wicklow. PrycHoLOMA LECHEANA-—Killarney. PENTHINA BETULBTANA— Wicklow Mountains ; Holywood Co Down. Sy PRELONGANA—Killarney. 95 PRUNIANA—A bundant everywhere. Ps cnyosBaANa—Dublin and Cork (?). 55 ocHroMEeLANA— Killarney. Ds SAUCIANA— do. SprnonoTa AM@NANA—Howth; abundant on the Sandhills. 35 SUFFUSANA—Belfast. A ROBORANA—Howth ; common. ParpIA TRIPUNCTANA—Counties Dublin and Wicklow. ASPIS UDMANNIANA—Dublin coast ; common. SERIcORIS LITToRANA—Howth ; plentiful at the foot of the cliffs. 5; CESPITANA— do. abundant at the top of the cliffs. bs concHana—Howth. +3 LACUNANA—Common everywhere. - URTICANA— do. do. Mrxopra scnutztAna—Howth ; Mourne Mountains Co Down. Roxana arcuana—Cork (?). Evcrromia puRPURANA—Howth. OrTHOTENIA anTreuana— do. Wicklow Mountains. CNEPHASIA LEPIDANA— Galway. * MusCULANA— Wicklow Mountains. ScraAPHILA SUBsECTANA —Common everywhere ; the variety (?) passivana is common at Howth. * VIRGAUREANA—Dublin coast ; common. _ ALTERNANA—Howth ; Wicklow (?). 55 HYBRIDANA—Dubhn. FA coLguHouNANA—Howth; on the cliffs. SPHALEROPTERA ICTERICANA— Killarney. Capua ocHraceaAna—Killarney, Wicklow Mountains. (To be continued.) 132 (November, SYNOPSIS OF THE GENUS BOREUS. BY DR. H. A. HAGEN (of Kénigsberg). 1.—B. urematts, Linné. Bronze-brown; beak, antenne, legs, wings, appendices of the male, and borer of the female, clear brown, the antenne dark brown at the apex; wings of the male long, acute, curved, and pectinated internally ; first abdominal segment of the male with an erect trans- verse fold in the middle above, long, rather longer than broad ; second segment with a similar fold, but smaller, almost in the form of a tuber- cule ; lamina below the appendices long, triangular, elliptic at the apex. Habitat : Germany, Hanover, East Prussia. 2.—B. Westwooptt, Hagen. Bronzy-green ; beak, antenne, legs, wings, appendices of the male, and borer of the female, yellow; antenne and legs dark brown at the apex ; first abdominal segment of the male with a fold, as in B. hiemalis ; second segment with a quadrate fold, smaller ; lamina broader ; slightly grooved at the apex. Habitat: Germany, Finland, England. This is the species figured by Westwood in the frontispiece to his “ Introduction,” and probably also that described by Curtis and Stephens. 3.—B. nrvorrunpvs, Asa Fitch. Similar to B. hiemalis; differs in the wings of the male, which are broader, shorter, and less curved; first and second segments above without a fold ; abdomen above clothed with a fine grey pubescence. Habitat : North America (New York). 4.—B. prumatis, Asa Fitch. Uniform shining black; wings of the male blackish-brown, long, slender, rather strongly pectinated, especially at the apex; first and second segments without a fold; lamina broad, emarginate at the apex. Habitat : North America (New York, Washington). I have compared the males and females of all four species, and ‘also Fitch’s types. The size is nearly the same in all; B. hiemalis is the largest, B. brumalis the smallest, the others intermediate ; but the differences are slight. 1806.] 133 NEW SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES FROM GUATEMALA AND PANAMA. Bien Hep War b AND His, 7 E28. (SUPPLEMENT, ) (Continued from page 88.) 100.—ERESIA PdCILINA. Q. Exp. 2’ 6’. Very similar to #. Ithomioides, Hewits. (Exot. Butt. Eres. f. 20). Wings broader; dark brown, fore-wing with an ochreous-yellow spot within the end of the cell, and a large number of similar spots arranged in rows beyond the cell; a row of six spots (separated only by the dusky nervures) extends from the middle of the costa, and two spots lie below the median nervure, two parallel rows lie parallel to the outer border, but not extending to the apex, where there is a single row of three spots. Hind-wing dark brown, with the disc and abdominal border occupied by a large rounded orange-tawny spot; a row of yellow sub-marginal spots, and three spots lying more inward, near the apex. Beneath: the same, except that the hind-wing has the base of the costa ochreous, and has no yellow spots, except the sub-marginal row. Antenne pale ochreous, base black. Abdomen tawny. Veragua. 101.—MELITHA NIGRELLA. Exp. 1" 3". 3. Wings elongate, fore-wing pointed at the apex, with the outer margin gently and regularly curved outwards, from the apex to the hind-angle. Hind-wing anal angle not passing the apex of the abdomen. Wings above: sooty-brown, with three or four pale brown spots on the disk of the fore-wing ; hind-wing witha pale brown belt across the dise. Beneath: fore-wing brown, with a few dusky lines; darker in the middle ; a large triangular spot in middle of hind- margin, and two near the apex, pallid. Hind-wing light brown, darker towards middle of outer margin, crossed by a number of short flexuous darker streaks, and having a row of black dots parallel to the outer margin. Guatemala ; central valleys. A small, obscure species, quite dis- tinct from any previously described. 102.—MELITHA ATRONIA. Exp. 1’ 6”. 9. Wings broad, dark brown, crossed near the base of fore-wing with flexuous bars of blackish-brown ; hind-wing with a sub-marginal row of short, curved, pale brown lines. Fore-wing with the apex truncate, and deeply incurved in the middle of the outer margin: hind-wing with a distinct emargination at the apex, and outer 134 [ November, margin scalloped; between some of the nervures of the fore-wing, beyond the middle, is a small light brown spot. Beneath: fore-wing dull brown in the middle, lighter towards the margins ; dark lines as above, the spaces between some of them lighter than the ground colour. Hind-wing paler, and with a few scarcely perceptible markings. Duenas; Guatemala. 103.—CATAGRAMMA FAUSTINA. Exp. 2” 2’, g. Nearest allied to O. Atacama, Hewits. (Exot. Butt. Cat. f. 1, 2) ; smaller, fore-wing more acute. Black; fore-wing crossed in the middle by a broad orange-yellow belt; base of wing with a glossy blue spot. Hind-wing with a large triangular glossy-blue spot extending in a point nearly to the base of the wing. Beneath: black ; fore-wing with two short streaks at the base, and a sub-apical belt ochreous-yellow; the orange-yellow belt as above ; close to the apex a glossy blue macular line. Hind-wing crossed by five ochreous-yellow stripes, all of equal breadth; the black space between the third and fourth stripe is rather broader than the rest, and has a central row of seven rounded, equal-sized and equi-distant glossy light blue spots: near the anal angle is a sub-marginal light blue line thickened in the middle. This very distinct and grand new species was received from the Isthinus of Panama. 104.—CATAGRAMMA GUATEMALENA. S. Exp. 2”. Closely allied to CG. Tolima, Hewits. (Exot. Butt. Cat. f. 7, 8) ; differs chiefly in the basal third of the fore-wing beneath, being black, with two ochreous stripes, and in the two black central spots of the hind-wing, beneath, being united in the middle, with two black sub-marginal stripes on the outer limb, separated by a narrow yellow stripe. Above: black; fore-wing with a basal blue streak at base of cell, and a central orange belt, rather narrower than represented in Hewitson’s figure loc. cit. Hind-wing with a large glossy dark blue spot on the anal portion of the wing scarcely passing the median nervure ; sinuses of the wing near anal angle edged with white. Beneath: fore-wing as above, except that the basal black part has two yellow streaks, and the apex also a yellow, followed by a blue streak : hind-wing as in C. Tolima, except that the black stripes are broader, the second from the base approaching nearer the costa, where there is an orange costal spot;* that the two black central * This orange costal spot, an excellent specific character, is omitted from Mr. Hewitson’s figure of C. Tolima. Its omission is probably an oversight, as it exists in my specimen of the species, 1866 ] 1385 spots are united in the middle ; and that there are two, instead of one, sub-marginal black stripes, separated, except near the apex, by the yellow ground colour, the exterior stripe being a narrow and abbreviated glossy-blue line. Guatemala ; central valleys. 105.—CaTAGRAMMA PACIFICA. ¢. Exp.1"9'". Very similar to C. guatemalena and C. Tolima, smaller orange belt of fore-wing much narrower ; under-side of fore- wing black, crossed by an orange belt as above, and having three ochreous streaks at the base and an ochreous and blue streak at the apex. Hind-wing beneath pale ochreous, second (from the base) black stripe reaching the costa, and without orange costal spot ; black stripes all narrow, central black spots widely separated, black ring surrounding both the spots widely separated from the sub-marginal black stripe, and the blue line of the latter extending from the middle of the abdominal edge to the costa near the apex. Pacific slopes of Guatemala. 106.—EUNICA AUGUSTA. Nearest allied to Hu. Celina Godt., the underside of the hind-wing scarcely differing; but distinguished in both sexes by a clear white belt across the fore-wing. The outer borders of the wings rather more deeply scalloped. Expans. 2” 4” g. Deep black. Fore-wing to beyond the middle rich glossy dark blue ; beyond the middle an oblique white belt (crossed by black nervures), beginning in the costa and terminating below the median nervure, followed by a spot behind the second median branch, and tinged along the edges with bluish. Hind- wing with a small patch of blue near the base. Beneath: fore-wing closely resembling Hu. Celina ; fore-wing having a rounded black spot in the middle of the cell; white belt nearly the same as above, crossed by a row of black spots (some of them pupilled with grey), and followed by a sub-marginal row of small black circumflexes. Hind-wing scareely differing from Hu. Celina. 9. A little larger than the male; dark glossy green, with the exception of the apex of the fore-wing (beyond the white belt) and the outer margin of the hind-wing, which are greenish-black. Beneath : the same as in the male. Guatemala: Polochic valley. 107.—HETEROCHROA PHYLACA. Expans. 3’. ¢. Closely resembling in the pattern of the under- 136 [November, surface H. Iphicla: the underside of the hind-wing offers no difference, except that the anal angle has two parallel blackish lines in place of the black spots. The upper surface differs from that of H. Iphicla and al] others of the same group in the tawny-orange spot of the fore-wing extending to the first median branch; the nervures crossing it are black ; it is very broad on the costa, and is there divided by an oblique spot of the dark brown ground colour of the wings: the central belt of the wings is pure white. Guatemala: Polochie valley. (To be continued.) Description of the larva of Hadena suasa.—I have been much indebted to the assiduity of Mr. Batty, of Sheffield, who kindly sent me, in July last, some larvae of this species in different stages of growth, reared from eggs on broad-leaved plantain; they, however, seemed afterwards equally partial to Polygonum aviculare, and fed up rapidly, retaining their colours and markings throughout their growth. They were full fed and had gone to earth by the 28th of July, and on the 23rd of August one moth emerged, greatly to my surprise, and is a dark smoky-brown specimen. The larvee are uniformly cylindrical until nearly full grown, and then become a little tapering towards the head; ground colour green or yellowish-green, most minutely irrorated more or less with yellowish atoms; the dorsal line rather in- distinct, and slightly darker than the ground colour; the sub-dorsal line absent in some, but present in others as a fine black, rather oblique’ streak on each segment, terminating at the hindermost tubercular dot; the dots are black, and arranged on the back in the usual trapezoid form; the spiracular line is composed of a black fusiform mark on each segment, with the white spiracles on their lower edges, brilliantly contrasted by a stripe of bright yellow below along the side; the belly and feet green; the head and dull plate on second segment brownish. There is a variety in which the ground colour is brown or olive-brown, the dorsal line strongly marked as a double dark brown line vanishing at the hind part of each segment in some, and in others running continuously through a darkish brown triangle or diamond on each segment ; individuals occurring with either form. The sub-dorsal appears as a series of oblique dark brown streaks, each streak commencing a little on one side of the segment in advance, and abruptly terminated on the next by the hinder trapezoidal tubercular dot, the dots are black, and placed on small yellowish specks. Along the side of each segment is a triangular shape of dark brown, their bases bounded by the black fusiform marks containing the white spiracles, and immediately followed by a bright yellow stripe, its lower edge gradually tinged with the brownish colour of the belly and legs.—W. Buckurr, Emsworth, August, 1866. Description of the larva of Hepialus sylvinus.—My kind friend, Dr. Knaggs, most obligingly sent me two larve of this interesting species, which he found feeding on the roots of dock, and which were full grown by the 10th July, 1866. 1866. } | 137 Each excavated a mine or trench from the outside of the root, and in a spiral direction, closing it over with gnawings spun together with silk. The cocoon was formed of the same materials, but a little more compactly at the upper end of the mine, and near the surface of the earth. A few hours before the moth appeared, the anterior portion of the pupa was projected above ground ; it being, like its con- geners, furnished with rings of hooked bristles for that purpose. The perfect insect appeared on Sept. 10th. The larva being whitish and very shining, may be compared to polished ivory ; itis about aninch toan inch and a quarter in length, with the segments deeply divided, and the folds or wrinkles deeply cut. The head is orange-brown, with the mouth black. A plate of brownish-orange on the second segment, and marks of the same tint on the back of the third and fourth segments, and also on the anterior legs. The spiracles are dark brown, all the other parts being immaculate. Mr. D’Orville showed me the strange sight of a larva of this species engaged in devouring one of its companions. He had about a dozen of the larvae, nearly full- grown, confined in a cage sufficiently large for them, and well supplied with their proper, food—the flowers of Calluna vulgaris; so that neither overcrowding, nor starvation, could have béen the incitement to cannibalism. The victim had evidently been attacked behind the head, and its destroyer was so absorbed in its repast, that neither the being shut up in a chip box, nor the being carried about for three or four miles, made it desist, till it had left nothing but a shrivelled skin. This is the first instance I have known of cannibalism among the small Geometre.—J. Hetiins, November 12th. Enromo.oeicaL Society oF Lonpon, 3rd December, 1866; Sir Joun Lussock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. BE. T. Higgins, Esq., of Bloomsbury Strect, and Andrew Swanzy, Esq., of 122, Cannon Street, were elected ordinary Members ; G. H. Schrader, Esq., of Shanghai, China, was elected a Foreign Member ; and G. H. Verrall, Esq., of School Hill, Lewes, F. L. Keays, Esq., of Green Lanes, N., and Walter Thornborrow, Esq., were elected Subscribers. Mr. Evans sent for exhibition a large number of Coleoptera found in bales of New Zealand wool; the greater part were Pyronota festiva, but many other species were also present. Mr. Stainton exhibited living examples of Gracilaria scalariella bred from. Echiwm vulgare, from the south of France, and an aphis-gall on Pistachia lentiscus, containing a Lepidopterous larva, probably of one of the knot-horns. 192 | January, 1867. Mr. Janson exhibited a collection of Coleoptera sent from Rio Janeiro by Mr. Hume. Mr. Duer exhibited a pupa of Vanessa wrtice with curious filiform appendages projecting from the wing-cases. Dr. Sharp exhibited a Stenus new to Britain, S. major, of Mulsant, found at Southend. Prof. Westwood exhibited a drawing of the larva of a species of Tropwa, and read a description of its habits, as communicated by Mr. Holdsworth, of Shanghai. He also exhibited a number of Hypogymna dispar, mostly bred by Mr. Briggs, of Oxford, who had experimented upon the species with a view to test the power of the food-plant in producing variation in the imago. Some he had fed on elm, others on hawthorn ; those fed entirely upon hawthorn were very small. Mr. McLachlan remarked that this insect was scarcely a fair subject for experiment, as, in this country, it was in a semi-domesticated condition. Mr. Belt, of Maranham (who was present as a visitor), related that having found the nest of an insectivorous bird in a hole in a tree in Maranham, he watched the birds with a view of ascertaining what description of insects they brought to their young; and he found that Mr. Bates’ supposition that the Heliconide were distasteful to birds (he being at the time unaware of Mr. Bates’ remarks) was perfectly correct, for on no occasion was one of these butterflies brought to the nest. Mr. Stainton said that, many years since, he was in the habit of taking large numbers of Lepidoptera at light; these he killed by subjecting them to the fumes of sulphur, examining them the next morning. The greater number consisted of Agrotis exclamationis, and these were thrown out to the poultry. On one occasion an example of Spilosoma menthrastri was among the number; and he remarked that his turkey-poults greedily ate the Agrotidw, but each in its turn picked up the Spilosoma, and rejected it as distasteful,—thus proving that there might be an object in the mimicry of Leptalis and Heliconia. Dr. Sharp replied to Mr. Wallace’s letter in the last number of the “Athenzeum,” concerning his objections to Mr. Wallace’s theory of the cause of mimicry. Among other arguments, he said that the fact of a bird not catching a Leptalis because it was so like a Heliconia, supposed a want of perception on its part. Mr. Wallace said that it had been proved (even in the case of the condor) that birds seek their prey by sight, and not by smell, and it was not to be supposed that a bird would catch a thousand distasteful Heliconias on the chance of obtaining a single Leptalis, such being the relative abundance of the insects. Prof. Westwood adhered to his previously expressed conviction, that mimicry was not the result of natural selection, and announced that at the next meeting he would produce examples of close mimicry in insects inhabiting very different regions, in which case it could not be for preservation in consequence of the species mimicked being distasteful. The President made a few remarks on the whole subject. Mr. McLachlan read descriptions of a new genus of Hemerobidw (Rapisma, type Hemerobius viridipennis, Walker), and of Perlide (Stenoperla, type Chloroperla prasina, Newman). February, 1867.] 193 DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF BRITISH | HYMENOPTERA, ALLIED TO PEZOMACHUS. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. The characters of this interesting insect exclude it from every one of the eight genera into which Forster has divided the group. It comes nearest to Aptesis, but its relations will be best understood if we re- produce Férster’s synopsis, with the necessary addition. See Forster, Monogr. der Gattung Pezomachus, p. 22. A. Terebra concealed, or scarcely exserted. (Pterocormus, Oremnodes.) B. Terebra considerably exserted. b. Metathorax completely and regularly areated. (Stibeutes.) 6b. Metathorax not areated, or with few and im- perfect arex. e. Seutellum distinct. d. Penult. joint of the tarsi bilobed. (Agrothereutes.) ; dd. Penult. joint of the tarsi not bilobed. mabe erie 7 e. Rudimentary wings reaching beyond the base of the meta- thorax. First segment of the abdomen punctulate, not longitudinally rugose. f. Antenne 2-3 coloured. (Aptesis.) ff. Antenne unicolorous. (Oresbius, nov. genus.) ee. Rudimentary wings not reaching the base of the meta- thorax. First segment of the abdomen longitudinally rugose. (Theroscopus.) cc. Scutellum obsolete, at least in the 2. (Pezolochus, Pezo- machus.) ORESBIUS, n. gen. Antenne crass, capite cum thorace duplo longiores, non convolute, unicolores. Scutellum conspicuum. Ale metathoracis basin exce- dentes; area radialis brevis, ovata; cubitales 2, cum disci cellulis confuse. Areola nulla. Nervi omnes crassi, pilosi. Metathorax rugosus, inter rugas punctulatus, non areatus; pars declivis utrinque carina leviter designatus. Segmentum primum triangulare, tuberculis lateralibus nullis, basi latissimum, apicem versus gradatim angustatum. Abdomen capite cum thorace multo longius, supra depressum. Terebra exserta, segmenti primi longitudine. Corpus totum depressum, et sub saxis degenti idoneum. 194. : (February, Oresbius castaneus, 1. sp. Castaneus, vel rufo-brunneus ; caput antice et metathorax nigra. Antenne 25-articulate, articulis 3 et 4 equalibus, rufo-brunnex ; ar- ticulus ultimus apice fuscus. Corpus totum griseo-pilosum. Pedes cum coxis trochanteribusque rufo-brunnei. Mas incognitus. 2? Long. (terebra exclusa) 2-35 lin. Two specimens, differing much in size, were taken by me under stones at the top of Garbhavel or “ Grayvel,” near Loch Rannoch, in July last. The species may be suspected of being a parasite of Nebria, Patrobus, or Otiorhynchus maurus. These are about the only insects occurring at that elevation (some 3,500 ft.) capable of maintaining such a creature. No spider of sufficient size was to be found. Norr.—At page 191 of this vol. I stated inadvertently that Forster had changed Gravenhorst’s Brachypterus into Pterocormus without assigning a reason. He does assign a reason, and a good one. Kugellan’s genus Brachypterus (Coleopt.) has the priority by several years, and Gravenhorst’s name cannot stand. A MONOGRAPH OF THE BRITISH PSOCID. BY R. M’LACHLAN, F.L.S. (Continued from P. 181.) Genus Crornitta, Westwood (1841). Termes p. Linné ; Lepinotus, Heyden (?) ; Paradowides and Paradoxenus (Coleoptera) Motschulsky. Tarsi 3-jointed ; femora only slightly dilated. Head sub-cordate ; eyes small. Antenne multi-articulate, the two basal joints stouter than the others. Pro-thorax forming a narrow collar. Meso- and meta- thorax separated. Abdomen ovate. Anterior wings represented by small, coriaceous, hairy, convex scales. According to Hagen, Lepinotus of Von Heyden (Stett. Zeit., 1850) is identical with Clothilla. I append a mark of doubt against the name, because Lepinotus is described as possessing three closely-placed ocelli (“ Stirne mit drei geniiherten Nebenaiigen’’): probably a mistake has occurred in the original description. 1.—CuiorHinta PuLsatoria, Linné. (Plate 2, fig. 2.) Termes pulsatorium, Linn. Faun. Suec. p. 474, 1937 (1761) ; Syst. Nat, p. 1015, 2; 7. lignaria, De Geer, Mem. t.7, p. 41, tab. 4, fig. 1 (1778). EE 1867.) 195 Clothilla pulsatoria, Hag. Ent. Monthly Mag. vol. ii, p. 122, 1. C. studiosa, Westwood, Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1841, p. 480 ; Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. ser. 1, vol. iv., p. 71; Hag. Ent. Ann. 1861, p. 22, 2. Pale yellowish-white. Head suffused with pinkish, especially on the nasus. Antenne sometimes fuscescent, pilose. Abdomen with the sutures of the segments marked with pink, which colour expands on the sides, marked with blackish at the apex. Legs grey. Wing-scales very small, oval, whitish, hairy. Length of body }-1’”. Occurs among papers, and in collections, &c. I have not examined living examples. In Prof. Westwood’s col- lection are a considerable number; to one of his drawings I find a note attached to the effect that “in the beginning of July a number of spe- cimens were found in the seats of rush-bottomed chairs.” Immature specimens are paler, and want the wing-scales; these latter readily fall off. It is probable that some of the descriptions given by authors for Atropos pertain to this insect. Latreille’s note to Psocus pedicularius, respecting the copulation of P. pulsatorius, certainly refers to Clothilla. (Vide Cogbt. Icon. p. 10.) 2.—CLOTHILEA rNquitina, Heyden.? Lepinotus inguilinus, Heyden, Stett. Zeit. 1850, p. 84. C. inquilina, Hag. Ent. Monthly Mag. vol. ii., p. 128, 3. Paradoxides psocoides, Motsch. Bull. Soe. Nat. Moscou, 1851, p. 510, 511. “ More or less dark brown, slightly hairy; labrum dark brown; eyes black, prominent; rudiments of wings hairy, scabrous, of the same colour as the body.”— Hagen. Length of body 2’”. Amongst Professor Westwood’s drawings, is a coloured representa- tion of an insect (which I believe is lost) that appears to closely agree with the above description: either it was immature, or the wing-scales had fallen off. A note attached states that it was ‘found in some old honey-comb.” Lepinotus inquilinus, as the type of his genus, is described by Von Heyden as possessing three ocelli. Vide the remarks following the generic description of Clothilla. 3.--Croruinia prcea, Motschulsky. (Plate 2, fig. 3.) Paradoxenus piceus, Motsch. Etud. Ent. 1, p. 19 (1853). @. picea, Hag. Neurop. N. Amer. p.8, 1; Ent. Monthly Mag. vol. i.., p. 123, 4. Shining pitchy-black, short and stout. Abdomen very convex, smooth, the integuments rather hard, the segmental divisions scarcely visible. Legs dark testa- ceous. Wing-scales larger in proportion than in C. pulsatoria, oval, testaceous, hairy. The thread of the antennz much finer than in C. pulsatoria. Length of body 2’. 196 (February, Two or three examples in Prof. Westwood’s collection, found living in boxes of exotic (in one case Egyptian) insects ; one in Mr. Dale’s collection. If it be not indigenous in England, it is, at any rate, na- turalised here. The original example was found by Motschulsky in a box of Californian insects. It bears a remote resemblance to the Coleopterous genus Nossidiwm. [Genus Lacuzsis, Westwood (Zachesilla, Hagen.) This genus is characterized by Westwood (“Introduction” vol. ii., p. 19-20) as having 2-jointed tarsi, slender femora, and rudimentary wings (see also fig. 59, 18, 16, 17, and 18). I have come to the conclusion that the genus is founded on in- complete evidence. I have examined the types of L. fatidica under the microscope, and made the following notes. The type-specimens are two, fixed on the same card. The larger one has no ocelli, no rudiments of wings that I can detect, 2-jointed tarsi, a large head with strongly developed front or nasus, and free thoracic segments. There is nothing to indicate that it is a fully developed insect, and I look upon it as a very immature form, or larva, of one of the Psocina. The other, or smaller example, is a very different creature; the head large and trian- gular, with evident ocelli; the tarsi 2-jointed, and with evident reticu- lated wings. That this is a micropterous form of one of the Psocina I do not doubt. On Professor Westwood’s drawings of these creatures it is noted that “one of each (form) was found on a piece of cheese from a damp cellar.” That this latter form is a condition of Cecilius pedicularius appears probable. In Professor Westwood’s collection I see also another example, which appears identical with the smaller of the two types of LD. fatidica, in better condition, and this bears four small wings, but the neuration - offers no guide as to whether it be a form of Cecilius; there is an evident pterostigma. In the absence of further information, it seems desirable to omit Lachesis for the present. | Genus Psoquitia, Hagen (1866). Tarsi 3-jointed ; femora only slightly dilated. Head cordate. Eyes large. Palpi with dilated apical joint. Antenne with stout basal joints, and slender, multi-articulate thread. Abdomen broad, sub-depressed. Wings (I can see no vestige of posterior wings) about as long as the abdomen, elliptical at the apex, membranous; neuration evident but simple; the veins and margins ciliated. 1867. 197 1.—Psoguitia MarainePuNcrata, Hagen (plate 2, fig. 4). Psoquilla marginepunctata, Hag., Ent. Monthly Mag., vol. ii, p. 123 (1866). The whole of the upper surface of the body fuscous ; nasus paler, oastansons ; palpi fuscous. Under-side of the thorax very pale whitish-yellow. Wings ovate, obtusely rounded at the apex, dark shining brown, the margins with rather large white spots, which are placed in the cells between the veins. Legs very pale whitish-yellow; the tibis with a fuscous ring at the apex; tarsi ringed with fuscous. Length of body 4’”. This curious little creature was recently described from an example supposed to have been found at Hamburgh. In Prof. Westwood’s col- lection I find two specimens (one nearly destroyed) found by the late Mr. Raddon amongst maize (Indian corn), probably at Bristol. I have no information as to whence the maize was imported. The insect can scarcely be considered indigenous. No doubt we have yet much to learn respecting these minute forms of Psocide, which, as mere living atoms, are very liable to be overlooked. (To be continued.) AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 152.) Genus EUpTERYX, Curt., Ent. Mag. 1, 192. Identical with Zyphlocyba, Germ., a name invented to express the absence of ocelli. But as the insects of the genus have ocelli, situated a little above the insertion of the antennex, and as the names Zyphlocyba and Eupteryx were published as nearly as possible at the same time, the latter and more rational appellation is here preferred. Hupteryx com- prises numerous species, which are in fact the minuter and feebler forms of Zassus. A small number of them have been described by Curtis and Hardy, and one by Mr. Newman; the remainder have never ap- peared in any English work, and it is probable that several new species will be discovered. They are all of small size, and frequently of great : beauty, rivalling, when alive, the gayest of the Micro-Lepidoptera. The artificial characters by which they are distinguished from Jassus, are taken from the hemelytra, wings, and legs. The fore and middle tibiae are without spines on their exterior edge, the middle being likewise destitute of the customary fringe of bristles on the inside. The mem- brane of the hemelytra has 3-4 cells only: in Jassws there are 4-5. 198 (February, See Burmeister’s genera (Lyphlocyba), and cf. remarks by Tollin, tiber Kleinzirpen, in the Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1851, p. 67. For the discrimina- tion of species, the best characters are those derived from the neuration of the hemelytra and wings, in which the following arrangements are to be observed: On the corium are three longitudinal nerves, not con- nected transversely, and therefore forming no discal cells; they are often invisible, except in their apical half. The two outer are united not far from the base, and at the base all three are joined. The membrane is long as compared with that of Zassus ; its nervures are conspicuous, forming strictly four cells, but of these the first (or outer one) is some- times very small, or vanishes, leaving apparently ‘only three. The second cell of the membrane is sessile or pedunculated; the third is either trapezoidal (broader at the apex than at the base), or its sides are straight or parallel. The membrane is rarely appendiculated. The wings have sometimes a sub-marginal nervure, receiving the extremities of the longitudinal veins; in other cases the latter terminate immedi- ately in the margin itself. At the apex of the wings 2-4 longitudinal veins are to be seen, united transversely ; one at least of them is forked near the base, and frequently two of them form bifurcations open to- wards the margin. The nervures and cells are with difficulty seen in these small insects, especially when dried. The best method which I have hit upon is to detach the hemelytra or wings from a fresh specimen, and stick them with water upon thin glass. They may then be ex- amined with ease, as transparencies. In all cases the insects should be set with wings open, or their identification may be impossible. The species found in Livonia are elaborately tabulated by Flor, according to their neuration and the structure of the genital organs. But, as the difficulty of verifying these characters by pulling specimens to pieces, and by the microscope, is somewhat deterrent, we will attempt a more exoteric method, founded upon markings and general appearance, using the less visible characters only in cases of necessity. This rough and ready way will, for the most part, apply only to typical forms, but will place a large number of species at once beyond doubt. I. Membrana appendiculata. Alarum nervi longitudinales 4. (Pronotum et hemelytra lineis citrinis plerumque ornata. Sed Variac wlbra MOdUM).— 2... ienoerss ooareastaeh ates ovvdaastteeee eee eette albostriellus, Fall. (1) II. Membrana haud appendiculata. Alarum nervi longitudi- nales 3-2. i. Vertex ut in Delfocephalo productus, pronoto 4 brevior. (Parvus; pallidus, immeaculatus) si... ds - 450: -coenssturngeienetorss citrinellus, Zett. (2) ii. Vertex late rotundatus, pronoto 3 brevior. 1867.] 199 A. Hemelytra quoad discum nigro, rubro, fusco, non sig- nata. (Sed apex s#pe plus minus infuscescit.) * Pallide virides. 1. Alarum ven fusca, CONSPICUR............cccseeeeeees smoragdulus, Fall. (5) 2. Alarum vene hyaline, inconspicu® ...............66 viridulus, Fall. (4) ** Pallide flavi. + Abdomen flavum. a. Alarum nervi longitudinales 2. 1. Membrana et corii apex fumosi. Vertex sub- productus. Pronotum longius quam latius...... apicalis, Flor. (7) 2. Membrana et corii apex hyalini. Vertex late rotundatus. Pronotum transversum ............ flawescens, Fab. (6) aa. Alarum nervi longitudinales 3 ...............065 rose, Lin, (12) +t Abdomen nigrum, vel maximam partem nigrum. a. Scutellum nigro 3-maculatum .,.............000e scutellaris, H. Sch. (11) aa. Scutellum immaculatum, flavum. b. Pronotum apud marginem anticum puncto LUA TWEEAYC). O54, en onoCAbAEOobesdauanobanie bodaaboolasaoud ulmi, Lin. (18) bb. Pronotum apud marginem anticum puncto nullo. CoPAL EMMI OSES sabieecete ote gassiee scisices denivancesses Germari, Zett. (22) cc. Ale hyaline. d. Corium apice, membrana basi, infuscata. Hemelytra perpallida ...........sccseeeeeeeee . filicum, Newm. (16) dd. Corium apice, membrana basi, hyalina. Hemelytra flavissima ................000 ane flavipennis, Zett. (3) AA. Hemelytra in disco ipso, nigro, rubro, aut fusco variata. i. Hemelytra rubro variata. a. Hemelytrorum stria longitudinalis rubra. 1. Hemel. stria lata, suturalis, nusquam emargi- nata, ante membranam desinens, rubra. Clavi margo internus fuscus. Membrana hyalina. Vertex medio niger. Pronotum medio purpu- reum, vel nigro-rufum (sed ¢ fere tota flavicat)...hypericit, H. Sch. (9) 2. Hemel. stria angusta, subsuturalis, bis emar- ginata, membranam attingens, rubra. Clavi margo internus pallidus. Membrana subfumosa. Vertex et pronotum lineis 2 rubris. g @ ......blandulus, Rossi. (10) aa. Hemelytrorum stria longitudinalis nulla—sed macule 5 magne, oblong, rubre. Corium apice, ANGMPLANA DAS, MEASCATA VE ieeevrrovsasces dele suncesiecs querciis, Lin. (20) 200 (February, | ~ 4 ii. Hemelytra nigro variata. a. Frons et vertex immaculati. 1. Scutellum nigrum, vel pro parte nigrum. * Hemel. nigro transversim vittata (Fascis 2 late, transverse, nigre. Scutellum nigrum.) ...............665 nitidulus, Fab. (13) ** Hemel. nigro longitrorsum vittata. + Vitta perangusta, recta, corium intus marginans. (Scutellaminigrojcinctum) ......c--creeeee ete eeeeenee geometricus, Schr. (14) tt Vitta latissima, utrinque bis angulata (Scut. ni- erum) apice interdumiMayo)! vaseescccdesseceeese tacts .vittatus, Lin. (25) 2. Scutellum flavum, vel subrufescens. * Hemel. flava v. brunnea, strigis 3 brevibus transversis, maculaque apicali rotunda, Nigris .........6.ccseeeeeee cen aes pulchellus, Fall. (21) ** Hemel. flava, maculis irregularibus dilute fuscis, punctisque 2 nigris, altera in clavo, altera in corii disco..signatipennis, Boh. (15) aa. Frons aut vertex uterque vel ambo, nigro ma- culati. 1. Macule 2 verticis rotunds, cum punctis 2 frontis, nigree. * Tibize posticas nigra, basi pallidae ...............ee00e ...urtice, Lin. (26) ¥*® Tibia posticas totes pallida ...........ccecevcccsereereuss melisse, Curt. (27) 2. Macule 2 verticis nigrz ; frons immaculata. * Macule verticis punctiformes, minute. Hemely- trorum macule suffusee, indeterminate .............00085 10-punctatus, Fall.(17) ** Macule verticis reniformes, majuscule. Hemely- trorum maculze bene determinate. + Frons longior quam capitis (cum oculis) latitudo...awratus, Lin. (28) tf Frons non longior quam capitis (cum oculis) Letibado Si seANaei ioe ahbetesanetlecacsamen se taeero eer ateee pictus, Fab. (24) iii. Hemelytra fusco longitudinaliter vittata. a. Pronotum maculis 7, scutellum 3, nigris.........jwcwndus, H.Sch.? (19) aa. Pronotum maculis 5, scutellum 2, nigris ...... parvulus, Boh. (8) (To be continued.) ON SOME PECULIARITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEMIPTERA. HETEROPTERA. BY J. W. DOUGLAS: (Continued from page 272, Vol. ii.) Since the former remarks were written, my attention has been directed to the quotation by Mr. Westwood in his “Introduction 1867. j 201 to the Modern Classification of Insects,’ Vol. ii, page 474, of the record, by Heineken, in the ‘ Zoological Journal” for 1829, of an experiment made by him on a species of Reduvius inhabiting Madeira, both antennz of a pupa of which he divided through the basal joint, on the 8th of August.—‘‘ Sept. 4. Reproduced, at the same time moulting into a perfect insect. They are of unequal lengths, thicker and shorter than the original ones, and, as far as I can ascertain, having only three instead of four joints.” This is interesting, not only as showing that lost antennz may be reproduced, but also the exact period of life of the insect at which the reproduction occurred. It is not stated which particular joint was deficient, nor whether or not the terminal joint were perfectly formed. But the inference to be drawn from this experiment, in elucidation of the examples of 3-jointed antenne I have mentioned, is, that an antenna had in them been accidentally broken off while the insect was in the penultimate state, and was replaced by another, minus the joint, at the final change. The reproduction of legs, wholly or in part, had been noticed in Myriapoda, Crustacea, and Arachinda, also in hexapod insects of in- complete metamorphosis, but it it was doubted if the power existed in those where the metamorphosis was complete. Mr. Newport, however, subjected even the larvee of Lepidoptera to amputation of their legs, and those which survived the operation produced butterflies with limbs entire, even to the ungues, although some legs were small, and the spines of the tibie generally absent. Réaumur had long ago recorded that hairs cut off caterpillars were reproduced at the moulting of the skin. With regard to the reproduction of antennz, although Mr. New- port proved that it took place in Qulide, Mr. Goodsir found in his experiments with Crustacea, that, notwithstanding the greater power of reproducing limbs in this class than in insects, if antenne were removed they were not replaced. It is, therefore, the more interesting to note such instances in the true insecta in which there is every reason to believe there has been a reproduction of antenne. And, assuming that in the cases I have quoted there has been a veritable reproduction, it is still a matter to be elucidated why it is always the penultimate joint that is suppressed, and yet the terminal one is perfectly formed. 902 : [February’ “THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND.” BY EDWIN BIRCHALL. First Supplementary List. APpaAMEA FIBROSA— Killarney. EnnoMos TILIARTA—Kildare. Very abundant at light.—Hon. Emrty Law ess. ENNYCHIA ANGUINALIS—Galway. EPHIPPIPHORA TETRAGONANA—Howth. Mr. BARRETT. Hrratum. For THERA SIMULATA read THERA VARIATA. NOTES ON COLLECTING, MANAGEMENT, &c., (LEPIDOPTERA). BY H. @. KNAGGS, M.D., F.L.S. TH Hh) (CAT) Ree La ARS Sun Anion (Continued from Vol. ii. page 271.) The furore to possess varieties which rages among British Macro-Lepidopterists, together with a growing interest by students of all branches of Natural History in that vexed subject—the variation of species—has opened up a vast field for enquiry as to the influences which produce these interesting freaks of nature. “ Variety-breeding,” as it has been not inaptly termed, though yet in its in- fancy, would appear to offer the most practical means of arriving at something like a definite solution of the mystery, and as this art comes within the province of the larva rearer, I purpose glancing at those influences which are supposed to act on the preliminary stages of insect life to produce variation in the perfect state : to be brief then.— First.—Influences acting ab initio. These may be accidental or hereditary— with the former we have little to do, but they may account for the formation of certain monstrosities in which organs are multiplied, suppressed, or modified through error in the primary impulse. Hereditary influences, on the other hand, will account for a large proportion of varieties, and may without doubt be turned to account as well by the variety breeder of insects as the Herefordshire farmer or the pigeon fancier, by the careful selection of parent stock with a view to pecu- liarities, whether structural or ornamental, being reproduced in the progeny. Of this we have (e.g.) instances in the rearing of negro varieties from parents more or less tainted with melanism; and of imperfections perpetuated, as in the frequent recurrence of individuals wanting a hind-wing, which may be noticed even at large in Macaria notata. That these are the results of hereditary influences would seem to be demons- 1867. } 203 trated by the fact that, while certain species have a tendency to vary in the above and other manners, few species are liable to the same extent of variation, and many apparently to none at all. Of course it must be understood that originally these hereditary peculiarities have been acquired through some accident, or by the force of surrounding con- ditions, and have in the course of generations become perpetuated in what is termed a variable species, or in a race of individuals presenting appreciable differ- ences from the typical form. Second.—We have what may be called topographical influences ; influences acting in greater or less degree on the fauna of a district through the nature of the locality ; and among these the soil especially would appear to exert a potent influence, since we find certain species varying according as they may have repro- duced, generation after generation, on a chalky, peaty, gravelly, or other soil. This cause may act indirectly through the vegetation of the respective districts which doubtless undergoes some modification. Next, we have food, and whatever influence this may exert must naturally be through the larva; but of the fact that it does operate in various ways upon the future imago we have ample proof. The colour of the perfect Tortrix viridana is a familiar example of the power of food to produce variation in the imago, and there are many other instances of so-called phytophagic species, races, or varieties, chiefly among the Micro-Lepidoptera, which might be adduced. It must not, however, be understood that, as a rule, changes of this kind are wrought in one or even in ten generations. We see, too, alteration in the colour of the larva brought about by the agency of food; thus in that of Hupithecia absyn- thiata and of other species, there is a tendency to assume the tint of whatever flower they may be feeding upon; and again, the colour of the silk of which the cocoon of the Halias prasinana is formed, depends on whether the larva had pre- viously fed on oak, hazel, &c. We see, too, that species single brooded on one plant have a tendency to become double brooded on another, as in the case of Orgyia gonostigma reared respectively on oak and willow or sallow. And, finally, with respect to that unsatisfactory pet of the variety breeder—Arctia caja—many dark specimens have been attributed to the agency of coltsfoot, lettuce, and other pabula; but the late Peter Bouchard used to say of one of his best varieties of “the tiger,” that he could account for it in no other way than that the beast must have lunched off some bread and cheese which had accidentally fallen into its den. Then come causes of variation produced by the action of light (upon the larval and pupal stages especially), through which it is averred the future imago is rendered darker or paler, according as this influence may have been intense and prolonged, or nearly wanting, and of short duration. It is certainly worth the while of the variety-breeder to act upon and test the value of light as an agent in causing variation. And, lastly, we come to those influences which operate chiefly upon the pupa ; of these, perhaps, the atmospheric hold the foremost place, and under these may be classed what may be denominated the “ thermic,” causing retardation or ac- celeration of the completion of this stage; and this, like other causes of variation, ; appears to affect the individuals of certain species more than of others ; for while, 204: (February, on the one hand, it is affirmed that the imago of Pieris rape is unaffected by the F length of duration of the pupa state (the pups which should produce the peculi- arities of the so-called spring brood doing so whether the perfect insects emerge before or after the pupal hybernation), it is equally patent, on the other hand, that the corresponding brood of Selenia illustraria is considerably modified by the length of time which is passed in the pupa state, those pupze which hybernate producing what is termed the spring brood, those which do not, the so-called ‘‘ second summer brood,” the latter in nowise differing from the ordinary summer brood. Again, by similar agency, we may, as a rule, account for the greater darkness in tint and markings of many northern, and especially Scotch, Lepidoptera, as compared with corresponding southern types, since many species double-brooded in the south are single-brooded in the north, and others which here pass but one winter in the pupa stage are apt, in the north, to remain in that state over a second winter, or even for a longer period. Dampness and dryness, too, may be added as atmospheric influences acting chiefly on the pupa. Glancing back, therefore, we see that the would-be variety-breeder has the option of certain lines of action towards the end he has in view. First and foremost, he may, by judicious selection of the parent stock, enhance his future chances of success, if not in the first, at any rate, in succeeding generations: he may, if he be patient and of a peripatetic turn, avail himself of locality or soil ; or he may bring to his aid the influences of food, light, heat, cold, moisture, &c. It is here, perhaps, just as well to add that direct injuries, by any means whatever, to non-vital parts, especially of the pupa, tend to produce variation, or rather monstrosity, in the imago; but this hardly comes within the scope of variety breeding; it is rather a connecting link between the legitimate art and those ingenious delusions which may be classed as post mortem varieties, and which are not infrequently indulged in by the unscrupulous, the sordid, and the envious—I allude to such morbid practices as imitating varieties, or even rarities, by the aid of the paint brush and wasted talent, the manufacture of hermaphrodites, the clumsy artifice of dyeing by saffron and other agents, the conversion of greens into orange, bleaching by exposure to strong light or the fumes of sulphur, &c.,— impostures which are only mentioned to put the young entomologist on his guard, and which may generally be pretty easily detected by means of the relaxing jar and a strong lens. (To be continued.) Note on pairing im Phryganide.—It is generally believed that insects never pair a second time, but the following observations go some way towards proving that this belief is not absolutely correct. One Tuesday afternoon, at about four o’clock, in the middle of October, I captured four or five couples of Chetopteryx tuberculosa in coitu. When I got home, I found them still united. Two pairs I placed under a glass shade with a small aquarium, hoping I might get some eggs. The other couples I killed with cyanide of potassium: these died without separating, and I was not surprised at this, considering the shape of the intromittent organ ; but it made me all the more surprised at what I have presently to mention. Ten hours after the capture, the 1867.] 205 pairs I kept alive were still im coitu. Seven hours later I found one of the pairs had separated. I removed the united couple, and continued my observations on the others. At eleven o’clock that night (Wednesday) I found the remaining couple had re-united, and were again in coitu. They continued thus through the whole of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Saturday night they separated. For some hours after the male was remarkably active, but the female was sluggish ; both, however, died early on Sunday morning.—J. Geper, Cambridge, Dec., 1866. Note on the food-plant, Sc., of Lycena Alsus.—L. Alsus is found in the neigh- bourhood of Cambridge in several localities. The larva of this insect is generally said to feed on Astragalus ; but in one place where it occurs I know there is no Astragalus, and in another only the smaller species (A. hypoglottis) is to be found, and that very sparingly. This made me curious to know what the larva fed on. There is one leguminous plant which grows plentifully in the localities for this butterfly, and which I thought would turn out to be the food-plant. This is Anthyllis vulneraria, otherwise known as “ kidney-vetch,” “lady’s fingers,” or “woundwort.” Anthyllis gets its name (generic) from the downy flower-heads which characterize it: each legume being enclosed in an inflated hairy calyx. To decide this question, I determined to watch the females deposit their eggs. On June 27th, the perfect insect was out in great abundance, so I set to work to discover its food-plant. I soon observed that they did not care much for the great masses of Anthyllis, but rather chose to settle upon the scattered flowers of this and other plants. Presently, however, I saw one settle on a flower-head of Anthyllis which showed no yellow blossoms. I remained perfectly still. It walked down between the flower-buds, and dragged its body between the wooly calyces ; all round the flower-head it went, and then turned up its body and flew off to another head. Here there were two or three blossoms just open, but it seemed to go through the same process. Upon gathering the flower-heads, I found in each case a single egg laid between the downy calyces. This I saw repeated many times. The insect showed great discrimination in the flower-heads she chose; often she settled on one, walked round it, then flew off to another, and sometimes to a third before she was satisfied. Never did she seem to be content unless there were some buds on the head; at any rate, I particularly noticed that she avoided those where the blossoms had faded, leaving the calyx, the first food of the larva, dry. Twice I saw what I took to be a female settle on the flower-head of Hippocrepis : in one case the insect remained some time, but in neither case was there any egg. The eggs were of a glaucous hue, and under the microscope were found to be most perfectly reticulated; the meshes which stood out in relief were not hexagonal as in L. Egeria, but perfectly rhombical, and knotted at the junction of their angles, They hatched on the sixth day (July 3rd). The larvae began by eating the hairy calyx, then they passed into it and fed on the legume, and finally, upon that becoming dry, they crept down the flower-stalks, and perished in the water that was used to keep the flower-heads fresh. In a second locality, I found that Anthyllis was the food-plant of L. Alsus; and though I must not be understood to give undue weight to the fact, still it is worth mentioning, that A. vulneraria, like L. Alsus, is not confined to chalk or limestone, though it always prefers dry sunny places.—Ib. 206 (Febru d Note on the number of eggs in Cerwia vinula and Smerinthus ocellatus.— C. vinula found in coitu on the afternoon of June 7th. Less than six hours after-— wards the female commenced laying eggs, which proved to be fertile. She died after depositing 32 eggs; but upon dissection, I found 236 eggs undeposited,—so the total number was 268. 8. ocellatus found in coitu at 1.30 p.m. on June 9th. Four hours afterwards I found two eggs had been laid. She continued to lay for several days (at least five days), laying in all 351 eggs—all fertile. Upon examination, I found 38 eges undeposited, making in all a total of 389. In the above instances, the sexes separated through fright immediately upon capture.—Ib. : Sphine ligustri feeding on holly.—As some notices of the discovery of the larva of this insect on holly have recently appeared in the ‘‘ Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine” (vide pp. 137, 163), it may perhaps be worth while to add another instance to those already known of its making that shrub its food. I extract the following from one of my note books :—“ Sept. 11th, 1865. Found a privet hawk- moth caterpillar on holly at Fursdon,’ Egg Buckland, near Plymouth. So far as my observations go, the ash, privet, and laurustinus generally constitute its food ; less frequently the lilac. So long ago as 1724, Eleazar Albin, in his curious old “Natural History of Insects,” remarks that, besides being found on the lilac, it also feeds on “privet, holly, and Phillyrea.”’—T. R. Arncuer Bricas, 10, Torrington Place, Plymouth, December 17th, 1866. Note on Dianthecia capsophila and Tapinostola elymi.—I noticed a remark by Mr. Birchall (ante p. 106), who states that only four species of Dianthecia occur in Britain. I desire to record that I have bred D. capsophila from larvee collected in North Wales, near Conway. I have also had the good fortune to capture T. elymi this last season, but I reserve the exact whereabouts for the present.—JOSEPH CHAPPELL, 18, Sheffield Street, Hulme, Manchester, 24th December, 1866. Lepidoptera at Guestling, near Hastings, in 1866. March 28th.—Eriogaster lanestris, six bred ; Hoporina croceago, a few at sallow; Xylocampa lithorhiza, one specimen at sallow; several on walls of Rectory on April 8th. April 7th.—Teniocampa gracilis, local, but plentiful,—this seems to appear the last of the commoner Teniocanpe,—at sallow. April 23rd.—C. ridens, one specimen on a tree trunk, one at sugar. May 7th.—Eupithecia ivriguata, on the trunk of a tree, a very fine specimen. May 18th.—Phytometra cnea, very brightly coloured; Ephyra pendularia, common; Platypteryx falcula, scarce; P. lacertula, not uncommon. May 26th.—Acidalia subsericeata, common; Macaria notata, local, but rather plentiful ; Ephyra punctaria, rather scarce, three specimens ; Eupithecia pulchellata, nice series bred, and some larvee found. May 29th.—Ephyra porata,not very common. All the species of Ephyra have occurred here except HL. orbicularia. , 1867.) 207 May 30th.—Trochiliwm cynipiforme, 2, one specimen, on coppice oak. May 31st.—Eupisteria heparata, several in one locality ; Hmmelesia decolorata, with preceding. June 2nd-12th.—Corycia temerata, one specimen ; Camptogramma fluviata, one specimen; Arctia villica, two specimens ; Selenia lunaria, one specimen ; Limacodes testudo, one specimen; Lobophora sexalata, two specimens ; Eupithecia centawreata, one specimen. June 14th.—Agrotera nemoralis, one worn specimen ; Cymatophora fluctwosa, one specimen. Last yearI recorded this latter species in error, as the specimens were only C. duplaris. I have now met with it. June 15th.—Tephrosia extersaria, one specimen. June 20.—Scotosia undulata, one specimen. June 28th.—Asthena sylvata, one specimen, at Fairlight. June 29th.—Phorodesma bajularia, one specimen; Herminia derivalis, one specimen. I took another specimen on July 14th, at light. July 16th.—Lithosia complana, probably not uncommon : apt to be passed by as L. complanula ; Geometra papilionaria, two specimens. July 17th to 27th—Cidaria picata, two specimens; Melanippe unangulata, one specimen; Pseudopterpna cytisaria, one specimen, at Fairlight ; Hndotricha flammealis, very common, in a heathy wood, at Fairlight ; Epione apiciaria, one specimen ; Eup. succentwriata, one specimen. August 4th.—Triphena fimbria, one specimen. August 13th.—G@nophos obscurata, one specimen, at Fairlight. August 25th.—Macaria notata, one specimen. Is not this a second brood ? Last year I took five specimens in August. September 30th.—Acherontia Atropos, reared from a larva taken at Fairlight. I have omitted two insects which, perhaps,I ought to have mentioned. E. plumbeolata, which is common here, and A. inornata, of which I met with one specimen this year, and one last; in neither instance do I know the dates. All the above, with the two exceptions mentioned, were taken in, or on the borders of, a wood close to the Guestling Rectory. All that are not marked otherwise, were taken by mothing.—E. N. BLoomFrExp, Guestling Rectory, Hastings, Janwary 12th, 1867. Cosmia pyralina in Suffolk.—I secured a specimen of this species last season at Great Glenham, in Suffolk. Some years ago I used to take it not uncommonly in my own neighbourhood at light.—Ib. New locality for Epione advenarva.—While entomologizing in that part of the country which lies between Dorking and Guildford, I had the good fortune to find a new locality for this scarce species. In a fir wood, situated not far from the village of Ewhurst, where the ground is covered throughout with the whortle- berry, I found this species, together with F. piniaria, in great abundance, the one as plentiful as the other; Hypena crassalis was not scarce, and I also secured a specimen of Halias prasinana and of Ellopia fasciaria. Commoner species, such as F. atomaria, I. lactearia, A. remutata, L. marginata, &e., were of course, there also, at the time of my visit. 208 (February, In the same district, I have this year met with P. bajularia, E. coronata, P. syringaria, in lanes; Thera juniperata, and C. flwiata, on the ivy. At sugar, Xanthia awrago, cerago, and silago, Hoporina croceago, Ennomos fuscantaria ; and a singular Noctua, of which I have not yet found out the name, and I noticed, on one particular lime tree, abundance of the larvee of X. citrago, each larva having a rolled-up leaf as its habitat ; I also noticed that the period for these larve to be in their cocoons was of somewhat longer duration than for most other Noctwa,—five weeks being the chosen time to rest their wearied limbs and jaws before undergoing the change. After all, the specimens bred were not so fine, in any respect, as those found in a natural state, 7. e., sitting idly (by night) on the leaves and twigs of the lime tree.—S. Cannine, 51, St. George’s Square, Belgravia. Description of the larva of Cucullia umbratica.—To the kindness of the Rev. Hugh A. Stowell and Mr. Greening, I am greatly obliged for examples of the larvae of this species, and interesting details of their early history. The first named gentleman captured a 2 at honeysuckle, that laid a large number of eggs on the 11th of last July, and in five days they were hatched, and fed well on sow- thistles (Sonchus). Unlike the sun-loving habits of others of the genus, these larva evinced a great aversion to light, and always hid themselves by day, reposing under the lower leaves of the sow-thistles, and at night ascending and feasting on the upper leaves and flowers. Those reared from eggs were full fed by the 25th of August, and the others by the 8rd of September, and were kept separately and well supplied with earth; but instead of making subterranean cocoons, they spun silken threads amongst the flower buds of the sow-thistles, attaching them to the tops of their cages, and spinning under the buds a few threads, forming a loose and open kind of hammock, in which they changed to pupe.. One individual chose a leaf, curved downwards and secured to the stem beneath by a few threads, amongst which it underwent its transformation. The pups were smooth and reddish-brown, with the tips of the wing-cases projecting a little, and the anal point considerably. The larve, when viewed from above, tapered but very little anteriorly or posteriorly, excepting the last segment only, which was rather elongated, and depressed at an obtuse angle with the other segments. The chief variation, indi- vidually, consisting of the more or less suffusion of black, and of the degree of dullness or brilliancy of the ground colour. Amongst them three examples will amply suffice for description, the others being intermediate and connecting. Var. 1. Ground colour bright ochreous-yellow, with an elaborate blackish- brown raised and granulated arabesque pattern of curves and angles on the back ; the sides equally intricate, but linear and wavy in character. The dorsal stripe is represented by bare double triangular spaces of the ground colour at the segmental divisions, and on the last segment as a central stripe. The sub-dorsal is indicated by a very thin undulating line of the ground colour, and on the anal segment abruptly widening into a very broad stripe, tapering to a point ab the extremity. The head dull black ; a dull blackish-brown plate on the second segment, with ' 1867.] 209 three small spots of the ground colour on its front edge. Tubercular dots and spiracles black, also the anterior legs and prolegs; the latter with a ring of white above their extremities. Var. 2. Ground colour brilliant orange-ochreous, visible in spots at the seg- mental divisions along the centre of the back, and in narrow streaks along the sub-dorsal region, a much interrupted line along the spiracles, and a row of spots and blotches on the side just above the legs (the largest blotches being above the anterior legs), and three broad stripes meeting at the end of the anal flap ; all the rest blackish. Var. 3. Ground colour dull brownish-ochreous, seen as dorsal, sub-dorsal, and lateral stripes, on the third and fourth segments with little interruptions, and on other segments only the faintest traces of them, excepting the anal, which is marked similarly to those previously described, and the dorsal stripe merely as a triangular spot at the end of the intermediate segments ; all the rest of the body dull brownish-black, and each spiracle placed in a swelling blotch of intense and rather shining-black.—Wwa. BuckLer, Emsworth. Notes on Micro-Lepidoptera occurring at Haslemere.—At a short distance from here there is a swampy copse, consisting principally of alder, sallow, and birch bushes, with plenty of brambles, rushes, and high tussocks of sedge, and cut up in every direction, but to very little purpose, with drains. Here, on May 18th last, I found Micropterye mansuctella and Allionella pretty commonly, with calthelia in abundance, all flitting among, and settling upon, the rushes and culms of sedge, keeping generally in the shadow of the high bushes, not in the sunshine. At the end of the month, I visited the spot again, and then found the same species, all crowding upon the sedge blossoms, where they were joined by Thunbergella. Glyphipteryx oculatella was also common, dancing merrily about the open places late in the afternoon, and settling on the rushes; and a few Elachista ochréella occurred among the sedge. For three weeks I was prevented from going there again, but on June 21st and 26th found oculatella still common, but worn; and also obtained Phowxopterya diminutana, Choreutis scintillulana, Nemophora metawella, Laverna lactéella, Buccu- latrix cidarella, and, I believe, Nepticula intimella. On May 31st J found, in another damp place by the railway embankment, Micropteryx mansuetella, swarming on the blossoms of Luzula pilosa, with calthella in hundreds; and just on the other side of the railway, had the good fortune to take Incurvaria tenwicornis flying after sunset, and just by, Coleophora graminicolella* was flitting in numbers among the grass and Inula. In various woods I found the Luzula blossoms covered with Micropteryx calthella, which also frequented flowers of Mercurialis perennis, while mansuetella was not to be found at all on that plant. Nemotiis minimellus was very common late in August, among flowers in open places in the woods, and two or three times I noticed it flying in little swarms over flowers of Centawrea and Stachys. Psoricoptera gibbosella, bred from oak leaves rolled lengthwise into tubes. * See Entomologist’s Annual, 1867, p. 164. 210 [February Oncocera ahenella was rather common in June in some rough fields on the side — of a hill, and was almost invariably to be found among Hieraciwm pilosella, though after a flight it would sometime settle on fern. Unless the sun was shining, it — was hardly possible to disturb a specimen, and, when put up, catching it was no easy matter, as it would dart straight away to a good height, as though intending to fly a long distance, and then, making an acute angle, return to within a short distance of where it started. But these movements, from its shining metallic” apearance, were by no means easy to follow. The specimens varied from pale drab to deep pinkish grey. Acrobasis consociella, bred from larvae which draw together the leaves of terminal shoots of oak into bunches. Mizodia Schulziana, not scarce among heath at Woolmer Forest, Hants,—the most southern locality for it of which I have heard.—C. G. Barrett, Haslemere, November, 1866. ® ' A list of captures of Lepidoptera in 1866, on the eastern extremity of the Cotswolds. (Concluded from page 184.) July 1st.—B. rhomboidaria bred from larva feeding on ivy. 2nd. E. bipunctaria and T. Janthina abundant; A. Galathea, very plentiful. 4th. A. triplasia, at sugar. 7th. C. prunata and N. c-nigrum, plentiful; P. Alsus, new to this locality. 8th. A. villica, a curious specimen, with the tips of fore-wings nearly white, bred from larva from Southsea; P. iota, scarce here. 11th. I. vernaria, larva taken at Malvern. 14th. C. diffinis and L. complanula, the former sometimes common in the larva state. 18th. C. cytherea, abundant at light and sugar. 20th. A. imitaria and S. cambricaria, common. 21st. A. pyramidea, bred from larva on oak and sallow. 30th. A. ornata, two specimens; S. dubitata. August 2nd.—W. fulva, abundant in one corner of ameadow. 38rd. HL. wpiciaria. Oth. G.libatric. 15th. S.ilustraria, one specimen at Malvern. 18th. P. lignata, abundant. 19th. H. sylvinus. 24th. P. fuliginosa, second brood. September 7th. T. crategi, one at light. 8th. H. popularis, at light. 10th. E. cervinaria, bred. 12th. A. Wwnosa, at light and sugar. 13th. A. aprilina and C. miata. 25th. P. flavocincta, at sugar. 29th. G. flawago, at light. October 3rd.—H. micacea, at light. 8th. O. lota, at sugar. 13th. H.pennaria, at light. 25th. P. populi, bred. November Ist.—P. cassinea, at light. Tn addition to these, I have taken the following, without being sure of the dates :—A. pyrophila, 4at sugar; A. cinerea, 2 at light; [. cespitis, 1 at light ; A. aquilina, 2 at light; also A. ravida and A. obelisca.—K. Hatietr Topp, Northleach, Gloucestershire. Notes on the transformations of Leucophasia sinapis.—For eggs of this species Lam indebted to the kindness of Mr. C. G. Barrett; and it has been with no ordinary pleasure that I have watched its transformations ; for the insect has always been a favourite of mine ever since I began collecting—now some ten year's ago. 1867.) Die The eggs seem to be deposited singly; in shape they are cylindrical, very long, standing erect on one end, the upper end coming to a point, which is curved a little to one side (reminding one somewhat of the shape of a cucumber), ribbed longitudinally—about four ribs appearing in any one view: colour a glistening yellowish-white. The larva when full-grown is about #-inch in length; head globular, rather smaller than second segment; body cylindrical, tolerably uniform in bulk, but tapering very gently towards the tail; anal flap terminating squarely, and under it appearing two very small blunt points: the skin wrinkled—with six folds to each segment, covered uniformly (but not densely), with very fine, short, whitish down. Colour a beautiful green, the front segments minutely dotted with black; dorsal line darker green, edged with yellowish-green; spiracular line distinct, of a fine, clear yellow, edged above with darker green ; spiracles undistinguishable, belly and legs translucent green. When tho larva is about to spin, it fastens itself, with the head upwards, to a stem of its food-plant by a little webbing at the head and the tail, and a thread round the fore part of the body ; and at first it rests quite flat on the stem; after some hours, it raises its back, and bends itself into a bow, the head and tail still fastened to the stem, and the thread round the body being much stretched ; in this position it remains about two days, when it casts its skin for the last time (the threads which fasten down the head apparently being attached only to the larva skin), and becomes a pupa. The pupa when arrived at its full colour is very beautiful. In shape it is slender, very acutely pointed at the head, not so acutely at the tail; the wing-cases projecting in a swelling curve to nearly twice the width of the body, and meeting in a blunt ridge; the head is thrown back, and the pupa rests with the wing-cases touching the stem, fastened by the tail, and the thread round the body. The skin is semi-transparent; the colour a lovely delicate green ; the abdomen rather yellowish: just in the spiracular region there runs all round the body a stout pink rib, enclosing the greenish spiracles: from this a strong pink line branches off, bordering the outer edge of each wing-case; and the nervures of the wings themselves are delicately outlined in pink. I received some eggs on August 2nd, and again.on September 1st. The larvae appeared respectively on August 8th and September 6th; full fed on September 26th and November 8th; in pupa September 29th and November 8th. The food chosen was either Vicia cracca or Orobus tuberosus; but not both.—Rerv. J. HELLINS. Caprices of Chelonia caja.—I have just completed the interesting occupation of setting October imagos of this species, thereby advancing its right to be considered, in some measure, double-brooded. They were reared from ova deposited last July. Between fifty and sixty larve fed up in their accustomed manner, and are now of the usual size, save five, which outstripped the rest, and grew rapidly on a mixed diet, of which Tagetes erecta, (African Marigold) formed their “piéce de résistance.” Theyspun their shroud about the last week in September, and four of them have emerged (the fifth appearing, on examination, to be drying up), one, a very small g, and three 2. All the three 2 have produced masses of eggs, probably barren ones, for the ¢ would seem too > punily inadequate to aspire to the dignity of a “ paterfamilias.” He is the smallest, 212 [ February, most perfectly marked “Tiger Tim” conceivable; and now when set, barely an inch in expanse from tip to tip, and about six lines from points of palpi to anal tuft. His wings, though perfect and marked according to custom, are scarcely in propor- tion to the body, although, when prepared for the cabinet, the little gentleman was five days old. There is no characteristic departure from the normal type to speak of, in the ladies. Should their eggs prove fertile, we should thus at once have before us the egg, the larva, the pupa, and the imago—three of them at unaccustomed periods—illustrating, during a humid and almost sunless season, a condition of insect life much nearer the equator. In this case it is unnecessary to observe that there was no “ forcing” of any kind, the natural and the precocious larveo having been reared together ander precisely similar conditions of light, at- mosphere, locality, parentage, and food-plant. It will be interesting to a high degree to discover which of these five influences is the most important agent in effecting the strange aberrations exemplified by this and other species. A slight attention to the science of optics in reference to Chromatology would persuade to the belief that “light” was an important agent in these variations. It would not be difficult to prove “ theoretically” that it was an all-sufficient cause. But, in these practical times, “‘ demonstration” is gradually displacing “theory,” and evidence is happily becoming more important than argument. In C. caja it is possible entomologists may have an easy opportunity of practically proving if light have or have not material influence on Jepidopterous ornamentation, I venture to believe that I have, this past season, confirmed my previous impressions that it has; and I am now repeat- ing my previous experiments on a larger scale, the results of which it will afford me gratification to be permitted to make known. Speaking generally, I feel con- vinced, from observations already made, that insects subjected during their growth and transformations to much light, would, as a rule, be darker; and those reared in the shade lighter than the normal individual. I should feel very grateful for any communication, pro or con, from those who may have already reared conspicuous varieties, or who may be induced to do so. For instance, information relating to the condition of the breeding cage would be interesting , if covered in from, or capable of admitting much of, the solar light ; on what food-plant the larva chiefly fed; if a captured specimen, the sort of soil from whence it came; and any other circumstance contributing, in the estimation of the writer, to the result in question. Tn conclusion I may describe a most singular var. of C. caja, 1 have had the good fortune to add to my series this season; a wild g captured last July at Woodford, in Essex ; and which, from information kindly forwarded by Mr. Double- day and other authorities, may be considered almost unique. Let my readers figure to themselves a male of the average size; the thorax and body of the common type; the superior wings entirely cream-white; the lower wings rosy-crimson, with all the usual blue-black markings orange-yellow, except in the upper semi-lunar spot of the right lower-wing, in the midst of which is visible a blue-black atom, formed by about seven of the scales still retaining their accustomed tint; and it will be scarcely possible to imagine a greater sacrifice of “‘ pigmentwm nigrum,” short of its utter annihilation. It would be most interesting to know the conditions under which this extraordinary example was produced. Surely something more than locality and food-plant was at work !—Eb. Horiry, 14, South Bank, Regent’s Park, October 30th, 1866. 1867.) 213 Hermaphrodite Trichiwra crategi.—The following as yet unpublished description of a hermaphrodite Gastropacha (Trichiwra) crategi occurs in a letter, dated December 15th, 1866, addressed to me by my esteemed friend, Herr Ch. Haury, of Prague; but, as the specimen has since then changed hands, I am unable to say in whose collection it is now. Herr Haury writes,—‘‘ One of my entomological friends here has bred this season a specimen of Gastropacha cratcegi, the right ahtenna of which, as well as the exact right half of the body, and the right wings, are male, whilst the whole left side is female. The anal organs are, also, male on the right, and female on the left. * The difference in the wings are very great, as the male side is much darker than the female one; the right male half of the abdominal segments is black, whilst the left female half is simply pale grey. “The larva did not appear to differ in any way from others of the species.”— ALBERT MULLER, Penge, January 11th, 1867. Captures in the Isle of Wight.—I beg to send the following notes. The captures were made close to my residence (with the exception of M. Cinwia and A. luctuosa, which were taken at Ventnor). At sallow blossom :—2 D. rubiginea, 5 T. miniosa, 4 T. gracilis, 2 X. petrificata, and hosts of commoner species. Bred :—E. lanestris, A. villica, C. vinula, 8. tiliw, and lots of common moths. LT also bred Cinwia and Artemis. Taken with net :—V. maculata, E. lineolata, A. citraria, A. luctuosa, B. trifolii, L. quercifolia, M. Cinwia, A. luctuosa, Hoporina croceago, and 8. wrorella (Edusa did not put in an appearance.) At ivy blossom I was fortunate enough to secure 6 D. rubiginea, and several other good things. Among my best captures were two curious varieties of H. Janira, one having the centre of all the wings a pure pearly-white, and the other having the wings of one side (the right) marked in the same manner. I got only one specimen of A. Atropos this season ; last season I could count them by dozens. I saw a fine specimen of CO. Celerio while at the ivy blossom; it came to my lamp, but, being upon a ladder at the time, I was unable to secure it.—JameEs Incram, St. Helen’s Schools, Nettlestone, Ryde, Isle of Wight, Dec. 11th, 1866. Curious locality for Acari.—At Gosforth, in August last, I caught a number of water bugs of the genus Coriva, and was a good deal surprised, when I came to mount them, to find several specimens infested by Acari. The parasites were lodged on the upper surface of the abdomen, beneath the wings ; they were minute, bright red creatures, and quite unknown to me. One of the Coriva (semistriata) had, in addition to several of the mites, what I take to be an oval egg sack, of sufficient size to hold a good number even of the perfect creatures. Both hemelytra of this Coriza are punctured through the centre of their corium, and the holes appear to be of old standing, their edges being smooth and blackened. Can these holes have been made by the mites, for facility of ingress and egress to their strange dwelling place?—Tuos, Jno. Boup, Long Benton, December 26th, 1866. 214 | February, Winter captures of Coleoptera at Wimbledon.—I briefly note the results of three hurried excursions (about an hour each) to one of my old localities here,—a pond near the windmill,—as shewing that the combined influences of drainage, bricks and mortar, volunteer camps, and perpetual rifle-shooting, have failed to destroy the entomological value of this well-known spot. All my captures were made by cutting tufts, &c., at the edge of the aforesaid pond; exposed the while to the peculiarly searching blasts that course unchecked over the expanse of the open common. Lamprinus saginatus, 8. In company with Tachyporus chrysomelinus, to which it bears anabsurd resemblance. A question for mimetic-analogists : which of these beetles mimics the other,—and why? Has the Lamprinus an intuitive perception that the Tachyporus is so common that no Coleopterist would knowingly bottle it ? Stenus longitarsis, Thoms.,2 g and1?. This is the place where, years ago, I first took this rare insect, then known as “small ater,’ and which has recently been found in other parts of the continent besides Sweden. 8. lustrator, ¢. The Wimbledon examples agree with those from Shirley in differing from the fen specimens through their shorter elytra and the degree of darkness suffused at the apex of their femora; they cannot, however, I think be specifically separated from the latter. S. canaliculatus ; S. cicindeloides, 1 or 2 ¢ (which sex, as noted by Hrichson, I always find very rare) ; Mycetoporus lepidws, in numbers, chiefly the dark var. ; Tachyporus transversalis, common, and now apparently migrated from the far distant Kiesenwetteri locality ; T. scitulus. Evesthetus leviusculus, 12. Calodera riparia. Aleochara brevipennis. Hister neglectus, 2. Anchomenus sexpunctatus, 3. A. versutus, 12. Readily distinguishable from A. vidwus,—which occurs with it, and by which it is often represented in collections,—by its smaller size, broader and shorter thorax, flat interstices, and much less robust legs and antenna. Stenolophus dorsalis, several specimens. These Wimbledon examples vary much in size (some being scarcely larger than S. lwidus), and more in colour, exhibiting intermediate grades between almost entirely testaceous and pitchy- black, with a lighter humeral patch to the elytra,—the latter extreme, indeed, closely simulating S. meridianus. The entirely pitchy-black, or psewdo-derelictus form, has not been found by me. Last year I found here one example of Anisodactylus binotatus, var. (?) atricornis ; my two specimens of which (apart from the marked and, apparently, constant characters of lesser size and darker colour attributed to this insect) have the outer apex of the elytra distinctly more deeply sinuate than in the supposed type form ; a character much relied upon for specific separation in the Harpalide by the late Dr. Schaum, but which alone does not seem to afford anything like a safe guide.—E. C. Ryn, 284, King’s Road, Chelsea, January, 1867. Newspaper Entomology.—The following little gem, from the Times of the 10th January, may have escaped the notice of some of our readers. “Tue PoraTro AND ITs Parasitrs.—It is stated in La Patrie that ‘The “microscope reveals to us the existence of a small black spot, of the diameter of a “‘pin’s head, in the potato, In this small space can be detected some 200 ferocious es 1867.) 215 “animals of a coleopteric form, which bite and tear each other with continued “fury. It is easy to comprehend the potato disease when such an intestine warfare ‘is raging.” It is a pity that this paragraph did not appear before the publication of the Ent. Annual for 1867 ; since a portion of it, viz., “in this small space can be detected some 200 * * animals of a coleopteric form,’ might have been utilized as a motto for that little volume, instead of the Tupperian quotation. The concluding part of the same sentence might, also, be considered as an exaggeration of those amantium ire which so often (alas !) disturb the entomologist’s mind.—Ib. Notes on Coleoptera from the French “ Annales,” &.—M. Lucas, in the last trimestre of the Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., p. 442, records the capture, in the wooded district near Harfleur, of very bright and light-coloured specimens of Geotrupes vernalis, with the thorax either impunctate, or, at most, only slightly punctulated on the disc. On the sandy flats of Lion-sur-Mer he finds the ordinary dark specimens, with distinctly and densely punctured thorax; and enquires whether this variation be owing to the conditions attending the different localities. M. Grenier appears to have found the brilliant form inland, far from the sea. From the publication of such a trivial note in the French “ Annales,” and from M. Lucas’ terming the bright insect a very curious variety, which he has only found in that part of Normandy, I presume that these two forms, so long familiar to British Coleopterists, and even specifically separated by Haworth, Stephens, and others, are now for the first time known to French Entomologists. Haworth’s levis, according to Stephens’ description, can only be considered as a synonym of vernalis, as in it the thorax is thickly and coarsely punctured; Stephens’ vernalis being the form with very obsoletely punctured thorax. I have taken both vars. on Wimbledon Common; and Mr. Sharp recently found a very large number of the insect with punctured thorax near Malvern, many of which were of extra- ordinary brilliancy. M. Chas. Brisout de Barneville, at p. 356 of the same part, in his list of new Coleoptera from the Spanish excursion of the society, describes a Homalota (H. glacialis) which, from its habitat and characters, must be very close to the previously described H. eremita, mihi; it seems, however, to differ from the latter chiefly in its obscure pubescence, and (compared with H. tibialis) its narrower thorax. It is, also, apparently of considerably less size than H. eremita. In the “Catalogue des Coléoptéres de ’Alsace et des Vosges,” by Messrs. Wencker and Silberman (reviewed in “Jl Abeille,” Vol. IV., 1867, xlix.), M. Chas. Brisout describes (p. 131) Ceuthorhynchus versicolor, which Mr. Crotch has informed us is the insect known to us hitherto as C. quercicola; and also C. ewphorbie, which, on the same authority, represents our (. erwe. At p. 53 of the last-mentioned journal, M. de Marseul gives translations of the diagnoses of M. Kutschera’s new species of Halticide, from the defunct Wiener Ent. Monatschrift, including those described from British specimens, and already noticed in these columns by Mr. C. Waterhouse; and, at p. 283, M. Allard, in his revision of the same family, gives full characters for the Plectroscelis, hitherto known to us as Sahlbergi (and abundant in marshy places on Wimbledon Common), but which, as pointed out in another place, is the swbcwrulea of Kutschera (Wien. Monat, 1864, 346, 27). M. Allard, does not, however, note the difference in the length of the antenne.—lIn. 216 [February, 1867. Note on Scolytus intricatus:and Bembidium paludosum.—Last spring I visited Dunham Park, and succeeded in discovering the larvae of Scolytus intricatus feeding on the smaller branches of the oak. I secured an infested branch about 3 feet long, and 1} inch in diameter, which, being rather decayed, with. the bark peeling off, and about as crooked as an oak-stick could possibly be, attracted more attention from non-entomological people in the street than was exactly agreeable,—rude remarks being made as to my powers of selecting fire-wood. From this despised twig I bred about 100 of the Scolytus in the following July. During the last summer I visited the haunts of Bembidiwm paludosum. On the first time, the day was cloudy, with occasional gleams of sunshine, and the Bembidium ran very rapidly, but never took wing: on the second, however, the day being bright and sunny, it was excessively alert; not only running rapidly, but using its wings when hotly pursued.—JosepH CHAPPELL, Hulme, 24th Dec., 1866. EntomotoeicaL Society or Lonpon, 7th January, 1867; Sir Joun LuBBock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. S. A. Davis, Esq., of Seven Sisters’ Road, Holloway, was elected a Subscriber. Prof. Westwood exhibited a collection of butterflies, formed in Brazil by the late Dr. Burchell; each specimen was carefully labelled as to locality. He remarked that an examination of the Heliconide of this collection had almost induced him to abandon his belief in the immutability of species, but promised to speak more fully on the subject at a future meeting. He had been unable to look out examples of mimicry in insects inhabiting different regions, but thought that the resemblance between the humming-bird hawk-moth and the humming-birds offered an analogous instance. Dr. Sharp considered that this resemblance was more apparent than real, and was the result of the similar habits of the creatures, and not a case of mimicry. With respect to the humming-bird moth, Mr. McLachlan inquired if any Member could offer an explanation of the propensity exhibited in this insect to frequent walls, sand-banks, &c., far from herbage. In connection with this subject, Mr. Smith said that a correspondent had once actually sent him the clay-nests of bees, under the impression that they pertained to the moth! Mr. Haton suggested that the habit might result from the extra heat afforded by the walls, &c.* ‘ Mr. Eaton said that last season he had found a hornet’s nest in a bank, a very unusual occurrence. The Secretary read some notes, by Capt. Hutton, on the Japanese silk-worm. Mr. Stainton communicated two papers, by Prof. Zeller, on the Crambina, Pterophorina, &c., collected in Palestine (March to May, 1865) and Egypt (January to April, 1864) by the Rev. O. Pickard Cambridge. Some of the insects were exhibited. Mr. Butler communicated a monograph of the genus Hestia, with descriptions of forms not hitherto noticed, and remarks on the natural affinities of the Danaide. * JT shall be glad if any of the readers of this Magazine can suggest any explanation of this peculiar habit. The question has been asked more than once. Mr. Eaten’s suggestion is the most plausible I have hitherto heard.—R, McLAcHian. a March, 1867.] 217 DESCRIPTION OF AN HITHERTO UNACKNOWLEDGED SPECIES OF SCOPARIA (S. U“MELLA, DALE, M.S.). BY H. G. KNAGGS, M.D., F.L.8. ScoPaRIA ULMELLA, Dale, M.S. Ale antice anguste, apicibus sub-acutis, costis sub-arcuatis ; pallide, Susco nigroque sparsim irrorate ; lined primd arcuatd, late fusca ; stigmate orbiculare sub-obsoleto ; stigmate claviformi lined primd confuso ; stigmate reniformi perspicuo, 8-formi, flavido-ochraceo, fusco marginato ; lined secundd costam versus quasi 3-formi, deinde serraté, ad marginemque internum oblique deflecté ; umbris sub-terminalibus inconspicuis ; margi- nibus apicalibus strigis punctisque sex vel septem notatis. Postice albide, nitide, sub apicem leviter emarginate. Exp. alar. lin. 8. From the members of the dubitalis (pyralella) group, to which upon the whole it perhaps bears the greatest affinity, S. wlmella is distin- guished by the slender conformation of its fore- and hind-wings. The peculiarity of its renal stig- ma, 8-shaped and filled in with ochre- ous, at once separates it from the : mercurella group. rien To the coarctata group it bears Borparia simatic, ale. iia: some resemblance in the form of the fore- and hind-wings, but it has little else in common; the characters of the first line and its appurte- nances, &c., forbidding any connexion with that group. It will therefore be seen that S. wlmella has a facies peculiar to itself, of which the most striking points are the long narrow fore-wings with slightly acute apices—the well-defined broad arched (concavely facing the base) first line, in which two of the stigmata are pretty nearly absorbed—the very characteristic renal stigma, 8-shaped and filled in with ochreous—the apical margin furnished with dots and dashes—the shape of the hind-wings, which are comparatively long, and slightly emarginate just below their apices. Of this interesting little species Mr. Dale took three examples on the 18th of July, 1844, on a wych elm trunk in a thick wood at Hast Meon, adjoining Bordean Hanger (Captain Chawner’s estate). One of these, which Mr. Dale presented to the late Mr. Curtis, is now un- fortunately in Australia ; the other two are in Mr. Dale’s own cabinet. Kentish Town, February 2nd, 1867. 218 [March, AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 200.) Genus Euprrerrx, Curt. 1.—Hupterysx albostriellus, Fall. Flavus vel albidus; pronotum vittis 2, hemelytra vittis 3 longi- tudinalibus aureo-citrinis. Alarum nervi longitudinales 4, quartus abbreviatus. Abdomen flavum, vel nigrum incisuris flavis. Pedes flavi. 9. Long. 13; alar. exp. 4 lin. Cicada albostriella, Fall., Hem., Pt. 2, p. 54. Typhlocyba id., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 382. Cicadula elegantula, Zett., Ins. Lapp., p. 298. Var. a.—Unicolorous, without orange-coloured stripes, apex of the corium, and the membrane, fuscescent: 7. fulveola, H. Sch., D. Ins., 16416 9° Var. b.—Similar, but of a much deeper yellow; the wings also dusky. In one instance the hemelytra are entirely clouded with dusky, except at the base. Var. c.—Pronotum and scutellum broadly brown; hemelytra pearly white, with yellow lines, and a transverse fuscous spot on the inner margin. ZL. Wahlbergi, Boh., Handl., 1845, p. 42.—Hupt. fasciata, Curt., B. E., 640, No. 3 (not of Brit. Mus. Coll., which is #. parvulus, Boh.).—¥Z. vitrea, Walk., Cat. of Homopt., 42. I believe also at present that Z. rubs and TZ. eximia, Hardy, Tynes. Trans., 1, 417, belong to this species, although the latter is represented in the Brit. Mus. by the roseate variety of Z. citrinellus, Zett. Very common on oaks, elms, and other trees, throughout the country. 2.—LKupteryx citrinellus, Zett. Sulphureus; hemelytra hyalina, clavo coriique margine externo late citrinis vel flavis: sed hee pictura interdum obsolescit. Vertex Deltocephali, triente brevior quam pronotum. Abdomen nigrum, basi et apice flavum, ¢ ; vel tantum dorso medio nigrum, ?. Pedes flavi. Long. 1-13; alar. exp. 3 lin. Var.—The yellow replaced by a faint rosy tint, or flesh-colour. Cicada citrinella, Zett., Fn., Lapp. 1, 536. Typhlocyba id., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 386. Cicadula gracilis, Zett., Ins., Lapp., p. 299. Dikraneura variata, Hardy, Tynes. Trans., 1, 428.—Specimens under this name are in the British Museum. 1867] 219 Locally common among grasses: Swithland woods, Leicestershire ; sand hills near Deal; coast of Berwickshire, late in October, “in the sea caverns on Geranium Robertianum” (Hardy). 3.—Lupteryx flavipennis, Zett. Flavus; abdomen supra nigrum, incisuris flavis. Yertex ¢ rotun- datus; @ sub-productus. Hemelytra flava, membrana corli apice, maculaque prope marginem corii exteriorem elongata, fenestrata, hyalinis. Long. 1-14; alar. exp. 33 lin. Cicada flavipennis, Zett., Ins., Lapp., p. 292. Typht. id., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 388. It is not likely to be confounded with anything except flavescens, Fab., and apicalis, Flor; both which species differ in having the abdo- men wholly yellow. In marshy places, not very common. 4,—Euptery« viridulus, Fall. Totus lete viridis, capite et pronoto obsolete albo striatis. Ocul fusci. Hemelytra pellucida, viridia, immaculata. Ale hyaline, nervis inconspicuis. ¢ 2. Long. 1}; alar. exp. 3 lin. Cicada viridula, Fall., Hem., Pt. 2, p. 53. Typhi. id., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 392. Eupt. solani, Curt., in the Gardener’s Chronicle, 1846, p. 388, and in Morton’s Cyclop. of Agriculture, vol. 1, p. 772, fig. This is the “ potato frog-fly” of Curtis, stated (1. c.) to have appeared in great profusion on that plant after the murrain of 1845. A case of post but not propter. It is common, frequently abundant, everywhere, in gardens, hedges, and fields, on many other plants beside the Solanwm. 5.—Hupteryx smaragdulus, Fall. Viridis; vertex, pronotum, scutellum, fusco bilineata. Vertex brevis, latus, medio non longior quam lateribus. Hemelytra aureo- viridia; corium extus, clavus totus vel margine interiore, infuscata. Frontis latera, pedes plus minus, cum oviductu femine, cerulea. Abdo- men supra medio interdum nigricans. Alarum nervi fusci, conspicul. Gee: Long. 14; alar. exp, 32 lin. Cicada smaragdula, Fall., Hem., Pt. 2, p. 53. Typhi. id., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 393. Eupt. viridipes, Curt., B. E., 640, No. 9. ‘The fuscous markings vary in intensity, and are frequently absent, probably in immature specimens. The short, broad vertex, greater size, and different habitat, at once distinguish it from the preceding, On willows and alders, common. 220 [March, 6.—Lupteryx flavescens, Fab. Angustus, elongatus, totus pallide flavus. Vertex medio paulo longior quam lateribus. Hemelytra abdomine multo longiora, pellucida; membrana hyalina, nervis 3 longitudinalibus leviter incurvis, intus con- vexis ; cellula media triangularis. Oculi post mortem, tarsi apice, fusci. ae. Long. 13 ; alar. exp. 33 lin. Cicada flavescens, Fall., Hem., Pt. 2, p. 53. Typhi. id., Flor, R. L., 2, p. 394. Larger and longer than Z. rose, and having only two, instead of three, longitudinal alary nervures. Among the yellow immaculate species there remains only apicalis with which it can be confounded. Common on various trees, hazel, lime, elm, &c., until late in the autumn. 7.—Lupteryx apicalis, Flor. Preecedenti persimilis. Vertex medio conspicue longior quam lateribus. Pronotum sue postice latitudinis dimidio longius. Scutellum angulis anticis rufescentibus. Corii spatium a margine exteriore ter- tium spe hyalinum. Membrana, cum corii apice, infumata. ¢@ 9. Var.—The clavus infuscated, and the apex of the hemelytra more broadly clouded. T. apicalis, Flor, R. L., 2, p. 396. Taken near London, but on what tree I am unable to state. Epping Forest; Thames Ditton. 8.— Hupteryx parvulus, Boh. Flavus, abdomine nigro. Vertex maculis 2 rotundis, nigris, macula etiam citrina, perobscura, antice inter has posita. Pronotum maculis 2 anticis, totidemque lateralibus, fuscis ; medio aut postice utrinque inter has rufescens. Scutellum maculis 2 magnis, triangularibus, nigris. Hemelytra pallida, pellucida; clavus rufuscens. Corium longitudi- naliter rufo-fusco univittatum. Membrana vix fumata, unguibus fuscis. die. Long. 1; alar. exp. 3 lin. T. parvula, Boh., Handl., 1845, p. 46.—Flor. R. L., 2, p. 397. T. 10-punctata, H. Sch., D. Ins., 124. On hazel bushes, Epping Forest and Birch Wood ; not common. 9.—Lupteryx hyperici, H. Sch. Flavus.— ¢ spe subrufescens ; scutellum apice nigro; abdomen vitta dorsali longitudinali nigra. Q pallidor; vertex macula magna, postice latiore, marginem posticum attingente, nigra. Pronotum vitta media longitudinali lata 1867. j 221 nigro-purpurea. Scutellum apice nigrum ; linea maculeque 2 triangu- lares baseos fusce vel nigre. Hemelytrorum clavus late sanguineus, margo externus anguste niger. Als hyalinz ; pedes pallidi. Long. ¢-1; alar. exp. 23 lin. P. hyperici, H. Sch., D. Ins., 143. —Flor, R. L., 2, p. 398. T. coronula, Boh., Handl., 1845, p. 44. T. placidula, Stal, Ofv., 1853, p. 176. I took a single pair on Hypericum perforatum in Swithland Woods, Leicestershire, in August. [Norr.—At page 199, line 8 from bottom, for ? read ¢.] (To be continued.) CORRECTIONS or ERRORS HITHERTO EXISTING 1n tur NOMENCLATURE OF SEVERAL SPECIES OF THE GENUS NYMPHIDIUM. BY ARTHUR G. BUTLER, F.Z.S. 1. In Mr. Doubleday’s ‘‘ Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera,” p. 449, n. 17, Nymphidium Orestes, Cramer, Pap. Exot., ii1., pl. 282, f. a, 6, is queried as a male insect, whilst NW. Soranus, Cramer, Pap. Exot., iv., pl. 353, f. a, 6, is proposed as the female of it ; there can, however, be no doubt that the figures of both Orestes and Soranus are taken from female specimens. The true male of Soranus, which we have in the National Collection, resembles, in some measure, WN. Arctos, Hewitson, Exot. Butterf., 1., p- 118, pl. 57, f. 1 (1853). It is, however, of a lighter colour, and with narrower and more elongate wings. Judging from a somewhat shattered specimen of Soranus in the Collection, I should say that it is sufficiently distinct to be separated from Orestes; but even supposing it should prove to be only another form of that insect, the name Orestes will have to be superseded by that of Soranus, the latter being undoubtedly the older title. 2. The female of Nymphidium Lamis, Cramer, Pap. Exot., iv., pl. 335, f. f/ g, both sexes of which are figured in Hiibner’s Samml. Exot. Schmett. Band., ii., pl. 14, f 1-4, has been again represented in the “ Genera” (pl. 73, f.5) as WV. Azan of Doubleday’s List. It is not, however, the insect intended by Mr. Doubleday, but a new species, which I thus characterize. NYMPHIDIUM AZANOIDES, sp. noy. (Azan., Doubl., Ms.) 6. Ale supra fusce, fascia lata media communi alba extus sinuata, anticarum triangulari ad nervulum discoidalem primum terminata ; linea “ 222 {March, submarginali cinereo-albida undulata, aliisque maculas ,tres discoideas circumeingentibus colore similibus: postice stria submarginali interrupta coccinea: corpus thorace fusco, abdomine albo fusco-terminato, antennis Suseis flavo-acuminatis. Ale subtus pallidiores maculis nonnullis nigris a linea submarginali ceinctis ; maculis nonnullis sub-basalibus nigris: aliter velut supra: corpus, thorace fusco-albido, abdomine albido: alar. exp. une. 13%. 2. Ale supra fusce cupreo-tincte, fascia lata media communi alba, anticarum pre angustiore extus sinuata, intus irregulari, post celle Jinem terminata; maculis marginalibus nigris apud apicem anticarum, indistinctis albido-cinctis, aliisque basalibus elongatis similibus: postice margine anali coccineo rufescente: corpus fuscum abdomine albo-fasciolato, antennis fuscts. Ale subtus multo pallidiores, fascia media magis irrequlari, margine anali nee rufescente ; maculis marginalibus, quarto sextoque anticarum primo quarto sextoque posticarum, albicantibus, aliter velut supra; corpus albidum: exp. alar. une. 2. dé Brazil? 9; Para. B.M; Var. ¢ fascia media angustiore, maculis marginalibus magis distinctis: 9 fascia media angustiore, anticarum minus irregulari ; margine toto postico posticarum et margine anali anticarum rufescentibus. 9 Santarem. 9 Ega. B.M. The female of the above species had Doubleday’s name (Azan) attached to it. 3. Nymphidium Ascolia, Hewitson, Exotic Butterf. i., p. 113, pl. 57, f. 4, appears to be very closely allied to, if not identical with, Papilio Damon, Stoll, Supp. Cram., pl. xxxix., f. 5,5p. It may bea distinct species, but some of our specimens seem to be intermediate between the two figures. 4, oooh meno PANTS ONG cid visc tse acdcccsosecsceerediace.s00. | “OourticOy da Lisicdedseceeesce oes nent pees 36 Cox, Els Ramsay i anscsese ese semen 132, 154 SEG WaKOSCDH! ficajcocesscee cesses vis ve 25 133") Cummings Minneous) so. seusvsresrest ater 282 Barrett, C. G.,.,.12, 18, 35, 153, 160, 181, 182, 256 Dale, J. C., M.A., F.LS. ... 114 Bates, H. W., F.Z.S., Pres. Ent. Soc....22 25, 52, 78, 169, 276 eacclial Pete inenceseaeteecceese“OOy Ol 200 Blackburn, J. B.......41, 68, 114, 138, 159 IBJAGKbUIM LHOMAS cavicescesosseecveli ty LoS IBIACK Wall diy) Melis sccses sees ae tesaaehions 19 PROC EUMO NATION cacdewesissecrets avwcisidtese sas 131 Bold) © J. -..<... 1.82, 226, 283, 284 BONG HsA. 9s) sdatedieiesssnrceL ey BO, LIS ISEVALIL, tlle si noeeisteisecids sostesesadvstces vee suet Buckler, William ...14, 33, 35, 61, 62, 63 85, 86, 87, 114, 116, 117, 136, 137, 155, 156, 180, 199, 251, 253 Buckmaster, Code cciccessevoe scene tee 67, 133 Butler, A. G., F.L.S. ........,121, 151, 193 Campbell, Charles: i160. cceu00caces 132, 256 Bramiplony: Grea Oolreesucaseuissscse ses acai 187 | RUA MIAME HOMES. a. sdentisninecsecesetseions 42 | Chapman, T. Algernon, M.D............. 231 | MH MM Se Me qec ase t ass see sibigeiie see's oa ans 204, Wiark oer Acwie meen santcrnct fa Maier aol | De Grey, ee Thomas, MP. aera Do Rivaz,/V 5 Concsassosscoastenser eters 17 Desvignes, Thomas ,....sscscereeevee 130, 174 Doubleday, Henry ............00. 17, 69, 161 Douglas: Jit Wrasscsere 1, 20, 30, 45, 93, 166, 238, 265 DOuUgTASS Wie De iiveeseuseeseomencecssesecned 114 Downing, J. W. . aero stents Dunning, J. W., A, “ELS, nen ven 4d HMGLSSGONs Wa Satosccaaseceencestsscewtoee 166 Edmunds, Abraham,,..........0.....L02, 159 Hedle;THOMag! sevscccssccsscce cecheeeemee 69 Porster;, do Be, tscpaccoeestsse eenae cere ieee 15 Gascoyness Gre voxemtecmsen tense steareeosetets 113 Gorham, Rev. HisSiv.ccresesee-scceneneee 110 Greening, Noah ..........:00e008 16, 39, 112 Grogson; ©. Se ses. sscsrscaaseepens 37, 70, 178 ERGUVE RS Hie Os se ac otinsawtatidecenenumness 64, 112 Harwood, W. H. welow XX. PAGE Healy, Charles...10, 92, 105, 148, 161, 175, 183, 184, 197, 260 Hearder, G. J., M.D. Hellins, Rev. J., M.A....15, 88, 115, 134, 135, 140, 157, 158, 178, 180, 181, 200, 255 HT OVe ROY. WANOD. i.) sscosasaveseneste es 283 Hislop, Robert ..;....-.sssss005- 110, 112, 231 Hodgkinson, J. B....... 16, 38, 40, 137, 154 HO DLOy PME n. caisece tne cee eestaewen 89, 182, 183 TOnGOD, LueV. Hey ESA'S 10.5.2 sce eciee 16, 152 IEGMeNe Hoa oh hie ne een Hora AMES. cesar yeatselesy- onsen 90, 210 Jordan, R. C. R., M.D....88, 184, 140, 185 Tkaielél, 1805 \WVio Sianoo Bec oenosonacadodenaparabene 233 Hci Wie E's. “eae ents 69, 90, 182, 256, 282 Knages, H. G., M.D., F.L.S. ...36, 37, 41, 61, 69, 80, 113, 122, 133 Mang A. MM.) Capt. Be We ..cscs esses 00s 2 0 ILigaatae Ey \AVG Goaebdonsbudas uc sdadenaagdoenne 130 Ibcerirmtsls (E00 den paeeeanacadeddas oosbeacobananaonc 18 Llewelyn, J.T. D., M.A., F.L.S..16, 91, 153 aR balls Gr. Do spdau cab even vrs Pacis caveats ee eseeeeeee 131 Rye, H. C. ...64, 66, 67, 83, 164, 187, 189, 190, 206, 232, 256, 259 Sang, John ~........ vo sistssassielemeucieananeeleens 158 Scott; Jon aescesesceeeees 1, 45, 93, 238, 265 Sharp, David, M.B.......... 18, 70, 107, 232 Smith, Hrederick —sjes+sceeene erences 279 Snellen, PC. Dy 2s cence 126 Somerville, J. H., M.A. ,... veoeneeZoO Stainton, H. T., F.R.S., &e....28, 39, 137, 140, 152 Stevens, Samuel, F.L.S. ...sccccocscecaveedD Taylor, Jie KadSOn s5..2<.cscasesneniesmenees 210 Derry, Thomas. tvsscescseeteonceiees 131, 140 Trimen, Roland :..c.awaeanesee vost eee 212 Tyrer, Bis. sceseceevccses:eciies teeth teen 137 Ullyett, H...... Broauadostaac Mc Bddicogandeadoc: 133 Vaughan, Howard ............ 16, 35, 68, 91 Waterhouse. On io encreeoncemme Per 14 Waterhouse, H. A. ...... Wi cic feattins 186, 231 White, F. Buchanan, M.D. ...57, 154, 248 Wormald; Percya@ sass nsssesecsneenee 90, 254, Zeller; Profs Ps Ontisssneita ent +19, 13, 208 XX1. LIST OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES DESCRIBED IN THIS VOLUME. COLEOPTERA. GENERA. PAGE AXcumutes, (Pascoe) Bates ......... 23 PARR OI Sa OUES tecer anise c(Welees svleines see 26 IARGYVRODINES) BALES coccccscscesuences 24 PAUNEINMIZUS 1 CULES valsioscincivles volsleyeivae vie 28 PARTTARSUSa RACES acetone sien\viesissienins «0 25 ORORETHE, BALES. c.ccsccsceceoscocee cee 24 CyrpPHocuitus, OC. Waterhouse ...... 141 MDODECOSISS BALES J...ccssecocssstceets 26 MeraGiymMA, Bates ......... Sete ca 78 MTCROSPILOMA, Bates ......cceses00008 . 24 Nroputs, Bates eae aed IBANTDROSOSS BOGS” osc cccasewodsewecs ee ae HEEB NOORISS DOES. cu ccvsenc es seavesiies 26 IESVRGOMESHD OLES vshot eesseemens catoenees 27 SPHALLAX, Bates.......ccsces0e. 55 STREPTOLABIS, Bates 6.0 scccevceecweees 23 IPGRPNTSSAG BOCES” 5. cccsess senese ven 25 ZATHECUS, BOCES... .00+000+ ses Bodaon 26 SPECIES. A&chmutes lycoides, Bates ......... 23 Arzotis fragilis, Bates ............08. 26 Argyrodines pulchella, Bates ...... 24 Atenizus laticeps, Bates 28 Atharsus nigricauda, Bates . 25 Bembidium charile, Bates............ 79 Maorinum, Bates ...... 56 Cicindela Feredayi, Bates............ 53 Clorethe Inger, Bates..... 24 Coptodera antipodum, Bates......... 78 Cratognathus alboguttatus, Bates.,. 54 Ctenostoma asperula, Bates ...,..... 278 corculum, Bates ...... 277 ebenina, Bates ......... 277 Cyphochilus apicalis, C. Water- WOES castevogacdsone 144, farinosus, (Reiche) QC. Waterhouse ... 143 septentrionalis, (. Waterhouse ......... 141 tricolor, CO. Water- WOUS Cras ti, ata satin 142 Dodecosis Saperdina, Bates ......... 27 Exopholis Lacordairei, C. Water. WOUSED prema eee ced oe 146 Metaglymma monilifer, Bates ....., 79 Microspiloma Dorilis, Bates .,, 25 Niophis coptorhina, Bates............ 28 Phrynocris notabilis, Bates ......... 26 Pyrgotes eneus, Bates .,, ned Sphallax peryphoides, Bates.......,, 56 PAGE Streptolabis hispoides, Bates ...... 23 Terpnissa Listropterina, Bates...... 25 Tomicus Marshami, Rye ............ 188 Zathecus graphites, Bates............ 26 HEMIPTERA-HETHROPTHRA. GENUS. LaMpropiax, Doug. § Scott .,.243, 265 SPECIES. Atithus levis, Doug. & Scott......... 238 Corixa Scotti, (Fieb.) D. & S. ...... 271 Wollastoni, Doug. §* Scott... 100 Dictyonota Fieberi, Doug. § Scott 245 Lamproplax Sharpi, Doug. §° Scott.. 244 Litosoma bicolor, Doug. § Scott ... 267 Salda conspicua, Doug. § Scott ... 93 Teratocoris viridis, Doug. Y Scott 46 HYMENOPTERA. Andricus Hartigii, Marshall ............ 101 Dryinus Tarraconensis, Marshall...... 204 Ichneumon cambrensis, Desvignes (script. cambriensis) .........+00088 180 Loxotropa exigua, Marshall............ 229 nigricornis, Marshall ...... 229 tripartita, Marshall......... 229 Phyllotoma aceris, McLachlan ......... 104 Pimpla opacellata, Desv. ....... .. 174 Platymischus dilatatus, ? , Marshal . 166 Spilomicrus abnormis, Marshall ...... 202 Basalyformis, Marshall 202 hemipterus, Marshall ... 203 nigriclavis, Marshall ... 228 Vespa Japonica, Smith ...........0..000+ 279 simillima, Smithy ..........e.eee0e. 280 GENUS, LEPIDOPTERA. AULOCERA, Butler ......,...6 nuadooco: 121 SPECIES. Aulocera Scylla, Butler ......s..0...6. 122 Weranp, Wangacctescccsarers 246 Chrysophanus Feredayi, Bates,..... 53 Coccyx vernana, Knaggs ............ 122 Pandora divalis, Bates ..,............ 171 Pterophorus Hodgkinsonii, Gregson 178 Scoparia ejuncida, Knaggs ......... 81 Gpolhtsy MGMT fsS) soacnsecoroanae 81 Feredayi, Knaggs ......... 81 Rakaiensis, Knaggs......... 81 NEUROPTERA. Coniopteryx detrita, McLachlan ...... 151 Oligoneuria Trimeniana, McLachlan 177 XXil. ADDITIONS TO THE BRITISH INSECT FAUNA NOTICED IN THIS VOLUME. COLEOPTERA. HYMENOPTERA. rs aes PAGE | Andricus Harbigit pvsa.attancumeaners ace LOU Agabus Solieri senennenesageacenescuane 232, 283 Tronilatusc. Cee ae 102 Gyrophzona strictula............sse.s00. 209 Hodaliic eae eae ., 102 Eiela OU ISRVATIUS | acaseiussio soiree licences: 284 Priipennna 101 (nay ania ee ae a keke | Pe NL DLAC GUIS!: Gree BS acca square Hydroporuselongatulus.................- 283 | Cynips ilicis (?) ... 2... seseeee.(0t0) 146 Lebia chrysocephala (?) .,,............ 190 | Harpiphorus lepidus ..,..... | aoe ern . 103 Myleene MINIMA. Gis ieeschsceseses covers 189 Hylotoma.motallicay,, .cs.. : . 284 British Social Wasps.—Dr. Ormerod . 2 : 5 c 5 : 261 The American Naturalist 5 : < : é : 5 : 0 - 262 On the distribution of Lepidoptera in Great Britain and Ireland.—H. Jenner Fust . : < é “ - ¢ 6 ny ee - : . 284. " , N bretly Tey an Wh 4 3 . - e = * ' . ' * ts a" ? i om . ‘ * . ' t (iy ; | 7 : s ‘ ‘ ; he eet 1) Cs ee: " f Bale coer! cea r an a alii pete fee, ¥ ey >< oS ee : a a) aT fy Daf geeky 4 ; sisi ' Stee y | a ' i +4 be nad Saat +t - soot . ice " g ; mh ; ‘ » eee : Pe .< if f [orate ay - 0 a ay bly, j . mn vs ime c . , tal 4 ugh Be3 _ iW ocol§ rihuse hy Hegel W14 ate cy SUS aide ‘op iaing pee ac Att St ie sftort 2c Siegal Li eae oe eae AUB aa ice aa os | 1 aaa S af $a Cwatnie aontalade ba it a i bitlfet bis ae te yer y- Srjalt Gets estan - BOCA et baw Aa Sd bw FICISS ie , a0 iY ‘oo 7% ; ? yd rt ha ae ae) ! te: . ") . & re pee ea eee ul £ 4 i. ' ny cage pale wd, ¥ * Py Ean i 4 baie Vhs cree | whe r ae ii ad es {Sa ts be ‘ - a ‘ a aay he ' y 2 ey _ - yy ae ' . , - 7 ; seu SRE i. as VOLUME IV Soy, ; & — pa Uta 7 “Dy BRITISH HEMIPTERA: ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. » BY J. W. DOUGLAS AND JOHN SCOTT. GYMNOCERATA. GEODROMICA. Section 5.—Lya@ Ina. Famity 1.—Lye@aipe. Head—5-sided, triangular in front; antenniferous tubercles obtuse. Antenna, 1st joint shortest, the others of nearly equal thickness. Eyes sessile. Pronotum trapezoidal. Legs moderate, anterior thighs scarcely stouter than the others, unarmed. Genus 1.—Lye@aus, Fab. Elliptic, flat above, outer sides of the elytra subparallel. Head convex. ace, sides slightly concave, central lobe narrow, short ; cheek-plates broad, parallel. Antenne, 1st joint rather the thickest, about half the length of the 2nd, nearly half the length extending beyond the apex of the face; 2nd longest, 2nd and 8rd -slightly thickened at the apex, 3rd and 4th in length subequal, 4th long—fusiform. Eyes posteriorly touching the pronotum, laterally projecting a little beyond its anterior angles. Ocelli much nearer to the eyes than to each other. Rostrum reaching beyond the middle coxe, 1st joint longer than the head, the base in a channel, 1st and 2nd joints longest, subequal, 3rd and 4 shorter, subequal. Thorax—Pronotum trapezoidal, in front with a transverse, much sinuate, linear depression. Scutellum long, triangular, sides slightly sinuate, base much depressed. Elytra—clavus and coriwm on the same plane, claval suture depressed; corium, from the inner side of the lst nerve, at about half its length, a nerve is given off, and extends to the posterior margin, the 2nd chief nerve broadly furcate at the end; membrane with five nerves, the 1st short, 2nd and 3rd gradually divergent, 4th and 5th sinuate, con- nected at some distance from their origin by a transverse nervure, thus forming a large irregular basal cell, whence the nerves continue to the inner margin. A/esosternum much depressed in the middle JuNE, 1867. S [June, posteriorly. Legs moderately stout; thighs, 1st pair scarcely thicker than the others, unarmed ; ¢arsi stout, long, 1st joint as long as the other two together, on the 3rd pair longer. Abdomen—flat above, beneath sub-cylindrically convex: abdominal segments of equal length, posterior margin of the 6th in the roundly, in the ? angularly cut out. Genital segments beneath-— in the ¢ 2 only visible, the Ist of them only in the middle, the 2nd broad and hindwardly rounded; in the ? short, rounded posteriorly, the 1st and 2nd form two lateral angular plates, whose inner margins touch, the 8rd lies in the opening between them. Species 1.—Ly@mUs EQUESTRIS. Cimex EQuEsTRIS, Lin., F.S., 258, 946 (1761); S. N., i., 726, 77 (1767). De Geer, Mem., ii., 276, 19 (1773). Fab., S. E., 718, 104 (1775) ; Mantiss., 1., 298, 185 (1787). Crmex sPectosus, Scop., Ent. Carn., 127, 369 (1763). Lyeazus Eqursrris, Fab., E.8., iv., 147, 48 (1794). Wolff; Ie. Cim., 24, 24, t. 3, fig. 24 (1800). Fab., S. R., 217,57 (1808). Panz., F. G., 79,19. all., Hem. Suec., i., 48, -1 (1829). Schill., Beitr., i., 58, 1 (1829). Hahn, Wanz., 1, 21, t. 3, fig. 12 (1831). Curt., B. E., x. pl. 481 (1833). H. Schf, Nom. Ent., 1, 44 (1835). Burm., Handb., i1., 298, 8 (1835). Kolen., Mel. Ent., ii., 74, 88 (1845). Sahlb., Geoc., Fen., 53,1 (1848). Flor., Rhyn. Liv., i., 222, 2 (1860). Fieb., Europ. Hem., 166, 5 (1861). Stal., Oefv. Vet. Akad. Férh., 212, 1 (1862). Black, smooth, dull, unpunctured, with very small, distant, yellow scale-hairs ; upper side of the head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen deep red, with black markings ; membrane black or fuscous, the margin, a central round spot, a band near the base, and a spot near the end of the corium, white. Head—on the upper side red, a triangular spot at the base next each eye, and the apex of the face black. Antenne, eyes, and rostrum black. Pronotum flat, sides posteriorly rounded to and at the posterior angles, red, except the anterior third, which is at first black from side to side, the colour then narrower as the pronotum widens, posteriorly, in the middle, the red colour juts in so that the black comes down as two rounded lobes; the anterior transverse sinuate line is glossy ; on the posterior margin of the pronotum is a black band (not extending to the posterior angles, which are red), and on this ! 1867. 3 band near each end is an elongate depression. Seutellum black, with a deep, narrow, transverse furrow at the base, the middle slightly raised lengthwise, and a corresponding depression on each side. EHlytra—clavus red, in the middle a large, round, velvety black spot, posterior to which the colour is more or less infuscated ; corium red like the clavus, across the middle, opposite to the end of the scutellum, a broad black band, slightly undulating on its upper side, and on the lower side outwardly much and squarely extended downwards; membrane black or fuscous, margined with white or whitish, a band near the base, a triangular spot near the apex of the corium, and a large central spot (on the 4th nerve) clear white. Svernwm dull gray-black, each segment on each side with an outer and an inner velvety deep black spot, forming two rows. Legs black, clothed with very fine yellow pubescence. Abdomen red, dull; beneath, on the anterior margin of each abdominal segment except the first, a subangular shining black spot on each side, and a larger one on each side of the middle, except the sixth, of which the middle is entirely black and dull. Genital segments black in both sexes. Length 53-6 lines. A single specimen in Dr. Power’s collection, captured at Devizes by Mr. Joseph Sidebotham, in June, 1864. Curtis has figured this species in his “ British Entomology,” but the account he gives of its capture in Britain seemed so dubious, that we placed it among the “ Reputed British Species.” Abroad it is common on Asclepias Vincetoxicum and Seseli Hippomarathrum, neither of which are British plants. Section 7.—HEBRINA. Famity 2.—MxEsove.tiip 2. Elliptic, stout. Head very long, widened in front. Antenne long, subfiliform, 4-jointed. Ocelli large, prominent. ostrum free, apparently 4-jointed, 1st and 2nd joints very short, 3rd very long. Pronotum long, subtrapezoidal, in front depressed, hindwardly very convex. Scutellum large, formed as if in two plates, the 1st convex, rounded behind, the 2nd smalier, concave, truncate. Elytra—clavus broad, membranous; coriwm with two principal nerves, posteriorly furcate and forming cells; membrane without nerves. Legs long, thin ; coxe, 1st pair inserted anteriorly on the prosternum ; tars? trimerous, 1st joint very short. 4 (June, Genus 1.—Mesovetia, Mulsant and Rey. Head—long, very much deflected, above widened anteriorly by reason of the antenniferous processes ; crown very long, convex posteriorly, flattened in front ; face convex, central lobe wide, prominent, side lobes shorter, triangular; antenniferous processes short, obtuse. Underside without a rostral channel. Anfenne 4-jointed, long, subfiliform ; 1st joint slightly longest and stoutest, slightly curved ; 2nd shorter than the Ist ; 3rd and 4th subequal, about as long as the first. Hyes moderate, prominent, deeply reticulated. Ocelli large, prominent, inserted near the base of the head. Rostrum free, slender, subulate, reaching to the second pair of coxe, appa- rently 4-jointed; 1st and 2nd joints very short, 3rd widened at the base, very long ; 4th not half the length of the 2nd; labrum short, triangular, covering the ist joint. Thorar—Pronotum long, subtrapezoidal, almost eampanulate, in front but little wider than the base of the head, with the anterior angles rounded, widening to the hinder angles, which are prominent, but rounded ; sides sinuate; posterior margin sinuate, almost emar- ginate, angles rounded ; disk in front depressed, with two fovee, posteriorly very convex, but within the hinder angles deeply depressed. Scutellum large, the Ist plate transverse, convex, broadly rounded posteriorly ; from beneath its posterior margin arises the second plate, narrower, square, concave, truncate, its. posterior margin elevated. Hlytra—in the developed form, according to Mulsant and Rey, “ furnished with two principal nerves and feeble ramifications, forming altogether five cells; the interior large, elongate, elliptical ; the two posterior moderate; the two exterior narrow. Membrane without perceptible nervure.” (In our undeveloped form, the clavus is very broad, membranous, posteriorly imperfectly defined ; coriwm, anterior marginal nerve thick, on the disk two similarly thick nerves, which posteriorly join at an acute angle, beyond which, between the anterior and inner nerves, is formed a large subrhomboidal cell; membrane wanting.) Sternum broad, deep. Legs long, thin ; cove in large cleft sheaths, the 1st pair inserted anteriorly on the prosternum ; thighs beneath, and 8rd pair of tibiz, with spinose hairs; t¢ars¢ long, trimerous, lst joint very short, 2nd longer than the 3rd ;- claws long, fine. curved. Abdomen broad, thick, the last segment rounded posteriorly; connexivum very broad, reflexed. - 1867.) On Species 1.—Mzsovutia rurcata, pl. 1, fig. 1. Mesovetia Furcata, Muls. § Rey, An. Soc. Lin. Lyon, p. 188, et fig. (1852). Muls. Opuscules, 1,158 (1852). Hieb., Europ. Hem., 102 (1861). Testaceous, whitish beneath, central lobe of the face, posterior two-thirds of the pronotwm, and the scutellum, black. Antenne piceous. Olavus and membrane white. Legs testaceous. Head—shining ; Crown testaceous, sides with white pubescence, a puncture close behind each eye, a central longitudinal line from the base not extending the whole length, and two dots toward each side anteriorly, one above the other, pitchy black ; Fuce clothed with long, white pubescence, central lobe black, side lobes yellowish. Underside whitish. Antenne piceous, pubescent, Ist joit with one spinose projecting hair. yes black. Oce/li piceous, shining. Rostrum pale ochreous, last joint black ; Labrum black. TPhorax—Pronotum smooth, anterior 38rd testaceous, shining, anterior margin, sides, and the two fovew piceous ; posterior portion black, dull; Scutellum black, dull, rough, the middle of both plates indis- tinctly ochreous. Hlytra shining ; Clavus white, posteriorly infus- cated; Oorium indistinctly testaceous between the nerves, anterior margin hairy. (In the undeveloped form before us the Coriwm is sub-rhomboidal, posteriorly long-pointed, all the nerves deep black, beyond the cell the anterior marginal nerve is widened, flattened, and transversely wrinkled). Sternwm whitish. Legs testaceous ; finely pilose; ¢highs paler at the base; spines of the thighs and tibie black ; ¢arsz, last joint black. Abdomen—testaceous above, whitish beneath, both surfaces pilose. Length 1# line. For this extremely interesting addition to our fauna, we are indebted to Edwin Brown, Esq., of Burton-on-Trent, in whose collection is a single example, with undeveloped elytra, captured by him some years since on or near the banks of the Trent. Hitherto the species had occurred only in France, but, from its small size, it may have been overlooked here by the few collectors of Hemiptera. There can be but little doubt that it is attached to some aquatic plant or plants, and Mulsant and Rey say “ Hab. Fallavier (Isére), among the detritus of the marshes. Very rare.” The structure of the insect conforms to the characters given for Section Heprina (Brit. Hem., p. 25), with the exception of the antenne, for, including the 2 minute intermediate joimts, Hebrus (ongwhich 6 J {June, the section was founded) has 7 joints(erroneously stated 6), whereas Mesovelia has only 4 true joints; consequently, the characters of Heszrina must be amended in this particular to “4 or 7-jointed.” Mulsant and Rey appear to have mistaken the basal portion of the curious scutellum for a posterior process of the pronotum (which it certainly is not), but any one, without microscopic examination, might be deceived by the anomalous structure. In their description of the elytra, they say the nerves and their ramifications form 5 cells, bnt in these they evidently include the clavus, which they do not distinguish from the corium by name. Fieber is the only other author that has noticed the insect, and he does not appear to have seen it, for he only quotes the description of Mulsant and Rey ; but, although he puts it next to Velia in his Family Hyprorss4#, he says, with his usual sagacity that it “belongs, perhaps, more rightly to Hesrip»,” which is, undoubtedly, a right conclusion. (To be continued.) ON SOME BRITISH CYNIPIDZ. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. A. First segment of the abdomen longer than the rest. Cynipipgs, Hartig. I. Radial cell much longer than its greatest width ; 2nd cubital cell (areolet) nearer to the costa than to the centre of the wing. a. Joints of the antenne unequal, the 7—S8 apical joints shorter and broader. a. Scutellum hemispherical. i. Thorax villose. Maxillary palpi 5-, labial 3-articulate. Gen. Crnips, Hartig. Cynips folii, Lin. Black ; covered with greyish hairs, except on the abdomen, which is shining and like ebony. Orbits of the eyes, sides of the thorax, and the scutellum, often reddish. Legs, especially the joints, varied with reddish. Wings hyaline, with pitchy nervures, the areolet externally, and the base of the radial, incrassated, blackish. 9. Long. 2; alar. exp. 6 lin. C. folii, Hart., in Germ. Zeits.,2, p. 187; Curt.,in Gardener’s Chronicle, 1845, p. 208, fig. (with gall). 1867.j . 7 In spherical, fruity galls, of the size of a hazel nut, resembling apples, or even apricots, in miniature, attached to the under side of oak leaves. Those collected by me at Birch Wood in autumn produced each a single 2 in the following January, having been kept in doors. The period of their natural exclusion is probably March. In February I obtained Decatoma biguttata, Swed. (Codperi, Curt.) from the same galls. They are also parasitically infested by a Synergus (Cynips pallidicornis, Curt., B. E.,688), and Callimome inconstans, Walk., which is perhaps the same as that described by Curt., B. E., 552. Cynips lignicola, Hart. Ferruginous, entirely sericeous except the upper part of the abdo- men, which is shining and blackish. Metathorax black. Wings hyaline, with a reddish tinge; areolet and base of the radial cell not inerassated into a dark spot as in the preceding. 9°. Long. 23; alar. exp. 7 lin. C. lignicola, Hart., Germ. Zeits., 2, p. 207; 4, p. 402, 1842-43. C. Kollari, Giraud, Verhandl. Zool. Bot. Gesellsch., Wien, 1859, t. 9, pp. 3387-374. The hard, spherical, woody, monothalamous galls of this species are well known; they are attached to the twigs of the oak, and are largest and most abundant in the South of England. The insect is the largest of the British Cynipide. LIonce found them hatching in great numbers in September, in Jordan’s Wood, Kent. The Linnean C. quercts- petioli is a Synergus, parasitic on this species. For further information see Parfitt, Zoologist, 1856, vol. 14, p. 5074-76 ; Stainton, Trans. Ent. Soe., ser. 2, 1855, vol. 3, Proc. p. 76, and Zoologist, 1855, vol. 13, p. 4747 ; also Zoologist, vol. 18, p. 4566, and vol. 19, p. 7330. A species of Decatoma and Callimome Devoniensis, Parfitt, are parasites of this species. A fig. of the gall and insect has been given by Prof. Westwood in his Essay on British Ink Galls in the Gardener’s Chronicle. Cynips radicis, Fab. Resembles C. lignicola, but is smaller. Ferruginous, antenn® except at the base, a frontal spot, sides of the mesothorax, metathorax, a dorsal spot on the abdomen, base of the coxe, and the hinder tibie, black. Radial cell shorter than in lignicola, its basal nerve incrassated. 9.» Long. 13; alar. exp. 6 lin. C. radicis, Hart., Germ. Zeits., 3, p. 385 (C. fecundatriz, Hart., ibid., 2, p. 189, diagnosis only). In polythalamous woody galls at the roots of oaks, two inches in diameter, each producing a great number of the insect. It has two Cynipideous parasites, one a species of Zhodites, the other unknown ; also Callimome cynipidis : see Walker, Zoologist, vol. 19, p. 7330. 8 (June, Cynips fecundatrix, Hart. Brownish-black, the knees, two basal spots on the sides of the abdomen, and the apex, ferruginous. First segment of the abdomen forming rds of its entire length. 9°. Long. 2 lin. C. fecundatrix, Hart., Germ. Zeits., 3, p. 834 (the diagnosis given by Hartig, ibid., 2, p. 189, belongs to C. radicis). Gall monothalamous, surrounded by an imbricated covering formed of the distorted and unnaturally developed leaves of the oak bud; well figured by Ratzeburg, die Forstins., 3, tab. 5, fig. 11. Linné described the galls, and one of their parasites is his C. guerciis-gemme, probably a Synergus. These galls are abundant throughout the country, but I have never succeeded in rearing the Cynips, and do not possess a specimen. Cynips ramuli, Lin. Minute, ferruginous, the abdomen black. Thorax scarcely villose, with three or four brown lines between the discal sutures. Scutellum surrounded with brown. Wings hairy, appearing to be dotted‘all over with minute black points. Antenne 15-jointed; ¢. The 9? has 14-jointed antenne, the abdomen larger, and the basal segment only black. — Long. $; alar. exp. 23 lin. C. quercis-ramuli, Curt., in Gardener’s Chronicle, 1844, p. 476, fig. ‘ Unknown to Hartig, whe only quotes the Linnean description, and conjectures that the insect is eras terminalis. The circumstance that both sexes of this species are discovered is interesting, and signi- ficative as regards the supposed absence of males in the other species of Cynips proper. C. ramuli makes a near approach to Andricus in con- formation, having the thorax nearly glabrous. The galls resemble small balls of white raw cotton attached to the twigs of the oak. They are polythalamous, and disclose the flies at the latter end of June. Iam indebted for a gall, which produced seven specimens (6 9,1 @), to Mr. P. Inchbald. In Mr. Walker’s collection I find a great number, taken near Chepstow. The above five species are all that I have been able to collect in England of the genus Cynips as now restricted. Hartig describes 28. There is a single large Cynips in Mr. Walker’s collection, apparently British, which I cannot identify. It resembles C. radicis, but has a compressed abdomen, and is otherwise different. It is useless to speak of it without better information. Milford; May, 1867. 1867. | 9 NATURAL HISTORY OF CHROSIS EUPHORBIANA, TREITSCHKE. BY PROFESSOR ZELLER, OF MESERITZ. Diagnosis of the larva:—Length 7 lines; dirty greyish-green (darker when young), slightly glossy ; the head heart-shaped, black ; the thoracic plate, divided down the centre, is black, as, also, the rounded anal plate and the anterior legs; the mouth is reddish-brown ; the palpi yellowish-green. The head is black, with pale hairs. Tho thoracic plate is broader than long, truncately cordate, divided in the middle by a slender, pale longitudinal line, clothed with pale hairs; beneath it, before the very small dark spiracle, is a large dark wart, bearing a hair, and beneath it above the black first anterior legs, a smaller one. On the second and third segments, near the slender darker green dorsal line, is a small wart, beyond it a rather larger one, and beyond it two smaller ones, at some distance from one another. On the remaining segments the ordinary spots have nothing different from their usual position, and are not much darker than the ground colour, and can only be well distin- guished through a lens; each bears a transparent, pale hair. The spiracles are small, and not easily perceived; there is a small wart above them, and another on the lateral prominence beneath them. The ventral pro-legs are cylindrical, neither long nor thick, on the outer side with a small brown spot, above which is an elongate wart, with two pale hairs. The anal plate is broader than long, rounded, clothed with hairs. This larva, which is double-brooded, the first brood in June (when I have never yet observed it) and July; the second brood towards the end of August and throughout September ; lives solitarily on Huphorbia palustris (perhaps, only exceptionally, on Euphorbia lucida), amongst the leaves of the terminal shoots, which it draws together lengthwise like a pod, and it therein feeds on the innermost leaves, probably without having occasion to change its place of abode. Its abundant excrement is collected at the lower end of the domicile. In cold, wet weather many larve get killed. Floods, also, which in summer cover these plants with water, usually leave very few larvee living. In captivity, this larva often eats, without injury, the dried leaves, producing only a smaller imago. It is very subject to the attacks of the larvee of Pteromali; these hang on to the larva and suck its juices, sometimes six or seven at a time; they are thick, fusiform, more pointed at the upper end than at the lower, many-ringed, dark erey, transparent at the margins. It is also attacked, not unfrequently, by a moderate sized, red-legged, black Ichnewmon. 10 {June> The change to the pupa state, in summer, takes place between the leaves of its abode. But, in the autumn, all the larve quit the food- plant, and assume the pupa state on the ground, where they are not unfrequently under water for months together without injury. The pupa reposes in a fusiform, rather thick, snow-white cocoon, which is about twice as long as its body. It is ochreous-yellow, without peculiarity ; the short cone in which the abdomen terminates, bears at its end four short bristly spines, with hooked tips, and several on each side. When the imago is ready to appear, the pupa forces itself, by the aid of the lateral spines on the abdomen, far out of the leaves, so that it is often only left hanging by the last segment. In summer, the imago appears 10 or 14 days after the pupa state has been assumed. The hybernating pupa only require to be placed in a moderately warm room, and the perfect insects are excluded before the end of the winter. In many years the larva is so plentiful, that, on large bushes of Euphorbia, almost every shoot is tenanted by one. The perfect insect, however, is very seldom met with at large. Of the summer brood, I do not remember to have ever met with a single specimen; at the end of May I once, on a moist warm evening, saw a few of the moths flying round the food-plant much in the style of Dichrorampha Petiverella. In captivity, they emerge from the pupa at almost all hours of the day, and then sit quietly on the leaves. They there often become the prey of a species of grey spider, which had settled in the deserted larval abodes, and then been placed in the breeding cage along with the clusters of leaves. Hitherto this species has only been observed in the bed of the Oder, where the Luphorbia grows freely, exposed to the flooding of the valley. March, 1867. PUPATION OF ANTISPILA PFEIFFERELLA. BY CHAS. HEALY. To my mind it does appear remarkably strange that the two larvee in this genus, which agree so much in their manner of feeding, &e., yet should differ so much in the mode in which they pass the winter months. A. Treitschkiella remaining in the larval state till the following month of May before it turns to pupa; A. Pfeifferella, on the other hand, shortly after it has cut out its case, enters the pupa state. Then, again, A. Treitschkiella, although it does not assume the pupal form 1867.] ll for months after it has become full fed, may be kept indoors all the winter, and bred freely the following spring. A. Pfeifferella, although it turns to a pupa a few days after it is full fed, is yet very difficult to breed when kept indoors. This little larva, a few days after it has constructed and completely finished its oval case, turns to a pupa about 34” in length; this is at first quite white, its head being decorated with eight little bristles (sete). By the end of September the eyes of the pupa turn quite black, the head and wing-cases become pale brown, and the extremity of the abdomen assumes a dull reddish-brown hue. During the month of October the anterior portion of the antenne begin to turn black. In December, the antenne slowly assume a darker tint, the legs like- wise become clouded with darkish tints, the abdomen white, and, curious to relate, the dull reddish-brown hue, which first made its appearance at the extremity of the anal segment, now begins to flow up along the back of the abdominal segments; a day or so afterwards, the dorsal surface of the third and fourth abdominal segments becomes darkish, the dull reddish-brown fluid which a little time before slowly crept up the centre of the dorsal surface of the abdominal segments, now slowly spreads itself over the back of those segments, and, in so doing, imparts a pale brownish tinge to them. About the middle of the month the tips of the wing-cases become somewhat clouded with dark brown, in some cases one wing becomes clouded at its tip before the other; the back of the third and fourth abdominal segments lose somewhat of their previous clouded appearance; the pupa then occasionally exhibits signs of life by slowly moving its abdomen up and down. When three parts of the month of December have expired, the tips of the pupa’s wings change their colour from dark brown to black, or, at least, appear to be so, as seen through the puparium. By the end of the month the wings, which have been faintly deepening in colour, exhibit slight indications of the first formation of their markings, for, in the exact locality of the markings on the wings of the imago, we perceive certain little triangular-shaped brownish coloured spots, several shades darker than the general tone of the wings; after some days (in others weeks expire before there is any change), these little pigmentary spots assume a golden hue. At this period of its economy, the back of the thorax is light brown, the dorsal surface of the first, second, and third abdominal segments having become whitish, the remaining abdominal segments, excepting the anal, being tinged with pale brown; the anal segment itself having a brownish tint. Near the latter end of January the back of the pupa’s first abdominal segment becomes somewhat eS 12 {June, swollen, the remaining abdominal segments becoming considerably depressed, but are slightly raised at their sides. Some time during the month of February a little dark spot makes its appearance on the front surface of the head, and is situate midway between the eyes; early in the following month this little dark coloured spot begins to enlarge itself by giving out a quantity of dark coloured pigment, which latter spreads itself over the head and wings, and finally empties itself into the abdomen, turning the latter dark brown. After the interval of a few days, the wing-cases have a somewhat tortoise-shell look, and, on the arrival of the month of May, the little imago bursts out of its case, and leaves its puparium projecting. 74, Napier Street, Hoxton, N. Capture of Deilephila livornica at Haslemere.x—On the 11th inst. I had the tantalising pleasure of killing and setting a specimen of D. livornica. It was caught flying over lilac blossoms in the evening by Miss Rosa Chandler, the little daughter of a gentleman here. She brought it to me in the net to secure for her, so that it is not in very fine condition.—C. G, Barrerr, Haslemere, May, 1867. Capture of Deilephila Uivornica near Wolverton.—I beg to inform you that a living specimen of Deilephila livornica was brought to me to be named a few minutes after its capture by Mr. Fisher, of Stantonbury. It accords well with the descrip- tion in “ Stainton’s Manual,” as well as with an engraving of the insect in one of the volumes of “Young England.” Mr. Fisher has also compared it with a conti- nental specimen in the possession of a collector here, and the only point in which it differs from the latter is, that it is smaller, being barely three inches in expanse of wings.—JosrrH Bartow, Thompson St., Stantonbury, Wolverton, April 17th. Capture of Deilephila liwornica im Devon.—Yesterday evening at sunset I captured a beautiful specimen of D. livornica, whilst hovering over the blossoms of a yellow Azalea.—J. Potn, Templeton, Tiverton, Devon, May 9th, 1867. Capture of Deilephila livornica in Ireland.—I received last week a specimen of this insect; it was taken at Derriquin Castle, on the Kenmare river, Ireland.— L. M. 8. Pastry, Admiralty House, Portsmouth, May 18th, 1867, A new locality for Endromis versicolor.—On the 5th May, while rambling on the borders of Sussex, near Petérsfield, I observed a male ‘‘ Kentish Glory” on the wing, the only insect I noticed during the day; as I believe it to be a new locality for this beautiful species, the occurrence may be worth recording.—FRrD. Bonn, Adelaide Road, N.W., 10th May, 1867. Capture of Notodonta carmelita at Haslemere.—On Tuesday last (April 30th) I was delighted at finding a lovely pair of N. carmelita.--C. G. Barrett, Haslemere, May 4th, 1867. 1867.) 13 Note on the pairing of Vanesse.—I think I have heard an opinion expressed that the Vanesse copulate before hybernation. This, however, I have always doubted, having often seen the males of V. wrticw following the females in spring in amorous fashion. The other day I noticed a pair of V. cardui in great excite- ment settling on the ground, the male walking round the female with tremulous wings; they then flew up, and after circling round with great rapidity for a con- siderable time, settled on one of the lower branches of an oak tree, where they at once paired. So quietly did they settle down, that although I hit the branch close by them with sods, they would not move.—IpD. Note on the larva of Limenitis Sibylla.—I have been to-day to Woolmer Forest, to the place in which Limenitis Sibylla occurs, and haye, by hard searching, con- trived to find above a dozen larvae of that species; they appear to prefer those honeysuckles which climb over bushes and up the trunks of oak trees, and are generally to be found on the smaller stems or shoots in the more sheltered parts of the bush. One or two of the larger specimens were upon the leaves feeding, but most of them had a carpet of silk laid down on the stem at the base of a shoot upon which to rest. They areas yet small, the largest being but little over an inch long—pretty creatures, delicate light green, with curiously tufted or branched pink spines, and purple spiracular line; but Mr. Buckler, to whom I am sending specimens, will, doubtless, on a future occasion, describe them for you with his usual accuracy.—ID. Discovery of the larva of Scsia chrysidiformis.— During my stay at Folke- stone last June and July I resolved to find, if possible, the larva of this beautiful clearwing, and, after watching several females as they hovered about, and losing them, was fortunate enough to observe one depositing her eggs on the upper side of the leaf of the common sorrel; and I also detected eggs upon the common dock. I now set to work splitting the dead stems and digging up the roots, and was soon rewarded by finding several pupz and full-fed larvee, two of which I at once forwarded to Mr. Buckler to figure. The specimens bred from the dock were much larger and brighter than those bred from the sorrel. The insect appears to live in the larval state over two years, as I have a larva still feeding which seemed to be full-grown when I took it last July. Among others I bred a large male variety wanting the yellow belts. The perfect insect emerges between nine and eleven a.m., and copulation takes place between ten and twelve.—E. G. Mrex, 1a, Paradise Row, Old Ford, E.—May 11th, 1867. *.* The discovery of the larva of S. chrysidiformis affords an instance of important observations being made simultaneously by different workers in widely separated localities. In the last part of the “ Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (4™¢série, tome 6™°, 4™°trimestre), just received, is a notice by Mons. P. Mabille on Lepidoptera observed in Corsica, and at page 507 he, also, mentions having found the larvze of this insect in the stems [?] of Rumew crispus, and gives good reasons for considering that 8. chalcocnemis of Staudinger is a form of chrysidiformis, namely, that both feed in the same plant, and pair inter se.—Hps. 14 { June, Description of the larva of Sesia chrysidiformis.—I have this day (July 5th, 1866) received from Mr. Meek the larva of this species feeding in the roots of Rumew acetosa and some other kind of Rwmez; he having observed, watched, and followed a 2 moth deposit her eggs on several of the above plants, and with great sagacity followed up his discovery by detecting the larve, one of which I have now the pleasure to describe. This larva has mined in the thickest portion and rather on one side of the root; it has ejected heaps of brown frass at both ends of the mine, and has spun a tough silken brown covering over a portion of the side, which had been eaten quite through ; this and the frass are good manifestations of the tenant within. The larva is about five-eighths to three-quarters of an inch in length, tapering a very little posteriorly, the head rather broad and slightly flattened, the body rather pellucid, smooth, plump, and shining. In colour, it is of a dirty brownish-white, with the dorsal vessel showing through as a dark grey internal pulsating streak, and visible as far down as the beginning of the 10th segment. The head rather reddish-brown, and a narrow plate of the same colour on the second segment; the anal segment has also a plate of a yellowish colour; above the spiracles are very minute blackish punctures.— Wm. Buckxer, July, 1866. Description of the larva of Aplecta advena.—At the beginning of July, 1865, Mr. Doubleday kindly sent me several young larve of this species which had been reared from eggs. They were very lively creatures, greatly averse to light, and very active in crawling and burrowing under their food for shelter. They throve well on Polygonum awiculare, and by the 26th of July were three-quarters of an inch in lergth; they were then pale greyish-ochreous on the back, brownish in the middle, through which ran a fine whitish dorsal line enclosed by two black outlines, which were united thrice across the white line within, at the beginning of each segment, suggestive of an irregular chain pattern. The four tubercular spots black and distinct. The sides, belly, and legs darker, of dull olive-brownish, a fine dirty whitish longitudinal line above the legs, the sub-dorsal line darker brown, but interrupted near the middle of each segment by a short oblique streak of pale ochreous from the back, a fine, rather obscure, darker brown line running midway along the side. Head ochreous. Early in September they had attained their full growth, being about one inch and five-eighths in length, rather thick and cylindrical, the head, second and anal segments but a trifle smaller. The head shining olive-brown; on the second segment a blackish-grey plate, rounded behind, through which pass the pale dorsal and sub-dorsal lines. The ground colour of the back and sides very pale ochreous; + a diamond shape of dark grey mottled with olive on each segment, having on its edges the usual four tubercular dots, rather large, and whitish ringed, with blackish- grey ; the dorsal line whitish edged with blackish-grey, but more or less suffused with dark grey and olive as it passes through the middle of the diamond shapes, though distinct at the beginning of each segment. A very short blackish-grey linear mark on the anterior part of each segment on either side. Sub-dorsal line whitish, outlined with dark grey, and in its course sometimes touching each pos- 1807. 15 terior pair of dorsal dots. The sides are mottled with dark grey and olive, having oblique streaks and a pale line of ochreous above the legs. Spiracles brownish- orange, edged with dark grey ; belly and legs pale greenish-brown. Some of the moths appeared late in autumn, and others in the following June.—Ip. Note on Bombyx quercts and B. callune.—Having lately been in communication with Mr. H. Doubleday about the question of the distinctness or identity of these two forms of the Oak Eggar, I have become desirous to procure some information as to the range of each in England and Wales. Mr. Birchall tells us that only callune is found in Ireland ; and I suppose this form prevails universally north of Manchester, also westwards from Hampshire to Cornwall; but we have no certain information yet about Wales. Quercis, of course, occurs at Epping, and in the London district, and is the form taken at Cambridge; but as yet we cannot say whether it prevails throughout the counties eastwards of this line. My object, then, in publishing this note, is to ask collectors generally, and especially those who live at about 40 or 50 miles in any direction from Epping, to be so good as to send, during the coming summer, to Mr. H. Doubleday (who has kindly promised to devote himself to the question) a pair, male and female, of the Oak Eggar moth, which they breed or take in their several localities ; and, if they find varieties, to send a specimen of them. Tf a sufficient number would kindly respond to this appeal, they would greatly facilitate the settlement of an interesting question. I suppose it is generally known that the distinction between quercis and callune really lies in the different curves of the pale fascia on the wings of the moths, and not so much in the greater or less depth of colour generally, nor in the length of time passed in the pupa state.—J. Hrnins, April 13th. Occurrence of Selenia illustraria at Edmonton.—About a week ago I captured an example of this species at Lower Edmonton, and as I believe it has not been recorded as occurring in Middlesex, send you a note of it. In the same locality I once before took a larva, from which I bred a crippled specimen. My friend Dr. Knaggs tells me that many years ago he secured an example on a fence in Church Lane, Lower Edmonton, but that he has never recorded the fact.—J. W. Downine, Vauxhall Road, May 11th, 1867. Note on hybernation of the larva of Boarmia rhomboidaria.—In the beginning of last month, I observed on a lilac bush in my garden some nearly full-grown larve of B. rhomboidaria, which had evidently passed the winter in the position I then saw them, as they were covered with dirt, and seemed to have suffered much from the weather. I have for the last three years noticed the larve of this species hybernating, and have found them of all sizes, from 2” to full-grown, the small ones having usually made themselves comfortable quarters in the loops of list with which I have nailed a Virginian creeper to the wall. From one of these larve which I found in March, 1865, I bred a large and very strongly marked specimen. The larva fed for about ten days on buds of elder, and changed to pupa at the end of April, the imago emerging early in June.—Jam_s A. Forster, 38, Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, H.C. . 16 jJune, Xylomyges conspicillaris bred again.—I have to announce the appearance of X. conspicillaris in my breeding cage yesterday ; the specimen is in fine condition.— E. Horton, Powick, Worcester, April 27th, 1867. Note on the Japan silk-worm, B. Yamamai.—At the January meeting of the Entomological Society of London, the Secretary read a note from Captain Hutton, of Mussooree, in which he expressed his opinion that “ Bombyx Yamamaiis a hybrid between B. mori and B. sinensis.” I do not know what is his reason for this ; but, if correct, are we to understand that all three so-called species are varieties of one ? They are certainly not very much alike in the imago state. If B. mori and B. sinensis are distinct species, how is it that B. Yamamai is fertile, of which there is, of course, no doubt at all ?—A.rrep E. Hupp, Clifton, March 16th, 1867. Variety breeding.—In April, 1866, I secured ova from a handsome leaden- coloured variety of Tephrosia laricaria, Stainton, which I took at rest, in company with a male of the usual colouring. The larve fed upon larch, and about fifty went down to pupa. Hight only came to maturity : one on December 28rd, 1866 ; two on February 17th, 1867 ; two February 18th; one on February 21st; one on February 23rd ; and one on March 12th. Then some snow drifted into the breeding-cage, which was out of doors, and, melting, saturated the soil where the remaining pupe lay. To this misfortune I attribute the death of the remainder of the batch. Of the eight which came to maturity the whole were females, five being the dark leaden-coloured variety, and the other three typical laricaria. I have renewed the experiment this year.—JouN T., I). LLEWELYN, Ynisygerwn, Neath, May 12th, 1867. Captures at light at Neath.—On May 6th and 7th, I put out light and took three fine male specimens of Camptogramma fluviata, and about eight males of Diaphora mendica, besides other species.—Ib. Singular variety of Nyssia hispidaria.—I have lately acquired a specimen of this species, the fore-wings of which are suffused with black over the greater extent of their surface; the cilial spots are strongly marked, and the hind-wings are correspondingly dark.—Howarp VaAuGHAN, Kentish Town. Occurrence of a Catoptria new to Britain—Mr. Gregson writes me that a Catoptria which Mr. Stainton returned to me as C. Scopoliana is C. aspidiscana, Hiibner, a species new to this country. I have taken it along with Hriopsela quadrana for some years back, and have unfortunately sent a score or so away as Scopoliana, so that at present I have none left. I shall be on the look out for it again in about six weeks from now.—J. B. Hopa@xkinson, Preston, April 12th, 1867. Discovery of the larva of Pterophorus hieracii.—I have at last discovered the larva of Pterophorus hieracii, for which I have searched for years, and, as I believe it has not hitherto been found in England, enclose a few, thinking that you would like to see them. They feed on the common ‘ wood sage,” Teucriwm scorodonia, and are now just changing their first skins; they do not feed down the stems 1867.) 17 of their food-plant like those of some of the other “ plumes,” but eat the young leaves first, as you will see. If you think a notice of this discovery would interest your readers, I shall be glad if you will insert it in the Magazine for next month.— N. GREENING, Warrington, May 2nd, 1867. Birds and gooseberry caterpillars.—Mr. Gilbanks is certainly mistaken in sup- posing that no birds will eat the larvae of the gooseberry saw-fly, which is the species, I suppose, to which he alludes (vide Vol. iii., p. 280). Young cuckoos are very fond of them, a fact which my friend the Rev. Harpur Crewe can confirm. Chaffinches also feed their young with these larva, and Ihave seen the young birds picking them off the leaves soon after they had left the nest.— Henry Dovsiepay, Epping, 14th May, 1867. Notes on the larve of Hydroptila.—On Good Friday I collected from a small tributary of the Darenth many cases of Hydroptila, concealed in the crevices of the under surface of stones. These contain green larvae, and apparently pertain to H. pulchricornis. A miniature aquarium, consisting of a tumbler and plant of Callitriche, has enabled me to watch their habits more narrowly ; and I notice a peculiarity, not, I think, hitherto observed in Trichopterous larva. It is well known that the larvae of most of the larger species, with portable cases, sink rapidly to the bottom when disturbed, but in Hydroptila the larvee remain suspended by a thread in mid-water, in the same manner as many Lepidopterous larvee are suspended in mid-air ; and by this thread they are enabled to regain their lost position without the trouble of commencing de novo at the bottom. The little, flattened, seed-shaped cases are very interesting objects; but I almost despair of rearing the imagos, as the conditions afforded by the highly aérated bubbling streamlet in which they were found, are too different from any with which I have the means of supplying them, The cases, while the inmates are yet in the larva state, seem to be com- posed entirely of coarse silk, but, before the change, minute sand-granules are worked into the outer surface, thus rendering them much firmer.—R. McLacuian, Forest Hill, May, 1867. Locality for Cis punctulatus, Gyll.—I am not aware that any British locality has yet been published for the above insect, which was brought forward with doubt by Mr. G. R. Crotch last year as new to this country. I met with it last July near Rannoch, in Perthshire——T. BLacksurn, Grassmeade, Wandsworth. Assemblage of Beetles.—Walking along the cliff from Ramsgate to Margate, with a strong south-wester blowing, I retired down a gully or “ stair” (as they call them in the ordnance maps) to smoke a pipe out of the wind. The tide was up, and I found myself on a small bay of sand, bounded landwise by perpendicular chalk cliffs. The sand to the lower part of the cliffs were covered with thousands of beetles evidently blown down from the fields above by the wind. I counted over thirty genera, most of them represented by four or five species. The insects were mostly on their backs; and, with the exception of some Bembidia and a small Choleva (anisotomoides), they were almost torpid. When put upon their legs they made but feeble efforts to get away, and seemed to be unablé to get a footing on 18 {June, the fine sand. I never before saw such a quantity and variety of beetles together in so small a space (about thirty yards), to be got without the least trouble beyond picking them up. It was collecting made easy, as I never saw it before. The exact spot is between Foreness and Whiteness, not far from a cockney erection called Neptune’s monument. I subjoin a list of the generaas far as I can recollect :— Notiophilus, Calathus, Anchomenus, Pterostichus, Amara, Anisodactylus, Harpalus, Bembidiwn, Ilybius (!!), Homalota, Mycetoporus, Philonthus, Xantholinus, Lithocaris, Silpha, Choleva, Helophorus, Spheridium, Cercyon, Aphodius, Agriotes, Cneorhinus, Sttones, Alophus, Phytonomus, Trachyphleus, Cryptorhynchus, Lema, Crepidodera, Coccinella, Coccidula, Sc.—V. C. DE Rivaz, 4, Shrewsbury Road, W. i Note on a third species of Damaster.—As I foretold (Ent. M. Mag., Vol. iii., p. 189) in September last, there is another species of the genus Damaster, besides blaptoides and. Fortunet. It does not, however, come from the locality I anticipated, but from Yesso. Its head and thorax are metallic green, and its elytra are far more rugose than in the other two species. Its size, moreover, is barely two-thirds that of Fortunei, and about one-third of that of blaptoides, the Nagasaki insect. Provided I am the first to record the existence of this species, I purpose describing it after the name of its amiable captor, A. J. Gower, Hsq., our Consul at Hakodadi.— G. Lewis, Nagasaki, 26th February, 1867. [This is, of course, the insect described at the Entomological Society on 4th March last (H. M. M., Vol. iii., p. 264) by Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, under the name of Damaster awricollis.—H. C. R.] Note on Oresbius castaneus.—Of this curious insect, recently described by Mr. Marshall in this Magazine, I find 1 have a 9 example, captured by me some years back on Goatfell.—D. Suarp, Crichton Institution, Dumfries, May 6th, 1867. Note on the Beocrara littoralis of Thomson.—In a former note (Ent. M. Mag., Vol. ii., p. 242), I said that I could not perceive any reason for separating this species from Trichopteryx on account of its external characters, but that I had not examined the organs of the mouth. I have lately done this, and can safely assert that they are perfectly normal in every respect; the mandibles, maxillze, mentum, Jabium, labial palpi, and lingua are exactly similar to the corresponding organs of T. lata and T. faseicularis ; in the labrum and maxillary palpi a slight, but only specific, difference exists. The former of these is somewhat shorter in proportion to its width, though the outline is the same, and the penultimate joint of the latter is more widely truncate at the apex. The anatomy of the underside, which varies much in the different genera of this family, in this insect entirely resembles the most typical form of Trichopterya, andthe shape and neuration of the wing —a highly valuable differential character— is so exactly like that of 7’. fascicularis, that it would be almost impossible to say from which species the wing had been removed. I therefore feel no hesitation in saying that the species in question is a pure Trichopteryx ; whether it be the Beocrara littoralis of Thomson may possibly admit of doubt, as we have never yet obtained a type from that author, but I think its characters can scarcely be mistaken. 1867.] 19 If we are right in our determination, the genus Beocrara must inevitably fall to the ground, since the external character of foveolate punctuation can hardly be deemed sufficient to establish a genus, and the other mark—that of the margined sides of the thorax, on which Mr. Thomson seems to lay great stress—is all but universal throughout the fifty-eight species now comprised in the genus Trichop- teryx, and may be seen strongly developed in some of the commonest, e. g. T. grandicollis. With regard to the specific appellation of this insect, I do no think that the ” name “ littoralis” originally applied by Thomson, or “ Thomsoni,” to which it was subsequently changed by Mr. Sharp, can either of them stand. Col. Mots- chulsky, in the “ Bulletin de la Soc. Imp. de Moscow” ii., p. 504, 1845, assigned the name “littoralis” to a species of Ptenidium ; but since at the same time he changed the name of that genus to Trichopteryx, and described his species as “* Trichopteryx littoralis,’ I suppose that, according to the rule generally received, a clear case of pre-occupation has been established, and that it will become necessary to adopt the name “variolosa,’ under which M. Mulsant has fully described this insect (Opuscules Entomologiques, C. xii., p. 187, 1861). Through the kind assistance of M. de Marseul, I have in my possession the specimen from which M. Mulsant described the characters of his Ptiliwm varioloswn, and this specimen is identical with the insects which we suppose to belong to Beocrara littoralis, Thoms. The correct synonomy of this species appears to be :— TRICHOPTERYX VARIOLOSA, Mulsant. variolosum (Ptilium), Mulsant, Opuse. Ent., xii., p. 187, 1861. littoralis (Beocrara), Thomson, Skand. Col. p. 99, 1855. (nomen prius usitatum). Thomson, Sharp, Ent. M. Mag., Vol. ii., p. 230, 1866. A. Marruews, Gumley, April, 1867. On the asserted connection of Atropos with the “ death-watch.’—In the number of the “ Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine” for May, 1867, p. 279, I perceive that Mr. F. Smith has expressed a doubt as to the capability of Atropos pulsatoria to produce the sounds attributed to it by naturalists. The following circumstance, which came under my own immediate observation, perhaps may serve to throw some light upon the subject. A ticking sound, so precisely similar to that of a watch as scarcely to be dis- tinguished from it by the nicest discrimination, was perceived to proceed from a small work-box comprising several compartments. Now, as this very remarkable noise, which differs widely from the tapping sound produced by Anobiwn tessellatum, is supposed by many persons to be caused by some species of spider, I resolved to investigate the phenomenon ; accordingly, having placed the work-box on several sheets of writing-paper, I proceeded to open the compartments in succession, examining each, with its contents, in a good light, assisted by the employment of a large lens. After having carefully inspected the compartment first opened, a pause ensued, till the sound, which had been interrupted, was renewed, Proceeding cautiously in the manner described, the ticking sound was ultimately traced to the 20 : [June, last compartment, which served the purpose of a pincushion, and was filled with bran. On the cover being withdrawn, the bran was removed in very minute quantities to a sheet of writing paper, each portion, when lightly spread by means. of a feather, being closely examined under the lens. The only occupant of the box detected by this complete scrutiny was a living Atropos pulsatoria ; and I think the facts of the case fairly warrant the deduction that the ticking sound was produced by it, more especially as no such sound was ever after heard to emanate from the box. I may add that the Atropos, which was placed in a clean phial, died in the course of an hour without emitting any perceptible sound. Summer is the season in which the ticking sound is usually heard, but how it is produced I believe has not yet been discovered.—JoHN BLackWALL, Hendre House, Llanrwst, May 4th, 1867. *,* T candidly admit that the above-cited instance is a case of very strong circumstantial evidence in favour of the power of Atropos (the insect should be called divinatoria, for it certainly is not the pulsatoria of Linné) to produce a sound, and I have just been informed of an exactly parallel case. But I must still adhere to the opinion expressed at page 181 of Vol. iii., that a creature in which every portion of the body is of a soft consistence cannot possibly cause any perceptible ticking. Any noise produced by a minute apterous insect must of necessity be mechanical, either by the sudden contact of some hard part of its body with a like hard opposing surface, or by the action of one of its members, against another, and Atropos entirely wants any organism favourable to either of these actions.— R. McLaca.an. True bugs.—In the Annals of Natural History for 1839, the Rev. Leonard Jenyns described a new species of Acanthia under the name of Cimew hirundinis, specimens of which had been found in the nests of the common house-martin in Cambridgeshire. The only examples of this species I ever saw were in the collec- tion of the late Mr. John Curtis ; but as that collection was unfortunately exported to Australia when the “ British Hemiptera” was in preparation, it was only possible to copy Mr. Jenyns’ description. JI am therefore desirous to obtain examples, and if any one who has opportunity of access to places where martins’ nests abound would do me the favour to look for the creatures, and, if obtained, send some to me alive, I should be greatly obliged. It may not be necessary to disturb the nests, for Mr. Curtis informed me that at Tunbridge Wells, where his specimens were taken, the bugs were also found about the house in the vicinity of the nests. The species is held by continental authors to be a myth, but, though convinced by the sight of Mr. Curtis’ specimens that it is an entity, I wish to place the subject beyond a doubt. Iam aware that it is a delicate matter to hint to a non-ento- mologist that there may be a bug about his country-house, and there might be a balcony-scene not illustrated in any edition of Shakespeare, if it were discovered that such a Romeo had obtained access to Juliet’s window without even the pretence of a ladder; indeed I know that one gentleman felt grossly insulted by the suspicion that there could be a bug on his premises. Nevertheless, 1 venture to prefer my petition that the vagrants may be looked for before ‘the swallows homeward fly ;” and, if found, apprehended and committed tomy custody. I think it is also possible that the same, or possibly another species, might be discovered to be attached to 1867.] 21 the nests of the sand-martin, and that some stragglers might be found on the ground below the entrances of the burrows of the birds, in the same way that examples of Haploglossa nidicola and the fleas which inhabit sand-martins’ nests are detected in such situations. While I am on the subject of true bugs, I may also say that two other allied species were described by Mr. Jenyns—Cimex colwmbarius found in pigeon-houses, and C. pipistrelli found attached to abat. The former is probably common enough, and may be the same as, I am informed, occurs in fowl-houses; but the latter will doubtless be difficult to obtain, as bats usually have their breeding-places in inaccessible situations. But as both are unknown to me (except by description), and one or other of them may by chance come into the possession of a naturalist who would not value it, I beg him to remember the service examples would render ; among others, to J. W. Dovenas, 7, Kingswood Place, Lee. General Anformation. [In accordance with a wish expressed by several of our provincial subscribers, we propose to give, each month, items of general information concerning Ento- mologists and their doings, &c., &c.—Ebs. | The Linnean Society’s soirée.—At this réunion of Naturalists, held at Burlington House on the 1st May, there were two Entomological exbibitions which caused considerable attraction ; firstly, a case of the remarkable North Indian Butterfly, Kallima Inachis, which, when closed, exactly resembles adead leaf; sent by Mr. A. R. Wallace ; secondly, a living example of the pupa of Empusa pauperata, from the south of France, one of the few European representatives of the family Mantide ; exhibited by Mr. Stainton. Preservation of Insects.—The last part of the French Annals contains a long paper by Dr. Laboulbéne on this subject: he gives the preference to a solution consisting of equal parts of phenic acid and pure benzine dropped on a small piece of sponge, and placed in corner of the box. Phenic acid possesses the valuable property of arresting the development of fungoid growths, and insects treated with a weak solution of the acid in alcohol or pure naphtha, are ever afterwards free from the attacks both of mould and mites; like all other liquid preparations, it is somewhat difficult of direct application to Lepidopterous insects. Lepidopterous inquilines in galls.—The last part of the Proceedings of the Ent. Soc. of Philadelphia contains a paper of Mr. Walsh, in which he enumerates ten species of American Lepidoptera as feeding on galls, viz., Hgertide 1, Noctue 1, Tortricide 4, and Tinee 4. Death of Dr. Breckenridge Clemens.—We regret to have to announce the decease of this distinguished American Micro-Lepidopterist, which occurred on the 11th January last. In Dr. Clemens, America has lost almost its only Entomologist who attended to this branch of the science. Advices have been received from Mr. Géring, lately a companion of Dr. Burmeister in his travels in the Argentine Republic, now exploring that part of Venezuela east of Caraccas. A collection formed by this gentleman is believed to be en route for England. From private sources we learn that Dr. Leconte, the celebrated American Coleopterist, may shortly be expected in Hngland. 22, [June, — Entomotoaican Society of Lonpon. 6th May, 1867.—Professor WEsTWoop, M.A., F.L.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. J. Sidebotham, Esq., of George Street, Manchester, was elected an Ordinary Member, and Herr Snellen Van Vollenhoven, of Leyden, was elected a Corresponding Member. Mr. Stainton exhibited cases of Coleophora livella, and made some remarks on the habit of the insect ; from which it appeared that the young larva, when first hatched, feeds apon Thymus serpyllwm, and uses a seed-calyx of that plant for its case: afterwards it forsakes the thyme and wanders on to grass, leaves its first case attached to a blade, and proceeds to form its ordinary adult case out of the grass leaf. The discovery of this extraordinary habit is due to Herr Von Heine- mann, of Brunswick. He also exhibited a larva of Hyponomeuta egregiella on Erica cinerea from Fontainebleau. Prof. Westwood remarked on an Hemipterous insect from New South Wales, belonging to the Reduviide, which had a habit of dancing high in the air, after the manner of gnats, and possessed a powerful odour of musk, so as to strongly scent the letter in which it was sent. Mr. Fereday communicated a photograph of an example of Pyrameis cardut from New Zealand, being the first obtained in those islands: it pertained to the race found in New Holland. Mr. C. A. Wilson communicated an example and notes on a species of Xenos (Stylopide) found in Australia, parasitic upon Paragra decipiens ; this was apparently the first instance of these insects being found in that quarter, and was a discovery of Madam Kreusler, of Gawler. Mr. Smith exhibited some of the infested wasps. Mr. Stainton remarked that a large dipterous larva had emerged from a bug (Pentatoma) found by him at Mentone. Mr. Bates read a communication from Dr. Felder, of Vienna, who is engaged on the Lepidoptera of the Novara-voyage, respecting the method of publication of that work, involving a question of priority. Mr. Bates also read descriptions of new species of Butterflies collected by Mr. Belt, in Maranham. NEW GENERA OF LONGICORN COLEOPTERA FROM THE RIVER AMAZONS. BY H. W. BATES, F.Z.S. The following descriptions of new genera are published in deference to the wish of M. Lacorpatre, who is now preparing the “ Longicornes”’ portion of his masterly work, “Genres des Coleoptéres,” and considers it desirable that all who are engaged in writing on the group, should make known the genera in time-to be included in his volumes. The description of all the species of Longicorns taken by me on the Amazons, one part of which (the Lamiad@) has already appeared, will shortly be continued. The present genera all belong to the Cerambycide section, the species of Prionide and Lepturide of the Amazons falling into genera already established. 1867. 23 STREPTOLABIS, n. g. Body oblong, depressed, dilated posteriorly, glabrous. Head small, eyes not prominent, finely facetted, deeply emarginated ; muzzle short, mandibles flattened at base and porrect, curved upwards towards their tips; terminal joints of palpi ovate, truncated. Antenne shorter than the body, stout ; basal joint thick, clavate ; the rest, from the third, sulcated, dilated at their apices, with inner apical angles produced. Thorax unarmed, anterior and posterior margins with distinct smooth rim. Elytra broadly rounded at the apex, with a sutural tooth. Prosternum narrow, tubercled at the apex, mesosternum plane. Legs stout, glabrous, thighs clavate, toothed beneath, tarsi short, basal joints triangular. St. hispoides, n. sp. 7} lines. ¢(?). Oblong, depressed, coral-red; antenns, excepting the basal joint, black; elytra black, finely rugose and opake, with elevated, shining, reticulated lines, and six irregular spots, with apex, coral-red ; head and mandibles rugose-punctate ; thorax smooth, finely punctured. Ega, Upper Amazons; on the trunk of a dead tree. The species has a great resemblance to the Hispide species Cephalodonta spinipes. It also resembles in colours and form of the legs the Longicorn insect Erythroplatys corallifer (White), but the muzzle of that species is greatly elongated, and the maxille and palpi have the same form as in the Rhinotragine and Callichromine groups; whilst in Streptolabis they are conformable to the Trachyderine, of which group I consider the new species to be an aberrant member. AEicHMUTES, Pascoe, M.S., n. g. Oblong, flattened, dilated behind (facies of Lycus). Muzzle elongated as in Oregostoma. External maxillary lobe greatly elongated ; eyes nearly approximating in front, forehead plane. Antenne much shorter than the body, middle joints greatly dilated, with the inner apical angles produced; 2nd and 4th joints with a fringe of strong bristles on the outside, 4th joint shorter than the 5th. Thorax narrowed in front. Elytra truncated in a waved line at the apex, with both ends of the truncature spined. Legs shortish, stout, thighs clavate, hind legs a little longer than the rest. Tarsi short, broad, joints triangular. AN. lycoides, n. sp. 44 lines (¢?). Depressed, naked, opake testaceous-red. Antenne black ; thorax with two black stripes on each side, extending to the eyes. Elytra with a large common pentagonal patch near the base, and the apical fourth, black. Tarsi and tibie black, thighs testaceous, black in the middle. Whole upper surface very closely punctured; elytra with a raised line extending from the shoulders nearly to the apex. Ega, Upper Amazons. The insect has a striking resemblance to a species of Lycus. The genus is interesting as being an intermediate form between Rhinotragus and the singular genus Hrythroplatys. PANDROSOS, n. &. Slender, linear, muzzle much shorter and wider than in Rhinotragus and Oregostoma, the eyes wholly lateral and very widely separate in front. Antennz 94, i [June, as in Oregostoma; filiform, thickening and the joints becoming subserrated towards the apex. Elytra normal, sides nearly vertically deflexed, the upper limits of the deflexed portion carinated, apex obliquely truncated. P. ewilis, White, Catalogue Longicorn Coleop. British Museum, ii, p. 201 (Rhinotragus, id). ARGYRODINES, n. g. Sublinear, moderately elongated. Muzzle broad, elongated, oblique, front broad, plane. Tyes finely facetted. External maxillary lobe and terminal joint of the palpi greatly elongated. Antenne filiform, bristly, as long as the body (2), basal joint clavate, 3rd greatly elongated, swollen at the apex, 4th about one-third the length of the third and three-fourths the length of the 5th. Thorax about two-thirds the length of the elytra, constricted in front and behind, the interme- diate portion forming a tumid, rounded mass on each side. Elytra plane, constricted in the middle, obtusely rounded at the apex. Legs short, bristly, hind pair longest, thighs clavate, tibize compressed, tarsi rather short, basal joints elongate- triangular. Mesosternum rather broad, plane. A. pulchella,n. sp. 4lines. 2. Deep glossy black: elytra each with three oblique impunctate streaks of silvery-white; two (narrower) before, and one (broader) behind the middle. Head thickly punctured. Thorax with the anterior constricted portion and middle of tumid part on each side impunctate, the posterior constricted portion sharply striated transversely, rest of surface closely foveated, with the interstices forming a reticulated pattern. lElytra closely punctured, except the white streaks and a space on the basal side of the streak. Sides of mesosternum with a patch of white hairs. Hind tarsi clothed with similar hairs. Ega. The genus is without doubt closely allied to Cosmisoma. CHLORETHE, n. g. Facies of Chrysoprasis. Body clothed with short bristles. Muzzle very short ; eyes coarsely facetted: maxille with the exterior lobe short and broad. Antenne a little longer than the body (g), shorter than the body (2); third to fifth joints thickened, and, in the 9, clothed with longer bristles, most numerous and dense on the fifth. Thorax short, sides rounded, unarmed. Legs shortish, as in Orthostoma, thighs simple, tibize compressed, with two conspicuous spurs at their apices ; tarsi short, much more slender than in Orthostoma, basal joint in the hind pair sub-linear. C. Inge, n. sp. 383—4$ lines. g¢ 2. Head, thorax, basal joint of the antennez, and breast, brassy-green ; rest of antennz black; legs bronzed-black, elytra silky- green; abdomen red. Head and thorax very closely punctured, interstices reticulated. lytra finely punctured, with a bristle arising from each puncture. Prosternum transversely rugose; mesosternum coarsely rugose-punctate ; meta- sternum with shallow, scattered punctures, glossy. Ega; on felled Inga trees. The genus will range next to Orthostoma. MickosPILoMA, 0. g. Body rather short, sub-cylindrical. Muzzle elongated, palpi truncated. Eyes rather coarsely facetted, slightly prominent. Antenne short, third and fifth joints 1867.) : 25 dilated, coarsely setose, unarmed. Thorax spined on eachside. Elytra cylindrical, apex truncate, unarmed; surface with ivory-like spots, as in Hbwria. Legs elongated, especially the hind pair, linear; apex of thighs acute on each side; tarsi not half the length of the tibia. Mesosternum with a large smooth tubercle in the middle. M. Dorilis,n. sp. 5 lines. Reddish-tawny, clothed throughout with erect, tawny bristles. Head rugose, forehead sulcate. Thorax strongly wrinkled transversely. Elytra thickly punctured; an ovate ivory spot in the middle of the base, and two similar spots in conjunction on the disk, a little behind the middle, the latter bordered with brown. Fea; on foliage in the forest. Notwithstanding the elongated muzzle, I believe this genus belongs to the Hburia group, standing near Heterops (Blanch.). ATHARSUS, 0. g. Body rather short, sub-linear, depressed, naked. Muzzle very short, palpi sub-securiform, eyes prominent, coarsely facetted. Antennz clothed with long fine hairs, elongated, third and fifth joints armed at their tips with a short spine; antenniferous tubercles obsolete. Thorax prominent in the middle, but unarmed. Elytra rounded at the apex, briefly truncated near the suture, unarmed. Meso- sternum broad, plane. Legs short, setose ; thighs clavate; knees unarmed; tarsi short, basal joints elongate-triangular. A. nigricauda, n. sp. 5 lines. g. Reddish-testaceous, neck and pro-thorax red, head (except the neck), antennz, apex of the elytra, and feet, black; head thickly punctured, thorax very finely rugose and sub-opaque; elytra shining, and finely punctured. Banks of the Tapajos. The genus belongs to the Spherion group. TERPNISSA, n. g. Body elongate, sublinear, scantily clothed with fine, long hairs. Muzzle very short, eyes prominent and coarsely facetted; palpi sub-securiform. Antennze long and slender, 3rd—5th joints spined at their apices. Thorax sub-ovate, convex, unarmed. Hlytra rounded before the apex, the latter at a distance from the suture armed with a spine. Legs elongated, thighs clavate, tibize long, linear ; tarsi short and narrow. Prosternum extremely narrow; mesosternum plane. T. Listropterina un. sp. 53 lines. @. Opaque greyish black ; four basal joints of antennz deep black, rest yellow. Head behind and thorax red, clothed with laid silken pile; thorax crossed by two sub-interrupted ridges, sides prominent. Scutellum blackish, semi-oval. Elytra finely punctured, clothed with fine hoary pile, except the basal third, the lateral margin, and a fine streak down the disk of each to three-fourths the length, which are dull blackish. Legs clothed with fine long sete; blackish. Breast and abdomen blackish, clothed with fine hoary pile, as in Listroptera. Banks of the Tapajos. Resembles certain species of Listroptera ; but belongs to the Spherion group. 26 (July, PHEYNOCRIS, n. g. Body elongated, sub-depressed. Muzzle short, eyes coarsely facetted; anten- niferous tubercles prominent. Antenne elongated, filiform, unarmed; basal joint with a tubercle near the apex beneath. Thorax sub-quadrate, armed on each side with a spine. Elytra prolonged at the apex, and each terminating gradually in a sharp spine; surface punctured, and with rows of small tubercles. Legs stout, thighs large and strongly clavate. Ph. notabilis, n. sp. 10 lines. g. Head and thorax coarsely and scantily tomentose, rest of the body clothed with short hairs. Thorax uneven, and covered with small scattered tubercles. Reddish-tawny. Thorax with the depressed parts black. Elytra ornamented with three strongly undulated black belts, the apex also black; surface shining, punctured and roughened with three or four rows of small tubercles ; tips of thighs and tibiz black. Ega. Belongs to the Achryson group. ZATHECUS, Nn. g. Body elongate, parallelogrammical, depressed. Muzzle short, palpi sub-securi- form ; eyes prominent, and very coarsely facetted. Antenne elongated, filiform, finely setose beneath, unarmed; antenniferous tubercles prominent, oblique. Thorax nearly square, unarmed ; above sub-convex, uneven. LElytra armed each with two spines at the apex, surface tuberculated. Legs elongated, thighs abruptly and strongly clubbed ; tarsi very slender, moderately short. Mesosternum narrow behind. Z. graphites, n. sp. 8 lines. . Testaceous, head and thorax clothed with silky tomentum. Vertex dusky, basal joints of antennze blackish beneath. Thorax mneven and finely tuberculated, black, with a curved testaceous belt across anterior part. Elytra near the base and suture marked with a black patch, followed behind by two curved black streaks; the testaceous apical half with a brownish cloud in the middle; whole surface roughened with small scattered tubercles, and irregular, but not large, punctures. Legs and under-surface testaceous, sides of prothorax and breast and basal part of hind thighs blackish. Ega. The markings of the elytra are similar to those in the genus Ibidion ; the genus, however, in structure, belongs to the Achryson group. ARMOTIS, n. g. Linear, slender. Muzzle slightly elongated and narrow in front; palpi trun- cated ; lower lobe of the eyes very large, upper lobe small, linear ; coarsely facetted. Antenne long and slender, filiform, simple, basal joint long and but slightly thick- ened. Thorax elongated, sides with a minute tubercle behind the middle. Elytra linear, sub-depressed, apex rounded. Legs long and slender ;, thighs clavate, tarsi moderately short ; hind thighs extending much beyond the apex of the elytra. A. fragilis, n. sp. 24 lines. g. Slender, yellow-testaceous ; apex of antennal joints, from the 3rd, blackish. Abdomen brown. Body above glabrous, head and thorax very finely and closely punctate, elytra more distinctly punctured, legs and antenne sparingly setose; thorax with a deeply impressed angular line towards the hind margin. Banks of the Tapajos. The genus will come amongst those ranging between Obrium and Haruspex (Thomson). The antennal joimts are not grooved as in Haruspex. - 1867. 27 PyYRGOTES, m g. Body sub-linear, clothed with fine erect hairs, but glossy. Head and thorax narrower than the elytra. Eyes coarsely facetted, muzzle very short. Antenne very stout, joints strongly flattened and dilated, their surface bi-carinated, with both the apical angles acute and produced; basal joint sub-quadrate, smooth. Thorax elongated, narrow, with an obtuse lateral, and a dorsal, prominence far behind the middle. Elytra obtusely and obliquely truncated at the apex. Legs short and thick; thighs sub-clavate, tibiz strongly compressed, wide at the apex ; tarsi very short and broad, all the joints much broader than long. P. eneus, n. sp. 3% lines. Smooth, shining, finely pubescent; pitchy-red, elytra with the entire disk dark brassy-green. Thorax narrow, elongated, impunctate on the disk, sides with scattered setiferous tubercles, sides and disk behind the middle with obtuse prominences. Elytra punctured, partly im lines, interstices very smooth and glossy, apex very obtusely truncated. The tarsi inserted near the lower apical angle of the broad tibiz. Ega. This extraordinary little Longicorn is clearly related to Piezocera, Serville, and Hemilissa, Pascoe. DovEcosIs, n. g. Moderately elongated, sub-cylindrical. Muzzle short, vertical, antenniferous tubercles very large, each surmounted by an acute tooth; palpi very short, terminal joint truncated. yes rather coarsely facetted. Antenne twice the length of the body, stout, filiform, cluthed with long hairs, formed of twelve distinct joints, third rather shorter than the fourth, enlarged at the tip on one side, rest (including the twelfth) of nearly equallength. Thorax cylindrical, unarmed. Elytra linear, apex briefly truncated. Legs moderately short and slender; thighs slightly thickened. Prosternum extremely narrow, anterior coxa conical, conti- guous. Basal joint of abdomen not longer than the rest (3). D. Saperdina, n. sp. 34 lines. ¢. Tawny-yellow, sub-opaque, clothed with long fine hairs. Antenne from the second joint black, bases of joints reddish. Face convex, owing to the great volume of the antenniferous tubercles. Thorax with a tubercle on each side near the anterior angle, and an elongated one on the disk. Elytra finely and very closely punctured, suture and lateral margins raised, also an elevated line along the disk from the base to near the apex, the latter briefly truncated. Banks of Tapajos. Resembles in general form species of the Saperda group. The genus appears allied to Gracilia. NIOPHIS, n. g. Elongated, linear, depressed. Muzzle not extending beyond the lower margin of the eyes; the latter very large, coarsely granulated ; palpi moderately elongated, sub-securiform. Antenniferous tubercles not prominent, vertex plane. Antenne — stout, greatly elongated, fringed with long hairs; basal joint clavate, arcuated, third joint a little longer than the fourth (terminal joints wanting). Thorax elongate, unarmed, narrowed behind. Elytra tapering, depressed, apex of each 28 (July, terminating in along spine. Legs long, thighs very long, compressed and thick- ened in the middle, basal joint of tarsi elongated. Sterna narrow. First segment of abdomen not longer than the second (2). N. coptorhina, n. sp. 43 lines. g. Tawny-reddish, opaque, clothed with fine erect hairs ; apices of antennal joints darker, tips of thighs black. Thorax with two broad and shallow longitudinal dorsal channels ; elytra finely punctured. The thorax is elongate and depressed, and greatly narrowed from the middle towards the hind margin. ry Santarem, River Tapajos. This insect also belongs to the Gracilia group. ATENIZUS, n. g. Sub-linear, depressed, slender. Maxillary palpi elongated. Muzzle scarcely apparent beyond the eyes, the latter large and prominent, coarsely facetted, with a slight emargination only in the upper edge; forehead convex; head greatly con- stricted behind the eyes, forming a distinct neck ; vertex, between the eyes, with a large erect tubercle. Antennz filiform, hirsute; basal joint enlarged beneath at the apex. Thorax ovate, depressed, sides unarmed. LElytra linear, apex obtusely rounded. Legs short, slender, tarsi with the basal joints linear. Anterior and middle coxee sub-conical, exserted, contiguous, anterior sockets slightly angular externally. A. laticeps, n. sp. 24—43 lines. 9g. Sub-linear, reddish-testaceous ; antennee from the third joint brown, bases of joints pale-testaceous. Body and limbs finely setose; head and thorax sparingly punctured ; elytra regularly and closely punctured, Para and Santarem, Amazons, on dry twigs. Notwithstanding the exserted cox, absence of pro- and meso-sterna between the coxe, and elongated labial palpi, I believe the genus to have affinity with Smodicwm and the allied genera. Kentish Town: May, 1867. A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE SYCAMORE-FEEDING NEPTICULA DECENTELLA, BY H, T. STAINTON, F.B.8. Two years ago I received from Herr Anton Schmid, of Frankfort, some pup of this pretty species (Ent. M. Mag., vol. iii., p. 82). I have now some further scraps of information respecting the aberrant habits of this species which may prove interesting to some of the readers of this Magazine. . Herr Mihlig, of Frankfort, writes to me as follows:—“In 1866 I had the good luck to breed Wepticula decentella in tolerable plenty ; some from larve which I found at the end of April hanging by long threads from the branches of Acer pseudo-platanus (sycamore), some from cocoons, which I found on the stems of those trees. Although we have not yet ascertained the entire mode of life of these larve, yet we — know now with certainty that the larva must winter on the tree. The 1867. 29 question, however, still remains— whereabouts on the tree? For example, I found larve on trees on which there was not a vestige of a leaf or of a seed capsule; hence arises a possibility that, when winter is past, the larva conceals itself in the buds; or could it be possible that the larva should crawl out in the spring from the fallen seeds which lie on the ground in order again to climb up the tree, and then again to make a descent? If so, we should also find them on other trees, for the fallen seeds are often scattered far away from the sycamores.” On the 3rd of May, 1867, Herr Mihlig writes again :—‘“I have this morning collected for you, after some research, seven larvee of Nepticula decentella; some were hanging by their threads from the trees, some had already commenced their cocoons in the crevices of the bark.” Ten days later I received a further supply of these cocoons from Professor Fritzsche, of Freiberg, who writes:—“ Last December I carefully examined the trunks of the sycamores, and removed all the empty cocoons; from that time—through January, February, March, and April—I could observe no fresh cocoons; but on the 12th May, examining the stems again, I found on them numerous cocoons, of which I now send you some. The trees were then putting out their leaves; hence these larvee must pass the winter in the crevices of the bark, and not form their cocoons, and change to the pupa state, till the end of April and May,—a very abnormal habit for a Nepticula larva.” That the cocoons first appear on the trunks of the trees when spring is tolerably advanced seems now pretty evident from the con- current testimony of two competent observers ; in Herr Miihlig’s remarks we have the additional notice that he finds the larve descending from above by their silken threads. Nep. decentella is very closely allied to WV. sericopeza, but is a larger and duller coloured insect ; my caught specimen of JV. sericopeza (taken June 28th, 1863, at Lewisham) is far brighter than any of my bred specimens of WN. decentella. A notice of the larva of WV. sericopeza, discovered by Colonel Goureau in the seeds of Acer platanoides, will be found in the Entomo- logist’s Annual for 1864, p. 170. With him the seeds attacked by the larve fell from the tree the middle of June, and he bred the perfect insect at the end of that month and beginning of July. The dates of my breeding NV. decentella, in 1865, were from June 21st to July 1st. So here we have two dAcer-feeding species of the genus Nepticula, both with abnormal habits, yet differing in habit very much from each other ; it is a subject which is very far from being exhausted at present. Lewisham: June, 1867. 30 [July, | ON SOME PECULIARITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEMIPTERA- HETEROPTERA. BY J. W. DOUGLAS. (Continued from Vol. vi., p. 272, and Vol. dii., p. 201.) 2nd.—Abnormal structure of elytra and wings. The irregular development of the elytra among the Heteroptera is SO common an occurrence that it could not fail to obtain the attention of writers on the Hemiptera. By some of them the apterous examples of Velia currens were deemed to be a species distinct from the winged ones. By others the examples of various species that are apterous or have rudimentary elytra have been considered as larve or pupe endowed with procreative powers; and Curtis even supposed that such imperfectly developed organs indicated a state of existence analogous to that of the pseudimago of the Hphemeride, although no pellicle, as in that case, was ever known to be cast off by apterous Hemiptera. All these theories are inconsistent with the facts that individuals destitute of elytra and wings never attain these organs; that in others the proportion of development of the elytra in any case attained is final ; and that, in all instances, the insects are in all other respects perfect and adult, and perform every function of their existence. It is true that in apterous or semi-apterous forms the thorax (especially the pronotum) is less robust and often differs in outline, the reason being doubtless the smaller size of the alary muscles; but this in no way interferes with the course of the insect’s life. The cause of this irregular development is obscure. Some authors have thought that great heat has an influence in perfecting the alary organs, and some of the instances adduced seem to favour this hypothesis. On the other hand, some species are apterous in all climates; in some the 2 is always semi-apterous ; and in those species where perfectly winged individuals rarely oceur they are found at the same time and place as those imperfectly developed, all being of the same brood, and subject to the same climatic influences. I remember at this moment that several winged examples of Velia currens, a state at all times searce, were captured in the peculiarly cold and wet autumn of 1866, one of them in Scotland. Rather, I think, should we consider the development or non-development of the organs of flight to be due to the elasticity of constitution (so to speak) inherent in species, whereby, under certain circumstances, some individuals assume the most perfect condition of which their species is capable, and so are enabled to fly away to keep up the vigour of the race by pairing with mates of a different brood, while the remainder are left to the chances and changes 1867.] 31 of their location. It may be added in favour of this view, that where one only of the sexes is fully winged, it is the male, which happens in analogous instances among the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. Indeed, the idea of a species includes that of an elasticity or power of variation within limits, such as this now before us, or in size, colour, or marking. The following enumeration shows the indigenous species in which the imperfect development has occurred, the parts of the elytra affected, the degree of the imperfection, and the approximate proportion of the individuals of a species in which the peculiarity has been noticed. 1.—Elytra and wings entirely wanting. Hydrometra Najas, De G. .........4.- 7} a) WeliaiCUrrens, PQUs.....0.cjn.0.ssseeesee ya HYDROMETRINA almost the only form. Microvelia pygmea, L. Duf.......... i) | Limnobates stagnorum, Lin. ..,......... LIMNOBATINA. y) 2.—Clavus wanting, or not distinguishable. Coriwm rudimentary or shortened Membrane absent or merely rudimentary. Wings wanting. Myrmus miriformis, Fall.................5 the usual form ............ CorREINA. Pithanus Markeli, H. Schf. ........... almost the only form.) Sphyrops ambulans, Fall., 2 ...... Byrsoptera caricis, Fall., 2 ......... ; thevenly- form. Globiceps dispar, Boh., 2 ..............the usual form. Systellonotus triguttatus, Lin., ?.. r ee Agalliastes saltitans, Fall....... ... | | » Wilkinsoni, Doug. § Scott a the only form. Orthocephalus mutabilis, Fall., 9° f saltitans, Hah, 2... Zy gonotus pselaphiformis, Westw. ? +- the only form. 3 elegantulus, Birens., 2 i Temnostethus pusillus, H. Schf. ... Piezostethus rufipennis, D. Duf. ... Acanthia lectularia, Lin. ............... ..the only form. J Myrmedobia coleoptrata, Fall.. 9 >) } |. ANTHOCORINA. ‘ the usual form. | | = Metastemma guttula, Fab. ...... Mab limbatus, Dahle: ‘ the only form. ; REDUVINA. 3.—Clavus mostly narrowed. Corium abbreviated, truncate or rounded posteriorly. Membrane wanting or merely rudimentary. Wings wanting or rudimentary. Pyrrhocoris apterus, Din. ............... the only British form ..,.C@CIGENINA. Rhyparochromus antennatus, Schiil...the usual form. Hypnophilus micropterus, Cwrt. ......almost the only form. a hemipterus, Schill. ......the only form. \ LYGMINA. . Acompus rufipes, Wolf ............... | Ischnodemus sabuleti, Fall. ........ i the usual form. J By (July, Bryocoris pteridis, Fall. ......... ..... the usual form. Teratocoris dorsalis, Fieb. ............... almost the only form. Lopomorphus ferrugatus, Fall...... A) » dolobratae, im. ... L ieee Globiceps selectus, Fieb., 9 ......... | » favomaculatus, Fieb. oe) r Uae Idolocoris pallicornis, Mey. ............ occasional. Bothynotus Minki, Fieb., 9 ........... the only form. Eroticoris rufescens, Burm. ............almost the only form. Halticocoris pallicornis, Fab............. the only form. ) Coranus subapterus, De G. ......... } " Fab + almost the only form...... REDUVINA. 5 SEN OMerAIE Ss Jafri)! a daonaeo cotedesoe | » favomaryinatus, Scholtz...... J Nabis brevipennis, Hahn ............ Aphelocheirus eestivalis, Fab. ......... the usual form. .........,., APHELOCHEIRINA. 4.— Membrane alone rudimentary or not more than half developed. Calyptonotus pedestris, Panz. ......... the only form. Scolopostethus adjunctus, Doug. S Scott...the usual form. be affinis, Schill.......... “| Trapezonotus agrestis, Fall. ......... | a common form. rp LYGmINA. Tropistethus holosericeus, Scholtz... | | Rhyparochromus chiragra, Fab. | Plinthisus brevipennis, Lat. ............ the only form. } Stygnocoris sabulosus, Schill. ......... occasional. Mesovelia furcata, Muls...............006 the only form. .........++ HEBRINA. Wabis) dorsalis, Ge Dufe i. csceccncece ss a common form.,,.......... REDUVINA. 5.—Peculiar form of elytra. In the Section Lingidina the elytra are of a thin, homogeneous, reticulated texture throughout. In the genera Monanthia and Dictyo- nota, the division into parts analogous to clavus, coriwm, and membrane may be traced ; but in Agramma, Derephysia, Campylostira, and Orthos- tira, the distinction between coriwm and membrane is lost. In Agramma and Derephysia the elytra are much larger than the abdomen, and one overlaps the other posteriorly; whereas in Campylostira the inner margins do not meet in the middle of their length, and in one species (brachycera) the elytra do not overlap posteriorly, while in Orthostira they meet with a straight margin, and reach only a little beyond the abdomen, with the exception that one species (obscura) is occasionally found with elytra fully developed, as in the genera Monanthia and Dicty- onota. We may, therefore, fairly conclude that the ordinary rounded 1867.| 33 form of the elytra in the several species in this genus (and also in Campylostira brachycera) is only the result of an arrest of development, although the perfect form of some of the species is not known; and this view is strengthened by the fact that when the elytra are short the wings are wanting. Lee, April, 1867. Notes on the transformations of Limenitis Sibylla.—I am very much indebted to the kindness of Mr. Barrett, who most obligingly sent me, on the 14th of May last, several examples of the larva of this species to figure, varying from half-an-inch to their full growth of one inch and a-quarter in length. At first they ate the young and tender shoots of honeysuckle (Lonicera peri- clymenum), and then the lower leaves, re-ascending to the top of the bare stem to undergo the process of moulting, with the exception of one small larva, that spun the edges of a leaf together and moulted within it; they then ate their way down- wards as before, and kept on the sunny side of their food; they appeared to spin much silk along the stems during their career, and to partly secure the leaves by it in a suitable position to steady them during their repast, and, in consequence, their long spines in front became, in some of them, clogged and entangled or tied together by the silk in their twining process among the leaves, though they ap- peared never wholly to trust themselves from the stem, as their anal prolegs at least were always attached to it; and as they reposed along the spiral stem, or bent aside to feed, they were very elegant creatures, assuming the most graceful posi- tions. They seemed to like the sunshine, and when exposed to it, appeared to be active and hungry. In structure the body is of nearly equal width, the second and anal segments being the smallest, the divisions and transverse wrinkles well defined, the whole upper surface covered with transverse rows of minute, raised points, and on the third, fourth, and sixth segments, a pair of long, tapering, branched, sub-dorsal spines: similar pairs, but rather shorter, are on the eleventh and twelfth, while on each of the other segments, except the second, are a pair of very short similar spines, two minute pairs of them on the thirteenth; a row of exceedingly small spines are visible above the spiracles. The spiracular region distended, forming a projecting ridge below, armed with very short branched spines; a row of short simple spines above the feet, and a ring of them round each proleg, and on the ventral surface of each segment a central transverse row of them. The head has the crown elevated, and face slightly convex, the whole surface covered with raised points and simple obtuse spines, with a longer and sharper pair on the crown. In colour the back is of a bright full green, blending gradually into a paler tint at the sides: the minute raised points yellowish; a white spiracular stripe conspicuous from the sixth to the anal segments, with a central yellow blotch on each segment; the edging of branched spines white, beautifully relieved by a crimson or red-brown stripe beneath, beginning on the sixth, or generally the seventh, and ending on the tenth segment. 34 fJuly, The ventral surface bluish-green at the divisions, and grass-green across the centre of each segment, and whitish-green on the two or three last segments; the prolegs tipped with pinkish. ° The head pale pinkish or greenish, with a crimson or brown stripe on each side of the face, the mouth pink, and mandibles black, the whole face thickly studded with yellowish obtuse spines, with a few black ones, the longest pair on the crown black. The sub-dorsal spines reddish, and crimson at their tips, where they are branched with black, and below they are yellowish. When full fed it becomes rapidly paler, and then suspends itself by the anal prolegs to a stem of the honeysuckle or other surface, and hangs with its body downwards in a sinuous curve, with its head bent a little upwards facing the ab- domen, and remains motionless for three days, becoming whitish on the abdomen, and remaining very pale green on the thoracic segments. In the course of the third day, the creature seems to wake up, unbends its head, swings itself to and fro a few times, then stretches itself downwards in a- long attenuated line, which causes a rupture of the skin close to the head, which is seen slowly to ascend, exposing the bare and soft shining parts below, from which a flat and forked pair of horns grow out perceptibly as one beholds this won- derful process ; the skin continues to glide slowly upwards, and as the soft parts become exposed, they are seen to swell out laterally, and assume the very singular projections of the chrysalis, the skin of the old head gliding up the belly marks the progress of the disclosure, as the colour of the old and new surfaces are at this time alike but the new rather more shining and semi-transparent: occasionally during the bulging out of the soft parts, a kind of convulsive heave or two occurs, but otherwise it remains still until the creature is uncovered as far as the ninth or tenth segment, it then curves its anal extremity by a sudden twist laterally, and in a moment dexterously withdraws the tip of the anal segment from the prolegs by an opening on the back of the skin at that part; at this critical moment one has time to see that the naked shining point is furnished with black hooks, and to ex- pect its fall, but in another moment it has forcibly pressed the curved tip with its hooks against the stem close to its previous attachment of the anal prolegs, which has proved strong enough for the occasion. The creature now seems endowed with wonderful power and vigour ; it swings boldly to and fro, and undulates itself as if to gain longer swings, when presently the old skin that remains is seen to burst away and fall off, the chrysalis gradually becoming quiescent. The entire metamorphosis, from the first waking to the last movement, occu- pying nearly seven minutes. The chrysalis is very angular, and its wing-cases very projecting ; the dorsal surface of the thorax rises to a prominent ridge, and a little beyond it is a flat, round, and very projecting process; on the back and from thence to the anal tip, the abdomen is slightly sinuous, and therefore hangs a little on one side; two flat forked processes project from the head. Its colour at first is a greenish- white, but it gradually darkens, and in a few days the thorax and wing-cases are deep olive-green, the centre of the back of the abdomen bright apple-green, its tip and underside being dark brown, which forms on the back a broad band, including 1867.) 35 the flat circular prominence at its termination. The hare’s-ear-like projections at the head are also dark brown; the nervures of the wings can be seen distinctly, the portions that at first appeared quite white have now been transmuted into metallic adornments, a brilliant golden streak divides the brown colour from the green of the wings, commencing on each side the back of the thorax, and a spot on each side the tip of the tail; three silvery spots decorate the underside of the abdomen, and the head and its prominences are embellished both above and beneath with similar spots and streaks.—W™a. BuckLEeR, Emsworth. Limenits Sibylla bred.—To-day, a beautiful and large g specimen of Limenitis Sibylla has made its appearance, only nineteen days having elapsed since its suspension as a larva, and sixteen since its transformation to a chrysalis.—Ib. Note on the natural situation of the pupa of Limenitis Sibylla.—Wishing to ascertain the situation selected for the change in their natural state, I visited Woolmer Forest again on Friday, 14th inst., and, in the course of several hours’ search, found four pupa and two suspended larvee. Of these, five were spun up to leaves of honeysuckle, and one to a leaf of Rhamnus frangula growing contiguously ; and in every case were firmly suspended to a button of silk on the underside of the midrib. Although I searched carefully, I could not find a single specimen attached to a stem or branch.—Cuas. G. Barrett, Haslemere, June 16th. Variety of Thecla rubi.—Yesterday I took such a singular specimen of the green hair-streak, that I think it is worth recording. The upper wings, which are usually of an uniform brown, were banded with a beautiful pale irregular edged bar.—B. Pirrarp, Morlaix, Brittany, May 18th, 1867. Early appearance of Colias Edusa.—When I was at Northfleet a few days ago, I heard, upon good authotity, that a worn female of Colias Edusa had been taken on the railway bank there on the 2nd inst. This is very early I think. I myself took a specimen on the 30th June, 1859—a very large male—in splendid condition, with iridescent under-wings.—Howarp VauGHAN, Kentish Town, 12th June, 1867. Early appearance of Colias Edusa.—On the 1st of June, whilst rambling on the coast near Sheerness, I was rather startled at a yellow butterfly flying quickly by me. I gave chase, and soon found that it was a very fine male of the above species ; but, having only a sweeping net with me, I could not capture him. It was a glorious hot day, and the sloping bank was just the place this species would frequent. Cynthia cardwi was very abundant; but, as most were in bad order, I presumed they were specimens that had hybernated. Some years ago I noted Colias Edusa flying near Gravesend about the 8th or 10th of June. —SAMUEL Srevens, 6, Holland Place, Brixton Road, June 12th, 1867. Lasiocampa quercts versus callune.—In your last number Mr. Hellins says that Mr. Birchall tells us that only “callune” occurs in Ireland. I think this is an error, for, as far as 1 can make out, Mr. Birchall merely says that “ callwne var.” is the only form he has met with ; at all events, I can assert that the other form, quercts, 36 {July, does occur in Ireland, for some years ago I captured three specimens near Queens- town, and saw many more on the wing, and I have still an example in my cabinet. I, after some years’ attention to the subject, am inclined to believe that quercis and callwne@ are only forms of one variable species. I have this season pupe from Staffordshire, which have been lying by all the winter. The imagos are now appearing, and of six individuals which have already emerged, one of them is certainly the form called quercts, and differs in no respect from those that only passed about a month as pupx, bred some seasons ago, from Cambridgeshire.—F rrp. Bonn, Adelaide Road, 15th June, 1867. Aberration of Ephyra punctaria.—On May 8th, I captured, in Coombe Wood, a specimen of E. punctaria (a species which is tolerably common there), having a very faint trace of the central line on the left fore-wing, but none whatever on the right.—G. B. Lonestarr, Southfields, Wandsworth, 8.W. A Micropteryzx at light.—On the 8th of May, I took a specimen of M. subpur- purella on a gas-lamnp. I always thought, before this, that the species of the genus in question only flew in the sunlight. It may be worth while to remark, that it was avery good night for lamp- collecting ; and that, among other things, I got a fine male 8. illustraria, and a worn Aglossa cuprealis.—Ib. Occurrence of a Bucculatrix (B. artemisiella) new to Britain.—Towards the middle of June, 1865, I paid a visit to Folkestone, with the hope of obtaining Crambus rorellus, a rarity which my friend Mr. Sidebotham had previously been fortunate enough to discover in that locality ; but on the occasion of my visit a prevailing “sou’-wester” prevented alike any Lepidopteron from showing even its palpi, and the collector from using a net, so that after a seemingly wasted day I returned home with a solitary little larva which I had found upon a yarrow leaf as the result of the day’s work. This minute larva, a day or two afterwards, gratified me by spinning a shuttle-shaped cocoon, and in due time—a week or two—there emerged a perfect little Bucculatrix, which, after the setting process, was deposited, together with its cocoon, in a collecting-box, and——forgotten. The other day, stumbling upon them (the cocoon and moth), I placed them in my friend Mr. Stainton’s hands, and he considers that they belong to Bucculatrix artemisiella of Wocke, a species not hitherto recorded as British.—H. G. Knaces, Kentish Town, May 3rd, 1867. Capture of Sericoris ewphorbiana and other Lepidoptera at Folkestone.—About a week ago, I spent a very pleasant day at Folkestone, in company with my friends, Dr. Knaggs and Mr. Gibson. The weather was fine, and we were lucky enough to capture, among other things, above a dozen examples of Sericoris euphorbiana. They were flying among spurge very briskly in the afternoon sunshine, and, owing to their activity, were not very easy to catch. At the same time and place we took a score or so of Catoptria (?) microgrammana amongst rest-harrow, besides other Tortrices, such as Penthina gentianana, Ephippiphora scutulana and trigeminana, Dicrorampha plumbagana, Eupecilia rupicola, Chrosis tesserana, and Argyrolepia Dubrisana, the appearance of some of which is certainly early, unless they be double-brooded. | ; ) 1867.) 37 The “plumes” were represented by Pterophorus bipunctidactylus, a stray fuscodactylus, parvidactylus, and microdactylus, the latter in abundance among hemp-agrimony. The only Eudorea was a large pale variety of EH. pyralella, which was pretty common. Pyrausta ostrinalis and Herbula cespitalis also occurred, the former being by no means scarce. We did not notice many Tineina; Gelechia terrclla, Elachista cygnipennella, and, of course, rufocinerea, and Plutella cruciferarum, Glyphipteryx Fischeriella, swarming on grasses, were about all we saw in the perfect state. We met with cases of Coleophora anatipennella on sallow, and larve of G. hippophiella in terminal shoots of sea buckthorn. As for Macros, they were decidedly scarce, but a few Setina wrrorella, a stray Acidalia ornata, and two or three Melanthia ocellata, occurred. The larve of Odonestis potatoria might have been gathered literally by pints, and we secured three or four of Lithosia complana, and, after a good deal of working, a very few larve and pupe of Tapinostola Bondii.— J. L. Courticr, Camden Town, 14th June, 1867. Occurrence of Pedisca oppressana.—On the 12th and 13th inst. I visited Edmonton, and had the pleasure of boxing about a dozen specimens of this local Tortrix in the locality wherein my friend, Mr. Piffard, rediscovered it some years ago.—H. G. Knaaas, Kentish Town, June, 1867. New locality for Eupecilia ambiguana.—I have had the good fortune to capture several specimens of this beautiful species in Tilgate forest. They were beaten out from undergrowth.—E. G. MEEK, la, Paradise Row, Old Ford, E., June, 1867. Early appearance of Argyrolepia Dubrisana.—I captured two specimens of Argyrolepia Dubrisana on a railway embankment, near Tunbridge Wells, on Saturday last, May 25th. Surely this is unusually early, as I find July and August are given in Mr. Stainton’s Manual as the months in which this insect appears. Can there be two broods >—THOMAS DE GREY, 23, Arlington Street, Piccadilly, W., June Ist, 1867. *,* Several instances have lately occurred of precocious appearances of several of the Tortricina ; on the 1st June I saw Xanthosetia hamana and a very wasted Lozopera Smeathmanniana: a few days previously I was even more sur- prised to see an extremely wasted female of Cataclysta lemnata, it looked as if it must have been out several weeks.—H. T. 8. Note on Catoptria aspidiscana.—At page 16, No. 37, Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, my friend Mr. Hodgkinson’s note makes it appear that our new Catoptria had been worked out by me, when the credit of determining its specific position should have been given to Mr. Doubleday, who not only compared some of my specimens with veritable continental specimens in his Huropean Collection, but also most kindly presented me with a foreign type of C. aspidiscana for comparison ; I therefore feel it a duty incumbent upon me to say I am not entitled to the credit my friend would give me.—C. S. Greason, Liverpool. 38 (July, Captures at Witherslack, including the new British Tortrix and a new Plume.— On the 19th May I paid my first visit this season to this locality. The day was everything one could desire—calm, hot, and close until after sunset; just one of . those days that the entomologist should stick at it and persevere, however hard and oppressive the labour. The following day was cold and stormy, and was almost a blank. My captures may be enumerated as follows :— Eupithecia thdigata, 2; Thera variata, 3; Cabera exanthemata, 1; Cidaria corylata, 1; Psychoides verhuellella, a score or more of pup ; Lithosia complanula, 3 larve; Penthina ochromelana, 2; P. carbonana, 1; Eriopsela quadrana, 3; Cnephasia musculana, 1; Clepsis rusticana, 12; Phowopterye siculana, 2; P. wncana, 6; P. myrtillana, 2; Coscyx vacciniana, 6; Catoptria aspidiscana, 1, this is a new species to our lists [see ante, p. 16]; Hupecilia ruficiliana, 12; Psyche roboricolella, 6 cases; Tinea bistrigella, 2; Micropteryx Allionella, 12 ; Swammerdamia comptella, 2; Gelechia junctella, 1 hybernated; G. longicornis, 2; Pancalia Lewenhéekella, Perittia obscurepunctella, 4; Gracilaria awroguttella, 2; G. straminéella, 1; Ornia scoticella, 2; O. torquillella, 4; O. betule,1; Coleophora virgawree, 6; C. alcyoni- pennella, 12 cases on knapweed; C. pyrrhulipennella, cases on heath; C. murini- pennella, cases on grass [? Lugula, H.T.8.]; Elachista Kilmunella, 4; Glyphipterya Haworthana, 6; Lithocolletis coryli, 2; L. ulmifoliella, 8; L. emberizepennella, 1 ; L. Frilichiella, 2; Nepticula aucuparie, 6; and Pterophorus Hodgkinsoni, Gregson (a new species) 8 specimens. : I may as well observe that Catoptria aspidiscana has only been quite recently determined, although I have taken specimens for the last five years. Of the plume, I took three specimens in 1863 ; it appears to be a very early species, and this may perhaps account for my not meeting with it since 1863, as I seldom go there so early in the season. Any one who has been in the habit of looking at plumes may readily see the difference when the insect is at rest. Four of the specimens are very fine; I have obtained a few eggs. The species is closely allied to P. Léwet.— J. B. Hopexrnson, 31, Christchurch Street, Preston, May 22nd, 1867. Note on Pterophorus isodactylus.—Twenty years ago, P. isodactylus was common in a small alder swamp near Teignmouth : this was fed by a little stream running from Haldon, a heathy moor about a mile distant from it. It was about an acre in extent, and underneath the alder-trees grew sorrel and the golden saxifrage, whilst near them were what might be almost called small thickets, formed by tall plants of Eupatorium cannabinum, Epilobium hirsutum, and Equisetum telmateia, with the marsh-thistle towering up amongst them. It was in these fastnesses that the plumes took shelter. There were also Senecio aquaticus, Caltha palustris, Cardamine pratense, Lychnis flos-cucubali, and Sparganiwm ramoswm, scattered through the bog, besides rushes and sedges, and a few occasional stragglers from the heath above, such as Anagallis tenella, Wahlenbergia, and Pedicularis, amongst the grass and Sphagnwm, which formed rather a treacherous footing. The other marsh insects of the locality besides the plume were Nudaria senew, Leucania impura and conigera, Eudorea pallida, and Orthotelia venosa. The swamp is now entirely drained, ploughed, and the land planted with cabbages, nor is there any spot resembling it in the whole course of the stream. 1867. ] ' 39 But there was no plant lost to the neighbourhood by the drainage ; the Hupatoriwm is especially abundant in other localities, but microdactylus is its only plumed inhabitant. The figure in Wood’s Index was published before ever we knew of this locality, and I know nothing of the Orkney habitat recorded in the Manual. It may be suspected, however, that isodactylus might be found in many other spots in South Devon if thoroughly searched for.—R. C. R. Jorpan, Birmingham, Larva of Pterophorus isodactylus.—This larva has been discovered near Rotterdam by M. Snellen von Vollenhoven. It feeds in the stems of Senecio nemorensis. Several bred specimens of the perfect insect have been submitted to Professr Zeller, so that there can be no question of the identity of the species.— H. T. Srarnron, Mountsfield, Lewisham, 8.E., May 23rd, 1867. The Irish locality for Pterophorus isodactylus.—At the request of Dr. Jordan, I add to his communication a notice of the Irish locality for Pterophorus isodactylus. It occurs abundantly in July and August, on the bog which lies between the Town Lodge and the precipitous base of Cromaghlan Mountain, near Killarney, The moth appears to be confined to the dry and somewhat elevated margin of the bog, and my attention was first attracted to the insect by disturbing it in gathering a handful from a magnificent clump of the white variety of Calluna vulgaris. I have not been on the ground since, and can throw no light on the food-plant of the larva. I doubt, however, its being attached to any bog plant, as I did not see a specimen except at the elevated bank amongst the ling. The date of the last capture was August 10th. At the western end of this bog is an oak copse, which Bouchard pointed out to me as the place where he had taken Ophiodes lunaris at sugar.—EDWIN BircHaLl, Bradford, May 18th, 1867. Further notes on the larva of Pterophorus hieracit—I was again at our forest on Saturday last, and at first had some trouble in finding the larvee of Pt. hieracit ; but I soon found out how they feed. When I first found them they had not changed their first skins, and were sitting on the top of the leaves. After the first moult, they ab once go down the stem until they get to within about an inch and a-half of the bottom, and then eat the stem just half way through, causing the parts of the plant above where it is bitten to bend down, and soon to become half dead and very soft ; on this part the larva feeds, and as the plant getting only a small supply of sap is not able to grow up, the neighbouring plants, in two or three days, overtop’ ib and cover it up, so that one cannot see it till one looks well for it under the other plants. One plant supplies food enough for a single larva ; for as soon as the bent part is eaten the larva is full fed, and it then descends to just below where it had bitten the stem half through, which is very short and stiff, and attaches itself by the tail, and changes to pupa with its head downwards. It will be perceived what a clever little fellow this larva is; for, in the first place, by stopping the’ growth of the food-plant, and allowing the neighbouring \ 40 . (July, plants to shoot above it, it has at once a snug place of concealment; and then the upper part of the plant being bent down, or inverted, while the larva still attaches itself to what was the upper side of the leaf, it is effectually protected from rain (for none of these plume larve, I think, like wet); and, lastly, when it is full grown, a very stiff short stem of its own preparing, nicely covered over so that the wind cannot disturb it, is ready for it to affix itself to before becoming a pupa.— N. Greenine, Warrington, May 20th, 1867. *,* JT have this day (14th June) reared the perfect Pt. hieracii from larvee with which Mr. Greening most kindly supplied me.—H. G. K. Notes on variation in Lepidoptera.—Having read with much interest the articles on variety-producing, I am induced to offer a few observations. As to the action of light producing variation in a state of nature, either through the larval or pupal stages, I cannot subscribe to it. Practically, it is well known that, as a rule, most larve retreat from light instinctively ; and as for pups, unless they be “ surface changers,” light cannot affect them. As for length of time passed by the insect in the pupal state making any difference in the future imago, my experience is decidedly opposed to it. I have been a “ forcer,” and to a very large extent, some thirty years, but, out of thousands of ‘‘ short-timers,” have never reared any varieties. Last year, a man who collects for me got a second brood of A. Caja, but there was no variation; another had several broods in rapid succession of N. plantaginis, and also of E. russula, but no varieties; and treble broods of S. lwnaria produced nothing out of the ordinary way, Another had treble broods of A. subsericeata, which begat mancuniata, because they were “hungered ” into dwarfs, some of them no larger than osseata. In fact, all my observations have tended to one point, viz.,—that variation is caused by disease, brought on mainly, if nov wholly, by starving the larva, which causes the bulk of varieties to be more or less crippled. Last year I looked over an immense number of V. urtice, bred by a good feeder, and there was not a variety amongst them ; while another man had got what they call a swarm, and let them starve or eat the band-box in which they were kept, if they would, and out of the sur- vivors he bred a good many buff varieties, others with strong black nervures through the wings, others wanting the two spots entirely. Indeed, I got more varieties from that one man than I had ever seen before. I questioned him only yesterday, and he said there were a great many cripples among them. Again, another friend had a lot of betularia eggs; the larvee were feeding up well, when he had occasion to go from home, and when he returned he found a number of them dead, and the rest all apparently too weak to change to pupa. He put some soil in the box, and they managed to wriggle in, and some forty odd changed, which produced twenty black males and twenty intermediate (half-mourning) females. Respecting S. illustraria, I have never bred it myself, but a friend of mine at Cockermouth reared a large number; a second brood was delunaria, and a third brood was deltmaria. .I have had cllustraria from Perthshire, and have seen Norwegian specimens; but I never saw delunaria from either of these places, though the same transformation may go on as at Cockermouth. I hardly think that the “long term” principle has anything to do with variation. 1867. Al As for food, it is a more complex affair. If one looks at A. agathina and porphyrea, A. myrtilli, C. Haworthii, and other heath-feeders, they seem made up of heather stalks and flowers ; and the members of the genus Retinea carry a very ‘similar appearance to the pine shoots in which their larvee feed. Perhaps geolo- gical influences on the vegetation may cause such differences as we meet with in Sciaphila Penziana, in which species the Cornwall and Westmoreland specimens are similar, while those from the Isle of Man are slate-coloured, and the Scotch (Colquhownana) again are more suffused than the Irish ones. I scarcely think that varieties can be produced by substituting other than the regular food ; but I am quite aware of having seen a fine series of the “currant- moth” (A. grossulariata), which had been fed up on lettuce, and had departed from the common type. But what were the parents like ? I have no doubt that in currant moths the various forms become hereditary. They and “tigers” (A. Caja) and “ermines” are almost like domesticated animals, and will live upon what is set before them.—J. B. Hopekrnson, Preston. Note on retardation of the pupal stage in Lepidoptera.—The gentlemen who have done me the honour to criticise my passing remarks on variety-breeding appear to credit me with the paternity of the assertion that variation in the imago may be caused by retarding or cutting short the duration of the pupal stage. I have already stated that this is not my own original idea. Any one desiring further information on the subject, will find papers to the point, by distinguished authors, interspersed among the Entomological literature of the Continent. For example, in the French “Annales” for 1858, p. 301, the late Mons. Bellier de la Chavignerie remarks to the following effect :—“ One day a “friend of mine brought me several Vanessa urticw, which, owing to the wings “being excessively dark and adorned with large, intensely black spots, immediately “excited my admiration: he assured me that these remarkable specimens had been “reared from backward larve collected by him in the autumn, and that he had “delayed the appearance of the perfect insect by keeping the pupa in an ice- “house.” It seems to me, therefore, that, rather than discuss the question at the present time, it would be better to set about investigating this interesting matter patiently and practically —H. G. Knaces, May 11th, 1867. A day’s collecting at West Wickham Wood.—On the 8rd of this month I paid a visit to West Wickham Wood, with my friend Mr. G. B. Longstaff. The weather presented a lovely contrast to that of the previous fortnight, and the sun shone brightly ail day from a nearly cloudless sky. Proceeding from Croydon towards the little village of Addington, we examined a great extent of fence, in the hope of—but alas! without—taking carmelita. The lovely “prominent ” was not to be found; indeed the fence was unusually bare, and nothing fell in our way beyond X. lithorhiza, E. nanata, and T. punctulata. After a brief halt at the little Addington inn, we struck into the wood, where F. atomaria, already well out, was enjoying the sunshine among the heather. An occasional specimen of L. petraria was to be beaten from the brushwood; and a Drepana—to all appearance falcataria—con- AQ (July, trived to elude us. The next thing that fell in our way was L. lobulata, seated on — a huge fir tree. And now, getting well into the midst of the larger birch trees, we found fresh and beautiful examples of T. punctulata by no means rare. Here, too, were some little Eupithecie: nanata, abbreviata, and pumilata. At the foot of a =" es large lime tree was seated T. piniperda. The metallic Micropteryges were darting — busily around the birch twigs—sub-purpurella being most abundantly represented ; while freshly-emerged specimens of L. faginella reposed on the trunks of the beech — trees. Here, too, on fir, was T. crepuscularia, so sluggishly tenacious of its hold © that some manceuyring was necessary to get it into a box. A large Bombya careered madly among the birches, giving us just enough of a glance to suggest the idea of versicolora. The hot sunshine meanwhile lured various reptiles from — their concealment, and two large vipers appearing suddenly in our path, we slew them for the benefit of Coleopterists. Numbers of lizards were also to be seen darting to their refuges as we approached; and, besides these, we met with the common English snake, the blindworm, and a third viper, which we missed. Returning along the fence, we found a number of Coleophora cases, some already containing pupe, and a few common Tinew, such as G. Swederella and H. rufo-cinereda. ; Reaching home, I found a lovely A. berberata, the third I have bred this year, waiting to be placed upon the setting-board. The season, so far, appears to be an early one; and the species of Lepidoptera—as far as my experience goes—are very well represented.—J. B. Bhackpurn, Grassmeade, Southfields, S.W., May, 1867. A visit to Ailsa Craig.—Some friends of mine have just visited Ailsa Craig, and one of them (Mr. Coutts) has brought me back three kinds of caterpillars. The first, a geometra, evidently Abrawas grossulariata, was found in plenty, feeding, as my friend assures me, on Cotyledon umbilicus! There are no gooseberry or currant bushes on the rock. The next, a small larva of one of the Lithoside (probably of Nudaria), was in profusion on the bare stones, with no vegetation, excepting smooth lichens, near them. The other, a single larva of one of the Noctwina, but it was in a dying state when I saw it, and too far gone for hazarding any guess as to its identity. A pupa of one of the Hepialide was also found. The rock, which is eleven miles from the land, was not well examined, for, during the whole time (two nights) that the party were on it, the weather was very bad.—T. CHAPMAN, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, June 10th, 1867. Capture of Telephorus Darwinianus, in the South of Scotland.—This Tele- phorus, hitherto only taken at Aberlady, near Edinburgh, was yesterday cap- tured under turf at the side of the Solway near the mouth of the Nith. ‘The pinkish-yellow pupa was also abundant in the turf, close to the high water mark. T also captured, at the same time, Phedon concinnum, Erirhinus bimaculatus, two or three large species of Dyschirius, the small Heterocerus sericans (?) of Crotch’s Catalogue, several specimens of a large Bledius, Anchomenus atratus, &c., &e.— W. R. McNas, M.D., Southern Counties Asylum, Dumfries, 17th May, 1867. 1867.) 43 Ar edie ty. CoLroPreroLociscHe Herre. Part I; edited by Baron E. v. Harold, Munich (London, Longmans). This new publication may briefly be described as a German “ Abeille.” It is 8vo in size, and the first part contains 84 pages (price 2s.), the contents being, 1, a paper on Canthidium (Coprophaga) and its allies, with descrip- tions of 41 species, by the Editor; 2, Entomological Notes by Dr. Schaufuss, being an addition to his ‘ Monographie der Sphodrinen ” (pub. in the Dresden Isis, 1865), containing descriptions of a new genus (Morphnos) and two new species; 3, descrip- tions of five new species of Leptusa, from the Apennines and Pyrenees, by Dr. Scriba; 4, notes on the synonomy of Gymnoplewrus mundus and G. fastiditus, by the Editor ; and, 5, Diagnoses of 25 new species of exotic Coprophaga, also by the Editor. It appears that there will be from 4 to 6 parts every year. We wish this new venture every success. General Anformation. The Entomological Club.—The annual dinner will take place on Wednesday | the 8rd of July, at the “Bull Inn,” Birch Wood Corner. Mr. E. Newman in the Chair. Tickets 16s. each. Hammerschmidt redivivus. —Since 1834, and until recently, there appeared in the list of Honorary Members of the Entomological Society of London, the name of Hammerschmidt of Vienna, who published many valuable memoirs, especially on gall insects, and entomological anatomy and physiology. During the troublous times in Austria about the year 1848, this gentleman seemed to disappear from the scientific world; and about six years since, as no information could be obtained as to his being still alive, the name was erased, and the place filled up. Within the last month, the Society has been somewhat startled at receiving from Paris a card bearing the name of “Dr. Abdullah Bey, Chevalier de ordre du Medjedié, Lt. Colonel et Médecin @’ Etat-Major, Constantinople,” and adding that he was formerly known as Dr. Hammerschmidt, of Vienna. Thus an enigma has to be solved. Being reasonably supposed to be dead, his position as Honorary Member was cancelled, and another gentleman (we do not say more worthily) occu- pies it. Which of the twain is now entitled to the honour ? The late Rev. Hamlet Clark, M.A., F.L.S.—With great sorrow we record the decease of this gentleman, at the early age of 44. Indefatigable in collecting, possessed of an earnest love for Entomology, and uniting an innate rapidity of perception to a capability of unwearied application, Mr. Clark has long and worthily stood in the first rank of Coleopterists, who have judeed lost in him at once a courteous friend, and a persevering fellow-labourer. Of him it may most truly be said, that he was not only pre-eminently energetic himself, but the constant cause of energy in others. As far as regards the limited field of British Entomology, Mr. Clark will long be remembered as one of that band of pioneers which cleared a starting point for us out of the confusion of older authors; and it is by his labours in the Hydrade- phaga, Phytophaga, and certain groups of the Rhynchophora, that the Coleopterists 44 i (July, _ of this country have chiefly benefited. His works, however, on exotic Phytophaga and Hydradephaga have procured for him an universal reputation ; his last published labour being the first part of a projected Catalogue of the Phytophaga of the world, which we had occasion to notice at p. 23 of our third volume. It is, perhaps, beyond the scope of such a notice as this to refer to private — matters ; but we may be pardoned for testifying that the same energy that prompted Mr. Clark in the cause of Entomology, urged him, and with a higher motive, to the unceasing discharge of his ministerial duties; so that, to those who knew him well (and he endeared himself by his amiability to all with whom he came in contact), the old simile of the sword wearing out its scabbard must inevitably recur. About two years ago, repeated and severe attacks of illness warned him (un- fortunately, too late) that he must take rest. He accordingly retired to Rhyl, in North Wales, where he died on the 10th of June, at an age when it is gererally supposed that our capability for mental and physical endurance is most mature. The passion for work ruled strongly in him to the end; for it is but a few weeks ago that he began collecting materials for a Brit. Mus. Catalalogue of Hydrade- phaga, being too weak to handle the larger boxes of exotic Phytophaga. Surely such ” an adherence to the text of “ work” is not without its significance. Some few years ago, Mr. Clark paid a short visit to Brazil, where he made valuable collections and observations. His ‘collection of exotic Phytophaga is almost unrivalled, as he spared neither labour nor money in its formation. We cannot at present state what will become of it: possibly (but let us hope not) it will meet the fate of dispersion that too frequently attends the accumulations of the devotion of a life, Correction of an Error.—With reference to Mr. Alfred E. Hudd’s note, Ent. Mo. Mag., iv., 16, the “Japan silkworm” alluded to by Captain Hutton in the paper read at the January meeting of the Entomological Society was not Bombyx Yamamai, but a mulberry feeder producing a green cocoon: see Proc. Hnt. Soc., 7th January, 1867.—-J. W. Dunnine, June, 1867. EntomotocicaL Society of Lonpon. June 3rd, 1867.—Sir Joun LusgBock, Bart., F.R.S., in the Chair, Mr. Pascoe exhibited a collection of beetles from Grahamstown, South Africa, which included several fine new species of Longicorns. Mr. Wood exhibited a peculiar race of the North American butterfly Vanessa Milberti, from British Columbia. Mr. Stainton read a letter, received from Professor Williamson, respecting a Tortrix which had occasioned great damage to the cotton crop in Upper and Lower Egypt, through boring into the seeds. The moth, of which he exhibited specimens, was Harias siliquana, which had always been considered a very scarce European species. Mr. Bond exhibited a Tortvix from Darenth Wood, apparently new to this country ;, also a singular variety of Adela De Geerella. Mr, Smith exhibited an old razor case, in one of the divisions of which was a collection of the cells of Odynerus quadratus ; from this nest he had bred ten males Se ae ee eS 1867. | 2 45 and four females, the latter appearing considerably after the others. He remarked also that, in allied insects, the number of males was generally in excess of the females. Prof. Westwood said that he had recently seen a nest of a bee formed _in the toes of a Mexican drinking vessel, formed in the shape of an imaginary quadruped. Mr. McLachlan remarked that he had recently found a considerable number of the males of the saw-fly Strongylogaster cingulatus. The females of this species were universally abundant on the young fern-tops, but the male was rarely met with. He alluded also to the apparent absence of males in many Tenthredinide ; e. g.,—Selandria stramineipes, the females of which are very common. Mr. Smith said that, during many years, he had only once found the males of the Strongylogaster. Mr. Stevens exhibited a Gordius which swarmed in his garden that morning after the heavy rain of the preceding night. He had been told that at the same time it was very abundant in Kent, twisting itself round the foliage of rose-trees ; and Mr. Weir stated that he had been informed of a similar occurrence having been observed in another part of the country.* The President exhibited a minute apterous Dipteron which he had found under bark in his grounds at Farnborough; he thought it was the Hpidapus venaticus of Walker’s work. Professor Westwood thought it might be identical with a species figured by De Geer. Prof. Westwood enquired if any Member had observed any constant difference of colour in the larvz of the sexes of Lepidoptera. Authentic information on this point is very desirable. BRITISH HEMIPTERA: ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. BY J. W. DOUGLAS AND JOHN SCOTT. (Continued from page 6.) Section 9.—CapsIna. Famity 3.—Miripa. Genus 24.—Teratocortis, Fieb. & Developed form. Elytra horizontal, longer than the abdomen; clavus with a flexible suture ; cuneus long, trapeziform, rounded at the apex, suture not flexible; membrane entire, with one long and somewhat oval cell ; sub-coriaceous next the cuneus, and reaching to the apex of the latter. ¢ Unknown. * At the Linnean Society, on the 6th June, living examples of this were exhibited which had been found at Epsom under similar circumstances, and it was mentioned that it bad occurred at many other places. Dr. Cobbold said it was the common Gordius aquaticus, and had apparently emerged from the ground in unusual numbers, owing to the heavy rain-fall, 46 (July, All the other characters as in the “ Europaischen Hemiptera,” p. 245, and “ Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine,” Vol ii., p. 248. As the insect described below appears to be the developed form of this curious genus, the characters originally laid down by Dr. Fieber in the “ Europaischen Hemiptera,” and by us in the “ Entomo- logists’ Monthly Magazine,” are not any longer strictly applicable. We, therefore, have to add the following, in order to make the charac- ters complete. Besides this, it seems probable that the genus will require to be removed from the Bicelluli and placed in the Division Unicelluli, as we can only observe a single cell in the membrane. For } the present, however, it is as well to leave it where it now is until a series of examples has been examined, in order to ascertain whether there is any variation in this respect. Species 1.—Trrarocoris vrripts, Douglas and Scott, pl. 1, fig. 2. Green, sparingly clothed with short, sub-erect, yellow hairs. Head—Black, somewhat shining. Crown with a yellow spot adjoining each eye behind the transverse channel. Face yellow, central lobe with a black streak down its centre. Antenne piceous, clothed with short darkish hairs; lst jomt greenish or greenish-yellow, with a broadish piceous streak on the outside, along its entire length ; 2nd reddish, apex narrowly piceous; 3rd and 4th piceous. Rostrum yellow, apex black. Thorax—Pronotum black, with two yellow spots in the middle, sides green, the colour widening out into a triangular form as it reaches the posterior margin. Seutellum black, within the basal angles a short brownish-yellow streak next the transverse channel. lytra green, finely shagreened. Clavus inner margin narrowly black. Membrane pale fuscous; cell greenish, sub-coriaceous next the cuneus ; cell nerve pale fuscous, with a narrow, darker margin exteriorly. Sternwm green or greenish-yellow. Mesosternwm in the centre black. Legs yellow, sparingly clothed with short darkish hairs. Lhighs of all the pairs inclined to reddish at the apex. Tibie at the base, especially the 3rd pair, narrowly black. Tarsi pale reddish-yellow; apical half of the 3rd joint black. Claws reddish-yellow. Abdomen underneath green, two or three of the apical segments greenish-yellow or yellowish. Length 2 lines. We have only seen a single example of this insect. It was taken 1867. | 47 by the Rev. T. A. Marshall, at Rannoch, and is the insect referred to by him as Globiceps (?) in his note on the Hemiptera of that place in the “ Ent. Mo. Magazine,” Vol. i1., p. 118. Famity 5.—DERxXOCcORID. Genus 1.—Derrxocorts, Kirschb. Species 84.—DERMOCORIS ALPESTRIS, pl. 1, fig. 3. Capsus PABULINUS, Meyer, Caps. 48, 7 (1843). CaLocoris aALPEsTRIS, Fieb., Europ. Hem., 253, 7 (1861). Green, or greenish-yellow, clothed with fine, depressed, yellowish hairs. Head— Antenne, 1st joint greenish or yellowish-green, the extreme base narrowly black; 2nd yellowish, apical half brown; 3rd and 4th brown, base of the former narrowly yellow. yes black. Rostrum greenish yellow, apex piceous. Thorax—Pronotum constricted in front, hinder angles slightly raised ; dise convex, deflected to the callosities, the latter connected in front by a short transverse band. Sewtellwm very convex, considerably raised above the clavus, with a slight central keel extending from the transverse channel to the apex. Elytra finely punctured throughout. Clavus flattish, convex between the inner margin and the nerve, from thence to the suture suddenly deflected. Corium almost flat at the base, slightly convex posteriorly. Mem- brane pale fuscous, anterior margin darker, inner marginal nerve piceous ; cell nerves yellow. Legs greenish-yellow, clothed with fine, short, yellow hairs. Thighs inclined to reddish at the apex. Tibie with fine, short, somewhat spinose, blackish hairs. Tarst brownish, 3rd joint darkest. Abdomen—Underneath greenish yellow. Length 45—5 lines. We have examples of this species from Mr. E. Brown, of Burton- on-Trent, who believes he captured them in the woods near there ; and from Mr. T. J. Bold, who took them at Gibside, in July. Famity 6.—LitosoMip 2. Genus 1.—Lirosoma, Douglas and Scott. ’ Species 1a.—Lrrosoma piapHanus, Kirschb. Capsus piapHanvs, Kirschb., 78, 97, and 145, 15 (1855). Capsus (Capsus) piapHANus, Flor, Rhyn. Liv. i. 613, 89 (1860). Or?THOTYLUS DIAPHANUS, Fieb., Europ. Hem., 290, 9 (1861). 4S {July, Somewhat elongate, anterior margins of the corium parallel. Very pale green or yellowish-green, shining, clothed with somewhat erect whitish hairs, which in certain lights have a pale brownish lustre. Antenne short, a little more than half the length of the body, thickly clothed with very short pale brown hairs; 2nd joint stout. Thighs, 1st pair on the underside with two rows of long, very fine, somewhat spinose hairs. Head—Antenne 1st and 2nd joints greenish or yellowish-green; 3rd and 4th pale greyish or brownish-yellow. yes black or pitchy- black. Rostrum yellowish-brown, tip black. Thorax—Pronotum callosities not divided, their posterior margin arcuate. Scutellum almost level with the clavus, flattish convex, the anterior portion as far as the trausverse channel not clothed with hairs. lytra diaphanous, longer than the abdomen, very finely but unevenly wrinkled transversely. Clavus deflected to the corium. Coriwm horizontal as far as the junction with the cuneus, which is deflected ; between the claval suture and the first nerve flat, from thence to the anterior margin rounded. Membrane very pale fuscous, iridescent ; cell nerves bright green. Legs pale greenish-yellow. Zibie yellowish, apex of all the pairs narrowly brown. Zursi brown. Abdomen underneath pale green, shining, clothed with fine, somewhat erect, whitish hairs. Length 1% line. Hitherto scarce. It has occurred at Lee and Eltham in August. Probably it may have been overlooked as ZL. viridinervis, but it may be easily separated from that insect by the shorter antenne, and especially the thicker 2nd joint. Famity 9.—GLOBICEPID. Genus 1.—Guosiceps, Fieb. Species 4.—GxoBicrrs pispar, Boh., pl. 1, fig. 4 ¢,4 9. For synonyms see the Ent. Mo. Mag., Vol. ii., p. 249. ?. Developed form. 2nd joint of the antenne (apical half) greatly incrassated, fusiform. Head—Antenne, 1st joint yellow, extreme base black; 2nd pitchy- black ; 3rd yellow, towards and at the apex piceous ; 4th piceous. Elytra longer than the abdomen. Clavus with a pitchy-black triangular patch below the scutellar angle not extending entirely across the disc, but leaving the suture pale. Cumeus pale, apex faintly pitchy. Length 14—1} line. 1867. | 49 All the other characters as in the @. In the undeveloped form the elytra are scarcely half the length of the abdomen, rounded at the apex, without a distinct clavus or cuneus. but in the former the pitchy-black patch is distinct. The membrane is rudimentary, and without cells. Abdomen above and beneath black and shining. Length 13 line. We are indebted to Mr. Bold, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, for both forms of this sex of this species. He found them together with the 3’s at the roots of grass on the sea coast near Hartley, Northum- berland, and also in a similar locality to that in which the Rev. T. A. Marshall found the specimens we have previously described. The insect agrees in every way with Dr. Flor’s description in the Rhyncoten Livlands, i., 472, 3, and thereby enables us to establish our G. ater, Ent. Mo. Mag , 248 (1866), as a distinct species. Famity 11.—Oncory.ipa. Genus 2—Macrocoteus, Fieb. Species 2—Macnrocorrevus sorpipvus, Kirschb. Capsus sorpipus, Airschb., Caps. 87, 116, and 150, 18 (1855). MacroconEus sorpipus, Fieb., Europ. Hem., 320, 5 (1861). Dusky-yellow, clothed with erect black hairs. Thighs with minute brown spots. Head—Antenne pale yellowish; 1st joint at the apex with one or two erect, somewhat spinose, black hairs; 2nd clothed with yellowish hairs. Rostrum brownish-yellow, tip piceous. Vhorax—Pronotum, in front and on the sides, rather greenish ; callosi- ties distinct. Scutellum almost level with the clavus, flattish convex, with a pale greenish central streak. Hlytra longer than the abdomen. Olavus with scattered deepish punctures. Coriwm not so deeply punctured as the clavus, interior margin pale greenish, apex with a brown patch between the claval suture and the Ist nerve. Membrane iridescent, fuscous ; between the apex of the euneus and the lesser cell-nerve a triangular white patch; cell nerves orange-yellow ; cells yellowish, the apex of both brown. Legs yellowish. Thighs, on the upper side, with a row of minute brown spots down the middle; 2nd and 3rd pairs, in addition, with a few scattered, minute, brown spots at the apex. Tibie with erect, somewhat spinose, black hairs. Tursi brownish-yellow ; 3rd joint black. 50 {August, Abdomen—Underneath greyish-yellow, clothed with depressed, white hairs. Length 15—1 line. Not uncommon at Darenth Wood and Mickleham on Origanwm vulgare ; by beating and sweeping in July. Famity 14.—Lyemws. Genus 5.-—Lyaus, Hahn. Species*.—Ly@us RUGICOLLIS. Ly@aus rue@icoiis, Fall., Mon. Cim. 76, 30 (1807). PHyYTOcORIS RUGICOLLIS, Fall., Hem. Suec. 79, 6 (1829). Capsus ruaicouiis, H. Schf., W. I. iii., 80, f. 299; Nom. Ent. 49 (1885) ; Sahklb., Geoc. Fen. 102, 23 (1848) ; Kirschb., Caps. 182, 55a (1855). Puyrocoris Mara@inata. Zett., Ins. Lap. 271, 5 (1839). Capsus (Capsus) RuGICOLLIS, Flor, Rhyn. Liv. i., 537, 38 (1860). PLESIOCORIS RUGICOLLIS FHieb., Europ. Hem. 272 (1861). Green or yellowish-green, clothed with exceedingly short pale hairs ; anterior margin of the coriwm yellow. Head—Shining. Crown witha central channel, hinder margin narrowly keeled. Antenne green or greenish-yellow; 2nd joint at the apex brown, 3rd and 4th brown, base of the former narrowly whitish or yellowish. Rostrum greenish, apex black. Thorac—Shining. Pronotwm: callosities jomed in front by a short transverse keel ; disc deeply punctured and coarsely wrinkled trans- versely. Scutellwm convex, raised above the clavus, finely wrinkled transversely. Hlytra not shining. Clavus very finely but un- evenly punctured, inner margin narrowly blackish. Coriwm very finely but unevenly punctured ; anterior margin yellow, the colour extending for a little way upon the dise. Mlembrane pale fuscous ; cell nerves green. Legs green or yellowish-green. Tibie at the apex narrowly blackish. Zarsi pale brownish, 3rd joint at the apex black. Abdomen— Underneath green, clothed with very fine pale hairs. Length 23 lines. We have only seen a single example, taken by Mr. F. Archer, of Liverpool, “ by sweeping on low-lying ground, just inland of the sand- hills at Formby and Crosby, end of August.” * Should stand before L. pabulinus in our work. 1867. | 51 After death the head, thorax, and scutellum become more or less yellow. The hairs on the corium are so very minute that they can only be seen in certain lights, appearing like atoms. Faminy 17.—Lopip2. Genus 1.—Lopus, Hahn. Species 1*.—Lopus suPERCILIOSUS. CIMEX suPERCcILIosuS, Lin., S. N. ii., 728, 85 (1767). Ly@aus arpomararnatvs, Fab., E. S. iv., 180, 164 (1794). Capsus aLBoMArGINATUS, Fub., S. R. 245, 24 (1803); Fall., Hem. Sneed) 117; 3) (1829). Puytocoris corurcus, Ab. b., Burm., Handb. ii., 272 (1885). Capsus (Capsus) coruicus, var., Flor, Rhyn. Liv. i. 480 (1860); [nec Lopus aLBomaRainatus, Hahn., Wanz. i. 140, t. 22, fig. 72 (1881); Hieb., Europ. Hem. 267, 1 (1861); neque PuHyTocoris aALBosrriatus (Alug) Burm., Handb. ii., 271, 21 (1835)]. Black, with black hairs, a line on the crown close to each eye, and the anterior margin of the coriwm only, yellowish-white ; sides of the abdomen beneath with a reddish line. Head—W ith erect hairs, the superior side of the orbit of the eyes with a distinct yellowish-white line. Antenne, 1st and 2nd joints, with projecting hairs. Thorax—Pronotum slightly convex, wholly deep black, with fine, dis- tant punctures and erect hairs. Seutelluwm black, smooth. Elytra fuscous-black throughout, except the coriwm narrowly yellowish- white on the anterior margin, the hairs few, short, prominent ; cuneus and membrane concolorous with the corium, next the anterior margin of the membrane a broad, darker shade, the small cell and the inner margin also darker. Wings fuscous, iridescent. Sternum and legs entirely black. Abdomen—Black, beneath with fine, short, projecting hairs; on each side an indistinct reddish line. | Length 3 lines. Differs from LZ. gothicus in being fuscous and not deep black, and in the absence of all lighter markings, except on the head, corium, and sides.of the abdomen underneath as stated. Linné’s description, J. ¢., applies perfectly to our insect :—“ Corpus nigrum, mediocre. Abdominis latera subtus utrinque ltura rufa Antenne longitudine corporis, apicem versus angustiores. Palpebra 52 [August, superior et elytrorum margo exterior alba.’”’ Fabricius’ description, J. c., also agrees, except that he says, “Thorax niger in altero sexu margine ~ rufo, in altero immaculato ;” but this may be correct if both sexes were examined. Fallén’s description is exact. Burmeister puts the insect as a var. of Ph. gothicus. Flor merely says that he has not found “the variety albomarginatus, Fabr., Fall.” Fieber quotes the foregoing names of Linné, Fabricius, and Fallen for his var. B of Lopus gothicus, but his description does not accord with our insect, for he says, “ Sides of the — pronotum only in front with a whitish streak, only the point of the scutellum orange.” It appears to us that our insect possesses sufficient characters to constitute a distinct species. We have never met with the species; but Mr. Dale has two or three examples, taken by himself at Middlemarsh Wood, near Glanvilles Wootton, Dorset, early in July. Species 2.—Lopus FLAVOMARGINATUS. Crmmx FLAVOMARGINATUS, Donov., Nat. Hist. Brit. Ins. vu, 79, pl. 245 (1798). Lopus Mites, Doug. & Scott, Brit. Hem. 476, 2, pl. 15, fig. 7 (1865). The species described by us, /. c., is, without doubt, that described and figured by Donovan; for although his description is accurate as far as it goes, it omits all mention of the yellow streaks on the head, and the rings on the thighs and tibixw; yet, as the omissions are made up by the figure, in which all these marks are represented, Donovan’s name must be substituted for ours. (To be continued.) NEW SPECIES OF INSECTS FROM THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY, NEW ZEALAND, COLLECTED BY R. W. FEREDAY, ESQ. co BY H. W. BATES, F.Z.S. So little is at present known of the Insect Fauna of New Zealand, that Entomologists have reason to feel greatly indebted to Mr. Fereday, formerly well known as a British collector, who, being now resident near Christchurch, in the Middle Island, is devoting his leisure hours to the observation of insects of all orders in his neighbourhood, and has sent home two very interesting collections to his old friends Messrs. Lynch and Knaggs, to whom I am indebted for the opportunity of examining them. They consist of a set of Coleoptera preserved in spirits, and a series of nearly all orders pinned, and in remarkably fine condition. ~ 1867.) 538 The following descriptions are those of the principal new species of Coleoptera and diurnal Lepidoptera ; the numerous species of moths and Trichoptera have yet to be examined. The Insect Fauna of New Zealand is said to be extremely poor. With respect to the diurnal Lepidoptera this is no doubt true; but it will require the exertions of many resident collectors, with the knowledge and ardour of Mr. Fereday, before we can come to any definite conclusion regarding the Coleoptera and other families and orders. The southern colonies of Australia are also extremely poor in butterflies, although it is now known they have an exceedingly rich Coleopterous Fauna. The butterflies sent home by Mr. Fereday comprise only six species,—Pyrameis Gonerilla (Fab.), Argyrophenga antipodum (Dbldy.), Chrysophanus Edna (Dbldy.) and Feredayi (n. sp.), Lycena Oxleyi (Felder), and LZ. Boldenarum (White). Amongst the Coleoptera are three Lucanide (one new), three Cicindele (one new), three Feronia, two interesting new genera described below, and many unexamined Heteromera and Curculionide. With regard to the relations of the Fauna with those of other countries, it would be premature to discuss this important question before possessing much more knowledge of the insect productions than we have at present. CHRYSOPHANUS FEREDAYI, n. sp. (Lepidoptera Khopalocera). C. Edne (Doubled.) simillimus; differt palpis antice griseo-albo et nigro hirsutis, alis posticis subtus brunneo nebulosis. ¢ 9. Similar in size, form, and colours to C. Hdna, but differs from all the varieties of that species in the palpi in front being clothed with whitish hairs mixed with black, instead of yellow hairs. The black marks of the upper surface are also larger and more confluent, and the under surface of the hind-wings is yellow, with a broad curved discal patch, and a wide posterior border (confluent at the apex) violet- brown. The wings above are violet-black, with the discal area and a macular belt of six quadrate spots on both wings shining fulvous, the discal area in the fore-wing being divided by three spots and the black nervures, and on the hind-wing by one spot. There is a sub-marginal row, also of three fulvous spots, near the anal angle of the hind-wing, and the basal fourth of both wings is clothed with tawny-brown hairs. Both sexes are alike in colours and markings. There are a pair (male and female) in the last collection sent by Mr. Fereday. CICINDELA FEREDAYT, n. sp. C. oblonga, sub-depressa, supra opaca, viridi-obscura ; labro curto, 54 F { August, — albo, medio triangulariter producto, dente mediana valida instructo, angulis lateralibus rotundatis: thorace transverso, opaco, lateribus valde rotundatis, sulcis antico posticoque profundis; elytris apice dehiscentibus, supra equaliter haud profunde punctatis, lunula magna humerali, marginibus lateralibus, vitta mediana obliqua angulata (cum margine connexa) et lunula apicali, albis. Long. 5-lin. 2. This very interesting new species is not closely allied to any other at present known, and it belongs to quite a different group from the rest of the described species from New Zealand, being nearer the | European C. litterata and its allies. The transverse-oval thorax, with its very broad, deep sulci, gives ita peculiar appearance. The body is depressed above; the elytra have rectangular humeral angles, and are gradually widened beyond the middle; they are singly rounded at the tip and gaping at the suture, the raised sutural margins terminating in a Spine some distance from the apex. The head is but little depressed between the eyes, and very finely strigose, the striz not being more conspicuous near the eyes, as is usual in the genus Cicindela. The thorax is apparently impunctate, but with a powerful lens it appears very finely strigose ; the sides are regularly and strongly rounded. The elytra have an even surface, and are regularly and not very closely covered with shallow punctures ; the white lateral margin is of regular width, except near the lower curve of the humeral lunule, where it is very narrow ; the apical lunule forms part of it, its upper curve only being visible as a triangular projection from the white border; the central vitta is wide at its commencement on the border; it runs obliquely as a thin line to the middle of the elytron, and then bends at an obtuse angle, and runs nearly parallel to the suture for some distance down the disc. The under surface is blueish-black; legs and cox, and four basal joimts of the antenne, brassy-green. The head in front, and the basal joints of the antenne, have a few distinct punctures. The legs are moderately slender, and of pretty nearly the same proportions as in C. litterata. One example. CERATOGNATHUS ALBOGUTTATUS, n. sp. (Lucanide). C. parvus, ovatus sub-depressus, brunneo-obscurus, thoracis lateribus late rufescenti-brunneis, elytris maculis nonnullis albis e squamulis longioribus formatis. Long. 33-lin. @. One of the smallest species of the stag-beetle family. The mandibles are only one-half the length of the head, very broad or 1867. 55 dilated externally near the base, and abruptly narrowed towards the tips; they are horizontal, and the apex of each is bifurcated. The palpi are elongated and filiform. The leaflets of the antenne are rather short, not longer than the basal joint, and are clothed with longish hairs. The head, thorax, and elytra are covered with round punctures or fovex, and short brownish hair-scales; on the thorax there is a smooth dorsal line, and a few irregular smooth spots; the elytra have also a few short linear irregular smooth spaces, and several small white spots formed of fascicles of longer hair-scales ; six of these spots are more conspicuous, and are arranged in two longitudinal rows on each elytron. The thorax is much narrowed anteriorly, and the sides are rounded. The external edges of the tibie are serrated ; the fore and middle tibie have, besides, an acute tooth below the middle, and the fore tibiz a recurved apical tooth. One example. Mr. Fereday has also sent many specimens (3 9 ) of the rare Ceratognathus Helotoides, Thoms., and Lissotes reticulatus, Westw., both belonging to the Lucanide. SPHALLAX, nov. gen. (Carabide). Facies of Peryphus (Bembidiide) ; body depressed, head and thorax scarcely half the width of the elytra, the former ovate, not con- tracted behind; eyes scarcely prominent; the thorax small, narrow, cordate. Labrum transverse, slightly emarginate in the middle. Mandibles moderately short, curved and acute. Mentum with a bifid tooth in the middle of the emargination, lateral lobes rounded outwards, and terminating each in a longish acute spine. Ligula elongate, lanceolate, pointed, horny, glossy, and convex, wholly detached from its paraglosse, which are shorter than it, and curved inwards. Palpi rather short and stout; terminal joints considerably longer than the penultimates, obtusely poimted. Antenne moderately short, filiform ; third joint the longest, second very short. Legs moderately short and slender; all the tibize sulcated above and beneath; anterior tibize deeply notched. Anterior tarsi, in the g, with four joints mode- rately dilated, triangular; clothed beneath with a dense brush of short pale hairs. Prosternum not produced; mesosternum concave ; _epimera of the mesosternum much widened externally, and not reaching the socket internally. Elytra obliquely truncated, without sinuation. The assemblage of characters as above indicated show that this curious little Carabide is not closely allied to any known genus or sub- family. The integuments are quite glabrous, and forbid its association 56 [August, with the Chleniine, with which it agrees in the clothing of the fore- tarsi in the 3; it differs also from them in the condition of its tongue and paraglosse. With the Bembidiine it has nothing in common, except general form and the triangular outline of its mesosternal — epimera; and it has no near alliance with the Lachnophorine. It will probably have to form a distinct sub-family. SPHALLAX PHRYPHOIDES, 2. sp. S. depressus, eneo-obscurus, glaber, supra subtiliter alutaceus, vix nitidus ; capite prope oculos rugoso ; thorace anguste marginato, supra longitudinalitersulcato, transversim strigoso; angulis rotundatis.; elytris latis, depressis, striatis, striis latis minime profundis, 27” bi-, 3"° uni- foveolata; stria scutellari distineta. Long. 3}-lin. gf 2. Above of a dark, obscure bronze colour, scarcely shining, owing to the surface being very finely coriaceous, and the thorax transversely strigose. The anterior angles of the thorax are closely applied to the neck, and the posterior angles are rounded and inconspicuous ; the anterior transverse and the longitudinal sulci are deeply marked. The elytra have eight broad and shallow impunctate strie, besides the well-marked scutellar line ; the marginal stria is very wide and shallow, and has a row of shallow punctures; the second stria from the suture has two large punctures, and the third one puncture. Body beneath shining. Three examples. Bremprpium (Peryphus) Maorinvm, n. sp. (Carabide). B. convexiusculum, nigro-eneum, nitidum, trophis et antennis piceo-rufis, pedibus nigro-piceis: fronte utrinque rugoso-suleata, prope oculos fovea rotundata notata; elytris punctato-striatis, interstitiis latis, planis, 3° tri-, 5° bi-foveato, stria obliqua apicali profunda; palpis articulis penultimis elongatis hirsutis. _ Long. 38-lin. ¢ 9. Resembles in general form our common Bembidium littorale, except that the thorax is smaller and narrower, and the elytra more convex. The whole insect is very glossy; the thorax is wrinkled transversely, and the posterior angles are not so prominent as in B. littorale. The general colour is a dark bronze; the strize continue well marked to the apex, and the short oblique apical sulcus is very distinct. The long and hairy penultimate joints of the palpi are remarkable. Two examples, male and female. Set 1867. } 57 Lepidoptera observed during an excursion in Italy and Switzerland.—In travelling through Italy and Switzerland in 1866, I devoted a little time to Entomology ; but what with other fascinating objects which allure the wandering Homo, my time for collecting was much reduced. The following list contains the result of my peregrinations; but, before beginning it, it will be as well to say a few things about the various localities mentioned therein. Rome. I was here from the end of March to the beginning of May. My usual hunting-ground was among the Ilexes and in the meadows of the beautiful grounds of the Villa Borghese, well known to all visitors of the “ Eternal City.” Capri, where I was in May, is a little island at the extremity of the Bay of Naples. It is nearly surrounded by high precipices of Cretacean limestone, of which the island principally consists. The surface of the island is very hilly, there being scarcely a level place on it. The central valley of the island consists of Eocene sandstone and marl, covered by volcanic dejections. Florence, which I visited in June, is about 174 feet above the sea. The hills surrounding it consist of sandstone and limestone ; but the Valley of the Arno, in which my hunting-ground, the Cascine, lay, is a modern alluvial deposit. Como (or rather Cernobbis, on Lake Como), where I was in July, is about 700 feet above the sea. Le Prese, in the Canton Grisons, Switzerland, is on the Italian side of the Bernina Pass, and about 3,000 feet above the sea. Pontresina, on the other side of the Bernina Pass, is about 6,000 feet above the sea. I can but echo Mr. Stainton’s remarks (vide Annual for 1866, and Ent. Mag.) on this delightful valley of the Inn (Engadine). I never saw so many insects in my life; and yet I fancy that if the previous season were bad there, 1866 was worse. In short, Pontresina and the Engadine generally is a kind of entomo- logical and botanical paradise. The rocks of the Bernina range are schistous. The book I have employed in determining the species not occurring in Britain, is Mr. Kirby’s excellent ‘‘ Manual of European Butterflies,” of which I can only say that I wish he would continue his labours and give us a manual for European moths. T find, however, that the list of Italian species given in Appendix I. is not quite so complete as it might be, many species that I observed not being mentioned therein. These species (which number 32 for Italy and 3 for Switzerland) I have indicated in the following list by an *. Where I have especially recorded the month in which a species was observed, it is because the true appearance observed is different from that given by Mr. Kirby. RHOPALOCERA. * Papilio Podalirius; neighbourhood of Lake Como, Italy. This once reputed British species seems specially to affect roads, on the dust and mud of which it loves to sit and walk. * P. Machaon L.; Rome and Capri. Parnassius Apollo, L.; Le Prese and Pontresina, Strong on the wing. Aporia crategi, L.; Le Prese, in July. * Pieris brassice, L.; Rome, Capri, Florence. P. napi, L.; Rome, Florence. P. rape, L.; Rome. * P. Daplidice, L.; Rome, Capri. * Anthocaris Tagis, H.; Capri. * A. cardamines, L.; Rome, Capri. 58 [ August, * Leucophasia sinapis, L.; Florence and Como. Var. erysimi, not uncommon. Colias Paleno, L.; Pontresina. Only sawthe male. C.Phicomene, Hs.; Pon- tresina. * C. Hyale, L.; abundant near Lake Como. * O. Edusa, Fab.; Rome, Capri, Florence,ard Como; Le Prese, Switzerland. 9 Var. Helice, H.; two speci- mens at Le Prese. * Gonepteryx rhamni, L.; Rome, in April; Florence, in June; Como, in July. * G. Cleopatra, L.; Rome, in April; Capri, in May ; Como, in July. This species and G. rhamni both occur at Rome ; Cleopatra only in Capri. Melitea Maturna, L ; Pontresina, July. M. Artemis, L.; Pontresina. WM. Phebe, Fab.; Rome, Florence, Pontresina. M. didyma, Es.; Rome, Como, Pontre- sina. One specimen that I caught has the black spots represented by black dashes. * M. Deione, H.; Pontresina. MM. Dictynna, Hs.; Le Prese and Pontresina. * M. Britomartis, A.; Como and Le Prese. Argynnis Ewphrosyne, L.; Le Prese, Pontresina. A. Pales, W. V.; Pontresina. A. Amathusia, Hs.; Le Prese. * A. Lathonia, L.; FlorenceandComo. A. Aglaia, L.; Le Prese and Pontresina. A. Niobe, L.; Le Prese and Pontresina. This species closely appproaches Adippe, but has yellow instead of silvery spots on the under- side. A variety with silvery spots was not uncommon. A. Adippe, W. V.; Como. Var. Chlorodippe, Hs., which is greenish below; and var. Oleodoxa, V. G., in which the silver spots are replaced by yellow, were caught. A. Paphia, L.; Como. Grapta Egea, Cr.; Rome, and Naples in May. G. C-album, L.; Como and Le Prese. * Vanessa polychloros, L.; Rome and Como. V. urtice, L.; Pontresina. V. To, Li. ; Rome. * Pyrameis Atalanta, L.; Rome and Capri, in Apriland May. * P. cardui, L. ; Rome, Capri. This species and Atalanta were abundant on the summit of Monte Solaro (1800 feet), the highest point of Capri. Melanagria Galathea, L.; Florence, Como, Le Prese. * Lasiommata Megera, L.; Rome, Capri, Florence, Como. LL. Aigeria, L. ; var. with the spots yellowish fulvous; Rome and Como, * L. Mera, L.; Capri, Como, Le Prese. Hipparchia Hermione, L.; Como. H. Semele, L.; Capri and Como. The specimens I saw in Italy were larger than any British specimens I have seen. H. Janira, L.; Capri, Florence. Capri specimens are very large and bright coloured. I caught in Capri an aberration (¢), in which the dull brown is replaced by alight ochreous colour and fulvous markings. H. Ida, 8.; Capri, in May. Cenonympha Arcanius, L.; Como and Le Prese. C. Philea, H.; Pontresina. C. Pamphilus, L.; Rome, Florence, Como, &e. Var, Lyllus,common. Another var. on Monte Bisbino, near Como. Erebia Melampus, Flu. ; Le Prese, Pontresina. E. Ceto, H.; Le Prese. E. Tyndarus, Hs.; Pontresina. H. Gorge, S.; Le Prese, Pontresina. Libythea Celtis, Ks. ; Como. * Nemeobius Lucina, L.; Como. * Thecla acacie, Fab.; Florence. ~ 1867.) 59 Chrysophanus virgauree, L.; Le Prese, Pontresina. C. Hwrydice, Rg.; Pon- tresina. C. Gordius, S.; Le Prese. * C. Phlwas, L.; Rome, Florence, Como, Le Prese. The Florence specimens are very dark, and have the copper-colour strongly suffused with black. Polyommatus beticus, L.; Capri, in May. P. Telecarus, Ht.; Rome, in April; Florence, in June. * P. gon, W. V.; Rome, Florence, Le Prese. * P. Argus, L.; Florence, Como, Pontresina. P. Optilete, Kh.; Pontresina. P. Battus, W. V.; Como, in July. * P. Hylas, W. V.; Rome. P. orbitulus, 8.; Pontresina, at about 8,000 feet. * P. Medon (agestis) ; Le Prese. * P. Icarus Rg. (Alewis) ; Rome, Capri, Florence, Pontresina. P. Chiron, Rg.; Rome, in April; Como. P. Adonis, W.V.; Como. P. Corydon, Si.; Le Prese. * P. argiolus, L.; Rome, Capri. * P. _ Alsus,W.V.; Capriand Como. P. Cyllarus, Rg.; Capri. P. Arion, L.; Le Prese and Pontresina. Pyrgus malvarum, L.; Rome, Florence, Como. P. marrubii, R.; Como. * P. malve, L. (albeolus) ; Rome, Como, Le Prese. * Pamphila Thaumas, Hg. (linea); Florence, Le Prese. * P. lineola, O.; Florence. * P. Sylvanus, Es.; Florence, Le Prese. * P. comma, L.; Capri, Pon- tresina. Nocturnl. Anthrocera, Minos, W. V.; Como, Le Prese. A. trifolii, Es.; Como. A. fili- pendule, L.; Como. A. onobrychis, Fab. ; Como. Syntomis Phegea; Como, Le Prese. Procris statices, L.; Pontresina. Deilephila ewphorbie, L.; Capri. Found larvee of all sizes feeding on two species of Euphorbia. AsI had no proper receptacle for rearing larvze, I contented (?) myself with four specimens, which entered the pupa state about the same time. In about three weeks afterwards (in June) moth No. 1 made its appearance. The other three did not come out for some time, and then at distant intervals, the last not appearing till October! Remembering the interesting account of the larve of this species in Mr. Stainton’s Manual, I tried the Capri larvee with the milky juice of the Ewphorbia, and found that they readily sucked it up ; indeed, Mrs. White quite made pets of these handsome caterpillars, and carried them about from one Euphorbia bush to another, feeding them with the euphorbiaceous milk, which they seemed to enjoy as much as kittens (not Dicranwra furcula, but our fireside friends) enjoy cream. “Macroglossa stellatarum, L.; Rome, &c. Setina irrorella, Hb,; Le Prese. S. aurita, Esp. ; Como, Le Prese. Lithosva rubricollis, L.; Le Prese. Deiopeia pulchella, Es. ; Capri. Chelonia plantaginis, L.; Pontresina. Var. hospita, W.; Pontresina. Arctia villica, L.; Capri. Flying at noon. Phragmatobia fuliginosa, L. ; Como. Liparis salicis, L.; larvee at Le Prese. GEOMETRA. Hyria auroraria, W V.; Rome. Acidalia ornata, Scop.; Rome. Timandra 60 {August amataria, L.; Florence. Sterrha sacraria, L.; Capri. Pellonia vibicaria, L. ; Florence. Aspilates citraria, Hb.; Florence. Larentia cesiata, W. V.; Pontresina. L. ruficinctata, Le Prese. Hupithecia centaureata, Roes.; Rome. Melanippe wnan- gulata, Haw.; Rome. Camptogramma bilineata, L.; Rome, Florence, Como. Eubolia mensuraria, W. V.; Le Prese. 2. bipunctaria, W. V.; Le Prese. Anaitis plagiata, L. Rome. Tanagra cherophyllata, L.; Le Prese. Noctua. Caradrina cubicularis, W.V. Agrotis corticea, W. V.; Florence. Triphena pronuba, L.; Rome, in May. T. orbona, Fab.; Como. Anarta melanopa, Beck. ; Pontresina. Agrophila sulphuralis, Hb.; Como. Acontia luctuosa, W. V.; Como. Plusia gamma, L.; Rome, &c. Toxocampa cracce, W. V.?; Florence. Ophiodes lunaris, W. V.; Lake Albano, near Rome. Euclidia glyphica, L. ; Como. PYRALIDES. Pyrausta punicealis, W. V.; Rome. Botys verticalis, Hb.; Florence. Stenop- teryx hybridalis, Hb.; Rome, Florence. CRAMBIDES. Tlythia carnella ; Florence. Crambus cassentiliellus ; Florence, TINEA. Psyche helix; Capri, Como. The cases of this interesting species, which is said to be a constant example of true parthenogenesis (vide Siebold), were very abundant at Capri; less so at Como.—F. Bucuanan Wuirr, M.D., Perth, 1867. Indian Lepidoptera.—I send a list of some captures here and in the plains. You would confer a great boon on us out here if you could devote an occasional chapter in your valuable work to Indian genera. There are no public libraries here, and very few entomologists at work. Captures at Simla during May.—Polyommatus Laius, rare; Lycena Cnejus, rare; L. betica, common; Chrysophanus Parana, common ; Ilerda Sena, common ; Dipsas Melampus, rare; Dodona Durga, rare; Gonepteryx nipalensis, common ; Pieris brassice, common; P. Gliciria, common; P. Daplidice, common; Colias Edusa, rare; C. Hyale, very rare; Papilio Machaon, common; P. Memnon, rare; P. Protenor, common; P. dissimilis, rare; Vanessa cashmirensis, common ; V. xanthomelas, rare; Pyrameis Callirhoe, common; P. cardui, common; Junonma Orithyia, common; Argynnis Niphe, rare; A. Issea, very common; A. Kumala, rare; Neptis aceris, common; N. Hordonia, rare; N. Vikari, rare; Athyma opalina, common; A. Leucothoe, rare ; Hrebia Skanda, rare. Jounpore, N. W. Presidency (plains), in July.—Lycena Pluto, L. Cnejus, L. betica, Aphneus Etolus, Callidryas Pyranthe, OC. Hilaria, C. Alemeone, C. Philli- pina, Terias Hecabe, T. Leta, T. venata, T. Sari, Pieris Mesentina, P. Eucharis, P. Coronis, Thestias Hnippe, T. Marianne, T. Pyrene, Papilio dissimilis, P. Sarpedon, P. Hector, P. Memnon, P. Polytes, P. Pammon, P. Erithonius, Danais limniace, D. similis, D. Cleona, D. Plewippus, D. Chrysippus, Euplea Core, E. Telchinia, 1867] 61 E. viole, Pareba Vesta, Junonia Lemonias, J. Enone, J. Orithyia, J. asterti, Atella Phalanta, Melanitis Leda, M. Banksia, M. Bela, Mycalesis Samba.—¥. J. ATKINSON, Bengal Civil Service, Simla, May 27th, 1867. [We beg to remind our correspondent that it rests with entomologists resident in India to furnish notes on the productions of that country. We shall always be delighted to receive their communications, especially when they contain informa- tion on the habits and metamorphoses of Indian species.—EDs. | Occurrence of a Tortrin (Grapholitha ravulana, H.S.) new to Britain.—A short time since Mr. E. G. Meek, one of our most energetic and successful collectors, placed in my hands for identification some specimens of a Tortrix of which he had secured an example in 1866, but was then unable to get named, and of which he had captured several in June last, by beating undergrowth in Darenth Wood. Being convinced that it was a species new to our lists, I at once sought the assistance of Dr. Staudinger, of Dresden, who has most obligingly furnished me with its name, adding that it has also been taken under 69° north latitude in Finmark, near the North Cape, that Dr. Herrich Schiffer’s figure (143) is not exact, and that the species is very rare. Dr. Staudinger has also very kindly submitted the specimens in question to the inspection of his friend Dr. Wocke.—H. G. Knaces, July 5th, 1867. Occurrence of a Scoparia (S. ingratella, Zeller) new to Brirain.—I have for some time been impressed with the idea that a Scoparia which occurs abundantly enough in the Folkestone Warren was distinct from the pyralella (dubitalis) of our cabinets, more especially as its size averages considerably larger than in the last-named, black markings are absent or very faint, and the habit of the perfect insect is to rest on lumps of chalk, &c. A few monthsago, whilst overhauling Mr. Stainton’s collection, I came across some specimens which my friend had received from Prof. Zeller, ticketed ingratella, and at once observed that they were identical with the Folkestone insect ; an opinion in which Mr. Stainton-coincided, and the correctness of which Drs. Staudinger and Wocke have just confirmed. Still, although there can be no doubt that the Folkestone specimens are specifically identical with the continental ingratella, I am by no means over positive that both may not possibly some day turn out to be varieties of pyralella, which is certainly an excessively variable species.—ID. Capture of Sesia scolieformis in Scotland.—A fine female of this species was taken on the 15th inst., near Loch Rannoch, by my son, Benjamin Cooke, jun. I found an empty pupa-skin protruding from the trunk of a birch tree in the same locality three years since, but was not so fortunate as to meet with the imago. I believe this to be the first instance of its capture in Scotland.—NicHoLas Cooks, Spring View, Liscard, 17th July, 1867. Description of the larva of Hadena geniste.—By the kindness of Mr. Doubleday, who liberally supplied me with part of a young brood reared from eggs, I have been able to take figures and notes of this species. 62 { August, They fed well on Alsine media and Polygonum persicaria, and were one-third grown by July 14th, and by the 29th, some had obtained their maximum size, and the others by August 7th, and had all retired below the earth by the 14th. The moths came forth from June 11th to 13th, in the following year 1866. When young, the colours of these larvee were brighter and darker than they afterwards became, with distinct paler dorsal and sub-dorsal lines outlined with darker, and black spiracular lines, otherwise their markings were similar to the following. When full grown, they were very plump creatures, varying from an inch and five-eights to an inch and three-quarters in length, cylindrical, and tapering towards the head; the back and sides, as far as the row of spiracles, of very mot- tled dull brown, brownish-grey, dull greenish-grey, deep purplish-brown, or dirty olive-greenish, for all these tints were found in the brood. The dorsal and sub- dorsal lines outlined with darker brown, in many instances only visible on the an- terior segments, and in others also at the segmental divisions. A series of darker brown diamond and wedge-shaped marks down the middle of the back, on the fifth to the twelfth segment, inclusive, viz., on each of those segments a diamond united to a wedge shape on either side, the broad ends of the wedges extending to the end of the twelfth segment only, and to about one-third from the ends of the other segments, each wedge pointing forwards reaching a-third into the segment in advance. The tubercular dots blackish, the upper pair placed on the edges of the diamonds, the lower pair on the broad ends of the wedges; in the purplish-brown variety the dots and lines paler than the ground colour, and in some instances not visible. The whitish spiracles edged with blackish are placed along the terminal line of the above brown colouring, and the remaining surface below, including the legs, is of a dirty whitish or pale drab colour, the legs tipped with brown. Head with two central black streaks across the face; a dark brown plate on the second segment, sometimes marked with one pair and in others two pairs of pale spots.—W™m. BuckLer, Emsworth. Description of the larva of Hadena adusta.—The larve of this species seem easy to rear as far as their full growth, on lettuce, knot grass, hawthorn, and sallow ; about the end of September they become torpid, and hybernate until the warmth of spring awakens them, when they spina slight cocoon under moss and dead leaves, the perfect insects appearing towards the end of June; but it frequently happens that in confinement the larvee die during hybernation, as it is difficult to prevent their being attacked with mildew if kept moist, and on the other hand they die off if too dry. The full-grown larva is about an inch and a-half to an inch and five-eights in length, cylindrical, and of nearly uniform width, of a full green colour, with the whole upper surface of back and sides as far as the spiracles freckled with a deep purplish-red, which down the middle of the back becomes aggregated in the form of diamonds, each occupying the area of a segment within the sub-dorsal lines, these last, and the spiracular line with the space between them, are freckled and streaked obliquely with the same red colour. The dorsal line only indicated by a dusky spot at each segmental division; the tubercular dots blackish. 1867.] 63 The spiracles white, edged with black, the belly and legs of the green ground colour. T am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Steele, of Congleton, for the subjoined varieties. Var. 1.—Ground colour a brilliant yellow, the upper surface as above mentioned, suffused with deep rose-pink ; the dorsal stripe composed of two darker pink lines, confluent at the beginning of each segment, forming a spot; the sub-dorsal stripe bright yellow, only visible on the anterior halves of the segments; the tubercular spots and two transverse streaks near the end of each segment also of the bright yellow ground colour. Var. 2.—A dull pale yellowish-green, the dorsal stripe faintly outlined with orange-red, with a spot at the segmental divisions ; sub-dorsal line of same colour, but interrupted on the hinder half of each segment; tubercular dots red, and situated on the faint reddish outlines of diamonds, which are very delicately freckled within; spiracles as in the others, white ringed with black.—Ip. Description of the larva of Hadena thalassina.—Karly in July, 1865, Mr. Double- day kindly sent me several examples of the larve of this species, that had been reared from eges, and were fed with Pulygonwm aviculare, there were several varieties in colour, but not a green one, as quoted from Freyer, in Stainton’s Manual. They were full fed early in August, and the moths appeared from May 31st to June 4th, 1866, the next year: remarkably fine specimens. The laryee were about an inch and a-quarter to an inch and a-half in length, cylindrical, and uniformly plump, the head being rather smaller than the second segment. The following are the three varieties amongst them. Var. 1.—Reddish-brown above, as far as the spiracles, a dull brown plate on the second segment, through which the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines are traced ; the dorsal line pale ochreous on the anterior segments, but onthe others much suffused with the ground colour, except at the segmental divisions, where it re-appears as an ochreous spot. The sub-dorsal line ochreous, and much suffused with brown. On the fifth segment to the twelfth, inclusive, a dorsal diamond shaped of mottled brown, darker than the ground colour, and on each side a wedge shape of very dark brown, pointing forwards, their broad ends a little distance from the segmental divisions, their sides edging the lower half of the diamonds and the sub- dorsal lines. ‘The wedge marks gradually increase in size towards the twelfth seg- ment, where they are largest and darkest, and most conspicuous, by the sub-dorsal line being there suddenly paler, and united by a transverse pale line at the base of the wedges. Spiracular line black, on which are the white spiracles, and, running imme- diately beneath, is a pale greyish stripe, its upper edge whitish, belly and legs brownish-grey, head pale brown. Var. 2.—A rich cinnamon-brown, mottled with ochreous above ; belly and legs paler and greenish-ochreous; dorsal and sub-dorsal lines paler than the ground colour, but not very distinct, the diamond marks hardly visible ; the blackish wedge marks strongly defined, but with the addition of two or three fine streaks of ground 64: {August, colour cutting transversely through them all; the tubercular dots black, in the fol- lowing order: a transverse row of eight dots on the third and fourth segments, and on the fifth to the twelfth, inclusive, the anterior dorsal pair distinct, the pos- terior pair hardly visible, by being placed in the broad ends of the wedges, a lateral anterior dot midway between the sub-dorsal and black spiracular line; adull brown plate on the second segment ; head brownish-ochreous, with a blackish stripe on each lobe from the crown to the mouth. Var. 3.—A dull greyish-brown ; the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines, and penulti- mate transverse mark, very little paler than the ground; the tubercular dots black, the wedge marks black, with a thin transverse line of ground colour cutting them through towards the broad end.—Ip. Endromis versicolor in Worcestershire—On the 8rd June last I took three clusters (in all 38) of the larve of this beautiful insect upon birch in Bewdley Forest, Worcestershire. It was evident they had not emerged from the eggs many days ; they were clustered towards the tips of the lower branches; in colour almost black, and might readily be passed by (unless carefully examined) as the larvee of saw-flies, their heads being thrown backwards over the body, in which position, when not feeding, they rest motionless. I shall be happy-to part with a few, should any entomologist think them worth notice.—Epwp. S. Haines, Brettell Lane, Stowbridge, 18th July, 1867. [Is our correspondent quite sure as to these very young larve being those of E. versicolor ?—Eps. } Coleoptera at West Wickham.—I have, during the last two years, often taken hurried journeys to this well-known entomologists’ haunt,—my attention being chiefly directed to the sand-pits on the outside of the archbishop’s wood, in which. the majority of the insects mentioned in this note were taken. The best pits are to the left of the high road, behind a row of small cottages running at right angles to it, and just past the “‘ Volunteer” public-house ; there is, also, a very productive little pit on the left-hand side of the lane in which Shirley Church stands. It is some distance beyond the church, within a little plantation, and is easily reached by getting over a wooden gate over which a Notice-to-Trespassers-Board frowns in vain. The recently cut pits, with straight sides (and especially if the sand be rather damp, and of a very fine quality), are the most remunerating; and the best time for hunting is in early spring,— when the warm and balmy air tempts our favourites to indiscriminate gambols on the wing after their long winter’s rest. The following are some of the more noteworthy species that have occurred to me at this locality. Lebia chlorocephala, a peculiarly small and apparently permanent variety ; it occurs in profusion on young broom plants, near Shirley Church, about the middle of May. Dyschirius politus. Notiophilus rufipes and substriatus. Calathus piceus, common in moss. Amara fulva. Harpalus tardus. Haploglossa nidicola, in profusion, under sand-martins’ nests. Aleochara bisignata of Wat. Cat. Atemeles emarginatus,—here, for the first time, seen by me, when lazily allowing itself to be 1867.] 65 carried about by its little landlord, Formica. Myrmedonia libata, common. Tlyobates propinqua and forticornis. Callicerus obscwrus and rigidicornis. Calodera umbrosa. Tachyusa scitula. Oxypoda rufula, exigua, annularis, misella, and brachyptera. Homalota planifrons (both sexes), occulta, angustula, linearis, triangulum, sublinearis, sodalis, divisa, Thomsoni, coriaria, variabilis, hospita, amicula, and palustris. Placusa infima, under bark; and another sp. not yet determined. Trichophya pilicornis, under fir branches in the pits: this insect occurs also in profusion, at times, on the windows in the corridors of the Crystal Palace. Leucoparyphus silphoides. Tachyporus solutus. Lamprinus saginatus, in moss at the foot of the archbishop’s palings. Conwrus immaculatus. Mycetoporus longulus, clavicornis, and longicornis. Philonthus decorus, common in moss at foot of the palings. P. ventralis, villosulus, signaticornis, and procerulus. Baptolinus alternans, under fir-bark. Lathrobiwm geminum. Acheniwm depressum. Stilicus geniculatus. Scopeus sulcicollis. Stenus biguttatus, lustrator, and geniculatus; the two latter usually in moss at roots of heather near palings. Bledius longulus. Platystethus capito. Oaytelus insecatus and speculifrons. Syntomium eneum. Omalium planum, florale, and vile. Megarthrus hemipterus, Choleva wigrita. Colon brunneum. Scydmenus scutellaris, collaris, and angulatus. Anisotoma nigrita and calcarata. Colenis dentipes. Agathidium levigatum, varians, and nigrinum. Carcinopus minimus. Epwrea 10-guttata, melina, pusilla, oblonga, and florea; the first and last at sap,—florea abundantly, and pusilla and oblonga under pine bark,—pusilla in the greatest profusion. Soronia punctatissima. Meligethes memnonius. Ips ferrugineus, in the pits, and most abundantly under pine bark. Rhizophagus perforatus. Sarrotriwm clavicorne, common on sand. Monotoma longicollis. Silvanus unidentatus. Atomaria wmbrina, linearis, and nigriventris, swarming in the pits. Byrrhus fasciatus and dorsalis. Serica brunnea, being dragged off by ants,—still alive, though stupified by the violence of its contact with the sides of a sand-pit during nocturnal flight. Throscus dermestoides. Telephorus lateralis. Byturus fumatus. Notoxus monocerus, a curious sight so far from the sea. Bruchus cisti. Apion scutellare, ebeninwm, and pubescens. Sitones cambricus, hwmeralis, flavescens, puncticollis, &c. Tropiphorus carinatus. Plinthus caliginosus, with the coarse punctures cleanly defined, and not choked up with chalk, as usual,— owing to its sandy habitat. Gronops lunatus, common on the sand (the last time I visited Hampstead Heath I found fourteen of this weevil in one little sand-hole). Trachy- phleus scaber and scabriculus, both very common, sunning themselves on the warm sand, and at the roots of grass. Cenopsis fissirostris, rare, in thick wet moss, accompanied by Otiorhynchus pictpes; which, when both are wet, it simulates vastly. C. Waltoni, not uncommon, with the Trachyphlet. Otiorhynchus pabulinus of our Catalogues, common in moss at the foot of palings. ‘This insect appears not to be the pabulinus of Panzer, which is nothing but a colour-variety of O. ovatus. Dr. Sharp informed me some time ago that he and Mr. Crotch had made it out to be the O. muscorum of Brisout (Grenier’s Cat.), with which insect it certainly seems to accord. This identification appears as yet to have escaped record. Tychius nigrirostris and venustus, the latter on flowering broom, in the early part of May, in the greatest possible profusion, though in a very limited space,—a hollow near the gravel pits on Shirley Common, where it was accidentally dis- 66 (August, covered by Mr. Henderson, of Glasgow. It is astonishing how such a conspicuous species should have escaped the nets of the many collectors who frequent this locality ; some, indeed, having been specially on the look-out for it, as the late Mr. Walton once took it at Shirley in great quantity. Some idea of its numbers may be formed from the fact that I bottled upwards of 300 in less than an hour. Smicronyz cicur. Sibynes primitus (not rare) and potentillw, both on sand. Ortho- chetes setiger. Acalles ptinoides, very common in the pits, especially after a high wind, when the dead twigs in which it lives get broken off the trees. Ceuthor- hynchus melanostictus, crue, asperifoliarum, and cyanipennis. Gymnebron becca- bunge, var. veronice, not uncommon in the.pits. Hylastes cwnicularius, in the pits, especially to be found after wind; H. ater, &c. Phleophthorus rhododactylus. Tomicus micrographus, laricis, and bidens. Crepidodera ventralis. Phyllotreta nodicornistand lepidii. Thyamis nasturtii, lycopt, atricapilla, and fuscicollis. Psylliodes hyoscyami. Cassida nobilis. Scymnus frontalis, capitatus and discoideus. Alexia pilifera. Bythinus puncticollis. My journeys have chiefly been hurried, and somewhat late in the evening, after office hours, so that I can lay no claim to having properly worked the locality, —the bulk of my captures having indeed been “ flukes.” It may, however, be guessed from the above list (in spite of its containing nothing very startling) that Wickhain and its neighbourhood are well worth visiting —E. C. Rye, 284, King’s Road, Chelsea, S.W., July, 1867. Note on some species of Ceuthorhynchus frequenting Sisymbriwm officinale.—The arid and uninyiting aspect of this plant,—which, when rather old, looks like nothing so much as a loose handful of straight wires,—and its habit of affecting the dustiest and most unlikely places, such as road sides and old brick fields, probably prevent many young Coleopterists from paying such attention to it as it deserves; at least, I judge so from the absence, or great rarity, in most collections of certain species of Ceuthorhynchus which are to be found upon it. Of these, C. chalybeus is by far the most common, and seems to occur wherever the plant is found, often in great profusion. With it I occasionally get C. cyanipennis (readily distinguished by its larger size and flatter interstices, and the light-coloured penultimate joint of its tarsi), though that species is more abundant on Erysimum alliaria. Neither of these insects is common in ordinary collections; but there are two other species, also to be found on Sisymbriwm, which have hitherto been of the greatest rarity. One of these, the C. inaffectatus of Walton and others, now definitely determined to be C. rape, Gyll.,—inaffectatus being a nonentity,—has appeared sparingly in our cabinets, having been taken by single specimens at different times (and fortuitously) by Mr. Pelerin, to whom most London Coleopterists are indebted for it. It has also been taken by Messrs. 8. Stevens and F. Smith. Mr. Waterhouse’s sons afterwards took it sparingly at Tottenham,—still without its food-plant being discovered; and T have myself in vain visited their locality for it. Since then, Dr. Sharp found one or two examples at Lee on Sisymbriwm (not unaccompanied by the pestiferous C. assimilis), and one in his own garden at St. John’s Wood! Dr. Power also found the insect at Dr. Sharp’s locality; and, after a year’s interval, or more, I also took it there, accompanied by the rare C. constrictus. aS 1867. j 67 Knowing the plant, I again visited Tottenham, and, after a long tramp to find Sisymbrium, at last got several of the Ceuthorhynchus. Its larger size and more torpid habits readily distinguish it in the net from OC. assimilis. The other and still rarer species, C. tarsalis, appears only to have been met with by Mr. Water- hougg; who some years ago found it on Sisymbriwm, near Erith, in June. I have visited this locality for it in vain, until the present year, when I obtained a single specimen near Belvedere station ; a hot and dusty day’s walk searching for more of the plant resulting in nothing but the eternal chalybeus, quadridens, floralis, pyrrhorhynchus, &c., and the tantalizing sulcicollis, which is very like tarsalis, save that the latter has lighter tarsi, and a slight metallic tinge. My solitary capture is due to a very curious coincidence. Writing to Dr. Sharp in Scotland that I intended again visiting Erith for tarsalis, he replied that, among some beetles casually taken at Belvedere (the next station) and sent to him, was one fine tarsalis. My search, accordingly, commenced at Belvedere, and resulted in the only specimen I obtained all day. My friend, the Rev. W. Tylden, has also recently found C. tavsalis near Hythe, Kent.—Ip. New species of Brachelytra described in the Stettin Ent. Zeit.—Dr. Bethe, in the Stettin Ent. Zeit., 1867, p. 307, describes as new two species of Brachelytra found by Dr. Eppelsheim at Diirkheim,in Bavaria. The first of these, Oxytelus Eppels- heimii, is in the group of its genus with laterally crenulated thorax, and allied to O. rugosus and O. insecatus; but is distinguished by its narrow parallel build, its close and even longitudinal rugosity, its red antennz and legs; and the sexual characters of the male, in which the 5th segment of the abdomen beneath has a sharp, prominent, pitchy-black tubercle in the middle of the hinder margin ; the 6th segment is longitudinally foveolated, and with two tubercles on its hinder margin; and the 7th segment is trilobed. The other species, Huesthetus Marie, which is black and almost opaque, appears most to resemble the EH. pullus of Thomson,—differing from that insect in its darker colour, parallel and flatter build, male characters, &c. Its smaller size, independently of sexual distinctions, separate it from FH. scaber and EF. leviusculus ; and its darker colourand thicker punctuation distinguish it from E. ruficapillus.—Ip. Notes on spring collecting in the vicinity of London.—The best thing to be got near Wandsworth in February and the beginning of March is, perhaps, N. hispidaria, for which object, in company with Mr. J. B. Blackburn, I paid a good many visits to Richmond Park. Unfortunately, however, we obtained nothing better than P. pilosaria, H. leucophearia, progemmaria, and such-like, and, thinking we were too early, had resolved to wait a week or so, when that unseasonable weather set in, which continued with unmitigated wretchedness till the close of the month. May I ask other collectors whether N. hispidaria has been unusually scarce in the Park this season ? Notwithstanding the severity of the weather the sallows were rather forward, and by the 20th March were well out in the neighbouring woods. The next week we spent in unprofitable expeditions to sallows in our immediate neighbourhood, but as nothing better turned up thanastray T. munda or C. vaccinii, we determined to have an evening at Croydon. oe 68 jAugist, Arrived at the sallows, almost the first insect that met my gaze was a fine T. lewcographa. This was a good beginning ; after this came T. munda, which turned up at intervals with T. gracilis, while the four common species swarmed, _ especially stabilis. In the meantime S. satellitia put in an appearance, accom- panied by numbers of C. vaccinii, the deplorable wretchedness of whose con®§cion could not but enlist our compassion. Of some Geometre that were flitting about I managed to knock down one with an umbrella. It proved to be TY. laricaria, Stainton. Just as we were leaving, Mr. Blackburn, who had been rather unlucky, amply retrieved his fortune by the capture of a splendid pair of H. croceago. April 4th,—Mr. J. B. Blackburn went again to the same locality, and, in addition to T. leucographa, took miniosa and populeti. April 5th.—Went myself to Croydon; my luck was identical with that of my friend’s the previous day, minus the T. populeti. The sallows were now getting unmistakeably over. April 13th, 15th, and 17th.—We visited the hollows on Wimbledon Common, where nothing turned up but T. gracilis and rubricosa; it is curious how these two insects abound in this locality, to the almost total exclusion of everything else. Mr. Blackburn also took Xylocampa lithorhiaa and Eupithecia pwmilata, just out of the pupa, while Larentia multistrigaria, Depressaria wmbellana, and other common insects occurred at intervals. In bringing these remarks to a conclusion, I may observe that I am perfectly aware that they chronicle no capture of note, but still they may serve to show that by a little diligence all the Tewniocampe (for opima also has occurred at Croydon) may be obtained in the London district. —C. J. Buckmaster, Southfields, Wandsworth, April 19th. Lepidoptera at ight.—Several visits to the lamps on the high roads in our own neighbourhood, have produced a few lepidoptera. We usually had a muster of three or four entomologists, and amicably took alternate lamps; so that, while one ‘“clomb,” the others stood below to net any stray specimens that flew. C. fluviata gave us all a turn, and of this pretty little species I have a few larvae feeding up on groundsel. The light-loving genus Eupithecia was also well repre- sented by eight species,—centaureata, exiguata, vulgata, nanata, coronata, assimi- lata, abbreviata, and puwmilata. A fine illustraria put in an appearance at Wimbledon, and near the same locality we met with L. camelina and L. dicta. Nearer home we took H. rostralis and 8. illunaria, together with specimens of S. hybridalis, the pretty little LD. adustata, LB. pendularia, and H. abruptaria. I have lately bred a few of the beautiful A. berberata, and, during the last three or four days, have taken specimens of L. Smeathmanniana, flying in the evening over its food-plant, Anthemis cotula.—J. B. BuackBurn, Grassmeade, Southfields, S.W., 3lst May, 1867. Manz captures of Lepidoptera.—I visited the Isle of Man in the beginning of last September, but, as it rained every day during my stay there,my entomological doings were necessarily very limited. During the few intervals of dry weather I visited the Silene maritima, which grows plentifully on the rocks near Douglas ; and in the seed capsules I found larve of Dianthecia capsophila, from which I have 18637. | 69 bred four imagos during the present month. These appear tobe much darker than any Irish specimens I ever remember to have seen; one is entirely without white markings, and is moreover shot with a delicate blueish bloom, somewhat reminding one of the rosy-purplish tint of D. cucubali. I have also bred from the seed-capsules D. capsincola, differing scarcely at all from our enn: English examples, except, perhaps, in being a little darker. The larvee of Abrostola urtice were not uncommon on stinging-nettle ; and ‘chamomiles produced Homeosoma nimbella in plenty, nearly every flower-head having a tenant. In the imago state I only caught two species that are not common or abundant everywhere, viz., Stilbia anomatla (1), and Melanippe galiata (1) —Howarp VauGHaN, Kentish Town, June 27th. Psyche calvella at Hampstead.—Yesterday my friend Mr. McLachlan and I took a walk to Bishop’s Wood, Hampstead, to look for the cases of this species; we, however, only succeeded in securing two, one on hawthorn, the other on horn- beam. In previous years my experience has indicated bramble and hazel as the plants to which it is most attached. I expect our want of success was due to a strong easterly wind, which must have shaken the cases from their positions.— H. G. Knaeeas, May 15th. Colias Edusa.—Some of your correspondents seem to think the appearance of Colias Edusa in May and June as something remarkable, and are evidently unac- quainted with the ceconomy of this species, which is precisely the same as that of Gonepteryx rhamni. There is only one brood in the year, and both sexes hybernate and re-appear in May and June, when the females deposit their eyes on white clover, lucerne, &c.—HENRyY DousLeDAY, Epping, July 13th, 1867. Vanessa wrtice. A short time since, Professor Westwood expressed his surprise that a specimen of Vanessa urtice, captured in the spring, proved to be a male. Both sexes always hybernate, and I believe this is the case with every species of butterfly that passes the winter in the perfect state.—Ip. Captures in Kent, Essex, and Surrey—During the months of June and July I have taken the following :—Huthemonia russula, Limacodes asellus, Miltochrista miniatia, Hrastria venustula, Hpione advenaria, Coremia picata, Madopa salicalis, Hypena crassalis, Pempilia formosa, Antithesia sauciana, Olindia ulmana, and Chrosis Audouniana. I have also had the pleasure of taking six of that most beautiful species, Hypercallia Christiernana, in splendid condition.—Tuomas EEpLE, 9, Maidstone Place, Goldsmith Row, Hackney Road, July 12th. Correction of an error.—Cenonympha Iphis, W.V.—Mr. Butler having, at my request, kindly examined the types on which I founded C. Mandana (Proc. Ent. Soc., 1862; and Man. Eur. Butt., pp. 66, 67, fig. 7), informs me that it is merely the female of C. Iphis, as I have suspected for some time. It will be seen, on referring to my Manual, that I had even then serious doubts as to its distinctness ; and I now wish to correct my error by withdrawing the name, C. Mandana, alto- gether.—W. F. Krrey, Dublin, June 23rd. 70 | August, Additions to Mr. Birchall’s list of the Lepidoptera of Ireland.—Sesia philanthi- formis freely on the coast at Howth, from the Baths to the Round Tower in Dublin Bay, where the sea-pink (Statice wrmeria) grows upon the rocks. June and July. Pempelia subornatella, Zeller, plentifully on the rocky places on the slopes where Sedum grows in the above-named locality. I fancy that this insect has been mistaken for P. dilutella in the above-named list, and also for ornatella, neither of which have been met with by me at the Hillof Howth. June and July. It would be very interesting if both dilutella and ornatella were proved to be entitled to be retained in the Irish list ; the former is said to be a Southern species, the latter a Scotch one, from Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh, or Duddington, and was discovered some years ago by my old friend Mr. Logan: both of them are very distinct from swbornatella.—C. 8S. Grecson, Stanley, Liverpool. *,* P, ornatella occurs pretty commonly at Sandgate, on the south coast.—H. G. K. Notes on variations.—The question of varieties and their causation is just now attracting great attention, and is undoubtedly well worthy of it. The term variety is, however, a very wide one; andit is very evident that a cause pro- ducing one sort of variety may be totally inoperative as regards another sort : for this reason it is, I think, desirable to obtain some more limited and definite use of the word; and, in order to do this, I would call attention to the fact, that there appear to be three tolerably distinct and definite kinds of variation, viz., race, variety, and aberration. A race is generally found under evidently somewhat different circumstances to the type form of the species to which it belongs, and is distinguished by constant thoughslightcharacters ; butspecimens forming the passage from the race to the type occur, though in many cases very rarely. As instances of race, Bombyw callune and Bembidiwm ripariwm may be mentioned. The second kind of variation, and to which the appellation variety should be limited (though it would be better to find a fresh term for this form, and use the word variety in a generic sense, as including all the three forms of variation), is a form which a species has a tendency constantly to assume, independently of locality and of its immediate ancestry. As a good instance of it may be mentioned the var. spwrcaticornis of Anisodactylus binotatus ; this variety appears to occur wherever the type occurs, but never away from it, The third kind of variation or aberration is a slighter and less constant form than the preceding ; variations of colour, and such like circumstances, in individual specimens, are instances of what I mean by aberration. A moment’s consideration will be sufficient to convince us that it will take very different causes to produce an aberration and a race. An aberration is the only form of variation that can be produced readily by experiment or by accident (i. e., a slight change of conditions of life) ; and it is a very interesting fact that, while some species are very subject to aberration, im other species it does not occur: there is, I believe, areason which could be assigned for this; I will not consider it now; but I think a list of the species of British Lepidoptera most subject to aberration, and another of those least subject to it, would be very interesting and instructive. A race, it will be seen from the definition I have given of it, approaches very nearly in validity to a species; indeed the connecting forms are the only reason that can satisfactorily be assigned for its non-distinctness. It is, in fact, a species nearly formed ; and it is probable that, under a somewhat greater differentia- tion of the circumstances in which the type and race live, intermediate examples would cease to occur, and the race would become a distinct species. The second form of variation or variety is apparently the most inexplicable one 1867 ] 71 at present. I will not here attempt any speculations as to the reason of its occurrence, but, if I find my suspicions strengthened by observation, may perhaps say something of it at a future time. I may state I consider sexual differences for which no object is probable (as those of the orange-tip butterfly) to be really, as regards their manner of origin, varieties, as also the differences constantly occurring in conformity with the season of the year, as in Selenia ilunaria.—D. Suarp, Dumfries. Notes on Acari.—Trombidium lapidum, Hermann, occurs just now in countless numbers on the flint gravel covering the approaches to Elmersend Station, in this neighbourhood. Acarus phalangti, De Geer. Of this species, so named from its infesting the harvest spider (Phalangiwm Opilio), and described and figured by Curtis under the name of Leptus phalangii (“ Farm Insects,” page 200, and pl. G, figs. 50 t, and 51) as occurring on an Hlater (ruficaudis), I found yesterday two specimens on Lagria hirta, Linn. Both of them (one full-, the other half-grown) were attached by the rostrum to the head of the beetle, just beneath the left antenna.—ALBERT MULLER, Penge, 8.H., July 8th, 1867. General Anformation. Swiss Entomological Society.—We are requested to state that this Society has appointed Messrs. Dulau and Co., of 37, Soho Square, its agents in Hngland, and that they are empowered to receive subscriptions for the Journal (“ Mittheilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft”) of the Society. Texan insects——Dr. Boheman informs us that Herr Gustav Belfrage, many years resident in North America, has now settled in Texas, and is prepared to supply entomologists with insects from that State. Address—P. O. Bex 106, Houston, Texas, U. 8S. America. “ Mimicry and other protective resemblances among animals.” —The last number of the Westminster Quarterly Review (July, 1867) contains, under the above title, one of the most important and exhaustive papers that has ever been written on this subject which is now attracting so much attention among naturalists, being a resumé of the observations of the various writers on mimicry. The reviewer, whom we believe we recognise in the person of one of the most accomplished and philosophic naturalists of the present age, a devoted follower of, and fellow-worker with, Mr. Darwin, brings forward a multitude of proofs of the existence among organised beings of certain laws (subtle, it is true, yet patent to any observer) by which the weak are enabled to protect themselves from the strong, and by which the latter can more readily sustain themselves in the universal strife raging in Nature. No one, whether he be a disciple of the Darwinian school or a follower of the old system, can fail to derive, from a careful perusal of this paper, an amount of information such as is rarely to be found condensed in so small a space. Many curious instances of mimicry of animate or inanimate objects must have struck all naturalists, even those who attend only to the limited field of British Natural History ; but the writer truly observes that “the Natural History of the tropics has never yet been studied on the spot with a full appreciation of what to observe in this matter. The varied ways in which the colouring and form of animals serve for their protection, their strange disguises as vegetable or mineral substances, their wonderful mimicry of other beings, offer an almost unworked and inexhaustible Foe - [August, \ field of discovery for the zoologist, and will assuredly throw much light on the laws and conditions which have resulted in the wonderful variety of colour, shade, and marking which constitute one of the most pleasing characteristics of the animal world, but the immediate causes of which it has hitherto been most difficult to explain.” EntomotocicaLt Society or Lonpon. lst July, 1867.—Sir Joun LusBpock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. Dr. G. W. Davidson, of 13, Union Place, Edinburgh, was elected a Member. Mr. Busk mentioned that the hair-worms exhibited at the last meeting were not Gordius aquaticus, as Dr. Cobbold had at first supposed, but the true Mermis nigrescens. Mr. McLachlan exhibited an example of the spider Ciniflo ferow, the abdomen of which was strongly infested with branching fungoid growths. It had been found by Dr. Knaggs, at Folkestone, under a log. He also exhibited a living example of a gigantic spider and centipede found in the hold of a ship recently arrived from Manilla. The Secretary exhibited branches and fruit of an orange-tree from Queensland, received from Mr. Moore, of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, said to be infested with insects. Professor Westwood said that there were two species of Coccus on the branches, but the fruit was apparently injured by fungi only. The Hon. T. De Grey exhibited Eupecilia rwpicola and E. anthemidana from Norfolk. It will be remembered that the latter little-known species was bred from flower-heads of Anthemis cotula by the late John Curtis. He remarked also that he had just captured five examples of the race Hypercallia Christiernana in Kent. Mr. Stainton exhibited a large collection of Micro-Lepidoptera bred from larvee obtained at Cannes and Mentone, &c., in the early spring. The most remarkable of these were many examples of Depressaria rutana from Ruta angustifolia, two species of Gelechia (one apparently identical with our G. marmorea) from Silene niewensis, a new Zelleria from Phillyrea angustifolia, and a Nepticula from the cork-oak. Mr. Wallace exhibited a collection of Malayan Cetontide, and read a paper on the species from that quarter, enumerating 181, of which 70 were described as new. Mr. John Lowe, of Edinburgh, communicated a long paper on Dzierzon’s theory of reproduction in the honey-bee, in which he combated Dzierzon’s ideas on this subject. He backed his arguments by the results of various experiments on Apis mellifica, A. ligustica, and A. fasciata, instituted with a view of ascertaining what the hybrid progeny of these so-called species would be like. He drew the con- clusion that these, both drones and workers, were always affected in some way by the male parent. Mr. Smith said that the examples exhibited presented unmistake- able hybrid characters. He was inclined to consider A. fasciata a good species, but looked upon A. ligustica as merely a variety of A, mellifica. A long discussion ensued, in which the President, Mr. Busk, and others took part. This was the last meeting before the recess ; the next will take place on the 4th of November. ¢ 1867.) 73 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF LYCHNA MEDON, HUFNAGEL (POLYOM- MATUS AGESTIS, OCHSENHEIMER). BY PROFESSOR P. C. ZELLER. Diagnosis of the larva— Larva—lete virida, capite nigro, albido-setosa, obsoletissime di- lutius oblique strigata, linea dorsali vittaque lata laterali purpureis. Diagnosis of the pupa— Chrysalis—pallide succinea, linea abdominis dorsali vittaque laterali purpureis roseisve, lineola oculi arcuata nigra. In Kirby’s “Catalogue des Rhopalocéres d’ Europe dont les che- nilles ne sont pas connues ou ne le sont qu’ imparfaitement ”’ (Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 1865,) Polyommatus Agestis stands amongst those of which we briefly read “les chenilles ne sont pas connues.” Wilde also in his work “Die Pflanzen und Raupen Deutschlands,” 1861, IT, p. 41, knows nothing of the larva. The notice which Stainton gives of the appearance of the larva according to West- wood, in the Manual, I, p. 62, is incorrect ; the food only is correctly stated. The only correct notice of the natural history of this species of Lycena, which I communicated in the “ Isis,’ 1840, p. 126, runs thus: “the eggs are laid on the under-side of the leaves of Hrodiwm cicutarium, often several together, but scattered. In eight to ten days the larve emerge. In the middle of April I found a tolerably well- grown onisciform larva, which was pubescent and greenish, with darker dorsal line, and with rosy lateral margins. It hid itself between the stipule of the leaf-stalk, and ate holes in the former and in the young leaves. I have not bred it.” So would the larva belong at least to the “imparfaitement connues,” even if it should appear, from what follows, that it can be otherwise defined with few words. After several attempts, which I made in the beginning of the summer of last year, to observe the female whilst ovipositing, and which were always fruitless, through the weather, I at last succeeded on the 22nd of August. A female settled on a fallow field on the bare ground. As I observed in her vicinity some young Krodium plants just developed from the seeds, I did not disturb her; consequently I saw how she ap- proached towards one of these plants, and, after a short rest, curved her abdomen, and deposited an egg on the under-side of a small leaf; having done this, she flewaway. This egg had the ordinary form of those of the genus Lycena, was greenish-white, and retained this colour till the 31st August, when it was white, and had above a large kidney- 74 [September, shaped hole, through which the larva had escaped. The plant with the egg I had fastened with a pin to a larger plant in a flower-pot, so that it should not dry up. Suspecting that more eggs had probably been deposited in the same locality, I re-visited the place on the 5th September, and cut off about 100 plants (which were now rather more grown) close above the roots, without shaking them, and placed them in a pocket handkerchief. The following day, when they were becoming rather withered, I shook them out, whereby, in addition to sundry green aphides, and some larvee and pupx of Syrphus, I obtained eighteen onisciform larve. These were from one to two lines long, dull pale greenish, with rather long white hairs, the lateral margins rather paler, the head black. They remained half-an-hour or longer before they crawled away from the spot where I had placed them; they repaired to the under-side of the leaves, and ate during the sunshine the tips of the primate leaves, leaving only the upper skin remaining, which soon curled up and withered. On the 11th September I tried the same plan of operations on a sunny slope, where the imago had not been scarce in the spring. Here I found what I took for the full-grown larva, only I was struck by its shape being so slightly onisciform, since the body was narrow and gradually attenuated behind. The largest were pale green, with the head honey-yellow, spotted with black; a pale rose-coloured dorsal stripe on each segment, an elongate black spot on each side; beneath the black spiracles ran a wavy pale red longitudinal stripe, the pro- thorax was yellowish. Yet I reputed this to be the Medon larva I was seeking, till I observed the following day that it had no anterior legs: lf believe it was the larva of one of the Owreulionide. As they were eating up my food unnecessarily, and I did not feel certain that they might not be disposed to make a meal of one of my true Medon larve, I turned them away altogether. I had, however, amongst them truly obtained some larve of Medon. By a third expedition I increased my stock to more than fifty, so that now there seemed good hopes of bringing some safely through the perils of winter; I divided them into three flower-pots, but I had great difficulty with the food-plants, since the young plants died quite as soon as the old ones planted with injured roots. At the same time, the larve grew very slowly; however, by degrees they assumed the colouring and markings of the adult larve. Early in December, when frost set in, I distributed the three flower- pots for the winter, so that two (covered over with gauze) were placed outside a window facing north, and the other (quite uncovered) stood 1867.) 75 in acoldroom. From time to time I watered the plants to keep them alive. On the 14th February I searched for the larve which had sur- vived the winter, in order to put them again in the sunshine. In the flower-pots which had been exposed to the open air I found both the plants and larve were dead; in the third flower-pot I found fifteen larve of rather different sizes : they had sat motionless the whole time, either on the stems of grass, or on or under living leaves of Hrodium. As I had not spared anything necessary for their rearing, I come to the conclusion that the reason the females are so fruitful in autumn is that “many larvee may be destroyed during the winter without injury to the species ; and that this is truly the case seems to be shown from the fact, that the multitude of larve which are to be found in antumn does not at all correspond to the number of butterflies of JZedon which appear in spring. Supplied with fresh food, which would probably taste well in the sunny window, my larve cast their skins several times. Although I could not make any precise observations, yet it is certain that the num- ber of moultings does not differ from what occurs in other species of Lycena. Of the fifteen larve seven died by degrees. One, just dead, which I described on the 14th March, was already nearly five lines long. Its shining black head had a grey face; the body pale green, with a deep, rather narrow, posteriorly attenuated, dark red dorsal streak. The warts near it on each segment with about twelve unequally long, pointed, pale bristles, which, on the anterior segments, stand almost perpendicularly, on the middle and hinder segments are inclined more posteriorly. I could not perceive that these larvee had a cone capable of being protruded (like that which we find in Lycena Corydon, and which the ants are so fond of licking). Pectoral legs black; ventral legs of the same colour as the pale belly, which, on each segment from the fourth, has on each side a black streak reaching to the lateral wart ; these streaks, however, are not perceptible in the living larva. The red lateral stripe as usual. Having planted three vigorous plants, the remaining larve prospered so well, that by the 8th April, I could look upon them as quite, or almost quite, full grown. They devoured the primate leaves—gnawed the stem of the leaf, hence causing the upper part to wither, and did not spare the young shoots, when the plants assumed at last a very injured appearance, and were abundantly sprinkled with grains of brown-green excrement. ‘The larve crawl very slowly whilst they spin a white thread, which they fasten to the right and left, and on 76 [September, which they place their legs. They are not easily perceptible on the food-plant, since they are the same shade of green, and even their bristles have the same colour as the hairs on the leaf-stalk. The full-grown larva has a length of 64—7 lines. Its body is much arched, and so contractile, that the creature can appear 13 lines shorter, whereby it naturally becomes more deeply arched. The much concealed black head has a whitish transverse streak above the mouth ; the dark palpi are whitish at the base. The ground colour of the body is an agreeable pale green; the deeply-seated, brownish-purple coloured dorsal line reaches from the beginning of the mesothorax to the be- ginning of the penultimate segment ; the rather flat anal plate is semi- oval, and in the middle of each side slightly concave. On each side of the body from above obliquely, downwards and posteriorly go faint pale stripes, only just perceptible, and in many points of view quite invisible. The incisions of the segments are deep above, whereby on each segment near the dorsal line an eminence arises, which bears a multitude of white bristles of unequal length, almost radiating. Below this wart- like eminence is a second less conspicuous, with similar bristles. Both eminences have hollows in the middle, which the larva can raise or de- press at will. The lateral wart, clothed with longer projecting bristles, in which the spiracle is not perceptible, is purple-red, and forms the rather broad lateral stripe, which, however, does not reach the head, since the prothorax is either altogether green at the sides, or is only pale reddish posteriorly. The anal plate is purple-coloured only for a narrow space anteriorly at the sides. The. belly is pale green, with many whitish bristles. The ventral legs are short, pale yellowish, rather transparent, with short cylindrical feet, with a darker yellowish circlet of hooks ; the pectoral legs are spotted with black anteriorly. When the time of pupation approaches, the larva becomes of a paler green, and creeps about restlessly, in order to seek a place for spinning. As I once lost the larvee of Lycena Amyntas at this period of their lives, because they could find no place suitable for their change, I laid crumpled paper, gauze, dry elm and poplar leaves, and old Arte- misia stems, amongst the Hrodiwm plants. As, however, with the larve which first became restless all this appeared of no avail, I shut up the two most bleached and shrunk in a small wooden box, in which both gauze and paper lay. Here they changed after five or six days (since e entually they merely sat still) to pupe without spinning. The others in the flower-pot changed on the earth, nearly free. I had almost come to the conclusion that spinning in JMedon is altogether 1867. } 77 omitted; however, two spun up quite in the usual Lycena style, on a white silken web, and with a thread round the body ; one of these was in the cavity of an old elm leaf, the other on a willow leaf between stems of Artemisia, which it had drawn together with some transverse threads, forming as it were the rudiments of a cocoon. By the 28th of April all the eight had assumed the pupa state. (Out-of-doors the larve, owing to the hitherto inclement weather, were certainly not so far advanced). The pupa has the usual Zycena form, is 4—5 lines long, the males small and more slender than the females, naked, only at the head and on the upper part of the back with isolated very short whitish bristles, only perceptible by the aid of a lens; the colour is a rather transparent pale amber, more or less greenish, with slight lustre, the opaque abdo- men is more of a pale yellow. Over the eye is a short, curved, shining black line. The convex thorax is separated from the equally convex back of the abdomen by a saddle-like depression. The abdomen has along the back a longitudinal line of reddish-purple, more or less bril- hant, and a similar lateral stripe of different breadth, which also shines through the upper margin of the wing-cover. The anal end, which is concealed in the empty larva-skin, is bluntly rounded and without spines or bristles. It is immoveable, and is held fast by a fine white thread, which is drawn round the commencement of the abdomen, and by the exuvia, on its silken couch. The exclusion of the imago takes place according to the temperature, in from two to three weeks. Itappears now to be generally accepted that Lycena Artaxerxes is only avariety of Z.Medon. Theformer in the larva state feeds on Helian- themum vulgare. Although it appears to me extremely improbable that the larva of Z. Medon should habituate itself to this food, and although I even doubt whether it could be fed with species of Geranium, yet I will endeavour to make some experiments on this head. But as it de- pends very much on accident whether I can obtain the needful eggs, it would be very desirable that others, who are disposed to the solution of such important questions, should not allow any favourable opportunity which occurs to them to escape. I should much rejoice if some other Entomologist were to be beforehand with me, and would publish his attempts in detail. I do not recognize in my four English Sa/macis any transition to my ten specimens of Artaxerxes, in all of which the black transverse streak in the white discoidal spot of the anterior wings is entirely wanting. Meseritz, 1867. 7m (September, NEW SPECIES OF INSECTS FROM THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY, NEW ZEALAND, COLLECTED BY R. W. FEREDAY, ESQ. BY H. W. BATES, F.Z.S. (Concluded from page 56.) CoPpTODERA ANTIPODUM, Nn. sp.* C. brevis, depressa, punctata, nitida, piceo-ferruginea, fulvo- pubescens ; thorace rufo, elytris fuscis, marginibus posticis macula elongata discoidali prope suturam, alteraque rotundiori juxta angulum suturalem, rufo-testaceis. 2% lin. Rather short, depressed, rather closely and finely punctured on the elytra, punctures more scattered on the head and thorax. Head finely strigose, labrum, palpi, and antenne paler rufous, the latter thickening from base to apex. "Thorax much broader than long, anterior margin strongly incurved, posterior margin produced in the middle portion; anterior angles rounded, posterior scarcely distinct ; colour rusty-red. Elytra clothed with laid tawny pubescence, and marked with indistinct ribs, blackish-brown, with the posterior half of the lateral margins, an elongate spot before the middle near the suture, and an obscure rounded spot near the sutural angle, reddish-testaceous. Body beneath shining, and, with the legs, pale pitchy-rufous ; denticu- lations of the tarsal claws small and few in number. One example. Belongs to the division Agonocheila of Baron Chaudoir. Meraaiyma, nov. gen. (Carabide, Broscini). Similar to Broscus in general form. Head not narrowed behind the eyes, the latter prominent. Antenne short, reaching to one- third the length of the thorax, and composed (with the exception of the first joint) of nearly globular, equal-sized joints. Mentum slightly concave, tooth narrow, curved inwards towards the cesophagus, apex bifid ; lateral lobes very broad at the summit. Maxille terminating in a thick hook curved nearly at a right angle; ligula not longer than the mentum, rounded at apex; paraglosse horny, not longer than the ligula and adherent. Palpi short and thick, terminal joints sub-cylindrical, truncated ; penultimate of the maxillaries one-half the length of the preceding and terminal joints. Mandibles broad, strongly curved near the apex. Thorax similar in form to that of Broscus, but very abruptly narrowed towards the base; separated from the elytra by a * Thisand the following descriptions are supplementary to those published in the preceding number. The number of joints ot the male anterior tarsiin the genus Sphallawx clothed beneath with a brush of hairs was stated as four: this is a misprint, it should be three. 1367. j 79 neck formed by the mesosternum, with the scutellum very distant from the elytral strix. Elytra oblong-oval, elegantly punctate-sulcate. Legs stout ; anterior tibiw at the end prolonged inthe @ externally into along stout tooth; middle and posterior tibie furnished with a projecting tooth in both sexes. Tarsi short, stout, without sexual difference in dilatation or clothing of the under-surface ; but the joints of the fore and middle tarsi in the ¢ prolonged each, on one side, into a stout tooth. Mesothoracic epimera very wide and dilated exteriorly. MrTAGLYMMA MONILIFER, 0. sp. M. nigrum, subnitidum; capite thoraceque levibus, hoc expla- nato-marginato, fovea magna utrinque basali, lineaque impressa longi- tudinali. lytris sulcis decem fortiter punctatis, apicem versus confluentibus. Long 8—9 lin. The body is convex, black, more or less shining. The labrum is broad and short, with its front edge obtusely rounded. The antenne and legs are in some examples pitchy-red; the flattened margins of the thorax are transversely furrowed throughout ; the furrows are, however, obsolete in some examples. The depth of the elytral sulci and their punctures also varies. There is no rudimentary scutellar stria; the sulci nearest the suture are straight and entire from base to apex, but the four lateral sulci on each side are much abbreviated towards the base, and the middle sulci are blended in a cluster of punctures before reaching the apex. The under-surface of the body is very glossy. The frontal suture of the head is strongly impressed, but does not reach the margin, being joined on each side to a short longitudinal line extending towards the labrum. The outer sides of the middle and posterior tibie are rough with impressed points and acute denticulations. This very distinct genus seems to partake of the characters of Cnemacanthus and Broscus, having the wide mesothoracic epimera of the one, and the prolonged apices of the tibize of the other. It bears no resemblance to Promecoderus and Oopterus, which are the only other Australasian representatives of the sub-family. Cnemacanthus is peculiar to the southern extremity of America, and Broscus is found only in the temperate portions of the old world. The 2nd joint of the antenne scarcely perceptibly shorter than the 8rd is a remarkable feature, approximating the genus to Scarites. The mandibles in some specimens exhibit a distinct striation, which is also a Scaritideous character. BEMBIDIUM (Peryphus) CHARILE. B. gracile, pedibus elongatis ; nigro-eneum unitidissimum, elytris lividis, eeneo-tinctis. Long 3 lin. 80 [September, A slender species, similar in form to the European B. egues, but smaller. Head with a deep, roughened furrow on each side. Antenne and palpi testaceous, blackish towards their tips. Thorax small, narrow ; base longitudinally striated. Elytra dark livid-brassy, or paler with a brassy tinge ; punctate striate, third interstice with four, fifth with two, fovere. Coxze (except those of the hind legs), trochanters, and base of femora, reddish-testaceous; femora black, tibie and tarsi pale-testaceous. Many examples. NEW SPECIES OF SCOPARIA (LEPIDOPTERA) FROM NEW ZEALAND, COLLECTED BY R. W. FEREDAY, ESQ. BY H. G. KNAGGS, M.D., F.L.S. My kind old friend, Mr. Fereday, has forwarded to England a most interesting collection, in which are six species of this interesting little group (of which, up to the present, four species only had been described from New Zealand). Four of the species forwarded by Mr. Fereday being new to science, I venture to describe them. It may be added that only two species have been discovered in Australia. ScoparRiIaA FEREDAYI, n. sp. Thorax cum capite et palpis rufo-brunnea. Ale antice sub-triangu- lares roseo-grisee, ad apicem concinné rotundate, fascié medid rufo- brunned, externé albo-marginata, stigmates fere obsoletis. Postice albide. Exp. alar, 9" Hab. (N. Zee Head, palpi, and thorax rich reddish-brown; fore-wings somewhat triangular, neatly shaped off at the apical and anal angles, basal area reddish-grey ; first line arched, the concavity facing the base of the wing; medial area rich reddish-brown, the stigmata being barely perceptible ; second line bordered with white, almost straight, and parallel with the apical margin; apical area grey, tinted with reddish- brown, being in certain lights faintly lilac; cilia pale reddish-brown. Hind-wings silky-whitish, with a slight fuscous tint. This is one of the prettiest and most striking members of the group with which I have yet met. SCOPARIA RAKAIENSIS, n. sp. Ale antice sub-oblonge, longe, grisea, angulum analem versus suturatiore, lined primd S-formi, secundd denticulaté. Exp..alar. 11”... Hab. N2Z. 243" Fore-wings long, of tolerably uniform width, ground colour pale grey ; basal area with a few dct-like dashes interspersed; first line 1867.| | 81 S-shaped; medial area, orbicular stigma indistinct, attached to first line, claviform detatched, reniform 8-shaped; second line sinuated, denticulated; apical area, sub-terminal shade darker than ground colour, especially towards the anal angle; apical border and also the bases of the cilia dotted. Hind-wings whitish, with a fuscous tint, the hind-margin being conspicuously dark. ScOPARIA EJUNCIDA, 0. Sp. Gracilis: ale antice basin versus anguste, grisee; costa leviter concavd ; margine apicali obliquo ; strigd basali, strigis duabus discoida- libus signatis; lined secundé.et wmbra sub-terminali obscuré radiatis. Postice albide. Exp. alar. 10”. Hab. N.Z. 2 @. Slender: fore-wings narrow at the base, gradually widening towards the apical margin, which is very oblique grey ; costa slightly hollowed at the middle third—the areas ill defined; there are three conspicuous longitudinal narrow black streaks—one at the base, another at the position of the orbicular, and a third at the position of the reniform stigma; the second line and sub-terminal shade are indi- cated by faint Jongitudinal streaks. Hind-wings whitish. This species is, perhaps, most nearly allied to our gracilis. ScOPARIA EXILIS, N. sp. Ale antice peranguste, costa recta, apice acuto, strigis geminis duabus basalibus, lined prima 3-formi, stigmato claviformi amplo, nigro, reniformi 8-formi, strigad pallida obliquaé apical. Posticw anguste, grisew. xp. alae. 8" Habe iN. Ze ieee Fore-wings very narrow, costa straight, apex acute, hind-margin slightly emarginate, in colour a mixture of fuscous, black, and whitish ; basal area with two twin dashes towards the inner margin; first line 3-shaped; medial area dark towards second line, claviform stigma large, black, and detatched from first line, with a patch of fuscous below and beyond it, reniform, 8-shaped, the lower half being filled in with white, the upper with fuscous; second line whitish, 3-shaped ; apical area with an oblique pale streak from the apex, and a dark trans- verse line towards, and parallel with, the apical margin. Hind-wings narrow, grey. This species reminds one most of our angustea. Besides the above, there are two 98 of S. diphtheralis (a handsome and variable spécies) andl g and two 92s of linealis. Of the two other known species (8. minusculalis and minualis) my friend has not yet sent over any examples. London, August, 1867. 82 iSeptember, Note on Sitones lineéllus, Gyll.—For many years past I have taken this insect ; but, looking upon it as only a pretty variety of S. tibialis, have unceremoniously ejected it from the sweeping net. In May of last year (1866), however, happening to secure some fine examples, and noticing their totally red legs, it occurred to me that they might be the much doubted lineéllus. A careful examination of Gyllen- hal’s description showed me that I had, without doubt, the insect described by the learned Swede. When in good condition, it is indeed a beautiful thing; the white dashes on the elytra being very conspicuous, especially in the smaller examples. Bleak and storm-beaten is the Northumberland coast, exposed to the tem- pestuous winds of a stormy sea: a boreal insect may there find a fitting home. Towards the north end of Whitley-sands the banks become high, rugged and uneven, from the frequent land-slips, and have a dense cover of coarse grasses, thistles, docks, cow-parsnips, rest-harrow, &c. By sweeping among these the insect is taken; but on which particular plant J am unable to say. I have seen it astir early in April, and through the following months to the end of September.— TxHos. Jno. Bo~p, Long Benton, Newcastle-on-Tyne, July 23rd, 1867. Note on Sitones meliloti, Walton.—This very distinct species appears to be of rare occurrence everywhere, perhaps to a great extent owing to its habits. It was so in my case; for although I had for some years known of a locality for it, yet the most careful ‘‘ sweeps” failed to produce more than single specimens. Last year, however, I found two bushes of the food-plant—the Melilot-trefoil—growing on the edge of the sands, with the beetles feeding thereon. Now the reason why I had not before been able to take a series was that the extreme timidity of the creatures causes them, as soon as they are approached, to drop down amongst the dense herbage, where they are quite in safety. This stratagem did not answer on the sand; for, although they adroitly tucked in their legs, fell on their backs, and simulated death with much patience, they were quickly seized and bottled, in spite of their being nearly of the same colour as the sand. The first specimens were got on the 25th of August, and others up to the beginning of October, when my captures were put an end to by some sheep escaping from a neighbouring field and devouring my traps.—ID. [Mr. G. Lewis used to take this species sparingly in Charlton sand-pits; and, in the beginning of August, I once took a few specimens on the straggling yellow- flowered Melilot-trefoil in Hammersmith-marshes, accompanied by many of the Tychiws and Apion peculiar to that plant. Before that month the Sitones-had been found in some numbers there by Messrs. 8. and J. Stevens.—H. C. R.] Note on Calathus nvicropterus and Miscodera arctica.—In the ‘‘ Geodephaga Britannica” Mr. Dawson speaks of both these species as being somewhat rare, but as having been taken by him on the high moors near Llangollen, in August. I found each species abundantly in the locality indicated, about the middle of last month. C. micropterus was plentiful everywhere, and occurred here and there in profusion. MM. arctica appeared to be rather more local, but was very plentiful. It would seem that either this must have been an unusually good season, or that June is a better time to search for these beetles than August. I suspect the latter supposition is the correct one. 1867.) 83. Among other Geodephaga I found Tarus vaporariorwm, but not very commonly ; it was, I fancy, rather early for that insect. Leistus rufescens was in great abundance, and I captured two specimens of Carabus arvensis. It may possibly be worth mentioning that it appears of little use to search for Geodephaga until near the summit of these hills, and then only where there is plenty of heather ;—at least, that was my experience.—T. Vauauan Roperts, 15, Neville Street, Onslow Gardens, July 24th, 1867. Coleoptera taken in Coombe Wood.—The frequent specification of ‘“ Coombe Wood” as a locality for rare insects of all orders in the writings of entomological authors of the past generation has invested that place with the sanctity of an insect paradise in the minds of most present collectors. Still, of late years, it has been but little—if at all—worked; owing, perhaps, to the strictness with which it is preserved for shooting purposes by the Duke of Cambridge,—from whose agent (Mr. Clutton, of Whitehall Place), however, it is possible to obtain a ticket of admission in pursuit of insects ; without which ticket the collector is sure to be refused entry, or to be summarily ejected if he do get in on the sly. Rumours of the wood being destined to annihilation by railway cuttings, and of its being sold for building purposes, have lately been circulated; but, as I am informed by the Rey. W. Cockerell, who lives at its entrance, these reports are void of truth. It would, indeed, be a great pity if the slow process of absorption now being undergone by Wimbledon Common should extend to this (to us) classical spot. Well do I remember my joy, when, wandering to the wood in my earliest entomclogical days, after a due apprenticeship to Pieris brassicw, Hristalis tenaw, and Harpalus eneus, such insects as Gonepteryx, Anthocaris cardamines, Argynnis Huphrosyne, Strangalia armata, and the broad blue-bodied male of Libellula depressa swarmed before my astonished eyes,—a tropical sight! Here, also, an enthusiastic rural policeman told me he had seen the “Clouded Yaller” (sic). Him I dis- believed, not having sufficient faith : nevertheless he was right, in all probability ; for I have myself taken EHdusa not uncommonly in a meadow on the skirts of the wood in later years, near the little stream,in which I have found the running- water Agabi (maculatus, didymus, &c.) and Hydropori (elegans, &c.) plentifully, with Haliplus fluviatilis commonly, amongst others. In the past few years, and originally excited by my friend, the Rev. H. S. Gorham, taking Tetratoma Desmarestii at the wood, I have occasionally strolled there after beetles. These, however (with some few exceptions), I have seldom found abundant; a circumstance possibly owing to the great number of pheasants contained in it, which must make great havoc among the insects generally. Neither have I found anything particularly valuable; though on the whole the place generally repays a visit. On the posts at the entrance I have picked up Melasis buprestoides (scarcely crediting my eyes the while), Cerylon histeroides, Cis villosulus and hispidus, Pogonocherus, Liopus, Clytus, Towotus, &c.; and, under their scanty patches of dry bark, Lemophleus duplicatus, Omalium iopterum, &c. From dead cats, shot by gamekeepers, and “ sus. per coll.” on trees at the foot of the hill running up the wood (on which hill Prionus has ere this, in its lumbering flight, been taken by 84 [September, collectors returning at eve after a hard day’s work), I have beaten Haploglossa pulla (a few examples), Necrobia violacea (common,—but hitherto rare to me) and rufipes, Dendrophilus punctatus (!!), Nitidula bipustulata (abundantly), Dermestes murinus, vulpinus, and lardarius, many Choleve, Necrodes littoralis, with its cedemerous male, and swarms of the common Omosita colon and discoidea, Hister cadaverinus, Saprinus nitidulus, Creophilus, &c.,—not unaccompanied by Silpha thoracica and Necrophorus vespillo. Smaller and drier carcases, such as weasels, &e., with which there is a tree ornamented as with a fringe onits branches, produced many Choleva, viz., C. nigricans, wigrita, tristis, grandicollis, Kirbyi, morio, clryso- meloides, velox, Watsoni, and fumata; some of these, with C. spadicea (rarely), being also found in fangi. Under cut grass at the sides of the path I have taken Hister unicolor, Aphodius porcatus, Philonthus succicola, punctiventris (swarming), decorus, and the boreal puellw. General beating and sweeping have never been productive; such ordinary species as Rhynchites pubescens, populi, and megacephalus, Balaninus turbatus and venosus, Mordellistena abdominalis, Anaspis subtestacea, Apion minimum and Spencii, Orchestes avellane, Ceuthorhynchus cochlearie, Cneorhinus exaratus, Chrysomela lamina, Pria, Meligethes lugubris and memnonius being the best. The (when freshly disclosed) elegantly mottled Corymbites holosericeus is not rare here ; I once found it in profusion on wet decaying oak-apples; Cercus bipustulatus occurs on Epilobium ; Nanophyes lythri absolutely swarms, in all varieties, on Salicaria; and all our species of Cionus, except scrophulariew, are exceedingly common. The gravel pit at the top of the hill has entrapped some not very abundant insects; amongst them being Notiophilus rufipes (not rare), Harpalus honestus, Haploglossa nidicola, Callicerus rigidicornis (common), Myrmedonia limbata (very common, with a little light yellow Myrmica), Atemeles, Stenus fuscicornis, Amphi- eyllis giobus, Byrrhus dorsalis, Ochina hedere, Apion rubens, Acalles ptinoides, Cenopsis Waltont, Orobitis cyaneus, Tritoma bipustulata, and Coccinells hiero- glyphica. Sifting dead leaves has produced Mycetoporus lucidus, clavicornis, angularis, &e.; Homalota hepatica, Ocalea picata and badia; Oxypoda rufula, Stenus geni- culatus, Habrocerus capillaricornis, Quedius maurorufus, fumatus, &c.; Liodes humeralis, Agathidiwm nigrinum and atrum; Bythinus Ourtisti, Aspidophorus orbiculatus, &c.; and in rotten stumps I found Scaphidium 4-maculatum, Scaphisoma assimilis, and Bolitochara bella ;—the latter abundantly, but incautiously not bottled in numbers, on account of its simulating Oxypoda alternans. From the dry decayed knobs, whence large branches have fallen from the trunks of oaks, I was lucky enough once to beat both sexes of Conopalpus testacews and of the rare Abdera 4-fasciata. It is, however, through its plentiful autumnal crop of fungi that Coombe is chiefly remembered by me ;—not that I have ever found anything peculiarly good (except, perhaps, Aleoehara mycetophaga, of which I once took half-a-dozen there, in the middle of the summer, accompanied by the bustling Oxyporus rufus), —hbut because such numbers of beetles are to be seen at once. There is to me a peculiar and somewhat melancholy pleasure in this fangus hunting ; the dull russet hue of the leaves, the autumnal chill and smell of earth, and the silence of the wood, —where the scratching of the Tachini and Bolitobii, as they scramble over one’s paper, 1867.] 85 and the chirp of the attendant bright-eyed Red-breast (which I have known even to settle upon my pad), are the only sounds to be heard,—all combine to impress this season upon the memory. Here, at Coombe Wood, Cryptophagus lycoperdi swarms in puff-balls, but never accompanied by Lycoperdina. Many species of Gyrophena are to be found, often very commonly; gentilis and fasciata being the most abundant, and levipennis and pulchella the rarest. Agaricochara levicollis, Boli- tobius atricapillus, &c., Autalia impressa, and Oxypoda alternans also abound ;— sometimes with Engis and Triphyllus punctatus, and stray Choleve, Aphodit, &c. I remember once being much astonished at finding Geotrupes sylvaticus and two specimens of Necrophorus mortuorum stowed away in a very small round rotten fungus, that looked as if it could not possibly contain such bulky insects. I shall be glad if these notes tempt any beginner to try the time-honoured wood of Coombe; and will conclude with the remark that if the ghost of the late J. F. Stephens could revisit his old happy hunting-grounds, it would be considerably astonished by the row of rhododendrons planted on each side of the hill by the Duke, and looking very out of place,—though good enough traps for Longicornes.— E. C. Ryz, 7, Parkfield Cottages, Putney, August, 1867. Description of the larva of Tanagra cherophyllata.—On the 28th and 30th of May last, I had the pleasure to receive six larvee obtained from the flowers of earth- nut (Bunium fleruosum) by Mr. Howard Vaughan, who has my sincere thanks for making two excursions in quest of the larvz to a locality where the perfect insects were known to occur. It is, therefore, to this gentleman we are indebted, not only for a knowledge of the larva, which hitherto has been most inaccurately described, but also for that of its food-plant, which, being one of the Umbellifere, had doubtless been mistaken for Cherophyllum ; but experience proved that chervil could not be the proper food, as young larvze obtained from eggs refused it, and starved. This larva, when full-grown, is nearly three-quarters of an inch in length, cylindrical, stout in proportion, and about equally thick throughout, rather shining, and with distinct lines, as follows :— Ground colour of the back green or bluish-green, becoming on the sides gradually paler towards the spiracular region. The dorsal line darker green, and on the anal segment becoming dark red and thicker, forming a very conspicuous mark. The gsub-dorsal stripe of a darker green than the ground-colour, and running between two fine lines of pale whitish-green, which in some individuals are also seen to be very finely edged externally with darker green. The spiracles are red, and below them the green fades into a whitish stripe, and it is forcibly contrasted beneath by a darker tint of the green of the back softening gradually into a paler green on the ventral surface, where there are three longitudinal whitish stripes, the middle one being the widest. The larvee had all retired to earth by the 8th of June, and the moths began to appear on the 27th, and the whole six were out by the 29th of the month.— WILLIAM BucktEeR, Emsworth. Notes on the larva of Apatura Iris.—It is as difficult to convey a just sense of my gratification at having been able to observe the wonderful larva of this imperial 86 ~ (September, species as it is to express adequately my grateful thanks to my kind friend Mr. Doubleday for the two fine examples sent me on the 5th June last, feeding on sallow—Salix caprea. This larva is not slow in its movements, which are very graceful as it turns and accommodates itself to the various positions necessary to its progress amongst the leaves, eating rapidly and voraciously, cutting out a large portion of a leaf in a few seconds ; but it is easily alarmed, for a touch of the leaf or slight shake of the spray transforms it into a very different looking creature. Its structure cannot be well understood until it is walking or feeding; then the flexile motions of the head become apparent, furnished as it is on the crown with a pair of long forked. tapering horns, blunt at their tips, curved of their inner sides and concavely bent a little in front, and covered with raised points on their front surfaces; they are much like those of a snail, but not retractile or moveable, though when the head is rapidly in action, as in feeding, so the horns are displayed perpendicularly or sloping backward and forward, or horizontal when at rest or in alarm. The crown is slightly notched and the face rather flattened above, but a little convex towards the lower part where it is widest. When full-grown and stretched out it attains the length of two inches, is rounded and tapering towards both head and tail, the anal segment terminating in an elongated, rather flattened point, which is, however, divided and slightly forked at its extremity; the prolegs short and thick, and a fringe of short hairs above them along the sides. The segments are sub-divided into five portions, the anterior being much the widest, and all studded with rows of minute raised points. When alarmed the segmental divisions and deep sub-divisions disappear, as it suddenly contracts its length, and are all drawn up so closely together as to make the raised points resemble the pile of a rich velvet: at such times, and when at rest, the head is bent down, the horns appear in a line with the body, the back much arched, thickened, and rounded, remaining a long time motionless, assimilating admirably with the leaf on which it rests. It reposes on a leaf, generally on the under-side, but not invariably so, and spins a quantity of silk, to which it firmly adheres. In colour, the larva is a bright full green on the back and sides, as far as the sixth segment, thence blending gradually into a yellower green, and the three last segments much paler, the whole surface studded with minute yellow points. On the back of each horn, and extending along the second, third, and fourth segments, is a sub-dorsal stripe of pinkish or yellowish flesh colour; and on each side of the other segments, as far as the tenth inclusive, a thin oblique stripe of dull yellow slightly edged with red, ranning backwards from the spiracular region of one segment to the sub-dorsal region of the next; the most conspicuous is that which begins on the sixth and ends on the back of the eighth segment, being longer and thicker, especially at the end, which is bordered above by a purplish-brown or crimson mark; the raised points there being much longer and larger than those on the other lines, as they also are longer than those of the green surface. A pale yeilowish lateral stripe on the anal segment, extending to the tips. The spiracles are red, and below them the green softens into a pale whitish-green, with a fringe of white silky hairs above the prolegs; these last are of a pale trans- parent bluish-green, the ventral surface whitish. The head, behind, is the same 1867.) 87 colour as the back, and the face a pale shining whitish-green, the horns in front bluish-green, which colour extends as a stripe down each side the face, the tips of the horns brownish-red, and a little below they have a few raised black dots. When full-fed it spins a large quantity of silk on the under-side of a leaf, to which it attaches itself by the anal prolegs, and slightly with the anterior pair of ventral ones, and remains motionless for about four days; it then relaxes its hold by the ventral legs and hangs down, suspended only by the anal pair, and within an honr the transformation to a pupa is complete. The form of the pupa is broad and flattened on the sides, the outline of the abdomen and wing-cases nearly straight, while that of the back forms a very obtuse angle, having a thin and rather sharp ridge, projecting to a point about midway, from which it slopes off to the anal point and to the head, which has a short, pointed, and flattened, forked pair of appendages ; seen only from the back or front it would appear a rather long and slender pupa in comparison with a side view. Its colour is a very pale whitish-green, with whitish oblique lines on the sides, also nervures on the wing-cases and dorsal ridge. In three weeks the perfect insect was disclosed.—Ib. Descriptions of four varieties of the larva of Epunda nigra.—I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. J. Hellins for many examples of the very beautiful larvae of this species collected in the spring of 1866 by Mr. Thomas Terry and others, found chiefly on Galiwm mollugo and other low plants, though in confinement they pre- ferred hawthorn. When full-grown, they attained from an inch and a-half to an inch and three- quarters in length, and were cylindrical, of nearly uniform thickness, with the head rounded, and but little smaller than the second segment, the anal segment tapering at the extremity. They were full-fed from the middle of May to the 10th of June, and the moths emerged towards the end of October. There are several very distinct varieties, and others that may be subdivided into further variations, but it will be sufficient to give details of four, distinct in colour. 1. Ground colour a brilliant pale yellow-green, sometimes a very bright grass- green, others of a bright olive-green, deepest in tint at the extremities, and often suffused with pink anteriorly. The dorsal broad stripe in some being faintly blackish, in others reddish, but intensely black or red, forming a dark mark just at the beginning of each segment; in others this dark spot is confluent with the two anterior tubercular large black dots, thus forming blunt arrow-head marks pointing forwards. The sub-dorsal stripe of red or blackish is sometimes complete, but oftener interrupted in the middle of each segment; the skin-folds at the incisions are bright yellow. The spiracles in all varieties are white, placed in semi-circular black marks, and immediately beneath them is a narrow stripe of pale sulphur-yellow or of greenish-yellow ; belly and legs pale green, tipped with red at their extremities. The tubercular dots are sometimes absent, but when visible are black, and the anterior pair very much larger than the pair behind them. The head green suffused with 88 : [September, pink; a dull pinkish plate on the second segment. One olive-green larva had the plate dark red, and a large crimson spot on the top of each lobe of the head. 2. Ground-colour cinnamon-brown ; a narrow pale greenish-yellow stripe be- neath the spiracles; the folds of skin at the segmental divisions greyish; dorsal stripe faintly indicated by a dusky spot at the beginning of each segment; the sub-dorsal stripe more distinct and faintly blackish. 3. Deep dingy crimson on the back and sides; below the spiracles a greenish- yellow stripe; the belly and legs, with head and dull plate on second segment, rather paler than the back; a broad dorsal and narrow sub-dorsal stripe of faint blackish, but just at the beginning of each segment quite black. 4. The whole of the back between the sub-dorsal lines a brilliant deep citron- yellow, the sides from the sub-dorsal to the line of spiracles of the same ground- colour, but almost entirely suffused with dark red ; the head and thoracic segments, with the anal extremity, also suffused with red. The dorsal stripe composed of two red confluent lines forming a broad stripe, with blunt arrow-head shapes of red at the beginning and end of each segment, and anteriorly margined with short black streaks ; the tubercular dots black, the anterior pairs being much the largest ; sub-dorsal line black, and interrupted in the middle of each segment. Spiracles white in semi-lunar blotches of black, and edged below by a pale greenish-yellow stripe; belly greenish, with a large red blotch along the sides above the legs, the latter being orange-red.—Ip. Notes on the earlier stages of Acidalia emutaria.—Through the kindness of Messrs. Fenn and A, H. Jones, I am enabled to give some account of the earlier stages of this species. The egg-laying female was captured on the 13th July, 1866, in a cultivated marsh, flying amongst the reeds which line the sides of the dykes. This locality would point to some marsh-plant being its natural food, but we reared our larvee in confinement upon Medicago lwpulina, Lotus corniculatus, and Polygonum aviculare. My larvee hatched July 22nd, 1866; hybernated when about one-third grown ; began to feed again about the end of February, 1867; moulted twice during April and May ; spun up in the second week of June; and the moths appeared on July 7th and 10th, full-sized specimens, and one of them especially deserving Haworth’s name of subroseata. The eggs are of an elongated pear-shape, the stalk-end being cut off flat ;* ribbed longitudinally, and finely punctured: when first laid their colour is pale bluish-green, afterwards changing to a straw colour with spots and irregular splashes of pink. The little slender larvyz, when first hatched, are pale greenish, with pinkish heads ; afterwards becoming very plainly coloured—pale ochreous-grey, with a few dingy black lines and markings. One of my four larvee died early in winter, but the other three bore the cold very well, whilst in the same outhouse the extreme frost slew some of the more tender species of hybernating larvee—Agrotis ripe and lwnigera for example. I had * N.B.—I notice that the eggs of several species of Acidalia exhibit this truncated form at one or both ends. 1867. 89 one fright about them, however. One has heard of the grass growing under the feet of a sluggard ; and it is a fact that during the winter, while they were resting almost as motionless as the withered stalks of their food, two of my three larve became decidedly tinged with bright green ; and, on examination with a lens, I found that this tint was caused by the young growth of a species of moss! (Tortula—?). However, it luckily proved to be less than skin deep, and was without difficulty got rid of at the first spring moult. When full-fed the larva is about an inch in length, following the imitaria type, i. e., long, cylimdrical, slender, and tapering slightly towards the head; the skin evenly ringed ; the head a little flattened above, and rounded at the sides. The colouring is so plain and dull in many of the Acidalia larvee, that one fears a detailed description may give the idea of something much more ornamental than the reality ; and yet it is necessary to give the little details, in order to show how the various species differ. The ground colour of emutaria, then, is a pale ochreous-grey ; the dorsal line is a very fine whitish-ochreous thread, distinct at the beginning of each segment, but soon almost extinguished by the union of the blackish lines which border it, and which shade off towards the sub-dorsal line through a brown into the ground colour, making the region of the back look darker than the sides: just at each segmental fold there is a pair of brown or blackish wedge-shaped spots: the sub- dorsal line is also a very fine whitish thread, edged below with a black line, which is most distinct about the middle of each segment, whence also some very fine oblique lines slope downwards behind each spiracle. The spiracles are black; and just below them comes a sooty-brown line shading off gradually into the pale grey of the centre of the belly. _ Of the two larvee which I retained for myself, one spun up against the side of the flower-pot, covering itself with a thin but opaque flat web, into which it drew a few bits of moss, &c.; the other spun up on the surface of the earth in the pot, forming an irregular oval cocoon as big as a horse-bean, and nearly covered with fine bits of earth and grains of sand ; the pupz I did not examine until after the exit of the moths.—Jonn HEuins, Exeter, July 29th, 1867. A curious visitor at sugar.—I had “sugared” abundantly along the lovely “Waters Meet” valley near Lynmouth, N. Devon, on the evening of the 14th June last, and, on re-visiting, early the ensuing morning, the scene of operations, found at the foot of one of the trees a melancholy object for compassion and warning. The common bat (Vespertilio pipestrellus) lay in prostrate humiliation before me, so far gone as to appear “ tight ”-ened even to death! On attempting to lift him, however, a rollicking, one-sidy flounder or two, accompanied by a hiccupy squeak, affirmed “all right” so unmistakeably, that, solemnly registering one more vow against the Circean cup, I lifted him carefully by the collar of his coat, and deposited him in the broad space made by the branches of a noble oak-tree, some five feet from the ground, in order that he might recover and regret at leisure and in safety the ignoble example to which he had yielded, and the firmament from whence he had fallen. On my return, some hours later, my jovial brother collector had departed—“ nor in the cleft, nor near the rock was he.”—Epw. Hoptey, 14, South Bank, Regent’s Park. 90 [September, Re-occurrence of Stathmopoda pedella.—On the 7th inst., my brother secured a single specimen of this species at West End, Hampstead, in exactly the same spot as the two specimens captured there in 1861 (vide ‘‘ Intelligencer,” Vol. x., p. 131). He saw another, but it escaped him. I have been twice since, but have not met with any further examples.—Prrcy C. Wormatp, 35, Bolton Road, St. John’s Wood, N.W., 9th July, 1867. j Note on the economy of Colias Edusa.—Aug. 16.—While out for a walk to-day, I observed a female Hdusa very busily engaged in depositing its eggs on some clover, and was fortunate enough to secure three of the eggs. I find, on consulting several works on Lepidoptera, that the larva should be looked for in June and July, and here we have eggs in the middle of August. If any of your readers can tell me whether the insect remain in the egg state until the spring I shall feel obliged.— J. Incram, Nettlestone, Ryde. Capture of Dianthecia Barrettii—Mr. Birchall having kindly indicated to us the locality for this insect, Mr. A. G. Moore and I went to search for it on the 27th of June. We were fortunate enough to take six specimens, but at this date some- what worn, so we conclude that a week earlier would be a better time to find the insect in perfect condition. On the same occasion we met with D. capsophila (1), D. cucubali (1), Eupithecia venosata (very fine), Melanippe galiata, Acidalia sub- sericeata, Hupecilia albicapitana, &c. The above insects are now in the collection belonging to the Reyal Dublin Society.—W. F. Kirsy, R, D. 8., Dublin. Note on the colowring and markings of Anthocaris cardamines, Jc.—IiIn the August number of this Magazine, Dr. Sharp offers an opinion that no object is probable for the variation of the sexes in A. cardamines. It is true that in Anthocharis aud the allied genus Zagris, the “orange tip’ males, but in some species both sexes are without this adornment. In an interesting note read at the Entomological Society, May 4th, 1863, Mr. T. W. Wood has shown the use of the colouring of the under-side of A. cardamines, as assimilating it to the colour of the plants on which it prefers to settle. The question of the greater adornment of the male sex in animals has frequently been discussed ; but in the case of Anthocaris I am about to suggest a reason for the female being without the orange spot. The females of most Lepidopterous insects are much less noticed on the wing than the males. Now, if we consider that the safety of the females is of greater importance to the continuance of the species than that of the males, we can understand why they are less adorned and less conspicuous. Moreover, the want of the orange blotch assimilates the appearance of the females to that of the genus Pieris, several species of which are abundant in Europe. It is not improbable that the elimination of the orange spot may be still going on ; for in the aberrant European species of the Belia-group the orange blotch is wanting in both sexes, and in Zagris Eupheme it varies greatly in size and conspicuousness, so far as I ? is often peculiar to the know, without reference to sex.—ID. Notes on Ggoconia quadripuncta (Kindermanniella, Z.).—This not generally abundant little moth has been tolerably common in the cellar of this house during d 1867.) . 9] the last ten days, about forty examples having been captured. It particularly affects a little window plentifully festooned with coal-dust-covered cobwebs. I have been not a little interested by the contempt the insect appears to have for the spiders, and by the manner in which it flies into and among the webs without becoming entangled. These websare full of the remains of ordinary house Tinee, &c., but only once did I observe there a fragment of quadripunctu, and very frequently the latter seemed to prefer the webs as a convenient resting-place ; yet there is no very evident structural reason why it should not meet the same fate as its less fortunate companions. The yet unknown larva probably feeds on some dry vegetable matter, but, without some guide to its habits, it is next to impossible to detect it among the heterogeneous lumber that accumulates in these domestic store-houses.—R. McLacutan, 1, Park Road Terrace, Forest Hill, 3rd August, 1867. Acidalia interjectaria at Plumstead.—At the beginning of July I found this species rather commonly in Plumstead Marshes, but not distinguishing them at the time from osseata, regret to say I took but few. I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Thomas Brown, of Cambridge, for types of this insect, and also for the identification of my own captures.—Howarp Vaucuan, Kentish Town, 14th August, 1867. Variety of Acontia luctwosa.—Early in June I captured a few Acontia luctuosa near Gravesend, and, on setting my captures, discovered that it had been my good fortune to have taken amongst them a rather striking variety. This specimen differs from the type in that the white blotch on the upper wing is remarkably small, somewhat trifoliate, and entirely detached from the costa ; and in the hind- wings the ordinary transverse fascia can best be described as resembling the bowl of a tobacco-pipe with a very short stem, and is entirely separate from the hind margin.—Ip. Additions to List of Irish Lepidoptera. LiTHosIA compLANA—Bred from larve taken in June, feeding on lichen, near high-water mark at Howth. DiantHecia cHsta—Bred by my friend Warren Wright, of Dublin, from larvae taken on the South Coast of Ireland, feeding on Silene maritima. The specimen which he has kindly sent to me for examination does not differ from those taken in the Isle of Man.—Epwin Brrcuatt, Bradford, August 14th, 1867. ‘ Heliothis peltigera and Sterrha sacraria in South Wales.—On July 22nd I took H. peltigera, which was disturbed from dwarf willow near the sandhills on Port Talbot Moors, in this county (Glamorganshire). On August 9th Sterrha sacraria came to light near my house, in the Vale of Neath. This specimen is in very fine condition, and answers to the variety described by Mr. Ingram in No. 18 of the Magazine, with the red costal stripe. As both these species are scarce, the record of their occurrence in a new locality may be interesting. ~~ 92 { September, T have also taken 15 Camptogramma fluviata, 2 fine cream-coloured varieties of G. papilionaria, and some other fair things, T. retusa among them.—Joun T. D. LLEWELYN, Yuisygerwn, Neath, August, 1867. P.S.—I have the pleasure to announce the captnre of another specimen of Sterrha sacraria. It came to light here on Aug. 15th, and was found resting with the wings arched, after the manner of Ciliv spinula. She has since laid a batch of ova.—J. T. D. L., Aug. 16th, 1867. Note on Bedellia somnulentellu.—The larva of this little uncertainty is about again this season. On the 28th of last month, when passing through Stroud Green, Norwood, I picked a leaf of Convolvulus arvensis growing in a cottager’s garden, containing four larvee; a week later they all entered the pupa state. Yesterday, being in the same locality, I noticed the larvae somewhat common on plants growing in the hedge-rows.—Cuas. Hraty, 74, Napier Street, Hoxton, 12th August, 1867. General Antormation. Meetings of the Entomological Society.—The meetings for the Session 1867-8 are fixed for the following Mondays, at 7 p.m.:—Noy. 4th, 18th; Dec. 2nd; Jan. 6th, 27th (Anniversary) ; Feb. 3rd, 17th ; March 2nd, 16th; April 6th; May 4th ; June lst; July 6th. Introduction of Bombyx Cynthia into Australia.—We read in a colonial news- paper that the Ailanthus silk-worm has been successfully introduced into our southern possessions, where, under the influence of a favourable climate, its culti- vation will probably one day form an important branch of industry. ; Collection from the Upper Amazons.—A large collection of insects (Lepidoptera and Coleoptera) has been received in London from the veteran South American collector, Mr. John Hauxwell; together with a fine series of birds and some reptiles. The locality in which the collection was made is Pebas, on the northern bank of the Upper Amazons, in Peru, and interesting as being situated on a prolongation of the mainland of Equador, east of the River Napo, into the alluvial plains of the Amazons. Asa result of this geographical position, several species hitherto known only from the eastern slopes of the Andes, are contained in the collection, including one species of humming-bird. There is a large amount of novelty, however, among the insects, shewing the richness of the locality. Among the Diurnal Lepidoptera are two or three fine new species of Papilio, a superb addition to the splendid genus Callithea, three species of Pandora (one of them new), besides the rare Batesia hypochlora (Felder) allied to Pandora, and a fine series of Ageroniw ; these three genera form a tolerably well-defined group of Nymphalide, and. Pebas seems to be their head-quarters. Mr. Hauxwell was previously known only as an ornithological collector ; it is to be hoped that he may continue his labours in all branches, and explore, for the benefit of science, the region of the Napo, one of the richest districts in tropical America. 1867. | 93 BRITISH HEMIPTERA: ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. BY J. W. DOUGLAS AND JOHN SCOTT. (Continued from page 52.) Section 11.—OcuLaTINA. Famtzy 1.—Sanpip2. Genus 1.—SAaLDa, Fab. Species 4*.—Sanpa consprcva, n. sp., pl. 1, fig. 5. Long-oval, black, with yellow hairs. Antenne long, black, 1st joint broadly yellow inwardly. Pronotwm narrow in front, sides straight. Scutellum with two posterior, cuneiform, yellow spots. Corium with 6—7, mostly long, spots, and, before the apex, a conspi- cuous large exterior blotch, yellow. Thighs at the base more or less fulvous. Head—punctured, clothed with fine yellow, wavy hairs. Crown with a short yellow line close to the eyes, sides of the clypeus much inerassated, yellow. Face, lobes yellow. Antenne long, black, finely haired, 1st joint broadly yellow on the inner side. yes black. Ocelli piceous, yellow in the centre. Rostrum black. Pronotum—clothed with fine yellow wavy hairs, long, trapeziform, narrow in front; sides flattened, the margin straight, scarcely reflexed ; posterior margin very deeply concave across the scutellum ; anterior eallosity very large, with a deep fovea in the centre. Scutellum clothed with fine yellow hairs; basal half depressed posteriorly, punctured; apical half transversely crenate. lytra with fine, short, distant, depressed hairs; Clavus with a long cuneiform yellow spot before the apex; Coriwm, anterior margin forming a long slight curve, dise with 6 (rarely 7) yellow spots, whereof 4, narrow and elongate, are ina line parallel with but not close to the clayal suture, 1 larger close to the nerve and the posterior margin (sometimes a small one lies above it), and 1 on the marginal field, near the middle of its length, but distant from the margin; besides these, on the posterior third of the marginal field, occupying it from the nerve to the margin, is a large sub-quadrate yellow spot, but the apex of the corium beyond is broadly black, in the form of a rounded spot. Membrane ochreous, inner basal angle black ; membrane-suture, nerves, and a long spot in each cell, pitchy-black or fuscous; exterior to the cells, the membrane is outwardly shaded with fuscous, and below the Ist cell, except next the apex “of the corium, is wholly black. Legs long; thighs black or piceous, base of the Ist pair, basal third of 2nd and 3rd pairs, and apex of 94. [September, all, fulvous or ochreous; ¢bie fulvous or obscure brown, extreme apex black, sides set with very fine short spines; tarsi black, 2nd joint and claws fulvous, the end of the 2nd joint of the 3rd pair beneath with two long spinose hairs. Abdomen—beneath, black, shining. Length 2 lines. In the marking, resembles 8S. orthochila, but quite different in form, in shape of pronotum, colour of legs, length of antenne, &c. Taken by Messrs. Marshall and Rye, on the mountains near Rannoch, in Perthshire, in June, 1866. Section 12.—REDUVINA. — Famity 2.—NaBipz. Genus 2.—N axis, Lat. - Since the publication of “the British Hemiptera,” we have seen examples of a Wabis captured by Mr. B. Cooke, Dr. Power, and the Rev. T. A. Marshall, which have convinced us that they ‘should be referred to WV. flavomarginatus, Scholz, and that the species we have described under that name is WV. pilosulus, Forst. The name and synonymy at page 554 should therefore stand thus :— Species 5.—NaBis PILOSULUS. Nazis prposutus (Forst.), Fieb. Europ. Hem., 161, 7 (1861). Nazis FLAvoMARGINATUS, Doug. § Scott, Brit. Hem., 554, 5, pl. 18, fig. 5 (1865). The following description should come between species 4 and 5 :— Species 4*.—NaBIs FLAVOMARGINATUS. Nasis FLAvoMARGINATA, Scholz, Arb. u. Verind, 114, 6 (1846). Nasis FLAVOMARGINATUS, Flor, Rhyn. Liv. i1.,696, 3 (1860); ieb., Europ. Hem., 161, 5 (1861). Nazis porsatus, Dahlb., Vet. Akad., Handl., 227 (1850). Nazis nervosus, Bohem., Vet. Akad. Forh., 77, 35 (1852). Nazis Lueseicus, Kolen., Mel. Ent. vi., 58, 258 (1857). Above, pale dingy-ochreous. Head witb a broad black line down the centre. Pronotwm on the first two-thirds gradually, on the last third suddenly, widened ; down the entire centre, and on each side of the narrower portion, a black line. Hlytra generally not half the length of the abdomen, but when developed reaching beyond it. Abdomen above black, with very short, silky, yellowish pubescence. Legs entirely ochreous ; thighs of the 1st and 2nd pairs with transverse black lines, 3rd pair with 2 rows of black dots. Head—covered with dense yellowish pubescence; down the middle extends a smooth, broad, black mark, widest at the front of the 1867.} 95 crown, before and behind the eyes a large black spot ; underside wholly ochreous. Antenne yellow-brown ; Ist joint piceous at base _ and apex, 2nd at the apex only, 3rd and 4th joints darker than the others. Hyes and ocelli brown or piceous. Rostrum yellow-brown, a line on the outer side of the 2nd joint, and the apex of the 4th pitchy-black. Thorax—Pronotum with fine, short, yellowish pubescence, especially on the sides, convex, on the first two-thirds gradually, on the remainder suddenly widened ; down the middle a black line, broad on the narrow part, slender on the wide portion, on which also are sometimes two indistinct fuscous streaks or clouds at each side of the central line, but more often these are wanting; sides of the anterior portion, except the extreme margin, black. Scutellwm black, with a large wedge-shaped ochreous spot on each side. Elytra pale ochreous, when developed as long as the abdomen ; Corium with the nerves pale, more or less shaded with fuscous ; Membrane with the nerves fuscous. When the elytra are not fully developed, as is generally the case, they reach less than half the length of the abdomen, both the corium and membrane being present, but abbreviated. In this state the colour is darker than in fully-developed elytra. Sternwm black in the middle and on the sides, but on the latter the colour is interrupted with ochreous on the prosternum posteriorly. Legs very finely pubescent, ochreous or light brownish, unicolorous ; thighs, inwardly on the 1st and 2nd pairs, with fine transverse black lines and an indis- tinct row of dots, on the 8rd pair two rows of black dots; tarsi ochreous, the joints at the apex pitchy-black, sometimes the 1st and 2nd joints of the 8rd pair entirely blackish ; claws black. Abdomen—above black, or broadly reddish down the middle, clothed with very fine, short, silky, yellowish pubescence; beneath, ochreous- brown, smooth, shining, black or fuscous in the middle and on the sides. Connexivum pale ochreous, narrow in the ¢, wide in the ?, on the underside at times a longitudinal reddish streak. Genital segments in the g, form a truncate apex by reason of the large falcate processes ; inthe ? the apex is rounded off to a small obtuse point. , Length 33—4 lines. Differs from WV. pilosulus in the lighter colour, in the absence of the paleness on the anterior margin of the corium, in the elytra being: usually short, in the legs being unicolorous, in the pilosity of the upper surface of the abdomen, and in the form of the processes of the genital segments, besides other minor characters. 96 [September, Apparently rare in the South of England. Grange, near Man- chester (B. Cooke); abundant in a field close to Loch Rannoch (Marshall). Sus-Drv. 2.—HYDRODROMICA. Section ].—HyYpDROMETRINA. Faminy 1.—HyDROMETRID. Genus 1.—Hyprometra, Fab. Species 3*.—Hypromerra Costs. Hypromerra Costa, H. Schf., Wanz. ix., 71, t. 801, fig. 927 (1850) ; Fieb., Europ. Hem., 107, 5 (1861). HiypROMETRA RUFOSCUTELLATA, Costa, Cent. 2, t. 2, fig. 8 (1848), nec. Latr. Above blackish-brown, robust, very broad across the region of the middle coxe ; pronotum broadly ferruginous. Head—especially on the sides, with golden hairs, cheek-plates and labrum yellow, rostrum black. Antenne yellow-brown, last joint black, apex of all the others blackish. Thorax—Pronotwm, anterior portion black, much depressed (except in the middle), sides incrassate ; posterior portion broadly ferruginous, the sides only black, clothed with very fine golden scale-hairs ; posterior angles prominent but obtuse, disc obscurely punctured, sometimes close behind the anterior portion transversely crenate ; the central longitudinal keel on the anterior part yellowish, then black, and posteriorly of the ferruginous colour of the disc; on the under-curved sides, posterior to the constriction, a ferrugmous line extends as far as the posterior angles. Elytra brown; nerves black with golden scale-hairs, the space between the first immer nerve and the next usually whitish for some distance, the other intervals sometimes yellowish. Wings fuscous, pale at the base, nerves darker. Sternum flat, black, with fine golden hairs, espe- cially on the sides of the mesosternum ; Prosternum yellowish in front of the cox; Metasternum, in the ¢, with a small tubercle ; sheaths of the 2nd pair of coxe very large and projecting; on their underside, and also on that of the 3rd pair, a large ochreous spot. Legs —1st pair: fulera yellow, broadly black beneath ; thighs blacks with a broad yellow-brown line on the inner side ; ¢bze yellowish- brown, with a black line on the outside; ¢arsi black; 2nd and 3rd pairs: core and fulera black above, ochreous beneath ; thighs dark brown above ; yellowish-brown beneath ; tbe and tarsi black. 1867.) 97 Abdomen—biack ; in the ¢, on the underside the first 5 segments have each three wide, but very shallow, contiguous depressions ; on the 6th, throughout its length, is one larger and deeper depression, of which the edges are brown; the posterior margin has a deep rounded excision in the middle. Connexivwm yellowish outwardly but brown on the edge, the points not prolonged nor acute. Genital segments in the ¢, above, black, broad, sides sub-parallel, extending far beyond the points of the connexiva; 2nd segment very short; beneath yellow-brown; the Ist constricted at the base, spread out posteriorly round the base of the 2nd, which is large and globose; 3rd as above: in the 9, above, the Ist tra- peziform, tapering posteriorly, and not projecting beyond the points of the connexiva, is brown in the middle and yellow-brown at the sides; 2nd black, short; beneath both yellow-brown, the 1st convex, regular, sloping gradually towards the upper side; 2nd as above. Length 53 lines. Resembles H. thoracica, but distinguished by its greater size and robustness, especially across the region of the middle coxe; by the broader ferruginous colour of the pronotum, the form of the genital segments, and other minor characters. First brought from Rannoch in 1865 by Mr. McLachlan, and taken freely in the same locality in June, 1866, hy Mr. Rye and the Rey. T. A. Marshall. Species 5*.—HyDROMETRA ODONTOGASTER. GERRIS LACUSTRIS, var. e, 8, Latr. Gen. 133 (1807). HyproMeEtra oponroaasteErR, Zett., F. Ins. Lap. 1., 506, 3 (1828) ; Ins. Lap. 282, 3 (1839); H. Schf., Wanz. ix., 67 and 73, t. 299, fig. Q to S., t. 301, fig. 931 (1850) ; Flor, Rhyn. Liv. i., 738, 4 (1860) ; Fieb., Europ. Hem. 109, 11 (1861). GERRIS opoNTOGASTER, Schum., Beitr. 36, 4, t. 3, fig. 8—10 (1832) ; HI. Schf., Nom. Ent. 62 (18385). Black, dull, with golden scale-hairs; in the ¢ the 6th abdominal segment beneath with two short, obtuse processes; in the ? the 1st genital segment with a deep transverse basal furrow. Head—at the sides, with a silvery gloss, cheek plates yellow outwardly. Antenne and rostrum black. Thorax—Pronotum, anterior region impunctate, regularly depressed inwards from the moderately incrassated sides, middle and sides with a yellow line, anterior angles with a small node; posterior 98 fOctober, portion roughly punctured; middle keel slight; tubercles of the hinder angles small but distinct ; under-curved sides, below the hinder angles only, with a yellow, hindwardly widened streak. Elytra blue-black, apex fuscous, nerves with golden-yellow scale- hairs. Sternum, especially at the sides, with a silvery gloss, in the — 2 brassy, but in both sexes grey or blackish next the pronotum ; — .prosternum yellow, black in the middle; metasternwm posteriorly, in the ¢, with a very small tubercle; sheaths of all the coxe unkeeled, black, 2nd pair on the middle and at the inner side with a silvery streak. Legs—Cowve black above, yellow beneath; fulera yellow, 1st pair with a black central streak ; thighs, Ist pair black, yellow inwardly at the base, 2nd and 3rd pairs black-brown above, yellow-brown beneath ; ¢ibi@ and tarsi all black. Abdomen—beneath with a silvery gloss, in the 9 brassy at the sides ; in the 4, on the 6th segment, in the middle, two short, stout, obtuse, forwardly directed, black, spinous processes; posterior margin im the middle with a deep, rounded excision, on each side of which the colour is brown; in the 2 the posterior margin of the 6th segment is raised, brownish in the middle, and slightly and regularly excavate. Genital segments, in the ¢ long, on the upper-side the 1st long, quadrangular, projects much beyond the points of the connexiva, black, posterior angles brown; 2nd very short, obtuse; beneath, the 1st posteriorly almost squarely cut out, the middle projecting a little on to the 2nd, the sides receding gradually to a point; the 2nd long, cylindrical, rounded behind, black, brown posteriorly, covered with a whitish gloss. In the 9 beneath, short, the 1st yellowish, trapezoidal, tapering posteriorly, with a deep rounded furrow across the base; 2nd very small. Length 3$—3? lines. Most like H. lacustris, but easily distinguished by being always black beneath ; the ¢ by the processes on the 6th abdominal segment ; the 2 by the furrow on the 1st genital segment. Hitherto not common, or overlooked. Taken at Lee and Gravesend, on still water, in April and May. CRYPTOCERATA. Section 5.—CortxIna. Famity 1.—CorixipZ. Genus 1.—Corrxa, Geoffr. Species 9*.—CoRIXA PRHUSTA. Cortsa PRaHuSTA, Mieb., Syn. Coris No. 14 (1848) ; Spec. Coris. 28, 30, 1867.] 99 t. 1,17, fig, 1—18 (1851) ; Walleng., Oefv. K. Vet. Akad. Forh. xi., 146, 9 (1855) ; Kolen., Mel. Ent. vi., 70, 276 (1857) ; Fieb., Europ. Hem. 95, 21 (1861). Corsa (Cortsa) prawusta, Flor, Rhyn. Liv. i, 787, 2 (1860). Black-brown with ochreous markings, slightly shining. Pronotwm, elavus, and corium distinctly rastrate. Pronotum with 8—9, mostly entire, black lines. Clavus and corium with similar, undulating, sub- parallel, interrupted lines. Legs ochreous: Ist pair, in the ¢—thighs with a spot at the base; ¢ibie with a large spot above, black ; pale, on the first half, sub-parallel with the upper-side, broadly reflexed ; on the second half widened and tnrned spirally inwards: 3rd pair—tarsi, 1st jot posteriorly with a broad black band. Head—yellowish-brown, darker in front of the crown ; face ochreous, in the ¢ extending upwards to, in a line with, the middle of the eyes. Thorax—Pronotum elongate, rounded behind, dise with 8—9 equal black lines, entire, except the middle ones, which are interrupted, and the ends overlap each other ; the ochreous intervals about the same breadth as the lines. Hlytra—Clavus and coriuwm with similar, undulating, sub-parallel, often interrupted lines, except five or six at the base of the clavus, which are wide, straight, and entire; anterior marginal channel of the corium pale livid through- out; line of the membrane-suture indistinct ; membrane covered with broad, hieroglyphic pale marks, sub-parallel on the inner margin, anterior margin black. Sternwm black; scapule, pleure, and parapleure ochreous, scapule inwardly, pleure at the base, and inwardly black. Legs ochreous; 1st pair, in the ¢—thighs with a black spot at the base; ¢bie arcuate, with a large black spot above; pale, on the first half sub-parallel, the upper-side broadly re- flexed and depressed, on the second half widened and turned spirally inward, the upper margin black; in the 9, pale cultrate, regular, apex acute, base on the under-side rather wider than the apex of the tibie : 2nd pair—thighs, often towards the apex, and tibie and tarsi at the apex, brown: 3rd pair—tarsi, in both sexes, 1st joint posteriorly with a broad black band from side to side, mostly covered by the long black cilia, therefore more distinctly seen on the under-side; 2nd joint clear yellow, margins black. Abdomen above, black, connexivum ochreous ; beneath, dusky ochreous ; in the ¢ the first 4 segments, except on the posterior margin, in the ? the first two at the base, fuscous. Length 34—33 lines. 100 [ October, In early spring and in autumn, mostly in stagnant water ; Eltham ; Lee ; Cowley ; Stevenston, Ayrshire; Rothesay, Isle of Bute. Species 10.—Cortxa Woxtastont, D. & S. During 1866 we have seen several examples of a Coriaa which, except in coloration, agree so well with the above species that we con- clude they belong to it, and that our description (Brit. Hem. p. 603) was made from immature specimens. Indeed we had but two, ¢ and ?, the latter having so collapsed in drying that it was just recognizable, and useful only in showing the character of the pale in that sex. Our description, therefore, will have to be amended in the following par- ticulars : — Colour above, dark brown. Séernum black, scapule, plewre, and parapleure yellow, the two former black on the inner side. Legs: 1st pair—thighs yellow, in the ¢ a black spot on the inner side at the base ; tibie short, yellowish, in the ¢ swollen, constricted at the base, above black ; pale yellow-brown, in the ¢ (rarely in the ? ), with a black or, piceous line on the upper edge; 2nd pair brown; thighs yellowish on the basal half; ¢ars¢ with a dark spot at the apex; 3rd pair yellowish, tarsi with black cilia, 1st joint posteriorly with a large, black, angular spot on the inner side, beginning rather beyond the middle of the length and widening gradually till, at the end of the joint, it occupies all, or nearly all, the breadth (the cilia being dense and long and covering the spot it may be overlooked); 2nd joint clear yellow with black margins. Length 2 lines. 4 One specimen from the loch near Kirn, Argyleshire, in May (Scott), and several from peat pits on the moor at Rannoch, in June (Rye and Marshall). EXPLANATION OF PLATE 1. Fig. 1, Mesovelia furcata, Muls. and Rey.; 1*, side view; la, head beneath; 1a*, head in front; 1b, elytron (undeveloped) ; 1c, hind-leg and tarsus. Fig. 2, Teratocoris viridis, Doug. and Scott; 2a, elytron; 2b, head in profile. Fig. 3, Derwocoris alpestris, Mey. Fig. 4, Globiceps dispar, Boh. $ ; 4*, antenna; 4a, head in profile; 4**, antenna ? ; 4a*, head in profile. Fig. 5, Salda conspicua, Doug. and Scott. Errata.—Page 47, line 7, for pabulinus read alpestris, and for 48 read 49. Ler, S.E. 1867.3 ; 101 ON SOME BRITISH CYNIPID®. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 8.) il. Thorax coriaceous or glabrous, not villose. Maxillary palpi 5,— labial 2-articulate. Gen. Anpricvus, Hartig. The species are minute, and differ from Cynips only in a few unimportant points. The antenne are frequently longer than the body, and more distinctly sub-clavate. Both sexes are known. The abdomen of the ? is more compressed than in Cynips ; that of the ¢ is often very small. The disc of the thorax is free from villosity, except in A. quadrilineatus, Hart., and A. Hartigii, described below, which thus serve to connect the two genera. These insects either form galls for themselves, or are bred parasitically in those of Cynips. Andricus Hartigit, n. sp. Antenne 15-jointed, rufo-fuscous. Body ferrugineous ; head black. Mesothorax with a broad medial black band, reaching the collar, but abbreviated posteriorly, and on either side a narrower stripe, abbreviated in front, but reaching the scutellum: the disc glabrous, the sides with some traces of villosity ; the discal sutures strongly marked. Scutellum sub-rugose, villose, depressed, rufous, margined with black at the base ; declivity of the metathorax black, with a rufous dot on each side above. Petiole rufous. Abdomen black and polished above, at the base and beneath, rufescent; carinated from about the middle to the apex; slightly villose at the base. Terebra and legs rufous ; the last joint of the tarsi fuscous. Wings hyaline ; nervures rufo-fuscous. «9. Long. 13; alar. exp. 4¢ lin. Most like A. guadrilineatus, Hart., but irreconcileable with his short description. It appears to be an Andricus, although the palpi are unobserved, and cannot be seen without destruction of the specimen, which is in Mr. Walker’s collection, and is the only one I have seen. Andricus trilineatus, Hart. Black ; antenne at the base, abdomen, and legs, rufous. Disc of the mesothorax transversely rugose, rufous or testaceous, with three black bands. Abdomen at the apex, and hinder coxe at the base, black. 9. Long. 2; alar. exp. 24 lin. A. trilineatus, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, p. 191. It differs from the preceding in being much smaller. The 15- 102 (October, jointed antenne are incrassated towards the apex, and have the first five joints testaceous, the rest fuscous. The longitudinal bands of the mesothorax are more obscure. Scutellum black. Abdomen fuscescent beneath and at the apex. Common on oaks, being, according to Hartig, an inquiline of 0. JSecundatriz. Andricus noduli, Hart. Black; antenne at the base, abdomen, and legs, rufescent; apex of the abdomen, and base of the posterior cox, black: hinder tibize fuscous, the tarsi pale; ¢.—The ¢ is similar, but the antenne are hardly darker at the apex. Long. 3; alar. exp. 13 lin. Var. 1. Mesothorax with traces of three testaceous stripes at the back. Var. 2. Legs entirely testaceous. A. noduli, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, p. 191; 3, p. 337. This species, according to Hartig, inhabits the young twigs of the oak, causing them to become distorted and loaded with excrescences. A twig one inch in length produced 30 flies, each issuing from a separate excrescence. Itis common in England. Andricus moniliatus, Hart. Black ; squamule and legs ferruginous, hinder coxe black at the base ; hinder tibiz sub-fuscous. Antenne moniliform. ¢@. This is the whole of Hartig’s description. I have four specimens which correspond to it, as far as it goes, but the only tangible character consists in the moniliform, or sub-moniliform antenne. These are 15- jointed, having the four basal joints testaceous. Mesothorax glabrous, black, narrower than the head ; sutures of the parapsides faintly marked. Scutellum’ black, hemispherical, sub-rugulose. Abdomen much shorter and narrower than the thorax, black, shining, narrowly testaceous at the base. Legs testaceous; tips of the tarsi, and the hinder tibia, pale fuscous. . Long. $—2; alar. exp. 2—23 lin. A. moniliatus, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, p. 192. Hight other species of Andricus are briefly indicated by Hartig, several of which might be found in this country. (To be continued.) ADDITIONS, &c., TO THE BRITISH TENTHREDINID. BY R. MLACHLAN, F.L.S. Having undertaken, with the assistance of Mr. F. Smith, to work ) out the British saw-flies for the general Catalogue purposed to be pub- 1867. j 108 lished by the Entomological Society of London, I have of late paid considerable attention to these insects. On going over the results of several years’ collecting, I find some species which I can with confidence name as yet unrecorded for Britain, and have accordingly noted them below. Thanks to the elaborate system of division employed by Hartig, the generic separations are comparatively easy,* and the same may be said for specific distinctions in many genera; but the great difficulty rests with the numerous species of Vematus and the black Doleri. For the former genus I find neither the short descriptions by Stephens, nor the detailed ones of Hartig, of much avail, but do not yet despair of discovering some means whereby the subject may be partially elucidated. The black Doleri may yet prove the more difficult. Hartig separates numerous species of these by characters which, to say the least, appear to me to be of a most uncertain nature, such, for instance, as slight differences in the colouration of the leg-spurs. Zaddach, while re- marking on the insufficiency of these distinctions, makes yet more species, but grounds them on far more important structural differences, viz., the forms of the saw of the females. These characters should be of the greatest value, but they are very difficult to apply, especially in dry insects. The Zenthredinide, as a family in which many species seem to be absolutely without males, are greatly deserving of the attention of the more advanced naturalist; and the great diversity of structure exhibited in the various genera renders them worthy of being no longer left with those groups that have as yet failed to attract the attention of workers. Hylotoma metallica, Klug. 1 took this at Darenth in the spring of this year; and examples are in Stephens’ collection mixed with H. ustulata. It differs from the latter only in the reddish antenne, and more yellowish colouration of the basal veins; but I do not feel at all sure that it is more than a variety of ustulata. Lophyrus frutetorum, Fab., Klug. A single ? example was taken at Rannoch, by Mr. Hislop, during the time we were there in June, 1865, and was kindly presented to me by that gentleman. It affects Pinus sylvestris. Harpiphorus lepidus, Klug. I beat one example from an oak tree near Croydon, on the 30th May, 1867. It is the only European species of the genus._ * Whilst paying this tribute of admiration at the lucid manner in which Hartig has divided the family, I cannot, at the same time, sufficiently condemn the plan he follows in making numerous named sub-genera, divisions, sections, &c., almost ad infinitum, subordinate to what he calls a “genus.” Succeeding writers have mostly considered each of these as a genus in itself, which accords with my own views, that a division of any kind, if worthy of a name, should be looked upon as generic. 104 : (October, Phyllotoma ochropoda, Klug. I have one example of which I ne- glected to note the locality. The insect in Stephens’ collection under Heterarthus ochropodus seems to be Pecilostoma obesa, but I do not know if this be the example referred to in the. “‘ Illustrations ” (Mand. vol. vii., p. 94) as being then in Mr. Ingpen’s collection. The descrip- tion suits the true ochropoda ; hence this may really not be an addition to our list. Phyllotoma mierocephala, Klug. Bred by Mr. Healy from a larva which mines the leaves of Alnus glutinosa, forming large blotches at the tip: it changes to pupa in the mine. Phyllotoma melanopyga, Klug. Bred by Mr. Healy from a larva which has similar habits to the last, only that it affects Salix caprea. Phyllotoma tenella, Zaddach (Beschreibung neuer oder wenig be- kannter Blattwespen, p. 28, fig. 17, 1859). Beaten from birch at Ran- noch in June, 1865. Phyllotoma aceris, n. sp. Nigra, sparse griseo-pilosa. Antenne subtus ad apicem sub-testacee; 11-articulate. Oculorum margines frontales, palpi, alarum anteriorum humeri, pedesque in parte, albidi. Ale fumose; venis nigris; pterostigmate satwratiore. Long. corp. 13” ; exp. alar. 38’” (2). Larva sub-cutanea, folia Aceris campestris et A. pseudo-platani incolens. Pupa in thecd circulare, ex folii parte constructd, occulta. . Black, shining, with very short and sparse grey pubescence, Antenne 11- jointed, scarcely so long as the abdomen ; the last four or five apical joints somewhat testaceous beneath, and more thickly pubescent than the basal portion. Hyes black. Ocelli conspicuous, bright reddish. Palpi whitish, the two basal joints suffused with blackish. The margins of the eye-sockets on the face, the shoulder- scales of the anterior wings, and two raised scale-like lobes on the metathorax, whitish. Legs whitish; the coxe and trochanters (except at the apex), a line on the exterior surface of the intermediate femora, expanding at the apex, the posterior femora wholly (the extreme apex excepted), and the tarsi (save at the sutures of the joints) more or less black. Abdomen wholly black. Wings smoky; the veins strong and black; pterostigma dilated, blackish, becoming paler in the lower portion. Bred by Mr. Healy from larvee which make great blotches in the leaves of Acer campestre, and occasionally in Acer pseudo-platanus. Changes to pupa in circular cases cut from the mine, varying from 63 to 9" in diameter. The full history of this interesting species is detailed in the succeeding article by Mr. Healy. I find nothing like it previously described. Biennocampa nana, Klug. Beaten from birch at Kannoch in June, 1867. | 105 1865. This species is introduced by Stephens (Illust. p. 41), but the single exponent in his collection is only Fenusa pumila. I remark en passant that Monophadnus nigerrimus, Klug, a widely diffused species, is the same as Selandria brevicornis of Stephens (lust. p- 49). What the true brevicornis may be, I know not. That my own small collection should contain so many novelties in this family (and I believe those here numerated are probably only one- half of what I really possess) is a convincing proof, if any were re- quired, of the little that is yet known, in this country, concerning these interesting insects. Forest Hill, London: 10th Sepé., 1867. OBSERVATIONS ON THE GiCONOMY OF THE SAW-FLY (PHYLLOTOMA ACERIS, McLACH.) THAT MINES THE LEAVES OF MAPLE. BY CHARLES HEALY. It is now upwards of Bevan years (June, 1856) since my friend, Mr. Charles Miller, first drew the attention of the Entomological world to this peculiar mining larva, at p. 110, vol. i., of the ‘“ Entomo- logist’s Weekly Intelligencer.” Speaking of the full-fed larva, he observes, “ It constructs a circular case out of the upper cuticle and a layer of the lower cuticle of the leaf, not forming a hole through the leaf, as a piece of the lower epidermis 1s still left untouched.” From the fact of the larva cutting out a case he was doubtless led to throw out the suggestion as to the possibility of its being something allied to the micro-lepidopterous Elachista (Antispila) Treitschkiella. The mines made by these larvee are very conspicuous on the leaves of Acer cam- pestre during the months of June and July; occasionally I have met with them on Acer pseudo-platanus. At about the end of the first week, or the middle, of the month of June, the larva commences its mine, and if we then inspect the leaves of the Maple growing in a locality fre- quented by this species, some of them will be found to contain a minute blotch situate near the edge of the leaf; at times, nay, frequently, a leaf may be found containing three or four similar little blotches, and in some few instances, I have noticed each of the five lobes of a leaf to be similarly disfigured by a mining larva; it always feeds solitarily, there never being more than one ina mine: it feeds with the under- side of its body facing the upper surface of its food. The young larva’s body is white, dorsal vessel greenish, head brown, darker at the sides, and with brownish markings ; the back of the second segment is deco- 106 [October, | rated with a black plate, divided down the centre by a line of the same colour as the body; the back of the third segment is furnished with a thin black plate, which is also divided in a similar manner to the mark- ings on the back of the second segment; the ventral surface is very differently adorned to that of the dorsal, for although the second, third, fourth, and fifth segments each possess a black plate, yet they all differ in shape and size; for instance, the second segment has an 2-like plate, number three a somewhat oval shaped black spot, number four a circular black dot, and number five a mere black speck only. The feet are en- circled at the top and bottom with black, and the ventral surface of the anal segment is nearly encircled with black. At the first moult the body becomes quite white and spotless, the head and second segment having an especial hyaline look ; in a few hours (during which the larva remains inactive and fasting) the whole of its markings slowly re-appear, and are at first pale brown, but gradually deepen in tone to.their original colour. After resuming its feeding for a few days, it undergoes its second moult, and, on examining the back of the third segment, we now almost miss the thin black interrupted line, so prominent before this moult took place; the part of the dorsal vessel shewing through the back of the fifth segment is now of a dull orange hue; body white, having a greenish tinge imparted to it by the sombre green-coloured fluid contained in the dorsal vessel. Each time the larva moults it throws off its skin from the front, and entire. A few days after the second moult it becomes full-fed. The “frass” lies loose and dry in the mine, so much so, that when the mined leaf is tilted up it becomes scattered about. When nearly full-fed the larva becomes so stout that its body slightly dilates the upper part of its mine; when quite full-fed it is about six lines in length, and throws off its larval skin for the third time. At this moult it casts aside for ever all the various sized black markings which had previously decorated its body, and appears in the new dress in which it is destined to remain for some nine or ten months until the period of its pupation arrives ; its head and body white, mouth pale brown, dorsal vessel green. It then sets to work at the construc- tion of its winter abode, choosing for that purpose a portion of its mine, and cutting out a circular piece from the upper cuticle, or, more properly speaking, I should have said, it only partially does so, for at short intervals, as it proceeds with its labours, we perceive that it leaves certain portions of the upper surface uncut, which, to my mind, is in- tended as a precautionary measure, the larva appearing to be quite - 1867.) 107 conversant with the fact, that if it entirely cut out the upper part of its intended case, the first puff of wind would, in all probability, blow it away, whilst still engaged in cutting out the bottom of its case. After it has cut out as much of the top of its case as it considers necessary, it then devotes its attention to the formation of the lower half, using for that purpose a layer only of a part of the inner skin of the leaf, which latter is of so exceedingly thin and shining a character, that it reminds one of the substance called “ goldbeaters’ skin.” It then fastens the upper and lower parts of its case together, after which it completes the cutting out of the upper portion, and makes itself snug by binding together the inner margins with silk, the cast-off skins and “frass” being carefully excluded from the interior of the case. The latter being entirely liberated from the leaf is blown to the ground by the first gust of wind. The cases are not all made of the same size, some being almost half as large again as the others. All that I have examined (with one or two exceptions) have been cut out with the strictest accuracy. After the larva has resided in the case for a few days, its body loses a portion of its previous greenish tinge; the fifth and sixth segments become somewhat narrower than the others, thus giving it the appear- ance of being nipped in at that part of its body, and, being slightly shrunken, is about five lines in length. During the winter months it is still further shrunken, so that by the arrival of the month of March it is only between three and four lines in length. It enters the pupa state either at the end of March or the beginning of April. If the larva or pupa be ejected, its development is at once arrested ; this fact I have tested on several occasions. I have been prevented from studying its pupal changes solely from the above-mentioned cause. We thus see that it is absolutely necessary for it to remain inside its case, otherwise its certain destruction follows. The perfect insect makes its appearance during the month of May, by bursting its way through either the upper or under-side of its case, whichever happens to be uppermost at the time, after having been entombed, as it were, for the space of about ten months. 4, Napier Street, Hoxton, N. Notes on Coleoptera in the south of Scotland.—For some reason or other Scotland has always been deficient in Coleopterists; some fine collectors and good ento- mologists have worked there, but there has never been a sufficient band of them to ascertain with anything like an approach to completeness how rich the Coleopterous fauna of Scotland really is. The past three years have, however, been memorable 108 [ October, for the visits paid by English collectors to Scotland; and our catalogues and | collections have been thus considerably increased. These visits, however, have always been to the Highlands, and the productions of the south of Scotland are still almost unknown to entomologists. The following list, therefore, of the rarer species that I have met with in a few days’ collecting during the present spring and summer may, perhaps, possess some interest. The species marked with an asterisk have not, I believe, been previously recorded as natives of Scotland. In April and May I resided at Dumfries, and had occasional opportunities of collecting in the neighbourhood. Among other things I met with, Dyschirius nitidus and *salinus abundant on the banks of the Nith, and with them also, but very rarely, *D. politus, *Dromius melanocephalus, Lebia chlorocephala, *Anchomenus pusillus, in the salt marshes towards the mouth of the Nith; *A. micans in abundance in a marshy place on the banks of the Cairn Water; *Bradycellus distinctus and *fulvus in moss; *Perileptus areolatus under small stones on the banks of the Cairn Water, in some numbers, but its time of appearance did not extend over more than the last fortnight of April and first week of May ; *Bembidium stomoides, a single specimen on the banks of the Nith; Silpha dispar occurred very rarely in carrion in the salt marshes; Omosita depressa : of this species Mr. W. Lemon has obtained a considerable number of specimens by placing some bones as atrap. I have myself only found a single specimen with Silpha dispar. *Rhizo- phagus perforatus found in great profusion underalog; *Syncalypta setigera, about a dozen specimens at the roots of rushes at Caerlaverock ; Throscus dermestoides in great numbers on nettles under birches ; I obtained some hundreds of specimens from a single patch of nettles. *Ceuthorhynchus Dawsoni, a single specimen at Caerlaverock ; before only found on the south coast of England! C. viduatus, two or three specimens on a wall; *C. crua#, one specimen on a wall, another in company with Anchomenus micans ; Celiodes subrufus on oak near New Abbey. Oryptorhynchus lapathi: up to the present time the evidence for this species being found in Scotland has been insufficient, but I found several specimens on sallows close to Dumfries, and Mr. W. Lemon (a most successful collector) afterwards found some scores of it. Hrirhinus ethiops, a single specimen among flood refuse; Dr. McNab and Mr. Lemon have since found over a dozen specimens by sweeping in a marsh. Lrirhinus bimaculatus in some numbers in the salt marshes. Hrirhinus salicinus locally abundant on sallows in blossom; *Tanymecus palliatus in two or three places on the banks of the Nith; *Polydrusus chrysomela bred from pupz found on the shores of the Nith; in com- pany with this species great numbers of Telephorus Darwinianus in all its stages were found, and must be covered with the salt water at high tides. Sitones cam- bricus, several sporadic specimens; *Phedon concinnun: this species, hitherto very rare in collections, lives at the roots of plants in the brackish water ; at high tides they are floated up into corners and quiet places. I found one spot where this species could have been taken ont of the salt water with a water-net literally in pints. Hyperaspis reppensis, about a dozen specimens in wet moss among young Scotch fir; *Bryawis hematica near New Abbey ; Bythinus Curtisti, secwriger, Burrellii, and puncticollis, in company among rubbish on the banks of the Cairn— males of each species occurred ; in the case of Burrellii and securiger the proportion was one male to about forty females. Aleochara brevipennis in company with | | 1867.) 109 Hyperaspis. *Philonthus lucens, one specimen on a dusty road, a second under a _ stone by the side of the Cairn. Philonthus fumigatus extremely abundant in the salt marshes. *Scopeus Hrichsonii ?: this elegant species I found in company with Perileptus, and considered it to be an addition to our British catalogue ; but, on sending it to Mr. Crotch, he informed me that my specimens are specifically identical with the Scopewus found by Mr. Wollaston in Wales, but not since re-taken, ‘and on the authority of which examples S. levigatus took its place in our lists. 1 have not since this had an opportunity of examining my species again, but I was certainly of opinion that it did not agree with the description of levigatus, but came at any rate very close to S. Hrichsonii. *Bledius tricornis abundant in the salt marshes. I spent the month of June at the the head of Loch Ken, and in this neigh - bourhood I met with Orectochilus villosus in great profasion under stones at the edges of the streams ; sometimes twenty or thirty specimens might be seen under one stone, but it is very difficult to capture, its agility being something extra- ordinary. Hydroporus 9-lineatus in Loch Ken; Cryptohypnus maritimus: this rare species almost vies in agility with the preceding; it is to be found on mild, but not very bright, days, sitting on stones, and must be approached with the greatest caution, or it will not be secured. It is extremely local, so much so that I have only been able to find it here on a very dry and barren island in the Water of Ken, and it appears not to occur elsewhere in the neighbourhood. Turning the stones, though diligently worked at, quite failed to yield any specimens; but by repeating this stalking process day after day I procured a fine series: seven males occur to every female found. Diacanthus impressus, sweeping in a marshy place ; Hydrocyphon deflexicollis abundant on alders by the sides of the burns; Telephorus abdominalis, six specimens with the preceding ; *T. figuratus, two specimens beaten from sallows; *7. unicolor,a pair found by sweeping in the woods at Dalry; T’. testaceus sparingly in a marshy place, certainly a distinct species from the common T. limbatus, though very local; Celiodes ruber, subrufus, and geranit, the last in great profusion in the flowers of Geranium sylvaticum ; Anthonomus brunneipennis, in company with Telephorus testaceus ; its food-plant is, I have little doubt, Comarum palustre. Magdalinus carbonarius beaten from hazel: Rhynchites megacephalus, about a dozen examples on birch; a very wary beetle. Hrirhinus majalis, a pair beaten from sallows; *Brachytarsus varius beaten from hazel; Cryptocephalus 6-punctatus, a single Y near Dalry; Chrysomela varians, not uncommon on a small species of Hypericum ; Lina eneaonalders; Gonioctena pallida beaten from sallows ; *Bryawis Lefebvrii: this species, hitherto unique as British in Mr. Waterhouse’s collection, I obtained somewhat commonly on the banks of the Water of Ken, but it was apparently confined to a few square yards of ground, and I could find it nowhere else. The male is very much rarer than the female, but becomes commoner after the species has been out some time. Aleochara ruficornis, a beautiful specimen, crawling in the road. Tachinus elongatulus, five specimens crawling in the road, all in one week. If any of my friends want any of the species I have mentioned above as tolerably common, will they kindly write to me for them ?—D. Suarp, Bellevue, near Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, August, 1867. 110 [October, Notes on Coleoptera at Southend and its neighbouwrhood.—Having been located here since the beginning of May, with leisure to resume my entomological pursuits, I have been able to investigate a little the riches of this place as regards beetles. The following are among the most noteworthy I have observed, but I have captured many small species, undetermined at present, of which I hope to send asupplemental account. The sand-banks between this and Shoebury are the great feature here, and these have produced to me Faiagria thoracica, Quedius humeralis, Sunius filvformis, S. intermedius, Xantholinus tricolor, Crypticus quisquilius (this species is very common here, and seems to delight chiefly in such parts of the sandhills as have moss growing in the sand, when, by parting the moss with the digger, they appear in little companies, instantly diving headlong again for shelter), Anthicus imstabilis, Trachyphleus scaber, scabriculus, and spinimanus, Omias Bohemanni, Otiorhynchus raucus, Orthochetes setiger, Chrysomela Banksii and lamina, Cassida nobilis, Lasia globosa (abundant), and Psammechus bipunctatus. Damp places between the town and the Shoebury bank contain Stenus pici- pennis and Molytes coronatus. My best captures, however, have been among the wood-feeders: in decayed oak I observed Helops ceruleus (the larva of which must be two years at least before maturing, as I saw it in all sizes, as well as the perfect beetle), Huglenes oculatus, and Dorcatoma flavicornis, chrysomelina, and rubens (the latter I only found dead, being too late for it; in one tree, however, it must have abounded) ; L also took Paromalus flavicornis, Symbiotis latus, Quedius cruentus, Scolytus rugu- losus, and Hylastes cunicularius; and, in dead broom, Phleophthorus rhododactylus (common) and one Hylurgus pilosus (?). In fungi there were to be had Oxyporus rufus, Pocadius ferrugineus, and Triphyllus suturalis. Casually I found in the road, near Benfleet, Panageus 4-pustulatus, and, in a similar situation, near Rochford, Taphria nivalis was common one day, and nothing else to be seen. Harpalus rwpicola is common at the west of Cliff Town, and Baridius lepidii, Ceeliodes ewigwus, Lisso- dema 4-guttata (common in dead sticks), Colon sp?, Syntomiun enewm, and Thia- sophila angulata, occurred in chance places. Taking the hint given by Mr. Rye in a former No. of the Magazine, I visited some plants of Sisymbrium officinale, and soon had the pleasure of getting a good series of certain Ceuthorhynchi :—C. cyanipennis, chalybeus, quadridens, floralis, pyrrhorhynchus, and contractus, making quite a family party. Notes like his are much to be valued, affording as they do pleasure to read, and more practical results in the enrichment of collections. A Ceuthorhynchus, which Mr. Rye informs me is the C. vicinus of Brisout, hitherto considered by British entomologists as a small variety of C. chrysanthemi, occurs on the sand rarely.—Henry S. Goruam, 10, Cambridge Terrace, Southend, August 17th, 1867. Notes on Coleopterw in Morayshire-—While spending a portion of June and July of the present year in Morayshire, I gladly availed myself of the opportunity of becoming acquainted with its Coleopterous inhabitants. As the soil in the neighbourhood of Forres, where I had my head quarters, is very different in its character from that of the district in which I usually reside, I anticipated the pleasure of falling in with a few desirable species. For several miles inland, 1867.] a Lat embracing what is called the Laigh of Moray, the surface is generally level, and the soil very light. Towards the south the country gradually rises into moorland, and culminates in the “ Knock of the Braes of Moray ” at about sixteen miles from the coast. This eminence yielded me but little beyond a specimen of Carabus nitens. The Cluny Hills, near Forres, forming part of the town lands, and to which unrestricted access is allowed, are about 200 feet in height, planted chiefly with fir, oak, and birch, and intersected by numerous well-constructed footpaths. These hills afford excellent hunting-ground to the Coleopterist. Here occur Blethisa multipunctata, Pterostichus lepidus, Amara ewrynota, Bradycellus harpalinus, Harpalus tardus, Amphycillis globus, and Agathidium levigatwm and nigrinum. Of Thalycra sericea, seemingly rare in all parts of the country, two specimens were secured, and Melolontha hippocastani was not uncommon. Clerus formicarius and Cis lineato-cribratus were occasionally met with, and Anobiwm nigrinwm, though mutilated in four instances out of the five, was an agreeable capture. Orobitis cyaneus was not unfrequent on Viola canina; and on the broom growing hear Nelson’s Monument I was not a little surprised to find a dozen or more of the pretty Tychius venustus ; Anthonomus pubescens, Magdalinus phlegmaticus and M. carbonarius, Rhinomacer attelaboides, and Rhynchites eneo-virens, none of which I had ever seen alive, were specially acceptable. Dorytomus tortrix was not scarce upon the aspen, Acanthocinus edilis, Pogonocherus fasciculatus, and Asemuwm striatum were the only noteworthy Longicornes ; Tachinus pallipes, and T. elongatus and Quedius ruficollis among the larger Brachelytra. . In the town, after a keen hunt in many questionable localities, I succeeded in obtaining a few of Blaps mortisaga of Linneeus, which presents very decided marks of distinction from the common insect formerly known under that name, but now catalogued as B. mucronata. Of this species I previously possessed only one specimen, taken several years ago in an outhouse belonging to an inland farm in Forfarshire. At Burghead, among stones that had occupied a place in fortifications, sup- posed to have been reared by the ancient Caledonians and subsequently renewed by the Danes, I found a single specimen of Leistus montanus. It had evidently fallen from the high estate of its progenitors and most of its contemporaries, for the spot of its capture is not more than thirty feet above the sea level, and within half a stone’s throw of high-water mark. On the banks of the Findhorn, near the Suspension Bridge, Dorytomus pectoralis and D. maculatus, with Crepidodera awrata, were beaten from sallow, while Bem- bidiwm paludoswm careered over the damp sand in considerable numbers. There, also, turned up a specimen of Morychus eneus; and Lagria hirta, not hitherto observed north of the Tweed, was evidently quite at home. Farther south, on the Divie (a tributary of the Findhorn), near its confluence with the Dorbach, Bem- bidium pailipes, Cryptohypnus maritimus, and Euryporus picipes occurred—all, alas! in single blessedness. At Altyre and Relugas, Otiorhynchus septentrionis was found; in the one place by beating, in the other, and more plentifully, under dead leaves along with Of. picipes and Quedius fulgidus. Near Dunphail I obtained Magdalinus phlegmaticus, Rhinomacer, and Anobium nigrinum, with two species of Tomicus and a dozen Salpingus castaneus, all from a single branch. Although a specimen of VM. carbonarivs may have been found on hazel, as recorded by the late ; 112 [ October, Mr. Walton, and a second have been taken on the same tree by my friend Dr. Sharp, I am fully satisfied that the ordinary food-plant of both the northern species of this genus is the Scotch fir. An almost certain method of taking them, as well- as Rhinomacer and Anobium nigrinum, in localities where they do occur, is to cut off a few branches of that tree about the beginning of June, and in ten days or a fort- night afterwards to pay occasional visits for the purpose of carefully beating them over a collecting net or an open umbrella. I reserve a notice of a few other species for a future number.—R. Histor, Blair Bank, Falkirk, 10th August, 1867. Oeuthorhynchi on Sisymbrium oficinale.—Like Mr. Rye in the south, I was led to pay special attention to Sisymbriwm officinale growing near Forres. It may interest your readers to know what species frequent the plant in that latitude. I found (. assimilis, erysimi, contractus, constrictus, floralis, quadridens, cyanipennis, and chalybeus. A single specimen like sulcicollis, if not that species, was bottled, but cannot now be found. Who knows but it may have been tarsalis !—Ip. Note on Oxytelus flavipes, Stephens.—In Mr. Murray’s “ Catalogue of Scottish Coleoptera,” p. 128, Owytelus flavipes, Steph., is given on the authority of Mr. Hardy, as having been captured by him on the “ sea-coast near Cockburnspath.” Last year Mr. Murray kindly presented me with a specimen of O. flavipes, taken by Mr. Hardy himself, and which turns out, on careful examination, to be O, maritimus, Thomson. Dr. Sharp, who has seen the specimen, confirms me in this opinion. In Mr. Waterhouse’s Catalogue no mention is made of O. flavipes, Steph. ; and Mr. Rye, who has examined the Stephensian cabinet in the Brit. Mus. for me, informs me that there is not only no exponent of that species therein, but that there is even no label for the name of it. The first locality given in the Manual, ‘‘ Dung, London district,” renders it extremely improbable that Stephens had the maritime and algz-frequenting species in view when describing his insect; though the second, “ Devon,” might possibly point towards it: in @he “Illustrations” it is stated to occur near Dover, and in the metropolitan district. Atalleventsit seems a pity that Mr. Hardy, who evidently had a good species in view, did not describe it under aname different from that used by Stephens.—W. R. McNas, M.D., 8. C. Asylum, Dumfries, 4th September, 1867. Endromis versicolor in Worcestershire.—Referring to the query at the foot of my note (ante p. 64), allow me to add that I am quite certain the larvae were those of E. versicolor. It must be borne in mind that they were taken on the 3rd June. My note is dated the 18th July, by which time the larve had grown considerably. I compared them with the illustration and description given in “ Westwood’s Moths,” and have not the slightest doubt as to their identity. I am sorry to say that only eight of the number turned to pupz, the remainder shrivelled up and died.—Epwarp S. Hainzs, Brettell Lane, Stourbridge, Sept., 1867. Occurrence of anew British Noctua (Polia nigrocincta, Ochs.) in the Isle of Man.— On Tuesday, August 22nd, I had the pleasure of breeding a new British Noctua. The larva from which I bred it fed on Silene, and was quite new to me; and when 1867. | 118 the moth emerged I felt positive that it was a fine addition to our lists. Mr. Doubleday, to whom I have sent the specimen, informs me that it is Polia nigro- cincta. I shall feel much obliged if you will make a note of it in the Magazine for next month.—N. GREENING, Warrington, September 13th. Occurrence of a Fumea (F. crassiorella, Bruand) new to Britain.—\ have bred several specimens of a Fumea this year which prove to be Fumea crassiorella, Bruand. The ¢@s are larger than either F. nitidella or roboricolella, to which group they belong. The ? is also larger and more obese. I have had males in my , cabinet for some time, but it was only this year, by breeding the female, that I was enabled to make out the species; there are good figures in Bruand’s mono- graph, fig. 68 a ¢, b @, plate 2.—Frep. Bonn, 21, Adelaide Road, N.W., 11th September, 1867. Note on Acidalia interjectaria.—This species occurs tolerably abundantly at Folkestone. M. Guenée informs me that in A. osseata the costa is always “ rouge,” which I take it is about the colour of a penny postage-stamp, or, at the least, of burnt clay. I have certainly never met with British examples of so-called osseata possessing this peculiarity. My friend, Mr. Bond, has a series of specimens taken years ago in Cambridgeshire which present certain differences from the Folkestone individuals, and also from types of A. interjectaria kindly sent to me by Mr. Brown, of Cambridge, but, though they might be described as fuscous, or even fawn- coloured on the costa, one could not very well call them ‘rouge.’ No doubt the extremes of these two forms are distinct enough, but it is a confessedly difficult job to draw the line between them; for M. Guenée, in his great work, endorses M. Delaharpe’s opinion that one begins where the other leaves off.—H. G. Knaaas, Kentish Town, September 9th. *,* Since writing the above I have received, in answer to a query, the % 8 > query, following reply from M. Guenée * * “Quant d Vosseata la céte est toujours rouge de la coleur & peu-prés de vos timbres dun ‘penny’” * * * H.G. K. Capture of Sterrha sacraria at Highgate.—On the 20th inst. I had the good fortune to meet with an example of this species on a gas-lamp at Highgate. The specimen is a male, and differs slightly from the ordinary form in the transverse streak being brown instead of pink or crimson; and the remainder of the fore-wing is of a uniform straw-yellow, without the least indication of costal stripe, as mentioned by Mr. Ingram in the Magazine, Vol. ii., p. 134. When at rest on the lamp, my cap- ture had the wings deflexed, after the manner of Pionea forficalis.—H. J. S. Pryer, 10, Holly Village, Highgate, N.W., 29th August, 1867. Sterrha sacraria at Newark.—* On the 19th August, at eleven p.m., whilst sitting reading at the open window of my dining-room, and (must I confess it) sipping hot whisky-toddy, the well-known indication of a “flop” in the gas above the table caused me to investigate results. For some time I could discover nothing, until, at length, a flutter in the sugar-basin revealed—Sterrha sacraria(@). 114 : [October, With the exception of the loss of one antenna she was unscathed, and, by next day, had laid one yellow egg, now bright pink, which I take to be a proof of fertility. I shall, of course, take whisky-toddy every night at eleven, with the window thrown open, for some time to come.—GEORGE GASCOYNE.” [Perhaps the above extract from the letter of an esteemed entomological friend, whose permission I have to publish it, may interest the readers of the E. M. M.—Epwarp Hop ey. | Occurrence of Sterrha sacraria in the North of Perthshire.—At about two o'clock in the afternoon of the 14th of August, after walking over an unproductive tract of country in the north of Perthshire, during my stay at Rannoch, I was meditating on the consolations to be derived from my untouched flask of ‘‘ whoskey” and its companion pipe, and reflecting rather ruefully on the few Tortrices in my pocket— sole result of four hours’ labour, when a small moth, flitting gently from a patch of grass, settled almost at my feet. I knelt down to examine the crevice into which the new comer had retreated, and there—most lovely and welcome sight— was Sterrha sacruria! Nothing but the biggest pill-box I had about me could be worthy of so illustrious a visitor; and, having sumptuously installed him therein, T postponed my lunch sine die and set to work to find another. Whether the sight of an entomologist on his knees had proved propitiatory I cannot say, but a few steps further on a second specimen stole gently from his retirement, and went to keep the first company. In about an hour I found a third, and with these—all males !—I trudged home well pleased. Many profitless hours I spent afterwards at the same spot, in hopes of obtaining the other sex.—J. B. BLACKBURN, Grass- meade, Wandsworth, September, 1867. Sterrha sacraria in Dorsetshire—My son Edward took a male sacraria here on Saturday last.—J. C. Datr, Glanvilles Wootton, Dorset, 3rd September, 1867. Note on the economy of Colias Edusa.—I have lately heard from Mr. Jeffrey, of Ratham, near Chichester, that towards the middle of August he observed a ?, very bright and fresh-looking, laying eggs on clover leaves, some of which he gathered and took home ; and in a few days the young larve hatched, but died from neglect during his absence. Query :—Was it a hybernated @ living till then, or the parent of a second brood ?—Wm. BucktEr, Emsworth, September 4th. *,* COolias Edusa has been observed to oviposit even as late as the middle of September.—H. G. K. Cucullia gnaphalit bred.—On June 2nd I was delighted to see a specimen of this rare “shark” sitting on the side of my breeding-cage. The larva from which it was bred was taken by me last autumn.—E. G. Merk, la, Paradise Row, Old Ford Road, E. Forficula, auricularia flying.—Last night, in our garden, [ caught with my net a large earwig flying. Papa told me that its proper name is as above, and that it is rarely seen on the wing. -WiLtiam D. Doueias, 7, Kingswood Place, Lee, Aug. 31st, 1867. ‘1867. 115 Discovery and description of the larva of Lithostege niveata.—For our knowledge of the early stages of this species we have to thank Mr. T. Brown, of Cambridge, who has found the larvee feeding on Sisymbriwm sophia, in the locality where he had been accustomed to take the moth. The larvae, however, which I have had this summer, whether bred or captured, throve equally well on Erysimum cheiranthoides, seeds of which had been sent me in mistake for those of S. sophia. Mr. Brown sent me eggs on June 18th and 25th, and the larve appeared soon after, and fed up in about a month, all of them haying gone to earth by August Ist. On August 3rd, Mr. Brown sent me some larve which he had just captured in their locality, and some of these continued feeding for nearly a fortnight longer. The larva, when full-grown, is nearly an inch long, rather slender, flattened beneath, of uniform bulk throughout ; the head full large, and rounded. The colour is very variable ; the larve reared on Erysimum cheiranthoides were mostly paler than the captured ones sent me by Mr. Brown, and as these did not vary much among themselves, we have taken their colouring and markings to form Var. 1. Ground-colour dull olive-green all over, except the spiracular region, which is pale yellow; very fine dorsal line of darker tint of the ground-colour, sometimes there is a similar line on either side of it, and sometimes again these appear only as a pair of olive-brown or purplish wedge-shaped dashes just before each seg- mental fold: sub-dorsal line greenish-grey with darker edgings; the spiracles black, and just above and behind them, in the yellow spiracular stripe, are suffused blotches of the colour of the dorsal wedges. Var. 2. Ground-colour of a fresher, more yellowish-green, dorsal region full green; spiracular region yellowish, and the blotches in it of a darker purplish tint than in No. 1, and more clearly defined. Var. 3. Ground-colour greenish-white; three very fine purplish-brown or blackish lines down the back, of which the central one becomes wider and darker just before each segmental fold, and the other two across the fold ; sometimes these lines are interrupted, appearing only in the thickened parts; sometimes again they are all united by a transverse band just before the segmental fold: the sub-dorsal line paler than the ground, but edged below with the dark colour; the spiracular region ‘not differing from the rest of the ground-colour, with its wedge-shaped blotches, not only above the spiracles, but also with similar ones below them; in some speci- mens the spiracular stripe being itself interrupted by these pairs of upper and under blotches becoming partially united; the anal flap and the anal pair of legs dark blackish-green, or purplish-brown. This last variety caught the eye, when upon its food, readily enough, put the other two were hard to distinguish from the seed-pods of the mustard-plants.— J.“HELiins, Exeter, September 16th, 1867. Note on the larva of Agrophila sulphuralis.—Hiibner’s figures of this species leave me little that is new to say about it; still I feel much indebted to Mr. Brown for enabling me to rear a larva which Mr. Buckler has figured. Unluckily —although the moth had laid several eggs—they all perished in the Post-office save one, and the single larva did not live to become a pupa, having been hatched on June 25th, and dying on August Ldth. 116 [October, I potted for it a small plant of Convolvulus arvensis, and on two little shoots of this, bearing in all not more than five or six very small leaves, it fed and grew and moulted contentedly during the first half of its fifty days’ life, its longest journey all that time not exceeding an inch and a half. Had the other eggs escaped squashing on their journey, probably I might hav® had the pleasure of seeing both the varieties which Hiibner figures, but the green one yet remains a desideratum ; my single larva was his brown variety. When first hatched, it was a dingy-grey little looper, with a black transverse dorsal hump on each of the four middle segments ; but at each moult these humps became less, till at last there remained nothing but the usual dorsal dots, black and distinct, and these too afterwards disappeared. When full-grown the larva is about an inch long; the legs twelve ; the body cylindrical, thickest at the fourth segment; the segmental divisions deeply indented; when at rest the middle segments are generally arched, and the head bent down. ‘The colour a rich choco- late-brown ; dorsal line rather darker, and edged with very fine paler lines ; sub- dorsal line also darker, but scarcely visible; spiracular stripe broad, of a pale yellow, and with a fine brown thread running throughout its length, immediately after the last moult; there were some rich yellow and orange spots also in it, but these disappeared, and the whole stripe grew paler.—Ib. Note on Cucullia scrophularie and verbasci.—In the following notes I hope to be of some service to those who, like myself, have entertained doubts concerning the real distinctness of the two species, from inability to distinguish the larvee found feeding on Scrophularia aquatica and nodosa from others on Verbascum thapsus and nigrum. It is therefore with great pleasure I acknowledge my obligations to Mr. Doubleday, by whose kindness I am at length made acquainted with the real scrophularie, in four fine larvee he presented me with on the 4th and 8th of last July, feeding on flowers and seed-vessels of Scrophularia nodosa, the sight of which immediately dispelled all my previous doubts, as it did also any existing in the minds of Mr. Hellins and Mr. D’Orville, through whose hands they passed to mine; the latter gentleman having for years had great experience in, and devoted much attention to, this particular genus in their larval state. The larva of scrophulariw, when full-grown, is 13 inches in length, plump, and cylindrical ; the head rounded, and a trifle smaller than the 2nd segment. Viewed sideways, it appears of uniform thickness; but seen on the back, it tapers behind from the 10th to the anal segment. In looking on the back, its most valuable character, by which it can be instantly identified, is apparent in the bright yellow dorsal mark; for whether little or much intersected by black, it is distinctly seen to be a blunt-pointed tri- angle of yellow, close to the beginning of each segment, pointing forwards, its transverse base being longer than the sides, placed on rather less than the first half of each segment. The ground colour in front of the two sides of the triangle, with belly and prolegs, is whitish-grey, or pale blueish-grey, or greenish-white ; but the broad space behind the base of the triangle is a bright full green, varying indi- vidually towards blueish-green or grass-green. Thus it will be seen there is a broad green band across the end of each segment. The black marks on the back 1867.] ati lrg may be regarded primarily as particular developments of the usual four spots, varying in each individual, and more or less like thick oval spots run together in blotchy marks; that is to say, each anterior spot is confluent only with the posterior one below it, but does not unite transversely with the others. In one variety the black spots resemble tadpole forms united by the tails; in another these tails are thickened equal to the spots, and appear as blotchy curves; and in one variety these blotchy curves are so thick and confluent as to include some of the ordinary side spots, thus completely surrounding two sides of the triangle with a blotchy black border, To conclude the description briefly, there is a yellow spot on the spiracular region of each segment excepting the 2nd ; the usual black spots laterally and on the prolegs; occasionally some fine, short, transverse black streaks on the sides. The head bright ochreous yellow, mottled with red, and spotted with black ; anterior legs reddish-yellow. C. verbasci is a larva similar in form, but rather larger and thicker when full grown. The segmental divisions and wrinkles marked with black interrupted streaks; the ground colour whitish, greenish-white, or blueish-green ; a transverse, equally broad band of yellow, extending to below the spiracles on either side, is seen on the middle of each segment. This character is alone sufficient for its identity ; and though this species varies much in colour and size of markings, yet the design remains in all. In rudimentary marked varieties, the transverse central yellow band is often interrupted slightly on the centre of the back, and completely, or partially so, at the sides. The upper pair of dorsal black spots entire, and never united to those below. In richly marked individuals, the hinder pair of spots become elongated and approach each other, with tails slightly turning upwards; in others not go confluent, a small twin pair of dots are seen instead on the yellow band in the centre, midway between the large spots. The yellow transverse bands largely developed on the thoracic segments; the ordinary spots, dots, and streaks of black on the sides well developed. In some instances the ventral divisions are broadly black, and occasionally the whole surface of the belly black. Perhaps hardly two larvze could be found exactly alike in the minutie; but the transverse band of yellow is the conclusive character, strengthened by the additional one of the black anterior dorsal spots never being united to the posterior pair—Wm. BucKLER, Emsworth. Notes on, and description of, the larva of Colias Edusa.—On the 10th of June last, my friend, Mr. James Terry brought me a fine 9 of this species, that he had caught with his hat. It measured 23 in. in expanse of wings, and had evidently been, before hybernation, a splendid insect, though it was then in a worn and ragged condition. I placed the butterfly on a plant of Dutch clover (Trifolium repens), and stood it in a window facing the west, and supplied it with a little honey and water; and two days later I had the satisfaction of seeing ten eggs. The insect was then removed to fresh plants of clover, but the day following being dull and cloudy, no eggs were laid ; and the two succeeding days proving bright and sunny, she re- 118 [ October, commenced laying, and deposited about forty or more eggs. The weather again becoming dull, there were no additions till the 18th, when on fresh plants there were distributed another large batch of eggs; and the following day the insect expired, after depositing the final egg on a spray of Lotus corniculatus, placed with the clover as an experiment. The eggs were oval, but very sharply pointed at each end, and were laid on the upper surfaces of the leaves in an upright position, standing on end. They were shining, and at first whitish-yellow, rapidly turning darker yellow, changing by the fourth or fifth day to reddish, and in ten days to pink. At that time being obliged to leave home, I had not the satisfaction of seeing the young larvee when first hatched; but reports of their progress were duly sent to me, whereby I became aware of their beginning to hatch out on the 24th of June. The young larves were at first of a pale brown, and afterwards dull green; some were bluish- green, and all with a line of whitish along the spiracles, then and afterwards assimilating well with the clover, of which they ate voraciously ; and probably, during my absence, the supply of food had not been equal to the demand, for when I saw them on 6th of July, their numbers had greatly decreased, and the survivors were clustering on the bare stems of the plants they had stripped in the course of the day. ‘ From that time they were abundantly supplied with fresh food, and though their progress seemed satisfactory, it soon became evident that they had not been able to recover the check sustained when young; for they began to suspend them- selves from July 16th, and change to pupz before attaining the size I had hoped for. The first perfect insect came forth on the 6th of August, and the others followed during about a week. They were most lovely examples of colour, but smaller than ordinary captured specimens. After the young larve became green, they so remained through all their subsequent moultings, and no variety worth mention occurred in the brood. Their habits were rather sluggish, especially as they matured. The size attained by the largest was little more than one inch and a quarter in length, moderately stout, of nearly equal size throughout, rounded above, and rather flattened beneath ; the head globular, and rather smaller than the 2nd segment. The segments sub- divided by transverse wrinkles or folds into six portions, the second portion the widest. The colour was a deep, dull grass-green, the dulness being caused by their being irrorated with excessively minute black points, and each point emitting a very short fine hair, added a velvety appearance to the surface of both head and body. In some examples, a darker dorsal pulsating streak was visible, though in general hardly noticeable. It was adorned with a whitish or else a yellow spiracular stripe, which was further embellished on each segment by a pink or red blotch in the middle of it, and a black spot immediately under it, while a little in advance of the red was seen the oval whitish shining spiracle. The legs and ventral surface similar to the back. The pupa was attached by the tail, and with a cincture of silk thread around it close below the thorax, after the manner of the Pieridi ; the head was generally upwards, though in some cases a horizontal position, or nearly so, was chosen. 1867. ] 119 The pupa moderately stout; the thorax round, and projecting on the back; the head terminating in a sharp point; the wing-cases long and well-developed, pro- jecting below the abdomen. The colour of the back and body a very pale yellow- green, and a pale yellowish stripe on each each side below the wing-cases on the abdomen: on the under-side, beneath them, were three minute black dots, followed by a stripe of dull dark red. The wing-cases were a rather deeper and yellower green, which a few hours before the insect emerged became suffused with red. In the centre of each wing was a minute black dot, and a row of five similar dots near their lower borders. The point at the top of the head dark olive-green above, sharply contrasted on the under-side with pale primrose-yellow, and both gradually blending into the colours below.—Ib. Note on Agrotis saucia.—On the 25th of May a large Noctua was brought me which had been attracted by light the previous night. The markings were much confused and rubbed, and it was only after much careful examination that, by the aid of the invaluable ‘“‘ Manual,” it was decided to be Agrotis saucia. It proved to be a 2, and deposited eggs the following day, which hatched in about a fortnight. The larvee fed well on Plantago lanceolata, passed into the pupal state during the first week in August, and appeared as perfect insects during the last ten days. This differs much from the history given of the species in the Manual. It is there stated that the moth appears in July, August, and September, and that the larva feeds in November. Imagining that the insect hybernates in the perfect state, I have not attempted to keep up the breed.—Grorce J. HearDrer, Powick, near Worcester, September 9th, 1867. ; General Anformation. The proposed Catalogue of British Insects.—It is pretty generally known that, for some months past, the Entomological Society of London have had under con- sideration the desirability of publishing a complete Catalogue of our insect-fauna. Since the appearance of Stephens’ Catalogue (1829), no attempt of this kind has been made by scientific men, and the rapid strides in Entomology during the last thirty years have rendered that work virtually obsolete, notwithstanding the immense amount of labour that its compilation must have cost the late J. F. Stephens ;—a labour which, for the unassisted efforts of one man, looks Herculean. On this matter being proposed to the Society, the Council appointed a Committee of gentlemen, who were known to be working at certain groups, to consider, and report upon, the best means of furthering the object in view, and the first step taken by this Committee was to ask the assistance of specialists ; its requests were promptly acceded to. Thus the Catalogue may now be considered in preparation, though we cannot even hazard a conjecture as to the probable time by which it will be completed. We opine it must of necessity be published piecemeal, the separate parts being united when the whole shall have been finished. Certain orders (e. g. Lepidoptera and Coleoptera) could be done ina short time ; others (e. g. Hymenoptera and Neuwroptera) are well worked up as far as some families are concerned ; others, again (e. g. Diptera), yet remain in a chaotic condition. The 120 [October, advantages of a division of Jabour are here most manifest, and though the various compilers must, to a certain extent, be allowed to adopt the plan that may, to their individual opinions, seem best, yet the whole will be under the supervision of the Committee, who will endeavour to secure uniformity, so far as that may be practicable. The Catalogue will be synonymic, especially with regard to the names given by British authors, so as to render it serviceable to our continental friends. The scheme having been fairly launched, we wish the co-operators in it every success and—may we add ?—a speedy termination to their labours. Departure of Dr. Hagen for America.—Before the present number is in the hands of our readers, Europe will have lost, perhaps for ever, one who has probably done more than any other to facilitate the study of Entomology. Dr. Hagen, late of Kénigsberg, is on his way to take charge of the Entomological Collections at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on the invitation of Prof. Agassiz. His appointment is at present only provisional, but we scarcely expect that our ’cute friends on the other side will allow him to escape when he shall be once on their soil. The late Rev. Hamlet Clark’s collections.—It is with great satisfaction we learn that the Phytophaga and water-beetles amassed by Mr. Clark will not be dispersed. Having become national property, they will serve to swell the collection of the British Museum. ; Aeview. Letters Home from Spain, Algeria, and Brazil, during past Entomological Rambles. By the Rev. Hamurr Crark, M.A., F.L.S. Van Voorst, 1867. This modest little volume, rendered sadly interesting by the circumstances under which it was published, will doubtless find a corner in the library of every British entomologist ; not so much for any pretension to science (and, indeed, there is no pretension of any kind in it), as for the healthy tone, the unstudied exhibition of energy, and the genuine ring of its contents. “ Letters home,” however clever they may seem to their recipients, usually fail to make any mark when (as is too often the case) afterwards addressed to the general public. But our entomological public is so limited, that it may—or, at least, should—be considered as a single family ; so that the letters now being noticed are not likely to fail in exciting interest. They contain, moreover, many passages exhibiting a power of rapid perception of scenery and minute details of character; so that it is evident that their lamented author could, if such had been his intention, have easily written a book that would have had a far wider range than among his fellow naturalists. Such passages as relate to Entomology only make the reader long for more; and amongst them the description (p. 152) of the habits of insects of various orders frequenting a certain wounded tree for its sap, and the writer’s ponderings upon their ways and instincts, may be mentioned as peculiarly pleasing. The book is illustrated by some well-executed lithographic copies of landscapes by J. Gray, Esq., a name well known in connection with those of Messrs. Wollaston and Clark. -1867.] 121 DESCRIPTION or a NEW GENUS anv SPECIES or DIURNAL LEPIDOPTERA. BY A. G. BUTLER, F.2Z.8. The present genus is closely allied to Hipparchia, from which it chiefly differs in the form of the antenne, the character of the mark- ings, and the longer fringe to the wings ; the arrangement of the veins is very similar in both genera. Genus AULOCERA, gen. nov. Ale magne, nigre albo-fasciate ; cilits latis albis nigro-variegatis ; Neuration of Neuration of 1. Aulocera Brahmenus. 2. Hipparchia Proserpina. la. Club of Antenna. 2a. Club of Antenna. venis anticarum velut in Hipparcutia, ad basin autem minus tumrdis : postice venis velut mm Hipparcuta, cella autem discoidali magis integra ; costa magis convexa: corpus lanare ; palpis velut in HipPaRcHta. Antennis, clava gradatim formata, subtus stria media longitudinal leniter excavata. This group is exclusively an Indian one. All the species are black above, with white bands and spots. The species most nearly approaching them in colouring is Hipparchia Proserpina. Sp. 1.—Avzrocera BRAuMINUS. Satyrus Brahminus, Blanchard, in Jacquemont’s Voyage in India, pl. 2, figs. 4—6 (1844). Satyrus Swaha, Kollar, in Hiigel’s Kaschmir, p. 444, tab. xiv., figs. 1, 2 (1844). N. India, Nepaul, Himalayas. B. M. Sp. 2.—AULOCERA SARASWATI. Satyrus Saraswati, Kollar, in Hiigel’s Kaschmir, p. 445, tab. xiv., figs. 3, 4 (1844). ise guile 122 ’ [November, Sp. 3.—AULOcERA PADMA. Satyrus Padma, Kollar, in Hiigel’s Kaschmir, p. 449, tab. xv., figs. 1, 2 (1844). B. M. Sp. 4.—AvLocEeRA AVATARA. Satyrus Avatara, Moore, Cat. Lep. East Ind. Comp., 1, p. 229, n. 481 (1857). 3 North India (F. Moore). Sp. 5.—AvLocEra ScCYLLA, sp. nov. 3b. Ale supra nigro-fusce, fascia discal alba, anticarum maculari, posticarum tenui et apud angulum analem obsoleta, ad apicem anticarum bifurcata, et maculam nigram ovalem includente ; ciliis albis ad venarum fines nigro-variis : corpus nigrum, antennis flavo-clavatis. Ale subtus pallidiores, nigro-strigose ; macula sub-apicali anticarum ocellata ; postice minime flavescentes ; serie discali macularwm albidarum extus nigro-cinctarum ; fascia discal ad angulum analem distincta. Exp. alar. une. 2. Near Sylhet. B. M. Most nearly allied to Brahminus, but differs in its much smaller size, less sinuated margins, more slender central band, and on the under-side in having a row of white spots placed in an arc outside the central band. I have seen three specimens of this species, which all appear to agree in size, pattern, and coloration. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW COCCYX (LEPIDOPTERA TORTRICINA). BY H. G. KNAGGS, M.D., F.L.S. The Argus-eyed Mr. E. G. Meek, whose perseverance as a collector of Lepidoptera entitles him to the success with which his efforts have been frequently crowned, has again been fortunate in bringing to light another new species, which in the present note it is my purpose to describe under the specific name of vernana. Coccyx VERNANA, N. sp. C. argyrane persimilis, sed obscurior ; alis anticis angustioribus, lunuld dorsali inconspicuori; posticis saturatioribus fere concoloribus, basim versus viz pallidioribus ; subtus cinereo-tenebrosis. Exp. alar 43'". 3 @. Hab., W: Wickham. Apparet imago mense Martis. C. vernana, in the obscurity and confusion of the markings, as well as in the shape of the fore-wings, slightly reminds one of Heusimene 1867.) : 123 Jimbriana, but it is in reality far more closely allied to Coccyx argyrana, so much so, indeed, that at first I rather inclined to consider it a small dark narrow-winged variety of it. My friend Mr. Bond, however, has all along asserted it to be a distinct species, and now that his opinion has been confirmed by that of Dr. Staudinger, with whom I have had some correspondence on the subject, my doubts have given way, and I am induced to furnish it with a name. It may be distinguished from argyrana, which is the only insect with which it can possibly be confounded, firstly, by the fore-wings being narrower and darker, the dorsal patch being inconspicuous; and secondly, by the hind-wings of the male being pretty uniformly dark and without the pale base, such as is noticed in argyrana. Mr. Meek informs me that he captured these- three examples by beating undergrowth at West Wickham, towards the end of March, 1866, that its habits were similar to those of Coccyx splendidulana, and that argyrana did not appear till a month later. Kentish Town, 3rd October, 1867. ADDITIONAL NOTICE RESPECTING THE MAPLE-MINING SAW-FLY (PHYLLOTOMA ACERIS). BY BR. M’LACHLAN, F.L.S8. At page 104 of this volume I was induced to describe the above- mentioned saw-fly as new, not having been able to find anything like it mentioned in any work or papers devoted to Huropean Hymenoptera. However, on looking over Kaltenbach’s paper on the plant-feeding German insects (‘Die deutschen Phytophagen aus der Klasse der Insecten”) published in the “ Verhandlungen des naturforschenden Vereins des preussichen Rheinlandes,” vol. 13, I find, at page 257, No. 40, what is undoubtedly the same species, described by Herr Kaltenbach under the same name as that which I applied to it—Phyllotoma aceris. Hence this is one of those rare instances in which ignorance of a pre- vious description has not created a synonym. Herr Kaltenbach describes the antenne as “ 12-jointed,” whereas I can only find 11 in my few specimens, but the number of joints is variable in other species of the genus. Also, from his description of the habits of the larva, he would seem to have observed it just before it detached the circular case, which latter he describes as a cocoon. The “ Verhandlungen’” referred to is difficult to obtain access to in England, but I fortunately found Kalten- bach’s paper in a separate form in the well-known library of a colleague. Forest Hill, October, 1867. 124 [November, ON SOME BRITISH CYNIPIDA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. . (Continued from page 102.) iii. Thorax glabrous, not coriaceous, nor villose. Max- illary palpi 4,— labial 2-articulate. Gen. Nevrorervs, Hartig. The ¢ unknown, except a single individual. ¢ The radial cell extends at least two-thirds of the distance between the areolet and the tip of the wing: in Andricus not more than half the same distance. The transverse veins and base of the radial are frequently clouded with brown. The wings are longer: the abdomen more compressed, and more constricted at the base. The antennz are longer, 15-jointed: in Andricus 2 only 13-jointed. Scutellum more prominent and more depressed. Eleven species are described by Hartig, but so briefly, that without German types it must be for ever impossible to identify those of our country. These species are divided into two groups, according to the sculpture of the mesonotum. In the former the sutures of the parap- sides are visible, dividing the dise into three more or less convex arewe (WV. Malpighii, inquilinus, Reaumurii): in the latter the mesosternum is undivided, convex and glabrous, as in the genus Allotria, Westw. (WV. defectus, politus, &c.). It is probable that Mr. Walker’s description of this genus (Ent. Mag. iii, p. 167, No. XX VI) refers rather to Spathegaster, Hartig, for he describes both sexes, and attributes 14 joints to the antenne of the 9. Sect. I. Sutures of the mesonotum not invisible. Neuroterus Malpighwi, Hart. Black ; inner orbits of theeyes,and genitalia, ferruginous. Antennse at the base and legs testaceous; cox, femora at the base, and hind tibia at the apex, more or less blackish. Abdomen strongly com- pressed, carinated above. Wings hyaline, the base of the radial cell, the outer side of the areolet, as well as the basal transverse vein, incrassated, black, suffused at the edges with brown. ‘The basal trans- verse vein also emits two pale brown splashes, one triangular, reaching to the areolet, the other following the course of the anal vein. ¢. Long. 1; alar. exp. 33 lin. ; 1567.] 125 A. Malpighii, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, p. 192. ? Diplolepis lenticularis, Oliv., Ene. méth. ? Cynips longipennis, Fab., Piez., 148, No. 21. N. Malpighii, Ratz., Forst., IIT, pl.,5, fig. 3 (gall). This insect, whatever be its name, is the inhabitant of the well- known oak-spangle. See Reaum., Ins., III, pl. 42, fig. 8—10; Mal- pighi, Opera omnia, pl..7, fig. 15; Westwood in the “Arboretum Britannicum,” p. 1827, and Smith in Tr. Ent. Soc. 1839, Vol. 2, Proc. p. 43. Last spring I made a large collection of the galls in the month of March, and after keeping them three or four days, had the gratifi- cation of obtaining from them some hundreds of the flies, but all 2. They are parasitically infested by a species of Hurytoma. It is not easy to distinguish the present insect from Spathegaster baecarum, Lin., which I also bred last spring in quantities, from the currant gall of the oak, 6 2. The latter has the maxillary palpi 5-articulate, and the Jabial 4-articulate, the petiole longer, and the antennew of the 9 14- articulate; the legs are also nearly free from black markings. Neuroterus fumipennis, Hart. Black ; the two basal joints of the antennex, the legs, and the basal third of the abdomen, testaceous. Sutures of the parapsides faintly marked. Wings smaller than in the preceding; the radial cell shorter ; infumated, darker towards the tips; the base of the radial cell, the outer side of the areolet, and the basal transverse vein more suffused with brown. The brown dashes on the outer side of the basal transverse vein are united into one. The abdomen is less compressed. The tips of the tarsi are fuscous. ¢. Long. 1; alar. exp. 3 lin. NV. fumipennis, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 3, p. 339. Common in England upon oak trees, but its gall does not appear to have been remarked. Itis named in the older collections longipennis, Fab.,—upon what authority I know not. The Fabrician description is “ Atra, abdomine compresso ; alis elongatis, a/bis, punctis 2 nigris ;” which is certainly more applicable to NV. Malpighit. Fabricius could not have failed to indicate the more salient characters of the insect, such as the blackish wings, and the testaceous base of the abdomen. Sect. II. Sutures of the mesonotum invisible. Neuroterus politus, Hart. Minute, black ; mouth, base of the antenne, and the legs, dull, testaceous, cox black at the base, Mesonotum smooth and shining, 126 ‘ | November, without sutural lines or punctures. Scutellum shining in the middle, opaque and punctured at the sides. Wings hyaline; the basal trans- . verse vein, the sub-costal, and the base of the radial cell brown, distinct, but not suffused; the areolet and the other veins decolorous, obsolete. 9. Var. The femora and tibiw more or less fuscous. Long. 3; alar. exp. 2 lin. NV. politus, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, p. 193; 3, p. 389. Several times taken on oak trees in Leicestershire. Hartig thinks that this section of Newroterus is of parasitic habits, like Allotria, which it so much resembles in its minute size and polished mesonotum. One species, VV. parasiticus, Hart, inhabits the galls of Cynips globuli, Hart. ; and if this be the habit of the others of the section, they should constitute a separate genus, and be referred to the group of Inquilini, the ‘“ After-Gallwespen ” of Hartig. (To be continued.) THE LARVA OF DEPRESSARIA ULTIMELLA, STAINTON. BY P. C. T. SNELLEN. (Translated from the Tijdscrift voor Entomologie, 2nd Series, Vol 2, Part 1, pp. 26—30). It chanced that my finding, early in July, some larve of Depres- saria nervosa, which had already long been known (also to myself), resulted in my obtaining possession of the larva of wltimella, which, as far as I know, is still undescribed. T had found the larve of nervosa on the flowers of Phellandrium aquaticum, at a rather distant part of the fen, which still remains near Rotterdam, and, as I had to feed these larve for some time, I sought for some food which occurred nearer to the town. I then found in a dry ditch close by the town some plants, on which I also found specimens of the larve. Knowing that, as some other Depressarie do, they change to pupze within the stems of the Umbellifere frequented by them, I resolved to cut off and examine some of the stems of these plants. In the very first I found two spun-up larve of nervosa, but along with them another larva, unknown to me, which had evidently fed on the interior of the stem, as was manifest from the indications of gnawing on the sides. Incited by this discovery, I examined not only the plants in my neighbourhood, but also those which grew further along the ditch, and repeated my expedition the following day. By diligent 1867.) 127 search I collected about 20 larve, mostly full-grown. For these I prepared a fitting habitation by cutting off a piece from the lowermost part of the plants above the first knot, and planting them with one or two roots in a preserving bottle in moist earth. I then placed my larve on the open ends of the stems,and had the pleasure of seeing them quickly make a way through the shoot which closed the lower- most joint of the stem, and the opening thus made, they afterwards fastened up with some silk. I now placed my bottles in a cool place, and left them undisturbed for about three weeks. At the expiration of that time I examined my nursery, and found that most of the larve had changed to pupx; some were in their cocoons still unchanged, whilst two or three, which had been the smallest specimens, were now about full-grown, and still feeding. One of these I separated in order to describe it. . On ‘examining the cocoons and pup, which were mostly im the stems, I found, not without some surprise, that they completely resem- bled those of Depressaria nervosa, which I had placed in separate bottles, and which in the mean time had also changed, only they were rather smaller ; so that I came to the conclusion that the new larva was also a Depressaria larva, since the pup of that genus show a great similarity by which they may be immediately recognised. I had anti- cipated something else. In consequence of this similarity, I now carefully collected the pups of the new species, put them on dry sand in a separate vessel, and the larva which I had set aside for description, after carefully describing it, I again supplied with fresh food, in order to bring it to its change, which actually happened. Although I had imagined to myself distinctly the difference there ought to be between the imagos of the new larve (which I now suspected to be that of Depressaria Yeatiana) and D. nervosa, I kept, nevertheless, the pupa from the described larva separate, because I conceived the possibility that in the stems which I had given to my new larve, and which naturally I had not opened, pup of spun-up larve of nervosa might occur; for this cannot be ascertained from the outside, as the larve often close up very adroitly the holes which they make in order to get inside the stem, either beneath a knot or elsewhere. That I was not mistaken in this hypothesis of a mixture with nervosa was, as I imagined, evident to me, when, after some of my pupx of nervosa had come out in my box, a moth appeared in the cage in which I kept my new species, which I also took for only a rather smaller, poor specimen of nervosa. To my great astonishment, how- - 128 / i November, ever, in the vessel in which I had expected Yeatiana nothing appeared but such small specimens of zervosa. I could not possibly conceive that nervosa had two sorts of larve so little resembling one another. I thus began to suspect that I had got hold of the species most closely allied to nervosa—the ultimella of Stainton, which suspicion turned out to be certainty when I referred to the description of the species in Stainton’s volume of the Insecta Britannica. By the help of that I was well able to separate my wltimella from nervosa (two of which species truly appeared amongst my wltimella). After this lengthy introduction, which, however, is not superfluous, since it shows how easily one can fall into error,* I pass on to the description of the larva of ultimella, and shall afterwards point out the points of difference between the imago of that species and that of nervosa. The larva of wltimella, of which I found no specimens smaller than those which were nearly half-grown, which were quite similar to the larger ones, is 20 millimetres long when quite full-grown, slender, cylindrical, very little thinner anteriorly than in the middle, thus rather different from the usual form of moth-larve. The head is small, the feet also; the creature is, however, very nimble, and can move up and down along the walls of its abode very quickly. The colour of the body is a rather dirty pale sea-green without markings, the ordinary spots are very small, dark brown, the head light brown, the anterior legs and the thoracic plate very pale brown. The pupa, which reposes in a thin white cocoon in the stem, is of a shining chestnut-brown; it is com- pressed like all the pupx of Depressarie, and has an obtuse tail-end. Thus one observes a considerable difference between the unicolour- ous larva of wltimella and the gaily marked, much more slender larva of nervosa, which will shortly appear in all its stages in the work of Sepp; on the other hand, the perfect insects resemble one another closely, and wasted specimens are not easily distinguished with certainty. If one places a series of eight fresh-bred specimens of each species side by side, one sees that in both species the same variations of colour occur; there are brownish-grey, yellowish-grey, bark-coloured, pale brown, and reddish specimens of nervosa, as well as of wltimella; the design of the markings of the anterior wings is the same in both species. There is, for instance, a small dark spot at the base of the wing, along the nervures are small dark longitudinal streaks separated by pale scales, a very sharply angulated pale streak indistinctly margined, and ® To do this it only needed, for instance, that I, knowing the pup of nervosa were to be found in the stems of those plants ot which the larvee had fed on the flowers, had delayed my search for the pupz so long that witimella had also assumed the pupa state, I should then actually have had nervosa and wltimella coming out together, have overlooked the points of the difference, which are not very e = . perceptible, and have taken all for one species.—P.C. T.S 1867.] 129 with the point directed towards the apex of the wing towards the hind margin, and dark spots before the cilia, which are intersected by a darker line, whilst the median nervure shows at its end a nearly black spot. The palpi, abdomen, and under-side, with the legs, are similar in both species. The principal and best character to distinguish the two species is the neuration of the posterior wings. For instance, in xervosa, veins 2,3,and 4 not only always,start from one point at the inner marginal angle of the median cell, but veins 2 and 3 are always distinctly united on one stalk for a shorter or longer distance, and often all the three veins are on one stalk. In wltimeila, on the contrary, veins 2, 3, and 4 also spring from the inner marginal angle of the median cell, but only 2 and 3 come from the same point, and in none of my eight specimens have they a common stalk, and vein 4 is at its origin distinctly separated from 2 and 3. By this difference in the neuration more or less wasted speci- mens of the two species may be readily separated. Moreover there is an evident difference in the size. My eight specimens of nervosa have an expanse of 21.5 to 23 millimetres. Hight specimens of wltimella have an expanse only of 19.5 to 20.5 m.m. ; then the colour of the anterior wings in nervosa (as Stainton also observes), is much less, and not so frequently, mingled with red; and, finally, in witimella the head and thorax is very perceptibly paler than the anterior wings, which is either not at all the case in nervosa or only to an inconsiderable degree. This last point of distinction, however conspicuous in setting and in unexpanded specimens of both species, is less distinct in pinned speci- mens, and is easily altogether lost when the specimens become greasy. Moreover I ought to mention that the anterior wings of wltimella, by a thicker though shorter black streak and more abundant pale scales thereabouts, have a more variegated appearance than in nervosa, and the pale streak not so sharply angulated runs more distinctly along the inner margin than in the last-named species. That the black streak in nervosa on the median nervure before the middle, and the black beyond the middle, should be ringed with white, as stated by Stainton in his diagnosis, I have not only been unable to confirm, but almost observed the contrary, as above related. By the discovery of the larva of Depressaria ultimella near Rotter- dam, a new locality in our country is added for this species, the ¢ moth having hitherto only been observed in the dune district and in North Brabant (see Bouwstoffen voor eine Fauna van Nederland, Vol. lll., p. 242, under No. 96). Rotterdam, October 12th, 1866. ’ 1380 [ November, Note on a new British Ichneumon.—The following species was detected by me last autumn, in a marsh near the sea at Gellyswick, in this county. Specimens were forwarded to Mr. Desvignes, who referred them to M. Wesmael, by whom they were pronounced to be new to science. Under these circumstances, I requested Mr. Desvignes to draw up a description of the species. He has kindly complied, and I now forward it for publication. The insect belongs, according to M. Wesmael, to his sub-division Ichnewmones Pneustici, so named on account of the circular spiracles. It belongs to Section IX of Gravenhorst’s genus Ichnewmon. —T. A. MarsHatt, Milford Haven, October, 1867. Description of a (British) new Ichneumon.—Ichnewmon cambriensis, nov. spec. Statura et proportio partium maris Ich. latratoris, Grav. Pedibus et segmentis 1—3, 4, abdominis rufis; tibiis posticis basi et apice, nec non geniculis, articulo quoque 5° tarsorum omnium nigris. ¢. Longitudo 3.75—4 lin. Caput buccatum, thorace parum latius, genis tumidis, facie et vertice convexis, lineol’ impress’ supra clypeum ; mandibulis piceo-ferru- gineis, palpis pallidioribus. Antenne setacee, dimidio corporis longitudine sequales, in medio dilatates. Thoraw gibbus,subtiliter punctatus, anticé trilobus, suturis valde distinctis, metathorace sensim declive, areolis distinctis, areola supero-media pyriforme. Scutellwm sub-triangulum, lateribus elevatis. Ale fumato-hyalinas, stigmate vel nigro vel piceo, basi pallido, radio testaceo-fusco, areola perfecte 5-angulari. Pedes rufi, apice femorum posticorum, nec non basi et apice tibiarum, articulo quoque quinto omnium tarsorum nigris. Abdomen elongatum, thorace perangustior, lateribus equalibus, rectis, apice acuto, ségmentis 1—3 rufis, quarto toto rufo, vel lateribus solum rufis, sequentibus nigris, petiolo nigro aut rufo, parte antica segmenti primi post tuberculum transversum angusta. — THOS. DESVIGNES, Woodford, October, 1867. Lebia crua-minor in Scotland.—When out collecting Coleoptera on September 24th, I had the good fortune to take, among other things, a single specimen of Lebia crux-minor in fine condition. The specimen is a female: I found it in the immediate neighbourhood of Dumfries, and, so far as I know, this is the second example of its occurrence in Scotland.—W. Lennon, Crichton Royal Institution, Dumfries. Swarms of Drosophila fenestrarum in London.—Several houses in Holborn have been of late infested with small flies, of which I send you specimens. To such an extent have they increased during the last week that the windows are positively darkened by them. I should much like to hear if this visit is likely to have been caused by any local influence, and if it is in any way exceptional—H. Newman, 5, Oval Road, Kennington, S., September 21st, 1867. *,* The flies sent by my correspondent have been submitted to a friend versed in these matters, and he informs me that they are Drosophila fenestrarum, a generally common species, the larva of which feeds on vegetable débris, such as sawdust, &c. Their great abundance in Holborn is doubtless owing to the presence of some condition favourable to their development. —R. McL. ; 1867.) 131 Sterrha sacraria near Birkenhead.—I had the pleasure of taking a fine male of this species on the 16th, and a second on the 21st, of last month—the first (and another which I missed) occurred in a plantation near the coast, and the second at Poolton quarry—all three were on ragwort flowers. As this insect has hitherto, I believe, only been taken at light, or flying, my captures seem to me to be particu- larly interesting, as there is certainly more chance of finding an insect at the flowers * which it habitually frequents than at light; and I should not be surprised if this hitherto rare insect were to become common in collections, now that one of the flowers which attracts it is known. I learned too late the value of my captures, otherwise I should have tried to get more specimens.—E. L. Raconort, 1380, Conway Street, Birkenhead, September 23rd, 1867. Sterrha sacraria at Plumstead.—On the afternoon of Saturday, the 7th September, I captured, among some long rough grass at Plumstead, a specimen of Sterrha sacraria.—CHARLES BopEn, 127, Tooley Street, S.H. Sterrha sacraria at Babbicombe.—I took a fine ¢ example of S. sacraria on the night of August 26th: it was pale yellow, with a brownish-pink stripe.—T. Texrry, 2, Princess Street, Babbicombe, October 18th. Sterrhu sacraria near Brighton.—On August 27th I captured a fine male J. sacraria in a rough clover field near the Lewes Road, Brighton.—J. W. Russe 1, 10, St. John’s Terrace, Roman Road, N., 10th October, 1867. Capture of Sterrha sacraria and other Lepidoptera in Devonshire, §c.—I spent the period between August 24th and September llth in a visit to ‘‘ lovely Devonshire.” I fully agree with Mr. Stainton’s remark—‘‘ An abundance of insects is certainly not one of the attractions of Devonshire” (E. A., 1865). This was particularly true of the Tortrices; even Dictyopterix contamimana was by no means abundant. Two species, viz., Larentia olivata and Alucita polydactyla appeared to be generally distributed and not uncommon. I commenced operations by beating thatch at Exeter, when a g Camptogramma fiwiata was the first insect to fly out, followed by Depressaria cherophylle, nervosella, albipunctella, Alstremeriella, and heracliella. At Bideford, Gnophos obscurata and Depressaria badiella occurred. Sugar was visited by a solitary Phlogophora meticulosa, which grinned derisively for a few minutes, when it retired into the darkness—I to the “ New Inn” (so called), weary and disgusted. At Ilfracombe, a lady of our party saw “a large dark brown, almost chocolate-coloured butterfly, with a broad white edge to all the wings.” I started off to the spot indicated, and saw common Vamesse, “whites,” and Macro- glossa stellatarum, but no Antiopa. At sugar, at Lynton, I took a specimen of Triphena fimbria, and a splendid series of Agrotis saucia, besides afew Amphipyra pyramidea and Cymatophora diluta. By beating in the day-time I got nothing better than Eupithecia coronata. At Barnstaple, where Depressarie were very common, I obtained Dep. albi- punctella, Alstremeriella, propinquella, Yeatiella, Heracliella, and nervosella. I was most successful at Exmouth, though my stay was short. Camptogramma fuwiata occurred both by beating in the day-time and at lamps. In one lane I captured EKupithecia subfulvata, and Melanippe rwata; and as I was returning, 132 [November, - doggedly beating the hedge, a small whitish moth rising from the grass caught my eye. I netted him, and gazed in admiration * * * Sterrha sacraria! (a 3); and after working in vain for more, I went home contented. Since my return from Devonshire I have taken Siméethis pariana in my garden, frequenting apple, nettle, and yew. I have visited Coombe Wood and Wimbledon Common several times with my friends the Messrs. Blackburn, at first with the intention of capturing several Peronee, but when we found that the genus is apparently extinct in those localities, we turned to larve. By sweeping heath on the common, we obtained Anarta myrtilli and Eupithecia minutata; but White Poplar appears to be the best food- plant now ; on it we found larve of Clostera curtula and Notodonta ziczac (afflicted with ichneumons). On one occasion half a larva of Acronycta megacephala fell a victim to the beating-stick. The handsome larva of Hadena pisi occurred on the Common, and nearer home that of Hadena chenopodti and Coleophora annulatella (?). We have now in pupa several species of Eupithecia, among which is probably E. albipunctata.—G. B. Lonestarr, Southfields, Wandsworth, S.W. Occurrence of Polia nigrocincta in Cornwull.—It is interesting to learn that Mr. Greening is doubly the discoverer of P. nigrocincta. Placed at the head of a series of P. flavocincta was what I considered a strange var. of that species; and some twelve months ago, while Mr. Greening was examining my collection, 1 drew his attention to it. He unhesitatingly averred that it was not flawocincta, but altogether new to our lists. Ey himself rearing a $ from the larva, it has been his singular felicity to corroborate his own penetration. The example in my possession (a 2) came direct from the collection of the late Mr. George Fisher, and was taken during daylight, by Mrs. Fisher, from off the window of a lighthouse, near Padstow, in Cornwall, about the middle of August, 1862.—Ep. Hortry, 14, South Bank, Regent’s Park. Early appearance of Dianthecia capsophila.—On the 15th of August I bred an imago of this species from a larva found (with others) in the Isle of Man in June last.—CuHas. CampBELL, Dark Lane Farm, Chorlton, near Manchester, 17th September, 1867. Acidalia circellata bred.—This insect is now making its appearance in my breeding-cage. The ova were hatched about the 20th July, and the larva were fed upon knot-grass (Polygonum awiculare).—In. Eupithecia distinctata in the Isle of Man.—I captured this species in fine con- dition in the Isle of Man, in June last.—Ib. Colias Hyale at Margate-—My parents captured two specimens of this insect in a clover-field at Margate during August last; also one of C. Edusa, var. Helice. I have myself lately met with several specimens of the latter at Folkestone and Sandgate. (C. Edusa was in great profusion at both places. One day I saw at least two hundred in less than an hour.—H. Ramsay Cox, 1, Medina Villas, Knight’s Hill, Lower Norwood, 30th September, 1867. 1867. | 4 : 133 Colias Edusa, var. Helice, near Folkestone.—I took a specimen of this variety in very good condition, about seven or eight miles from here, on the 14th August.— Henry Uniyert, Folkestone. Occurrence of Psyche crassiorella at Hornsey Wood.—Some four months ago, whilst en route for Pedisca oppressana at Edmonton, I struck out of my path to visit the remains of what was once known as Hornsey Wood, thinking it not im- probable that Psyche calvella might not yet be extinct there. I found no trace of it, however, but in its stead an abundance of little Psyche cases, very distinct in appearance from those of P. nitidella—so uniformly and constantly so, indeed, that I, and my son who accompanied me, devoted an hour or two to the collecting of ‘them; whereas, had I conceived that they pertained to nitidella, I should certainly not have troubled myself concerning them, Well, I divided my stock between my friends Messrs. Doubleday and Greening, keeping a few for myself, and from the latter have had the pleasure of breeding imagos (és and ?s) precisely similar to, and evidently identical with, those referred to by my friend Mr, Bond (at page 113, ante) in a note wherein he records his interesting discovery of this novelty.— H. G. Knaces, Kentish Town, October 5th. Lepidoptera captured at Herne Bay.—During a three-weeks’ stay in this locality in August and September, I devoted a portion of my time to Entomology, but met with no very great success. Butterflies were very scarce, and I did not once see either species of Colias, though both occur here, and the weather was truly glorious. Eremobia ochroleuca occurred at rest on thistles, on the cliffs by day, and on the same ground Aspilates citraria and Leucania straminea were pretty common ; Pterophorus trigonodactylus and acanthodactylus also occurred, while the swarms of Eubolia mensuraria were perfectly bewildering. Onmylastavailablenight for sugar Agrotis saucia was apparently rather common ; but, unfortunately failing to recognise its identity, I only secured five: (I may remark en passant that the al. exp. given in the “ Manual” as 1” 1” is an evident misprint for 1” 11’”; being unacquainted with the insect, this at first caused me some perplexity). Triphena fimbria, Cerigo cytherea, and Pyralis glaucinalis were also visitants at sugar, accompanied by swarms of commoner species, not to forget the ever-welcome Catocala nupta—(a delicious reaction after my Rannoch expe- rience; where, night after night, sugar produced nothing). One evening, which, though apparently perfectly similar to its predecessors, was chiefly remarkable for the entire absence of insects at sugar, kindly rewarded me by Emmelesia wnifasciata at flowers of ragwort. Lastly, a number of pupa, extracted from thistle-stems, produced a fine series of Gortyna flavago. To obtain this insect it is quite unnecessary to examine the whole of the infected plant ; they are almost invariably found about three inches from the ground.—C. J. BucKMasTER, Southfields, Wandsworth, October 2nd. Occurrence of Acherontia Atropos at Wolverton.—Perhaps it may interest you, or some of your readers, to know that the larva of A. Atropos has been found here during the last week or so. I have taken one specimen myself, have had two 134 (November, more brought to me, and have heard of twelve or fourteen others being taken, all of them in the village; and what is rather remarkable, all have been found on Lyciwm barbarum, and. not one, so far as I know, on potato or jasmine.—Jo8. BARLOW, We Thompson Street, Stantonbury, Wolverton, Bucks, August 20th, 1867. Agrotis swucia—double-brooded.—At the latter end of October, 1845, my father brought_me from the ivy blossoms a fine female of A. sawcia, which laid abundance of eggs. These hatched in the early part of November, after about a period of two weeks, and the larvae fed well on grass and clover, so that at the end of January I had seventy larve three parts grown. Then a severe frost deprived them of their stock of food, and the greater number of the larvee died. Two, however, came to perfection, the one appearing on the 29th March, 1846, and the other on the 14th of April. Agrotis saucia is, therefore, doublé-brooded, like its congener suffusa. The following dates will show that this is also the case with Agrotis puta. A pupa dug up in April producing a moth on the Ist of May, the moth being usually common at Sugar in Devon during August and September. These dates of the appearance of Agrotis saucia, though rather earlier than usual, from the larve being kept under shelter, when taken with those given by my friend Dr. Hearder, complete the annual history of the insect.—R. C. R. Jorpan, 35, Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, October 2nd, 1867. | Notes on Agrotis sawcia.—I read with much interest Dr. Hearder’s note of September 9th, on this species, but I think the following facts, taken in connection with the one mentioned by himself, will go to show that it is double-brooded, rather than that it hybernates in the perfect state. On September 30th, 1865, at Torquay, Mr. H. Terry captured a 9 moth, which immediately deposited a large batch of eggs. The weather being very warm at the time, the larva began to hatch on the third day, and were all quickly out of the shell. Very nearly at the same time eggs were obtained by Mr. Wright from a moth captured by him near Hastings, and in this case again the larve were hatched on the fifth day. Both these broods of larve fed away at once: I, indeed, was unlucky with those that were entrusted to me, and brought none to the pupa state; but Mr. Buckler fed up a large number, which became pupze about Christmas. In the spring of 1866 an attack of rheumatism made him a prisoner for a time, and on getting about again in June, he found that the moths had come out, and were all dead and stiff. Most likely they had emerged in May. Now we may fit in Dr. Hearder’s capture of the moth on May 25th, and I think the battering it had given itself at the lamp would fully account for its apparently hybernated condition. About the very same date, Mr. T. Terry, of Torquay, assures me, he also took a moth at a lamp in his neighbourhood, in bad condition, caused, I again suggest, by its flying to light. Now come in order three captures of full-fed larve ; one made by myself some time in July, 1861, the moth appearing on September 22nd; and two made by Mr. D’Orville on August 2nd and 4th of the present year, the moths being bred on September 14th and October 5th. 1867.) 135 Now if moths captured in September and October lay eggs immediately, and the Jarvee are hatched within a week, I cannot think the species is likely to hyber- nate in the perfect state; and if these September larvae feed away so rapidly, we cannot suppose that. those captured in the following July can have remained ten months in that state. I think we must conclude that there are two broods, one on the wing in May and June, the other in August, September, and October. ' Suffusa, I know, hybernates in the perfect state, but then it does not pair till the Spring. I shall be glad if others will publish any facts they my know bearing on this subject.—J. Hetins, 12th October, 1867. Notes on Oirredia xerampelina.—I have to thank Dr. Hearder and Mr. A. Edmunds for their kindness in sending me eggs of this species, and my own awkwardness in somehow failing to rear the caterpillars. However, the larva has been safely figured, and the account of my failure with it in an early stage will be followed by that of Mr, Buckler’s success at a later date. Dr. Hearder sent me eggs in the autumn of last year, which I suppose were not kept cold enough, for the larvae came forth about December 10th; of course the ash (Fravinus excelsior) had neither flower nor leaf then, so I cut some twigs, and picked open some buds for them, and for a time hoped they would feed con- tentedly, but they soon died off, one or two surviving the others for a short time, and sustaining themselves by eating the inner bark of the twigs. Mr. Edmunds sent me eggs on 21st last February, having prevented the unnaturally early exclusion of the larve by keeping them in a room with a cold aspect. I continued to treat them in the same way, and the larve did not appear till the second and third week in April, when they came out at intervals of a day or two. Now, of course, I thought I was all right, and having procured some bunches of the budding ash-blossoms, expected to have no further trouble. But, whatever was the cause (perhaps it might have been the juicy dampness of the buds shut up in the bottle), werampelina would not thrive, and again I lost all the brood. Meanwhile other larve throve on the same buds, and the sight of their frass appearing, whilst they themselves were hidden in their food, kept me some time in ignorance of the full extent of my loss. At last the deceivers appeared—three or four Cheimatobia brumata, two Cosmia trapezina, and one Xylina petrificata. Brumata, probably, had been hatched some little time, but the others must have been introduced in the egg state, and I scarcely think that they destroyed the xerampelina, because the latter must have been all dead before the former had grown big enough to be cannibals, for I fancy they are contented with vegetable diet until nearly half-grown. The egg of werampelina is of the usual round convex-topped button shape, ribbed with sixteen ribs, long and short alternately; eight of them meeting together at the top, whilst the other eight stop short, and do not touch the angles formed by the meeting of the longer ribs on either side of them; the surface between the ribs is reticulated transversely. 136 [ November, Mr. Edmunds informs me that the colour when fresh is a rich orange, but it changes in a few days to a leaden grey. The larve, when newly hatched, are little dingy things, with black shiny heads, looking as if they could pierce the hard black coats of the ash leaf-buds.—Ip. Description of the larva of Cirredia serampelina.—In April, 1866, the Rev. Joseph Greene kindly sent mea larva he had found concealed in a chink of an ash-trunk ; but as the imago did not appear, its identity was not established till the present season. On the 22nd of May last, I had the pleasure to receive another similar larva, detected in a like situation near Leominster by Mr. Thomas Hutchinson, who also generously consigned it to me, enabling me to secure two figures of it in mature growth. When full fed, it spun a rather small cocoon, covered with grains of earth to which a few particles of moss adhered ; and the perfect insect came forth on the 5th of September. The first larva was found before the ash trees had put forth blossoms, and ash buds were given it for food, into which the larva ate round holes, burrowed, and devoured the interiors. The second and full-grown larva came after the ash had assumed its foliage, and it partook of young shoots for a few days before spinning. The larva had then attained nearly one inch and a quarter in length, and was rather broad in proportion, the head rather smaller than the next segment. Viewed sideways, it appeared tapering gradually towards the head, and from the eleventh segment to the anal extremity; but seen on the back, it looked of almost uniform width, excepting just at each end. The divisions deeply cut, giving each segment a plump appearance. The larva, when two-thirds grown, is very suggestive of lichen, and of a lichen- feeder. Its head is shining dark grey-brown, mottled and streaked with darker blackish-brown ; a black shining plate on the second segment having two rather broad angulated whitish stripes. The back and sides are brownish-grey, delicately mottled with a darker tint of the same. The dorsal stripe is dirty whitish, edged with black, and is on the third and fourth segments continuous, but contracted and expanded, while on the others it is only visible, and expanded towards the end of each segment, excepting the twelfth and thirteenth, where it is widened into a broad blotch, extending to the sub-dorsal region, and strongly margined with black; from its base on the middle segments is a brownish-grey streak on either side, curved obliquely forward to the middle of the sub-dorsal line. The tubercular dots whitish, delicately ringed with black, and with minute black centres, each with a short and very fine hair. The sub-dorsal line is a very thin thread of dirty whitish, delicately and inter- ruptedly edged with black; the space between it and the spiracular region is | greyish-brown, darker than the back, and having a paler blotch insthe middle of each segment. The spiracular stripe is a pale freckled brownish-grey, edged above by a black line ; the spiracles dirty whitish, outlined with grey, and inconspicuous. The belly and legs a slightly mottled greenish-grey. | i 1867.) 137 When full grown, the broad dorsal stripe of dirty whitish appears faintly continuous, and widest in the middle of each segment, and margined at each seg- mental division before and behind with short thick black curves. On the anal extremity a thick cruciform black mark. ~ Its perfect assimilation to the crevices in the bark of ash trees accounts partly for its remaining so long undiscovered, or at least undescribed, in this country.— Wm. Buckter, Emsworth. Description of the larva of Miana furuncula.—In April last I had the pleasure to receive several larva of this species, for which I am greatly indebted to the most kind exertions of Dr. Knages, who has thus brought another unknown larva to light. These larvee were found feeding in stems of Festuca arundinacea, the interiors of which they entirely devoured, leaving only the outer cuticle, in which, towards the end of June, they spun a very slight envelope of silk, and changed to the pupa state ; the moths appearing from July 9th to 19th. This larva, when two-thirds grown, is about three quarters of an inch in length, very smooth and shining, cylindrical, and plump, but tapering a little at both extremities, and the head very small and slightly flattened. The ground colour is a yellowish flesh-tint, and it is marked on each segment with three trans- verse bands (the widest in front) of dull mottled reddish or dingy pinkish, very distinct on the back, but paler on the sides, and through them run the dorsal and sub-dorsal stripes of the clear ground colour. The spiracles are minute and black. The head dark reddish-brown ; asmall pale reddish-brown plate on the 2nd and anal segments. The anterior legs dark brown, and the prolegs tipped with dark brown. As the larve became full grown their markings faded away, until they appeared uniformly of a yellowish-white, with a dark grey pulsating vessel showing through some of the anterior segments.—ID. Note on Coleophora albicans.—Mr. N. Greening has succeeded in finding the larva of this species on the seeds of the Artemisia vulgaris, near Warrington; the larva uses a flower, of which it has already devoured the interior, as a case, and thus, like “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” so exactly resembles the other flowers on which it afterwards feeds, thatit is extremely difficult to detect. We were aware that the species occurred in this country, but I am not aware that a British larva had previously been noticed.—H. T. Sraryron, Mountsfield, Lewisham, October 5th, 1867. Note on Lasiocampa querctis—A female has just made its appearance in a friend’s breeding-cage. The larva was taken with two others last September, and they spun up about the middle of the month. Is it not an uncommon occurrence, for the insect to remain in the pupa state a full year, and to emerge at this season ? The two other pupe are awaiting their change: when will they appear P—RIcHARD Tyrer, Grove House, Mansfield, September 21st, 1867. Captures at Witherslack.—On the 28th of May I visited this locality, and met with Nemoria viridata, 12; Corycia temerata, 3; Eriopsela quadrana, 1; Anchylopera 1 138 { November, biarcuana, 3; A. siculana, 3; Phloeodes erenana, 1 (this species I have not met with here before) ; Stigmonota puncticostana, Catoptria aspidiscana, 2; Lobesia reliquana 4; Rowana arcuana, 4; Eupecilia rufieiliana, in plenty ; Lampronia twzella, 1; a specimen of the variety of Incwrvaria masculella which has both the spots confluent ; Nemophora metawella, 3; Ornia Loganella, 6 ; Stephensia Brunnichiella, 1; Elachista biatomella, 2; EH. triseriatella, 2; H. rhynchosporetla, 6. ; On the 14th of June I went to Humphrey Head, near Ulverston, and met with Botys terrealis, Acidalia subsericeata, Eupithecia constrictata, Ennychia octomaculalis, and about 40 Coleophora salinella in a neighbouring salt-marsh; Psychodes ver- huellella was flying in the hot sunshine. After a warm walk of nine miles I reached Witherslack, and there met with Procris Geryon, Eucosmia undulata, Penthina prelonyana, 1; Parasia Metzneriella, 1; Coleophora fuscociliella, 2; and many commoner species; also Gelechia tenebrella and G. tenebrosella. I think these are distinct speties, as I have taken G. tenebrella in copuld. On the 28th of June I again re-visited Witherslack, and obtained 6 Huchromia rufana, Yypsolophus mar- ginellus, and 6 Bucculatrie frangulella, on buckthorn. I had not previously met with this neat little species. Of Lobophora sevalisata Imet with four flying at dusk in the highway, also Lithosia mesomella, Drepana lacertula, Miana arcuosa, Buthe- momarussula, Pelurga comitata, and Tinea semifulvella ; and I found Ellopia fasciaria, and Polia nebulosa just emerged from the pupa, drying their wings on the stems of trees. All this time I was undergoing martyrdom from the midges. July 14th 1 again went to Witherslack, and met with Scotosia vetulata and Ligdia adustata for the first time in this district, also Spilonota lariciana, a number of larvee of Depressaria carduella, Hypenodes hwmidalis, 12 Dicrorampha consortana, Tinea albipunctella, &c., &e.—J. B. Hopexinson, 31, Christchurch Street, Preston. Captures of Lepidoptera at Rannoch.—The following are notes of an entomo- logical visit with Mr. C. J. Buckmaster to the north of Perthshire during the latter half of July and the greater part of August in the present year. Work began gloomily on 22nd July by a walk of eight miles im the rain, from Kinloch Rannoch to Camachgouran—that paradise of Scotch insects and desert of all the ordinary conveniences of life—which was enlivened only by the capture of a solitary specimen of EF. ericetaria. Once established in head-quarters, work became vigorous, and the evening of arrival was celebrated by a “ sugaring”’ expe- dition, which ended ignominiously in the capture of nothing. Whether the season has been unfavourable or not generally for sugar, it assuredly was so in this instance, and the only moth taken on the sweets not called in Mr. Stainton’s “Manual” either “common” or “abundant” everywhere was a specimen of R. tenebrosa. The total produce of sugar furnished about an average of one specimen | on every thirty trees per night, as the result of twenty expeditions, and a delightful reminiscence of glorious mountain sunsets and ten o’clock pipes, waiting for the lingering northern darkness to come on. “ Mothing” at dusk produced more, but not much. In the Black Forest, which was the scene of frequent nocturnal collecting, EB. fasciaria occurred not uncommonly, with swarms of L. cesiata and C. populata, in infinite variety of colour, flying numerously over beds of Vacciniwm. Near Kinloch 2. blandiata was ‘< F 1867.) 139 common in a locality divulged through the liberality of Dr. White, of Perth, then located at Kinloch, with whom we had several pleasant days of collecting. Plusia pulchrina and A. porphyrea were taken at dusk, flying near the “burn.” C. graminis was rather common at Ragwort flowers, and G. papilionaria fell to Mr. Buckmaster’s net near Camachgouran. Day collecting proved far the most productive, and furnished many highly- prized insects. On the moors round Loch Rannoch C. Davus occurred in extreme abundance, and FE. Blandina was captured commonly on some grassy hills. 4H. velleda (var. cavnus) was taken sitting on a stone wall and on old stumps; fine specimens of D. fuscelina and A. tincta were found. On the rocks that apparently sluggish but inexplicably worn insect D. obfuscaria was rather plentiful, and P. interrogationis wasrepeatedly seen flying wildly over flowers —seldom caught, however, till the idea suggested itself of looking for it at rest on rocks, and especially on stamps. A. fwmata and E. ericetaria occurred in great numbers flying over heath, and towards the middle of August C. imbutata and P. fusca were taken in the same way,—the former not uncommonly, while M. belgiaria was seen and missed. An experimental search of stumps one morning at six o’clock produced A. occulta in fine condition, and a repetitition of the dose on the following day was rewarded by Stilbia anomala. The lucky recollection of the recorded habits of the latter insect led to a careful search of the ground at dusk, and in a few days we had the pleasure of securing considerably more than a fine series. M. palustrana was plentiful everywhere, and 8. ustomaculana occurred freely in the Black Forest ; while E. atomalis, G. galbanella, and A. prelongana were taken on tree trunks, in heathy places, and among birches respectively. T. ochracéella was not uncommon round nests of Formica rufa, and A. similella was to be had in plenty on fir logs in an old shed. Near the foot of Cross Craig, S. decrepitalis occurred, and C. ericellus was not uncommon on the neighbouring moors. At Dahl, L. cineranw was in profusion on the trunks of poplars, and P. Solandriana of every colour and pattern was beaten in plenty from birches, together with H. Paykulliana, G. scriptella, and A. Gedartella and pygmeella, the latter more frequently from sallow. The Black Forest produced E. brunneata flying in swarms in the sunshine, and H. angustana frequent on sallow leaves. Here also were taken A. wncana, A. - enicana (partial to thistles), and C. farinatella (beaten from Scotch firs). Much time during the expedition was devoted to working the mountains, which, perhaps, scarcely at that time of year repay, entomologically, more than one or two visits ; but those will not wonder at frequent ascents who know and appre- ciate the perfect beauty of Perthshire scenery—wooded valleys sweeping down from one’s feet to the margins of lakes far bluer than Great Britain is generally credited with, and countless mountain ranges of every form stretching far away across the horizon. About a thousand feet above the sea EH. Cassiope occurred commonly, flying over short grassy slopes ; and from this elevation to the tops of the mountains 8. alpinalis was frequently roused from the ground. On the sides of streams L. cesiata was so abundant that the air sometimes seemed suddenly full of it when a shadow passed across a rock, and was often accompanied by C. munitata. L. flavi- einctarvia, so far as our experience goes, does not cccur in the Rannoch district, 140 (November, despite curious advice offered us to seek this mountain-rill-loving species in the Black Forest. On the extreme summits of mountains P. trepidaria was taken occasionally, C. furrcatellus not uncommonly, and two specimens of the rare Hudorea alpina. Here, also, 8. alternana occurred. A long and tedious expedition to Loch Ericht yielded nothing on the way, but ended in the capture of P. monticolana commonly on rough grassy slopes above the lake, and a view which certainly may vie in surpassing grandeur with any in Scotland. The leading peculiarity of the season in the north has certainly been its late- ness. Many species were more than a month behind time—as instances of which it may be stated that F. brunneata was not well out before 5th August, and that E. Cassiope occurred in good condition on Ben Lawers as late as 15th August. Many larve were very plentiful at Rannoch this year; but for the difficulty of conveying them home, this mode of collecting would prove very profitable. C. furcula was abundant, but only just out of the egg; N. dromedarius was found both young and full-grown ; C.reclusa was common on sallows; and D. fascelina occurred frequently on heath, with numbers of F. atomaria. Careful work would, no doubt, have produced other larva.—T. & J. B. BracnBurn, Grassmeade, Southfields, Wandsworth, S.W. Vanessa Atalanta at light.—Vanessa Atalanta came to light at half-past ten the other night. J put up a gas-light at a closed window, because I had caught Eupithecia albipunctata at it, and after about an hour V. Atalanta made his appearance ; I opened the window, and he soon came in, and I caught him.— R. C. R. Jorpan, M.D., 35, Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Emmelesia albulata partially double-brooded.—I captured a fresh and perfect specimen of this moth on 28rd of last August, showing that the species may be partially double-brooded ; when I reared it in confinement the larve spun up early in July, but no moths appeared until the beginning of June in the next year.— J. Heins, October 9th, 1867. Heliothis armigera at ivy-bloom.—On Tuesday (Oct. 16th) I took two males of | this species; one in very fine, the other in rather worn, condition: I hope to secure more.—T. Trrry, Babbicombe, October 18th, 1867. Opostega reliquella, a new British species—Three specimens of this insect (which is closely allied to O. salaciella) have been captured by the Hon. Thomas de Grey, M.P., near Thetford. One was taken last year in an open grass plot on the outskirts of a wood; another was caught exactly in the same spot about the middle of June this year (but unfortunately escaped); the third specimen, which I have seen, was beaten early in August from mixed growth in a grassy ride in the woods, about 150 yards from the spot where the other two were taken.—H. T. | STAINTON, October 22nd, 1867. General Anformation. The proposed Catulogue of British Insects.—The Rev. T. A. Marshall (Milford, S. Wales) who has undertaken the Proctotrupidw, and others of the obscure groups _ ¢ 1867.) 141 of Hymenoptera, requests us to state that he shall be glad if any gentleman possessing any of the families Belytide, Diapride, Ceraphrontide, or Figitide, will temporarily entrust them to his care for examination. The Scientific Societies-We remind our readers that the Session of 1867-8 commences in November. ‘The Entomological” will hold its first meeting on the 4th, and the “ Linnean” on the 7th. The more convivial meetings of the Entomo- logical Club have also commenced. Death of J. Aspinall Turner, Esq.—This gentleman died in London on the 28th September, aged 70. Mr. Turner was well known and respected in the manufac- turing districts, both in a commercial and magisterial capacity. He represented Manchester in Parliament from 1857 to 1865. Notwithstanding his other numerous and arduous occupations, he was strongly attached to the study of Entomology, and his collection of exotic Cetoniade is almost unrivalled. He belonged tothe Entomo- logical Society since 1854. ON SOME NEW LAMELLICORN BEETLES BELONGING TO THE FAMILY MELOLONTHIDA. BY CHARLES 0. WATERHOUSE. Genus CyPHocHits (gen. nov.). Mentum broader than long, very little contracted in front, bitruncate at the apex, the truncatures being unequal, and forming a very obtuse angle on the margin, which is nearer to the left than the right side of the mentum ; the two ridges rising near the insertion of the palpi, meeting near the front margin, form an obtuse angle. Maxille short, truncate at the apex, and divided into three unequal lobes. Mandibles very short, curved, and acuminated. Labrum divided by a notch into two unequal lobes; one being dentiform, projecting and bending towards the other, which is rounded. Clypeus rounded in front, or truncate, with the angles rounded, distinctly separated from the head by a transverse line. Eyes prominent. Antenne 10-jointed. Anterior tibie bi- or tri-dentate ; the four posterior without any evident notch or tooth. Claws strongly toothed. The upper surface of the insect densely covered with scales. The species of this genus have hitherto been confounded with Leucopholis. Sect. I. Mesosternum armed with a spur. 1.—CYPHOCHILUS CANDIDUS. Mel. candida, Oliv., Entom., Vol. 1, g. 5, p. 15, pl. 8, fig. 98 (1789). Var. P C. SEPTENTRIONALIS. This insect differs from C. candidus, irrespective of its smaller size, in being entirely black, except the elytra, which are fuscous, the covering 142 [November, of scales being of nearly a uniform yellow colour; those scales, however, which are on the sides of the thorax and margins of elytra are rather paler. The thorax is much contracted in front. Long. 8$—9 lin. Habitat, N. India. In Mus. Brit. 2.—C. TRICOLOR, sp. nov. C. elongatus, ovatus, convexus, fuscus, supra squamis magnis, ovatis, densissimis tectus ; prothorace brevi, lato, ante mediwm angustato, mar- ginibus incrassatis, angulis quatuor acutis. Elytris lineis duabus elevatis sub squamis vir perspicuis ; sterno squamoso et piloso ; abdomine squamis minoribus dense tecto. In form resembling C. candidus. Fuscous; head clothed with brownish-yellow scales, those on the clypeus, which has the angles much rounded, nearly of equal size with those on the back of the head. Thorax with the sides somewhat angular, broadest behind ; the anterior angles slightly prominent, acute ; the posterior angles acute ; the upper surface of the thorax is clothed (except the anterior half of the lateral margin) with scales, those at the anterior angles yellow, those occupying the part next the scutellum white, the remaining scales being brownish- yellow. Elytra clothed with white scales, except a brownish-yellow sublateral band reaching from the shoulder to (and including) the apex ; the margin, as far as the sub-apical callosity, clothed with more closely- packed yellow scales. Under-side fuscous, clothed with pale brown (nearly white) scales, less closely packed than on the upper-side of the insect ; the scales on the under-side of the abdomen being nearly uni- form in size and equal to those on the sides of the elytra; on the | sternum the scales are mixed with pubescence. Long. 8% lin. Habitat, Siam. In Mus. Brit. I have seen an insect which I think may prove to be identical with C. tricolor, but which has the scales of a uniform yellowish colour ; | the scales, however, diminish in size towards the margins of the elytra. Locality unknown. The angular sides to the thorax and the acute posterior angles will distinguish C. tricolor both from C. candidus and C. septentrionals. 3.— C. NIVEOSQUAMOsUS, Blanch. Leucopholis niveosquamosa, Blanch., Cat. d. col. d. Mus. de | Paris, I, p. 158. “ Parallela, infra testaceo-rufa, supra nigro-picea, squamis magnis, ovatis, niveis, densissimis tecta ; clypeo rufo, reflexo ; antennis cum palpis rufis, clava obscura, elongatissima ; prothorace brevi, lato, marginibus q 1867.) 143 incrassatis ; elytris lineis tribus elevatis sub squamis perspicuis ; pedibus rufis; sterno longe fulvo-piloso; abdomine testaceo-rufo, parce niveo- squamoso.” Long. 11} lin. The clypeus reddish, truncate in front with the angles rounded, the margin being reflexed; the scales elongate and not very closely packed. Eyes very prominent. Antenne reddish, the three terminal joints pubescent, forming an elongate club equal in length to the seven preceding joints taken together (¢). Labrum with the lesser lobe not so evenly rounded as in the other species of the genus. Palpi pitchy-red; the lstand 3rd joints of the maxillary palpi elongate, about equal in length to each other, the 2nd joint much less elongate; the apical joint of the labial palpi scarcely longer than the antepenultimate. Thorax transverse, covered, except the anterior half of the lateral margin, with large, nearly round, glossy-white scales, which, with those on the elytra, in some lights reflect a faint rose-colour. Sides of the thorax contracted anteriorly ; posterior margin much produced at the scutellum. Elytra elongate, with the sides parallel, covered with scales similar to those on the thorax, the scales being less dense just before the deflexed margin. Suture of the elytra raised, except near the scutellum ; each elytron with two distinct longitudinal cost, and a third which is almost obliterated. Sternum covered with long pubescence, the spur of the mesosternum very short, acute. Abdomen sparingly covered with very small scales ; pygidium broad, rounded at the apex, scarcely arched, moderately covered with small scales. Habitat, N. India. In Mus. Brit. Sect. II. Mesosternum unarmed. 4.—C. Fartnosus, Reiche* (MS. ?). C. niger, aut nigro-fuscus, squamis angustis (g), aut elongato-ovatis (2), niveis, aut ochraceis, densissimis tectus; clypeo rotundato, leniter reflexo ; antennis, oreque rufis, clava antennarum obscura, elongatissima (¢), ovata (2); prothorace brevi, lato, convexo; elytris lineis tribus elevatis sub squamis perspicuis ; pedibus rufis ; sterno mutico, fulvo piloso ; abdomine squamis parvis, tenuis, griseis, dense tecto. Long. 10 lin. Head with a more or less distinct fovea between the eyes. Clypeus completely rounded in front, with the margin gently reflexed. Eyes very prominent. Antenne with the club pubescent, longer than the seyen preceding joints together. Thorax short, convex, with a faint * I haye seen this insect named farinosus, Reiche, but have hitherto failed to find it described, and believe the name to be merely manuscript. 144 [November, groove along the anterior margin ; posterior margin bitruncate, but little bowed at the scutellum; sides distinctly angular. Elytra broadest before the apex; margins suddenly deflexed, the deflexions bemg of nearly uniform width ; suture raised; each elytron with three distinct cost ; mesosternum simple, clothed with fulvous pubescence. Abdo- men moderately thickly covered with small hair-like scales. Pygidium narrow, triangular, with the apex rounded, clothed with small yellowish scales. Legs pitchy-red. The head, thorax, and elytra are clothed with almost uniform, small, pointed, white scales in the @, and with elongate-ovate scales in the 9. The female has the eyes less prominent ; the club of the antenne ovate ; thorax more suddenly contracted in front; elytra more dilated posteriorly. Var. Above of a uniform yellow colour. (¢ ?.) Habitat, N. China. In Mus. Brit. 5.—C. APICALIS, sp. nov. C. niger, squamis ovatis, niveis et ochraceis densissimis tectus ; clypeo rotundato, reflexo ; antennis oreque rufis ; antennarum clavaelongatissima, obscura ; prothorace brevi, convexo; elytris lineis tribus elevatis sub squamis perspicuis, apice late deflexo; pedibus rufis; sterno mutico, griseo piloso ; abdomine squamis parvis, ovatis, dense tecto. Long. 9$ lin. Head with a somewhat indistinct fovea between the eyes ; clypeus rounded in front, but less so than in C. farinosus, margin reflexed. Eyes prominent. Antenne as in the foregoing species. Thorax without any groove along the anterior margin; sides less decidedly angular ; posterior margin bi-emarginate, the emarginations forming an obtuse angle at the scutellum. Elytra with the sides nearly straight, a little broader at the apex; margins suddenly deflexed, the apical deflexion double as broad as the lateral; suture raised, each elytron with three cost, the third somewhat less distinct. Sternum unarmed, clothed with grey pubescence. Abdomen clothed with very small ovate grey scales. Pygidium triangular, acuminate (¢), thickly clothed with very small elongate-ovate yellow scales. The head, thorax, and elytra are thickly clothed with larger, flat, ovate scales, which are white, except those on the apical deflexion of the elytra, where they are yellow. The female has the eyes less prominent ; the club of the antenne is ovate ; the pygidium is nearly semi-circular. ; Habitat, China. In Mus. Brit. 1867.) 145 Genus Exopno.is. Motschulsky (Etudes Entom., 1859, p. 98). This genus, founded by M. Motschulsky upon Melolontha hypoleuca, Wiedm., is separated from Leucopholis, with which it had hitherto been confounded, on account of the labrum having a central tooth ; a cha- racter first pointed out, as I believe, by M. Lacordaire in his Genera des Coléoptéres (vol. iii., p. 800, note). As the genus hag never been properly characterized, I have thought it well to do so now. Mentum sub-rectangular, toothed in the middle of the anterior margin, anterior angles produced: two oblique ridges, springing immediately below the insertion of the palpi, unite with a third (part of which forms the central tooth in the anterior margin) and form an inverted Y. Mavxille short, with five or six blunt teeth on the inner side. Mandibles acuminate, with three or four blunt teeth on the inner side. Labrum with a central acute tooth, slightly emarginate on either side. Apical joint of the labial palpi equal to the two pre- ceding joints together. Head sub-quadrate; clypeus with the angles rounded, the anterior margin very slightly reflexed. Antenne 9-jointed ; first joint elongate, second sub-ovate, third and fourth joints elongate, sub-equal; the three last joints forming a short ovate club. Thorax transverse, with the sides more or less rounded, anterior angles acute, posterior obtuse or sub-rectangular. Elytra oblong, costate. Anterior tibize with two or three teeth, and with a spur. Posterior legs as in Leucopholis. Mesosternum but little prolonged. The upper surface of the insect is almost destitute of scales. The under-side covered, except the suture of the mesosternum and abdomen, with fine yellow or white scales, especially the sides of the abdomen. M. Motschulsky describes (loc. cit.) a species of this genus (Ez. Birmannica) which appears only to differ from BH. hypoleuca in its greater size, broader/and more oval form; the punctuation and rugosity being stronger on the thorax and less on the elytra; the anterior angles of the thorax more prominent; and the prolonged part of the anterior tibiz narrower and not dilated at the extremity. Ex. Birmannica may possibly prove to be only a local variety of hypoleuca. M. Motschulsky seems only to have seen a single specimen. I have before me a number of specimens, all of which I believe to be hypoleuca, from Tenasserim, Penang, Java, and Borneo, varying in colour from testaceous to dark chestnut-brown, and from 7 to 133 lines in length, with every intermediate degree. There is some diversity of form even in those from the same locality ; the specimens from Borneo (with one from Sumatra), however, have the sides of the thorax less rounded than is usual. 146 [December, The following species from Borneo, of which I have only seen a single specimen in the collection of the British Museum, appears to be undescribed : I propose to name it H. Lacordairei. Exopuoiis LacorparReEl, spec. nov. EE. ovata, parwm convexa, punctata, nitida, nigra ; elytris singulis 7-costatis, iridescentibus, apice fuscescentibus. Long. 165 lin. Head in front rounded, thickly punctured, with the very slightly reflexed margin and a discoidal spot smooth. Thorax as in Z#. hypoleuca, but less arched, more thickly and rugosely punctured, with a mesial longitudinal smooth line, which is slightly raised. Scu- tellum punctured. Elytra 3$ times as long as the thorax, gradually enlarged towards the apex, where they are somewhat suddenly deflexed ; each elytron with seven smooth iridescent cost; the first nearly entire, terminating very little short of the apex, broader than the others ; the second short, abbreviated before and behind, broad towards the scutellum, diminishing towards the apex of the elytra; the third and fifth narrow, springing from the base, and uniting (with the fourth) at the sub-apical callosity ; the fourth and sixth coste incomplete and irregular; the seventh complete, lateral; interstices strongly and rugosely punctured; the apex rugulose, fuscescent, sparingly powdered with fine white scales. Anterior tibize very slender. Habitat, Borneo. In Mus. Brit. British Museum, Sept. 4th, 1867. ON SOME BRITISH CYNIPIDZ. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 126.) Tn a small consignment* of Cynipide sent to me by Mr. Parfitt, of | Exeter, I find a specimen of Wewroterus fumipennis, g, not yet de- | scribed. It exactly resembles the other sex, except in having longer * Among the insects referred to is a genuine Cynips reared by Mr. Parfitt from ‘‘ woody galls near | the base of oaks,” Although no existing description exactly fits this specimen, it may possibly be the C. ilicis of Fabr., Piez., 145, No. 10. ‘‘ Atra, nitida, thorace pedibusque pallide flavis.” Cynips Head, prothorax, and scutellum rufo-testaceous, coriaceous, hardly pubescent; declivity of the meta- thorax, and the abdomen, black. Legs testaceous; coxe, and a line on the middle and hinder femora and tibiw blackish; tarsi broken off, Antenne 14-jointed, testaceous, the last 4-5 joints black. Eyes fuscous. Head large, as broad as the prothorax, sub-rugose. Prothorax transversely rugose, the parap- sidum suture very distinct. Scutellum coarsely rugose-punctate, red, bordered all round with black; in the black hinder margin are two smooth foveole. Abdomen two-thirds as broad as the thorax, raised and compressed at the apex, which forms a sharp carina above : shining black, reddish laterally at the base. Ovipositor testaceous. Wings hyaline, the nervures pale testaceous, except the apical half of the sub-costal, the basal transverse vein, the base of the radial cell and the outer side of the areolet, which are black and incrassated. Long. 1; alar. exp. 3 lin. te 1867.] 147 antenne, and a smaller and more linear abdomen. Respecting the hitherto unnoticed gall of this species Mr. Parfitt writes as follows :— “T see you mention in last Ent. Mag. that WV. fwmipennis has not “been bred, or rather that its gall is not known: I am happy to say I “ean supply that deficiency, as I bred several last year. The species 1s “bred from galls about the size of peas, attached to the under-side of “oak leaves ; they are attached generally to the veinlets, and are hairy, “or covered with longish white filaments. The walls of the gall are “thin, green, with generally a rosy hue. The larva is very small for “the size of the gall, and the comparatively large interior; so that the “creature rolls freely about when the leaf is shaken. The gall is of a “succulent character, similar to the currant-gall on the male flowers of “the oak, only the walls are not so thick. I gathered the galls “ July 15th, and the insects came out soon afterwards.” These galls are exceedingly common near London, where I have often taken them, but have failed in obtaining from them the imago. They have been reared by Mr. H. Waring Kidd, of Godalming, as well -as by Mr. Parfitt; for I find a bred specimen () in a box belonging to the former gentleman, ticketed “ Hairy pea-gall, oak leat.” Among Mr. Parfitt’s insect is a specimen of Neuroterus Reaumurii, Hart. Black ; antennz shorter than in Malpighii, with the second* joint and the base of the third testaceous. Legs testaceous ; coxw, base of femora, and apex of hind tibie, blackish. Wings hyaline, nervures dark brown, partly incrassated as in Malpighii, but not suffused at the edges. All the nervures are distinctly visible, while in Malpighw they are very pale, almost decolorous, except the base of the radial cell, the outer side of the areolet, and the basal transverse vein (see p. 124). In other respects the species are very similar. 9. Long. 1; alar. exp. 33 lin. NV. Reaumurii, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 3, p. 339. Stated by Mr. Parfitt to have been “ bred from silky button-galls on oak leaves.” Hartig (J. c.) says that ‘“ these very elegant little red galls, of which 830—40 are found upon a single leaf, exactly resemble small shirt buttons covered over with silk.” b. Scutellum depressed. Genus Teras, Hartig. Palpi as in Weuroterus. Body glabrous. Antenne ¢ 15-, ? sub- te ee os according to the other way of reckoning, adopted by Hartig, the 3rd joint and the base of e : 148 (December, 14- articulate, the two last joints being connate. Ovipositor shorter than in Cynips, at least as long as the abdomen. Scutellum short, broad, and flattened above, not much overhanging or concealing the meta- thoracic declivity. Wings as in Cynips, but the radial cell shorter and broader. The genus is barely indicated in Hartig’s “ Uebersicht der Gat- tungen.” I can find nothing structural, except the palpi, to warrant its separation from Cynips. Teras terminalis, Fab. Entirely testaceous, glabrous; the abdomen more or less slightly fuscescent above. Eyes black. Ocellired. Antenne after the fourth joint more or less fuscous. Tips of the tarsi fuscous. Wings hyaline, with brown nervures ; the usual portions incrassated. Apterous speci- mens occur. 6 9. Long. 3—1}: alar. exp. 2—33 lin. C. terminalis, Fab. : Hart.,in Germ. Zeits.,3, p. 193; 4, p. 407. The synonym C. ramuli, Lin., given by Hartig with a query, must be struck out, see p. 8 of this volume, and cf. Dahlbom, Onychia och Callaspidia, Tab. synopt. 2, sp. 45. The insect is well known, and its gall—the oak-apple—still better. From May to August the imago emerges in batches of 50—60 (each brood being of the same sex and size) from the oak-apple. Sometimes a very minute oak-apple will produce only one specimen. A curious account is given by Mr. Walker, | in the Zoologist (vol. iv., p. 1457), of parasites and casual insect refugees* detected in a large mass of oak-apples collected at Southgate. The list includes most of the orders of insects; the number of the | Teras produced is estimated at 30,246, that of the interlopers at 24,417. (To be continued.) A LIFE HISTORY OF GRACILARIA SYRINGELLA. BY CHARLES HEALY. Towards the end of the first week of May the imago of this little garden pest generally makes its appearance, settling on, or flying over, | the lilac, privet, and ash. About a fortnight later, on examining the under surface of the lilac, privet, and ash leaves, certain little whitish, somewhat iridescent, blotches or undulating streaks are perceptible. On closely examining one of these blotches by the aid of a lens, some little oval-shaped elevations, which at first sight look like so many bubbles, are observable, each of which, when placed under a microscope, [* See, also, Mr. C. G. Barrett’s note in our present No., p. 153.—EDs, | 1867.) 149 and examined by a low power, is found to contain a newly hatched larva ; some may be observed extended at full length in the egg-shell, whilst others are in a coiled position. The young larva has a very hyaline look, the mouth with a pinkish tinge, with a small white spot on each side of the back of the second segment, the dorsal vessel is white, but only visible on the 7th—10th segments; the head is somewhat wedge-shaped. As soon as the larva is sufficiently developed, it quits the egg-shell and pierces the cuticle of the leaf, and commences feeding on the parenchyma, where it is after- wards joined by its fellow larvae, and they continue feeding side by side in little communities, varying in numbers from two to twelve. The part of the leaf where the larve are feeding becomes slightly dis- coloured, in consequence of the tissues having been devoured by the larvee, and thus gives the first outward indication of their presence.” If we take up a larva at this early period of its life, we find that, when dropped, it has not a silken cord ready to break its fall, but falls helplessly to the ground. After the first moult the head of the larva becomes roundish, and is slightly suffused with pale brownish, and it has three minute dark brown marks on each side; the mouth is brown, the body is white, but without its previously glassy look, the dorsal vessel is darker, and is traceable as far as the penultimate segment. When arrived at this stage of its development the larva is not content, as previously, with eating the mere surface juices of the parenchyma, but eats large trenches in the cellular tissues of the leaf, always, however, taking care not to pierce the outer cuticle At the expiration of three or four days the 4th—9th segments become dull yellowish, the anterior and posterior segments still retaining their previous appearance. After the interval of one day the mouth of the larva becomes of a dull red, the whole of the body becomes white, and the dorsal vessel turns pale green ; in doing so, however, it imparts a greenish tinge to the body; the larva now, for the first time, possesses the power of spinning a silken cord. By this time the leaf on which the larva and its companions have been feeding has become much blotched ; the larvee now enter upon a new phase of their existence, for, quitting the mine in which they have hitherto lived by biting holes in the upper surface of the leaf, they on [* It is at this period of its existence we can most easily check the ravages of this insect; we have but to pick the leaves that are just blotched, and we destroy all the larvee within them. Each individual larva, if allowed to grow to its fullsize, would have destroyed or discoloured two or three lilac leaves.— H. T. 8.] 150 [December, wander on to some adjoining leaf, the tip or side of which they roll downwards, and, in the roll thus formed, they feed greedily on the outer covering or epidermis, both of the upper and under surface of the leaf; and as soon as the stock of food within their immediate reach is exhausted, they roll the leaf a bit further along its length or breadth, and continue to repeat this process on other leaves till they are full fed. The laryee do not always confine themselves to merely rolling the leaf along its under side, as some may be observed living inside leaves which have been doubled over, with their two edges united along their whole extent; others, again, may be found feeding between united leaves, after the fashion of the larvee of Chimabacche fagella and Gelechia triparella. I have never observed them feeding in this manner on privet, but on ash and lilac I have met with them repeatedly so situated; in the autumn of 1866 I particularly remember seeing a fine old ash tree in the Seven Sisters’ Road, Holloway, on which very many of these larvee were feeding between united leaves. The fondness of the larve for their three food-plants is exhibited by them in a marked manner; for instance, if we collect three mined lilac leaves inhabited by these larvee when about to quit their mines, and place over the first a leaf of privet, over the second an ash leaf, and over the third a lilac leaf, we shall find that the larvee which had previously fed entirely on lilac will attack with perfect indifference the three leaves offered to them. When not overcrowded, this larva is a sociable little animal: I have placed those from several different localities together, and they fed quite amicably, and went through their transformations ; but, if they are overcrowded, they do not get on quite so comfortably together ; thus, I once placed 26 larve between two large lilac leaves, and, on the third day, I observed several larve that had been bitten by their com- panions were scattered on the leaf in a dying state. I have noticed that after the larva is once bitten, it never recovers from the effects of the bite ; the bitten part of the body turns black, the larva refuses all food, decreases gradually in size, and, after languishing for a few days, dies. (To be continued.) A NEW SPECIES OF CONIOPTERYX FROM AUSTRALIA. BY R. M’LACHLAN, F.L.S. The species described below is interesting as proving the occur- rence in Australia of these minute Mewropterous insects. It differs from the European and American species in its dark coloration, and in the almost entire absence of the usually conspicuous powdery covering ; yet the structural characters appear to be identical. 1867.] 151 CONIOPTERYX DETRITA, NOV. sp. Fusca: antennis fuscis, basi griseo-testaceis ; palpis pedibusque griseo-testaceis ; ore rufo-piceo ; abdomine sordide aurantiaco ; alis anticis posticis fere equalibus, sub-hyalinis, fuliginosis, venis fuscis. (a2) Long. corp, 2; exp. alar. 25”. Habitat ad Adelaide in Australia meridionali. In collect. Mus. Oxon. One example in good condition. Under a high power the wings show a few scattered dark powdery granules. In neuration and general structure it is similar to C. psociformis. Forest Hill, 8.E. Erebia Euryale of Esper, a species of Lepidoptera possibly new to the British lists.—I have just examined the typical specimens of Stephens’ Hrebia Ligea ; and provided they were, as Mr. Stephens seems to say, actually taken in Great Britain, we shall be obliged to add another Frebia to our lists, inasmuch as the two insects which he has described and figured are undoubtedly distinct. The following are Mr. Stephens’ remarks concerning his Ligea (Illust. Brit. Ent., Haust., vol. i., p. 61) :— “ Few cabinets contain this insect, which is more to be esteemed from its _ apparent rarity than for its beauty. The only indigenous specimens which have come to my knowledge were captured in the Isle of Arran, I believe by Sir Patrick Walker and A. MacLeay, Esq.; but I am not aware of the true locality, or of the period of the year, which is probably about July or August.” He then adds, “the plate has been executed from a fine pair of the insect in my collection.” Surely we may argue from this that the specimens in Mr. Stephens’ collection are those taken by Messrs. Walker and McLeay, and, since two gentlemen had a hand in their capture, we may surmise that they were possibly taken in different localities; but however that may be, the insect which Stephens figures as the male of his Ligea is most assuredly the male of Esper’s Huryale, and represents the variety figured by Freyer in his “ Neuere Beitrige,” vol. 1, tab. 61, fig. 3 (1833) ; it is much too small for Ligea, and has minute and blind ocelli on the upper-side ; the under-side of the hind-wings has scarcely a trace of the white band, and the ocelli have ferruginous irides. The sexes of Ligea do not differ in size or coloration, whilst those of Huryale are very dissimilar. The figures of these insects, being drawn by measurement, exceed the insects themselves in expanse of wing, as the setting makes a difference of three-sixteenths of an inch in the size of the flies: the colouring of the figures is not so bright as in the insects themselves. As regards the distinctness of Ligea and Euryale I have not the slightest doubt, as I have this year taken both sexes of either species in Switzerland; and I noticed that the latter was most likely to be found near water, or in moist situations, at a great elevation, whilst the former could be obtained everywhere. 152 (December, Freyer remarks “It may at once be seen, by comparison, that Zuryale is very distinct from Ligea both in sizo and coloration, and Ewryale can scarcely be a modification of Ligea. Particularly since the female examples differ considerably on the under-side of the hind-wings, whilst the female of Ligea never has so conspicuous a band as that of Euryale.”’ The female of Euryale has a broad yellowish band, such as exists in some females of Blandina,—Artruur G, BuTLER, Zool. Dept., Brit. Mus., 23rd October, 1867. *,* No person has, as yet, been able to confirm the assertion that Ligea, or a species allied thereto, occurs in the Isle of Arran; and the above note by Mr. Butler renders it doubly probable that some error occasioned the introduction of Ligea into our lists. —Hps. Phycis adelphella bred.—I took a larva, which turns out to be of this species, about five miles from Worcester, July 18th, 1859, feeding between leaves of aspen, of which I find the following description in my journal :—‘ Olive, with darker stripes, those above spiracular line broadest; spiracular line paler; head and shield dark olive, clouded with black; pale hairs.’ The pupa is entered as “ formed between leaf and box, in a strong white web ; long, light brown, a shining, dark obtuse swelling at the tip.” The perfect insect emerged June 24th of the following year.” Iam indebted to Mr. Tompkins for detecting this species in my collection, as well as a new species of Tineina which I had overlooked.—H. Horton, Powick, Worcester, November 1st, 1867. Occurrence of Ypsolophus ustulellus, Fab., a Lepidopteron new to Britain.—l have sent to Mr. Stainton two examples of the new species of Tineina mentioned in the above notice, which he informs me are Ypsolophus ustulellus, Fab., a species new to Britain; and I now send a few words about their capture. The finest was taken, with another as fine, about eight miles from here, May 29th, 1864, sunning itself on lime leaves. I took Roeslerstammia Erelebella at the same time. The worn specimen was taken close at home in 1865—I forget the time of year, but I know that I beat it out of hazel. There are no lime trees near the place that I know of.—Ib. Capture of Yysolophus ustulellus.—An example of this new species, of which I believe Mr. Horton has sent an account for publication in the Ent. Mo. Magazine, was captured by myself six years ago; it is, so faras I know, the first that has been taken in this country: it is in fine and perfect condition. Neither Mr. Horton nor I could determine the species at the time. A year or two afterwards Mr. Horton captured two or three, and very lately Mr. Tompkins, who was paying me a visit, called upon Mr. Horton, and pointed out that the insect was new to our lists—ABRAHAM HpmuNDs, Cemetery House, Astwood Road, Worcester, November 183th, 1867. Occurrence of Ebulea catalawnalis, Dup., a species of Lepidoptera new to Britain.— The captor, Mr. W. C. Boyd, writes to me as follows :— “T took it in our garden at Cheshunt, September 18th, flying over a flower 1867.] 1538 bed in the dusk of the evening. I should probably not have paid much attention to it, taking it to bo only P. forficalis, which was extremely plentiful that evening, if I had not been struck with its peculiar flight, hovering backwards and forwards more like the common house-fly than anything else I know.”—H. T. Stainton, Mountsfield, November, 1867. Micro-lepidoptera bred or captwred at Darlington.—During the past season I have bred the following :—Gelechia rhombella, @. Sangiella, Nepticula splendidissima, N.ulmivora, Lithocolletis insignitella, and Elachista teniatella. Thaye also captured Gelechia Sircomella, G. intaminatella, and Coleophora melilotella. — JoHN SanG, Darlington, November 5th, 1867. Note on Lepidopterous inquilines.—In February last, my friend Mr. H. W. Kidd, of Godalming, sent me a living specimen of Heusimene fimbriana which he had bred, from among a lot of small specimens of the marble gall of the oak (gall of Cynips lignicola). I immediately went over and examined his galls, in hopes of finding traces of either the larva or pupa, but failed to do so. I then collected great numbers of similar galls, and also of the artichoke galls of the oak (galls of Cynips fecundatriv), in hopes of breeding more, but failed to obtain anything from them, except a number of young larvee of one of the green tree-grasshoppers, probably Meconema varia, the eggs of which must have been laid among the bracts of the artichoke galls. Mr. Kidd was more fortunate, for in May he bred Carpocapsa juliana from artichoke galls, but, as this seems to be an acorn-feeder, it must have merely chosen the gall to spin up in. In May I examined the oak-apples (galls of Teras terminalis), which were very abundant this year, and found in many of them the larva of a Tortriw burrowing under the skin, and feeding on the soft woolly substance inside. I also found similar larve hollowing out the inside of the currant galls of the oak catkin (galls of Cynips Q. pedunculi). These I fed upon the galls, and bred from them Pedisca corticana. Feeding on one oak-apple I found a larva of Thecla quercts, and this arrived at maturity upon the same food, but produced a very small imago. These cases of casual inquilines in galls seem interesting, and tend to prove that the substance of the galls is of a similar nature to that of the leaves.—Cuas. G. Barrett, Haslemere, 14th November, 1867. A white-belted variety of Sesia culiciformis.—Whilst out collecting at Tilgate, last June, I was fortunate enough to capture a ¢ example of 8. culiciformis with a white belt; it was in copuld with a red-belted 9. The species has been rather common this season.—E. G. Mrrk, la, Paradise Row, Old Ford, E. *,* J am unaware if this variety have previously been detected. Dr. Staudinger gives a var. “abdominis segmentum 4, totum ochraceum (flavum).” Itis singularly interesting that this curiosity should have been taken im copula with the typical form.—H. G. K. ’ Notes on Sterrha sacraria.—I regret to say that I have not succeeded at all satisfactorily in my attempt at rearing Sterrha sacraria ; and I am the more sorry, 154 [December, as I am not able fully to account for the causes of my failure. I took in all six perfect insects in August—two females and four males, and I obtained twenty-six ova. Hight of these went to the Rev. J. Hellins, one of the larvae disappeared when very young, and the other seventeen progressed very satisfactorily until they were full-fed: up to this time they looked perfectly well and healthy. Two of them spun up and changed to fine healthy-looking pups, in which state they now are; about eight more spun up, and died in the web; and the others died, without any apparent reason, without spinning. I rather fear the food (Polygonum aviculare) which I gave them on Friday, October 4th, was touched with frost, as we had a very sharp frost on the nights of the 8rd and 4th; but whether that can have been enough to kill them I hardly know. The plants did not then exhibit any symptoms of being frost-bitten, or, indeed, at all differ outwardly from the food we were supplying regularly ; but the frost then was undoubtedly sharp, and many plants felt it. My gardener, who has charge of my larvz when I am from home, is a very careful hand, and an excellent practical entomologist.—Joun T. D. LLEWELYN, Ynisygerwn, Neath, October 20th, 1867. Camptogramma fluviata near Folkestone.—My wife captured a specimen of this insect, on palings at Sandgate, last September.—H. Ramsay Cox, Lower Norwood, 16th October, 1867. Correction of an error.—The locality for the Tortrix (Coccyx vernana) which Dr. Knaggs described in the last number of the Magazine should have been ‘ Darenth Wood,” and not “ West Wickham.”—H. G. MEEK. *,* I regret that, through “ trusting to memory,” I have made this blunder. —H. G. K. Occurrence of Agrotis saucia in Scotland.—Of this species, which I believe is hitherto unrecorded for Scotland, I took one specimen at sugar, on October 6th, at Rannoch. On returning to Perth, I found that my friend, Mr. J. Stewart, had taken two specimens at Perth, in the middle of the month, also at sugar. Mr. Stewart has also bred (he believes from sallow) a specimen of Oncocera ahenella. He gathered the sallow in Forfarshire.—F. Bucnanan Wuirtt, M.D., Perth. Cherocampa Celerio at Carlisle—A poor specimen of C. Celerio was taken on the railway bank at Carlisle this autumn.—J. B. Hopexinson, 31, Christ Church Street, Preston, November 11th. Emmelesia unifasciata at Preston.—The old hedge yet stands out of which I took 40 specimens of wnifasciata last year; and, very oddly, I have taken just the same number this year, and, as usual, few good ones.—Ip. Captures at Witherslack.—Another visit to Witherslack, at the end of July, produced several species I had not before met with in Westmoreland, viz. :— 1867.) 155 Eupecilia dubitana ; Catoptria Scopoliana; Adela minimeilus ; Asychna profugella, 7 specimens (this species Mr. Stainton informs me is a scarce insect, and that but little is known of it); Nepticula intimella and grattosella, also new to the district. I made up a very fair box in three days, although very unwell at the time. Pterophorus tephradactylus and Bertrami were still out, and Léwei just appearing. —Ib. Notes on the larva of Argynnis Aglaia.—On the 29th of June, 1867, I had the gratification of seeing this larva, which was most kindly presented to me by the Rey. Hallett Todd. It was found with others after a strict search amongst Viola canina, and its mode of feeding on the leaves of that plant was peculiar ; for, when eating, it kept advancing with every mouthful until it had got to the end of the leaf, and then quickly walked backwards to the point of commencement, and proceeded as before, always making a quick retrograde movement before again eating its way forward ; and those operations were performed with such rapidity that half a large leaf quickly disappeared. When its hunger was appeased, it usually retreated below the leaves, or rested on the stalks of the plant. When nearly full fed it measured 1$ inches in length, and tapered a little towards the head, and more towards the anal extremity; it had six rows of black spines branched with short black hairs, viz., on each side a sub-dorsal, a lateral, and a sub-spiracular row, except as follows: the second, third, and fourth segments had but sub-dorsal and sub-spiracular rows, or four spines on each segment, the sub-dorsal being rather shorter than the others ; and on the second segment they were simple spines, leaning over the head and curved slightly backwards. All the other segments had six spines in the order before mentioned, slanting a little backwards, and more so on the two last. The head was black, shining, and hairy. The colour of the body a dark, shining violet-grey, thickly marbled with velvety black, the grey not very conspicuous except at the segmental divisions and along the spiracular region, where it formed an undulating interrupted line. The slender dorsal line black, and expanded in width near the middle of its course through each segment, and bordered on each side with a stripe of bright ochreous-yellow, which expanded in width just in advance of the widest part of the black central dorsal line; the spiracles black, delicately margined with grey, and close below each spiracle a blotch of bright orange-red, connected below with a thin line of orange-ochreous, that ran beneath the lowest row of spines; the belly and pro-legs blackish-brown. The larva continued to feed until the 9th of July, when four or five of the rather large leaves at the top of the plant appeared to be slightly spun together, forming a kind of square tent-like enclosure, within which the larva had retired. After the lapse of a week I broke a few of the silk threads in turning back part of a leaf so as to obtain a view of the occupant, and was much interested in seeing a very singular pupa suspended by the tail to the underside of a sloping leaf, its surface covered with a circular mass of silk, thickest in the centre, to ' which the anal hooks of the pupa were attached in a horizontal position, the back __ of the abdomen being so such curved round towards the leaf as to imitate the 156 (December, upper two-thirds of the letter S. It had a deep depression on the back below the thorax, and a square form towards the head; the wing-cases were thick, with prominent edges below; the segmental divisions of the abdomen well defined, and on its upper surface two rows of blunt conical projecting points. The colour of wing-cases, head, and thorax, was pitchy-black, with some reticulations of brownish-ochreous, visible chiefly at the margins of the wings; the abdomen the same ochreous tint, mottled with brown, the prominent cones blackish, with ochreous points; spiracles black. Its whole surface shining, as though highly varnished. The perfect insect (a?) appeared early on the morning of the 7th of August Wa. BucktER, Emsworth. Notes on the larva of Xanthia gilvago.—I feel greatly obliged to the Rey. J. Hellins, Mr. Albert Jones, and Mr. George Baker, of Derby, for their kindness in giving me, this season, the opportunity of figuring and describing the larva of this species, and also that of Xanthia ferruginea ; and especially to Mr. Baker for his caution that the latter species might be amongst the larve of the former, otherwise I might have kept them together and been defeated. But the extra trouble of figuring and keeping each larva separate has been rewarded, as it has enabled me to point out the distinction between two very similar larvae, that may be easily mistaken for each other. The quotation from Guenée in the Manual says of gilvago,—* larva undescribed, because so common ;” a passage I never fully comprehended until recently. zo Both species of larvae, obtained from seeds of wych-elm, were sent me as gilwago, from 6th to 8th of June, within a few days or week of their being full fed, and the perfect insects appeared from August 24th to September 5th. | The larva of X. gilvago, when full grown, is about one inch or an inch and an eighth in length, rather thick and plump behind, tapering a little gradually towards the head, and a little just at the anal segment. | The ground colour above is greyish-brown, having a pinkish tinge, darkest on | the thoracic segments ; the lines similar, but of a paler tint ; head reddish-brown ; a blackish-brown plate rounded behind on the second segment, through which run — the pale dorsal and sub-dorsal lines; these lines are, however, on the third and | fourth segments, generally much suffused with ground colour, and not always, _ though sometimes, very distinct on the rest of the body. The dorsal line is in some entire, and in others interrupted in the middle of | each segment by suffusion of the dark purplish-brown marks it travels through, but it is generally distinct at the beginning of each segment, being there broadly | edged with blackish. The purplish-brown mark of each segment on the back is in | the centre somewhat of a diamond form, truncated behind, especially on the | eleventh and twelfth segments, with the addition of a wedge shape on each anterior | side united with it, their points close to the beginning of each segment, and their | broad ends forming part of the diamond shape. The sub-dorsal line paler than the | ground colour, often suffused at the end, but visible at the beginning of each segment, being there edged above by a short blackish-brown streak, which forms the point of the wedge portion of the dark mark of the back. The sides slightly 1867.) 157 mottled with purplish-brown, chiefly about the black spiracles, and closo beneath them is a pale stripe of yellowish-grey, its upper edge still paler; the belly and legs of a similar tint, but a trifle darker. The four tubercular pale dots, ringed with dark brown, are situated within the dark marks on the back of each segment This is a distinction by which it may be readily identified.—In. Note on Pterophorus osteodactylus.—For years past, ever since I learned that lary could be beaten from various wild flowers, and that the golden-rod was good for certain Eupitheciv, I had been puzzled with a little fusiform, brown-striped larva, which J often found on it, but could never rear to the perfect insect, as it always died in the winter. I remember at one time sending specimens to some five or six entomologists (not beginners like myself), by whom it was referred to as many different genera and families, not of Lepidoptera only, but also of one or two other orders,—much of course to my satisfaction. However, on reading in a number of the “ Entomologist” this year a note by Mr. Gregson on osteodactylus, I saw at once that he had solved my puzzle; and since then I have confirmed his observations by myself breeding, quite unex- pectedly, three specimens of the moth,—one on July 8th, one on August 26th, and the third I found dead, not having noticed when it came out. I remember that last year two or three of these larve were on some golden-rod flowers, which I had picked for another species, but I took no care of them, expecting that, as usual, they would dry up in the winter. The only difference in their treatment was this, that they were left to take their chance (mostly outdoors in a shady corner of my. garden), with their withered food in a flower-pot, the earth in which was covered with a thick growth of moss (Hypnum sericeum). I noticed that two of them, after walking about for a time on the covering of the pot, at last settled down for hybernation just where the leno and the moss creeping up to the rim met, and spun a thread or two to keep themselves somewhat protected. I did not watch them much after this, but imagine they left their hybernacula some time in April, for I know it must have been in that month that, as I was beating the sallows for catkins tenanted by Xanthie, one of these little golden-rod larve fell into my net, evidently being on his travels previously to spinning. This capture raised my hopes of at last seeing the moth, so I tried him with various kinds of food then out in leaf, but could not see that he ate anything; and, having unfortunately squeezed him to death, I once more gave up the puzzle as a bad job. It was a great relief, therefore, to me to read Mr. Gregson’s note, and still more so to breed the moths myself; for though in a general way I don’t caro much for “small things,” finding plenty of occupation for all my spare time in trying to rear Macros, yet this little larva coming in my way year after year troubled me. The moths seem to be on the wing in July and August: the larvae feed through September and October, till the downy seeds of the golden-rod fly away, then hybernate till April, when, after moving about a little, they spin up.— J. Hetins, Exeter, Sept. 18, 1867. P.S.—Since writing the above, I have been reminded by Mr. Buckler that three or four years agoI sent him some larvae, beaten from the flowers and 158 [December, seeds of Yarrow (Achillea millefoliwm) growing near the sea, which appeared identical with the larve on golden rod, now proved to be osteodactylus; and the mention of this fact has also made me recollect that I have occasionally beaten one or two of them from mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris; but in neither case did I succeed in breeding the moth.—J. H., October 8th, 1867. Notes on Hyria auroraria.—This species is not one of the wnknowns, still I venture to send you my notes on it, since the larvee I have seen differed not only among themselves, but also from the description given in the Manual after Guenée- In August, 1865, Mr. Batty, of Sheffield, sent me some young larvz, which were then, and continued afterwards, of a very dark variety. In 1866, Mr. T. Brown, of Cambridge, sent me some eggs, the larve from which were very much paler than the former brood, I find the following dates recorded in my note-book :—Larve hatched July 12th; about half-an-inch long in October ; began to feed after hyberna- tion about the end of February ; full-fed about the beginning of June; moths bred during the first half of July. These larvee fed on Polygonum aviculare, and, although very much of tho Acidalia form and habit, did not, as many species of that genus do, show any preference for withered leaves over fresh. All, save one of the Sheffield brood, died during the winter of 1865-6, whilst, as far as I could see, the much sharper frost of last winter made no impression on the Cambridge brood, which fed up well, though about a third of their number died in the final change. The Sheffield larvae, when small, were very dark brown—almost black—all over, but with a lens a slightly paler sub-dorsal line could be discovered, as well as some black dorsal central spots placed in a slightly paler space. The Cambridge larvee, whilst small, came near to the Manual description, for they were then dusky-brown, with the anterior segments pale ochreous on the back, and the middle segments having pale diamond marks enclosing a central dusky spot ; but the full- grown appearance was quite different. When full-grown, the larva is about $ inch long, slender, rather flattened along the spiracles, tapering towards the head, which is small and bifid; the skin a little wrinkled ; in fact it is a slender form of the shorter (or aversata) type of Acidalia. The ground-colonr either brown or very pale grey; in either case the anterior and posterior segments are much tinged with ochreous; a dark, blackish, double dorsal line, commencing very fine and faint behind the head, but on segments 5 to 9 suddenly growing thicker both in the middle of each segment and at each seg- mental fold, so as to form a series of nine pairs of dark curved dashes (alternately curving inwards and outwards) ; on the segments 10 to 12 the dorsal lines become continuous again, but strong and distinct ; the blackish sub-dorsal line distinct on the front and hind segments, but splitting into two or three faint irregular threads on the intermediate ones; one larva had also a strong black spiracular stripe beginning at the fourth segment, and ending at the anal pair of legs; spiracles black ; the belly darker than the back, with a pale central line, and between it and the spiracles some curved oblique dark streaks, and a row of five black dots just below the spiracles on segments 5 to 9; the ventral and anal legs tinged with blue. The larva makes the merest apology for a cocoon, just drawing together with the greatest economy of silk a few bits of moss and grass, between which the pupa can be easily seen; this is slender, cylindrical, very smooth, with the wing-cases short and distinctly marked; colour a pale dull ochreous, wings finely outlined in black.—Ib. 1867.] 159 Captures of Lepidoptera at light, §c.—Sevoeral additions have lately been made to our captures at light here. Lovely specimens of #. tiliaria figure in the list prominently ; and I can assure any one who doubts the pleasures of lamp-scaling that it is no small satisfaction to bring down a specimen of this beautiful “ thorn” from its elevation. My brother secured two fine males of fuscantaria, both in situ- ations so disagreeably public as to furnish a very apt illustration of the motto consolingly quoted in the “ Manual,”—‘ quo plus difficultatis, eo plus honoris.” C. fluviata has proved a constant friend ; and, besides some well-preserved males, I secured a female—which furnished me with another brood of larvee. The allurements of light brought C. nuwpta, H. micacea and nictitans, H. chenopodii, N. C-nigrum, A. lunosa, T. batis, C. graminis, C. difinis, and H. rostralis, not within our reach, but into climbing range. For the first time in my lamp experience P. lignata put in an appearance, and on a lamp close by I found EL. porata, LH. pwmilata, and C. pinetellus. L. dictea fell to the lot of a friend, and P. advenella made a sort of balance thereto in my list. P. costalis and P. stratiotata, which are both common species in this district, studded the lamps pretty freely on every favourable night. Our first experience of H. fuscantaria this year was by no means cheering. We had taken very little, and were returning home: the way was long, and the wind somewhat cold. A lamp exceptionally tall and thin presented itself, evidently with an occupant. With difficulty it was swarmed; and, nicely perched in the angle between two bars, was a fresh specimen of fuscantaria. Its position was impregnable: no pill-box could enter the niche; and so we ‘‘tried each art, reproved each dull delay,” and finally dislodged him with a push that sent him out of sight, and we saw him no more. Early in the season I took H. W-latinwm at rest on palings, and the beautiful little D. oliviella in the same position; P. rugosana, A. cnicana, and L. Smeath- manniana flying at dusk, and D. salicella by day. Tethea subtusa was brought to me a few days since from some poplars in the garden, and A. tritici feebly repre- sented the aristocracy among a host of plebeian wanthographa the other night at sugar.—J. B. BuackpurN, Grassmeade, Southfields, 14th September, 1867. Worcestershire captures and species bred im 1867, with notes.—The passing season has been the worst for Lepidoptera I ever remember; almost every species haying been scarce. The cold rainy spring destroyed many larva, and the appearance of insects generally has been much retarded. For those who are interested, I beg permission to render the following account of some of the species captured. (. miata (hybernated), L. heaapterata (11), H. barbalis, A. Bawmanniana, L. sinapis, A. Selene, T. extersaria (5)—I obtained eggs, the larve fed up, and are in pups; they vary much in the ground colour, from bright green to dark brown; R. twmidella, C. bistrigella, E. porata, EH. punctaria, C. nupta, X. pariana, and DL. cinerana. I have taken many of the latter in several seasons, in two localities, but I have never met with L. nisella in either of them. I consider them to be totally distinct. (See Stainton’s Manual.) Sugar has failed remarkably—perhaps on account of the scarcity of insects. I have sugared on three or four nights every week throughout the season, but have only captured the following thereat that are worth naming, viz. :—H. geniste (3), H. suasa (2), A. lwnosa (6), A. saucia, X. semibrunnea, X. rhizolitha, and C. exoleta, all of which were in fine condition. 160 [December, I have bred T. populeti (3), C. flavicornis (5), A. prodromaria, C. vinula (30), S. populi (var. extraordinary), A. berberata (11), P. lacertula (25), S. carpini, C. ocularis (7), 8S. lunaria (8), P. faleula, E. pendularia (8), E. orbicularia (1), C. rotundaria (2)—the lines confluent, A. leporina (1), S. apiformis, N. dromedarius (8), S. ocellatus, and B. quercés (both singular vars.), G. papilionaria (1), T. retusa (1), T. betule (6), T. crategi (1), C. werampelina (1). I have captured in my garden a perfect G. rhamni, beautifully striped with alternate colours of the male and female.—ABRranam Epmunps, Cemetery House, Astwood Road, Worcester, October 24th, 1867. Heliothis peltigera at Haslemere.—On August 22nd last, I was looking round a clover field at the top of a hill for Colias Hdusa, which is never common here, when a Noctua, evidently not Plusia gamma, rose at my feet and settled again a few yards off, allowing me to secure it. To my great surprise it proved to be Heliothis peltigera, in decent condition, a most unexpected piece of good fortune in that exposed situation, and so late in the season. I worked long and often for more, but without success.—Cuas. G. Barrett, Haslemere, 13th November, 1867. Note on honey-suckle feeders.—It may be worthy of notice that, when searching honey-suckle last May for larve of Limenitis Sybilla, I found the larve of Pericallia syringaria feeding on that plant, and also several of the curious (apparently) long- tailed pupzs spun up on the dry twigs. The larvee of Harpella nemorella also occurred, feeding exposed on the shoots. —Ib. Phorodesma bajularia assembling.—One evening at the end of June, while taking Phorodesma bajularia in one of the broad rides of Woolmer Forest, I observed that several males fluttered one after the other over the same spot. Nothing was visible there, but, on disturbing the matted honey-suckle which covered the ground with my foot, a fine female—the only one I have taken—fluttered out, and was secured. She appeared to have as great a power of “assembling” as some of the Bombyces.—Ib. Tineina at Haslemere in 1867.—Tinea ferruginella—Several specimens flying in the afternoon among Epilobium angustifolium. An odd fancy for a Tinea. Micropteryx Salopiella—Common among birch. Sparmannella—Generally found among stunted birch bushes on the hills. Nemophora Metawella—Rather common among alders in damp woods. Yponomeuta vigintipunctata.—Larva common on Sedum telephium in Sep- ember and October. In some cases the web was made on the ground, and the larvee retreated among the moss and stones when disturbed. Eidophasia Messingiella—Dr. Knaggs took a specimen when visiting here. Depressaria assimilata—Flying commonly about broom bushes in a wood path, one evening in June. Olerella—in thatch, spring and autumn. Gelechia scriptella—Blown off an apple-tree trunk in June. Macrochila fasciella—May. Beaten from undergrowth near sloe bushes. 1867. | 161 Ccophora tinctella—Common in an orchard, among tho old apple trees, at the end of May. Pancalia Latreillella—One specimen flying along a wood path on June 7th. Rislerstammia Eralebella—Beaten from birch in the day-time, aud also when beating for larve: at night. Tinagma resplendella—Flying among alder on Woolmer Forest. Gracilaria phasianipennella—Beaten out of hedges in October. Coleophora Fabriciella—Swept off the grass, or other plants, in a rank pasture. Chauliodus Illigerella—Commoner than usual, in damp places in the woods. It flits gently about a little before dusk, settling on the dead stems of Centawrea and other plants. Lithocolletis roboris—Swept off Vaccinium at night; and bred, after repeated failures, from oak.—Ib. Acidalia interjectaria and A. osseata.—Acidalia osseata is rare here, and I only know of one spot where it occurs. Specimens taken a few years since, which were evidently very fresh, had the costa decidedly ferruginous; but this colour faded soon after they were dead, as it does in some Lupithecie, &c. The ground colour of the wings was also yellower than in any specimens of wnterjectaria that I have seen. The late J. F. Stephens mentions the red costa of osseata in his “ Illustrations,” but, as is well known, many of his descriptions were copied, without acknowledg- ment, from the works of continental authors. Dr. Knaggs appears to have misunderstood M. Guenée’s remarks upon these two species. In a note appended to the description of interjectaria he says— “ Herrich-Schiffer has neither figured nor described this species in a recognisable manner. Delaharpe’s description is much better, and leaves no room for doubt ; he also correctly says that osseata begins to appear when interjectaria is disappearing.” M. Milliére, who has reared both species from the eggs, says that interjectaria appears three weeks or a month before osseata.—Hrnry DovusBLEpay, Epping, October 12th, 1867. Description of the manner of pupation of Cemiostoma scitella.—The full-fed larva emerges from the interior of the leaf, and crawls away and spins up, either to its food-plant or to any of the surrounding objects, just as its instinct or fancy dictates. It then commences the fabrication of the outer covering of its cocoon. This is accomplished by spinning a number of white silken threads, each thread being about the quarter of an inch in length; these threads are spun close together, and form, when complete, a thickish silken cable; the larva then spins another cable parallel with the first, but at the same time, however, having a slight space between the two; it then climbs up one or other of the cables and connects them together in the middle by fastening them with a number of silken threads, thus giving them the appearance of a rudely formed capital }; they, however, do not long retain this form, as the larva clambers on to the centre or connecting cords, and busies itself spinning other and additional threads, until it has imparted a somewhat arched 162 [ December, shape to each end of the central divisions ; if approached too closely it relinquishes its work until the intruder has retired. When it has entirely completed the outer covering of its cocoon, it descends from its elevated position and commences under- neath. How this cocoon is formed I am not in a position to say, never having been able to follow the larva’s movements during its construction. A few days after the cocoon is completed, the larva turns to a little pale brown coloured pupa, its head being furnished with three or four little stumpy spines ; the old larval skin being ejected from the cocoon. After an interval the pupa’s head and anal segment turn dark brown, the back of the wing-sheaths also becoming clouded with dark brown, its antennz and feet assuming a much deeper tone than the general colour of the body, the abdominal segments sink in, but the sidesremain slightly raised, and the dorsal vessel is visible as a black dash down the centre of the 3rd and 4th abdominal segments. In this state it remains, though in a somewhat curved-up posture, until the following spring, when the lower half of the wing-sheaths, which at first become patched with black dashes, ultimately turn black all over. At this period the thorax has a slight bronzy look, surrounded with a darkish tint, and eventually the whole of the body changes to a similar colour. From my not having witnessed any movement on the part of the pupa, I am inclined to think that it remains immoveable throughout the whole period of pupation ; neither am I acquainted with the full extent of the imago’s life; one I kept watch over lived nine days, and became by that time very feeble, and, had it not been killed by accident, I question if it would have lived above a day or two longer.—Cuas. HEALy, 74, Napier Street, Hoxton, N. Captures in the neighbourhood of Colchester.—The following is a list of the principal Lepidoptera captured in this neighbourhood up to the present date this year. It is to be understood that they were not all taken by myself, though I obtained specimens of most of them. RHOPALOCERA. Anthocaris cardamines (scarcer than usual), Gonepteryx rhamni (larves common on buckthorn), Argynnis Adippe, A. Ewphrosyne (not common), Selene (by no means common), Melitea Athalia (common, but very local), Vanessa cardwi (larvae common on thistles), Limenitis Sibylla (not rare), Satyrus Eyeria (common at Hartley Wood, St. Osyth), Thecla rubi (larvea on broom), T. quercis (larve on oak), Nemeobius Lucina (Hartley Wood, St. Osyth), Hesperia Sylvanus (common), H. linea. SPHINGID&. Smerinthus ocellatus, 8. populi, 8. tilie, Sphinw ligustri, Cherocampa elpenor (bred), Macroglossa stellatarum, Sesia tipuliformis (not uncommon), 8. myopeformis, S. apiformis, 8. bembeciformis. BomBYCcrs. Zenzera Aisculi, Cossus ligniperda, Hepialus hectus (excessively abundant), Limacodes testudo (several), Calligenia miniata, Lithosia mesomella, L. awreola (rarer than usual), Chelonia villica (one specimen, very scarce here), Arctia mendica (numbers of larvee feeding), Liparis salicis, Orgyia pudibunda (common), O. fascelina (five larve on broom), Trichiwra crategi (larvee on whitethorn), Pwecilocampa populi (larves on oak), Eriogaster lanestris (thousands of larvze), Bombyw neustria (getting common again), B. quercts (commoner than usual), Lasiocampa quercifolia, Saturnia carpini. 1867.) 1638 GnoMFTRA. Urapteryx sambucaria, Epione apiciaria, Venilia maculata, Metrocampa margart- tata (common), Ewrymene dolobraria (one worn specimen), Pericallia syringaria (two), Selenia illunaria (common), S. lwnaria (three specimens, larvee feeding), Odontopera bidentata, Phigalia pilosaria, Amphidasis prodromaria (a brood of larvee just gone down), A. betularia, Cleora lichenaria (larvee common, but very much ichneumoned), Boarmia repandaria (common), Pseudopterpna cytisaria (larve not rare on broom), Iodis vernaria (several), Ephyra punctaria, Asthena luteata (common), Eupisteria hepwrata (much commoner than usual), Acidalia scutulata (abundant), A. bisetata, A. trigeminata (common), A. promutata, A. imituria, A. emarginata (bred from a larva on broom), Corycia temerata, Aleucis pictaria (not rare, but requires much looking for), Macaria notata (several), M. litwrata (do.), Panagra petraria, Fidonia atomaria (common), F. conspicuata (one taken and two others seen, will probably turn up in greater numbers hereafter), Minoa euphorbiata, Ligdia adustata (common), Lomaspilis marginata (abundant), Larentia didymata, L. pectinitaria (common), Emmelesia affinitata, HB. alchemillata, HE. decolorata, Eupithecia centaureata, E. succenturiata and E. subfulwata (took the former out- doors a month ago, just beginning to appear, the latter in-doors from larvee found last autumn on yarrow), EB. coronata, EB. rectangulata (scarcer than usual), EH. frawinata (several), Ypsipetes elutata, Melanthia ocellata (bred freely), M. albi- cillata (several), Melanippe hastata (one at Hartley Wood, St. Osyth), M. procellata (not rare), M. unangulata, Anticlea rubidata (not uncommon), A. badiata, Coremia propugnata, OC. quadrifasciaria, Phibalapteryw tersata, P. vitalbata, Scotosia undulata (several), Cidaria picata, C. corylata, C. fulvata, C. pyraliata, C. dotata (bred a long and splendid series), Eubolia cervinaria (larvea on mallow), Chesias spartiata (larves common on broom), DREPANULZ AND PSEUDO-BoMBYCES. Platypteryw falcula, P. hamula, Dicranura furcula (obtained about forty eggs), D.z bifida, D. vinula, Petasia cassinea (one larva, not common here), Clostera curtula, Ptilodontis palpina (bred 2 2), Notodonta camelina, N. dictwa, N. ziczac, N. trepida (one imago and one larva taken and one bred), N. chaonia (took seven larvee), N. dodonea (bred a nice series). Noctu2z. Thyatira derasa, T. batis, Cymatophora diluta (larvae on oak), C. or, C. ocularis (one bred), C. ridens (bred a fine series), Diphthera Orion (one specimen only, at rest on oak), Acronycta aceris, A. megacephala, Miana arcuosa, Rusina tenebrosa, Triphena janthina, T. orbona (larvee in swarms), Noctua plecta, Teniocampa rubricosa, T. gracilis, Xanthia citrago (took upwards of one hundred larvz), Dianthecia capsincola, D. cucubali, Hecatera serena, Miselia onyacanthe (larvee), Agrotis aprilina (larve and pups), Hadena protea (larvee abundant), H. dentina, Xylocampa lithorhiza, Cucullia verbasci (larvea scarcer than usual), Heliodes arbuti (one bred), Abrostola wrtice, Plusia chrysitis, P. iota, Amphipyra pyramidea (larvee), Catocala nwpta (one larva), Phytometra cenea. DELTOIDES, Pyra.es, &c. Herminia barbalis, H. tarsipennalis, H. eribralis, Aventia flexula (one), Pyralis glaucinalis, Paraponyx stratiotalis, Botys lancealis (about forty or fifty), Ebulea 164 [ December, sambucalis, E. verbascalis, Spilodes cinctalis, Phycis roborella, Melia soctella, Halias prasinana, H. quercana (of this lovely insect I have bred a number of specimens from larvee found on oak), H. chlorana, Phtheochroa rugosana, Argyrolepia Bawmann- iana (took a dozen or so), Tinea semifulvella (one specimen), Adela De-Geerella (common), Dasycera Oliviella, Sc. I think that this long list shows that at any rate, so far as this district is concerned, this is not by any means a bad season, and I shall be very glad to learn that my brother collectors in other parts have been as successful as we have been here. I wish it to be distinctly understood that at present I offer no duplicates for exchange, and if I receive as many letters during the next week or two as I have received on former occasions when I have published lists of my captures, my correspondents must not blame me if some of them receive no answers.—W. H. Harwoop, St. Peter’s, Colchester, July 18th. Notes on Coleoptera taken at Putney—The few and short opportunities afforded to me for collecting since my removal to this place have convinced me that it is a first-rate locality for beetles; as I have already not only made acquaintance with divers species never before seen alive by me, but have also taken three or four new to my collection. My best captures have been made out of and upon a large, very old, and long since dead beech-tree, much tenanted under its sheets of dry bark by Onisci, and (strange to say) by not a few large Noctue. Under this bark, nearly always accompanied by Oniscus, invariably adhering to the tree in preference to the bark, and mostly frequenting the under-side of the junction of some large limb with the parent trunk, or some other corner where a little extraneous damp had collected (for the inherent moisture of the tree had long since departed), I was lucky enough to “ happen upon” Brontes planatus, hitherto represented in our catalogues, with the suspicion of doubt as to their British origin, by three specimens taken by my friend Mr. Douglas at Blackheath. There can, however, be no doubt that the insect is truly indigenous to this country ; as I obtained several specimens, of both sexes, with the var. pallida (not immature), and larvae; and the tree wherein I found them is amongst other undoubtedly British trees, not felled, and a long way from any habitation or cultivated ground. The majority of my specimens were found at some distance up the tree; though I lately obtained one or two under the bark below the surface of the ground, in company with the larva of Pyrochroa. The Brontes runs with great speed, and “twiddles” its antennz rapidly about. I have a lively recollection of hanging on to a large bough, at a considerable elevation, with ancles and fingers, like a sloth; and, after tearing away the bark with one hand, and shutting my eyes to avoid the shower of dust, &c., of seeing five Brontes radiating at their best pace in different directions. However, I secured all (breaking, alas! three of them) by a rapid manual application of saliva. Under loose bark covering a slight fungoid growth, on the same tree, I also found one specimen of the Hallomenus fuscus of Wat. Cat., which Mr. Crotch has recently informed us is Anisowya fusca, Ill., and of which only two British examples were lately known; one taken by Dr. Power, and the other by Mr. Brewer, and now in the National Collection. 1 also took one or two specimens of Tetratoma | 1867.] 165 fungorum, lurking under the bark of the topmost branches, at a great height; and another example in grass at the roots of a neighbouring tree. The solid wood of this beech-tree was much drilled in many places by Tonvicus Sawesenii, which I occasionally found alive and perfect, crawling on the surface, but more often dead and decayed under the bark or in the mouths of its burrows. Its drill-holes are very small and neatly cut. Decayed bark of the same tree swarmed with Myce- tophagus multipunctatus; and I also saw many (but caught few) of Ptinella denticollis under similar circumstances. Phleopora reptans, Rhinosimus ruficollis, Homalota cuspidata, Omaliwm vile (much varying), Quedius cruentus (with its variety with elytra dark, all but the suture), and such species of minor importance, constantly occurred. Under bark of another tree, in Wimbledon Park, so long ago dead as to be undis- tinguishable by me specifically, I found one Lemophleus bimaculatus, more Tomicus Sanesenit, Phleopora, Ischnoglossa corticalis, the yellow var. of Rhizophagus bipustu- latus, apparently quite mature, and mixed with full-coloured examples, Euplectus Karstenii, Omalium iopterum (also in dead leaves), and,—a strange tenant,—Ocypus ater, usually found under chalk at the sea-side. I have twice, and in localities at some distance from each other, found this species here under similar conditions. I have found the common QO. morio and QO. compressus also here, in their usual habitat; and one fine example of the (southernly) rare O. fuscatus, in ‘ Judas’ ear” fungus on a felled elm, accompanied by the commoner Scaphisoma. Sifting refuse at the bottom of a hay-stack close to my small garden has pro- duced Stilicus geniculatus, accompanied by two of its commoner brethren, in some numbers; also Cryptophagus badius, C. afinis (not uncommonly), and the pallid form of C. scanicus, a puzzler to beginners; Aphodius porcatus; Philonthus debilis (common), and P. bipustulatus (with a curious and apparently hitherto unrecorded variety, in which the red spots behind the middle are absent, but replaced by a distinct reddish hinder margin to each elytron;—the insect being quite distinct from P. agilis) ; Quedius humeralis, Heterothops dissimilis, Haploglossa preteata ; Scydmenus hirticollis, with the three apical joints of its antennz equally anchylosed on each side, simulating an abrupt clava, and exciting wild hopes when seen crawling over the paper by the naked eye; Onthophilus, Corylophus, myriads of Lathidius ruficollis, and divers Conwri, Steni, Ovypode and Tachini, “quos nune enumerare longum est.” Similar working at leaves, twigs, and cut grass on my own premises afforded me a male of the very rare Homalota oblita, H. pagana (of which I also found several specimens at the root of a willow near the river), divisa, occulta, clientula, amicula, palustris, aterrima, &c.; Atomaria fuscipes, Tachyporus scitulus, Megarthrus, Micro- peplus, &c. j I also found Zeugophora and Rhynchites populi on young aspens—both unusual autumnal sights; and “ fluked” Gracilia, Leucoparyphus, Crioceris asparagi and Sitophilus oryze in my house; Elmis Volkmari, crawling on the canvass of my sculling-boat, and reminding me of former work in Scotland; and Staphylinus stercorarius, on the wing, in Putney Station. On barking trees by the river I bottled Crepidodera Chloris, which apparently abounds, and some very curious, dark, elongate forms of Cryptophagus dentatus, sufficiently puzzling. I was pleased to see again an old Hymenopterous friend of mine, the Siriciform Xyphidria, perforating one or two willows on the bank.— E. C. Rye, 7, Park Field, Putney, S.W., November, 1867. 166 i December, Note on Coleoptera in Cheshire—In January, in the burrows of Hylurgus piniperda, I met with a single specimen of Haplocnemus impressus. This must be a rare species near Bowdon, as I have met with but three others during the last few years, and these were beaten out of Scotch firs in June. Agialia sabuleti occurred in sandy places on the banks of the River Bollen, and also in its tributary the Birkin; and in the same places, under decayed vegetation, I have taken some fine specimens of Tropiphorus mercurialis. Elater balteatus was exceedingly abundant on birch trees at Carrington Moss, about the end of June. Phleotrya rufipes, 1 g and 2 ?, superb specimens, I met with in August, on a felled beech tree in Durham Park ; along with them I took several specimens of Abdera quadri- fasciata and Melasis buprestoides—R. S. Eptxston, Bowdon, Cheshire, November 4th, 1867. Locality for Otiorhynchus mawrus.—I captured about a dozen specimens of this local species on Skiddaw, in July.—Ib. Boreus hyemalis near Croydon.—If it be of sufficient importance, it may be noted that on the 3rd instant I found a male and female of this singular insect in moss growing on the ground under furze-bushes at Shirley, near Croydon. The bodies were pale greenish-yellow, which colour, according to Dalman (as quoted by Westwood), would indicate that the creatures are immature; yet they were very lively, and jumped about like Haltice.—J. W. Dovaetas, Lee, 8th November, 1867. [Mr. Scott has since taken a 2 at West Wickham. Through the liberality of the captors all three specimens are now in my collection.—R. McL. } Note on Platymischus dilatatus, Westw. 9 .—The ¢ only of this curious little insect has been hitherto observed. Finding it to be common among sea-weed on this coast, I have made it my business to unearth the other sex, and have at last, I firmly believe, succeeded. Although I have never seen the sexes in coitu, yet the form which I wish here to introduce so exactly corresponds (barring sexual differences) with the well-known male, that, taking into consideration their peculiar habitat, and other circumstances hereinafter mentioned, I feel no doubt as to the correctness of my conclusion. Both sexes are abundant here, but not equally so at the same time. In the early spring the 9 appears in great numbers, while the g is only to be found sparingly. At the present time (Oct. 23) the case is exactly reversed. In order to complete the generic diagnosis, I have drawn up a new description, including both sexes. PiatyMiscuus, Westw., Introd. vol. 2, Synops. p. 75; Férst., Hym. Stud., 2, p. 121, 123; Halid., Nat. Hist. Review, vol. 4, p. 167. Antenne ¢ 14-articulata, scapo intus fortiter dilatato, fornicato, sub-triangulo, art® 3° 2° longiore, oblique inserto, artt. 4—9 sub-squalibus, sub-globosis, 10—14 gradatim increscentibus, ult? oblongo: $ 12-articulate, scapo lineari, quartam partem totins membri constituente, art? 2° 3° longiore, 4—8 sub-zequalibus, sub- globosis, 9—12 clavam formantibus, art° ult? maximo, oblongo. Abdomen ¢ apice sub-truncatum; ? paulo longius, apice rotundatum, deinde abrupte apiculatum.— 6 2 Prothorax depressus, cum mesothorace arcte coalitus, sutura transversa fere obsoleta ; parapsidum suture nulle; metathorax vix declivis, et cum petiolo brevi, crasso, dense tomentosus. Scutellum deplanatum, vix conspicuum, fovea basali nulla. Ocelli nulli. Ale nullz. Pedes breviores quam Diapriis; femora incrassata; tarsorum articulus ultimus leviter dilatatus. P. dilatatus, Westw., 1. c., vol. 1, frontisp. fig. 5: cf. Wailes, Berl. ent. Zeits. 1859, vol. 3, p. 98; Walk., Ent. Mag., vol. 2, p. 117. P. niger, nitidus, capite sub-depresso, thorace paulo latiore, supra parcius ———— Cr 1867.] 167 punctulato. Oris partes ruf. Antenne g nigre, scapo, et interdum art° 2 rufis; ? artt. 1—8 rufescentibus, ceteris nigris. Pedes cum coxis rufescentes, femoribus, tibiisque apicem versus, obscurioribus, tarsorum art? ult? fusco. ¢ 2 Metathoracis et petioli Janugo fusca, brevis, velutina. Long. 3—1 lin. ¢ 9. The ¢ is sufficiently distinct from every other genus of Diapriade by the singular form of the scape. The ? requires only to be discriminated from those genera having, in that sex, 12-jointed antenna. These are Cephalonomia, Westw. ; Idiotypa, Forst.,=Mionopria, Hal.; Diapria, Latr.; Lowotropa, Forst.,=Basalys, Thoms., nec Westw.; and Qlyptonota, Férst. Cephalonomia, ¢, has ocelli, the head much broader than the thorax, and the antenna shorter than the head. Idiotypa and Glyptonota have the parapsidum suture distinct. Diapria has ocelli, and a distinct fovea at the base of the well-developed scutellum ; also the 3rd joint of the antenna is longer than the 2nd. Lastly, the ? of Lowotropa has ocelli, &c., like Diapria. The present female insect is abundantly distinct from Psilus fucicola, Walk., Ent. Mag., 2, 117, which is a Monelata, Foérst.,=Corynopria, Halid., with 13-jointed antenne. I believe the above considerations are amply sufficient to establish the 2 of Platymischus, and to ensure its identification for the future. T have some pairs to give away.—T. A. Marsnaut, Milford Haven, October 23rd, 1867. Aeviceh. Natural History of Devon, by Epwarp Parritr. Part ii. Coleoptera (Exeter : W. Currrorp ; 8. SrytxEs; 2s.). It is, apparently, the laudable desire of making a starting-point for a Fauna of his county that has induced Mr. Parfitt, in spite of the onerous duties necessarily attending his position at the Devon and Exeter Institute, and extending over all branches of Natural History, to publish the Catalogue now under notice. It is, however, simply as a starting-point that it can be considered of any use ; recording, as it does, only the universally distributed (circ.) 1,000 species, with a few revived Leachian obscurities, &c. Such works as these,—undertaken under great diffi- culties, and probably with the mistaken idea that the application of a certain amount of energy will compensate for a comparatively trifling acquaintance with the subject,—necessarily redound but little to the credit of the author who travels out of his proper sphere. In the present instance, a glance at the ‘ Introduction,” and the two pages of Index, bristling with upwards of sixty outrageous mistakes in the names of the genera, will warn the reader that Mr. Parfitt must have had a hard fight in making up his Catalogue ;—an idea amply proved by the very numerous blunders of every kind occurring throughout the body of the work. Under these circumstances, it seems almost a pity that the author should have considered it necessary to indulge in schemes of classification, and to introduce certain species on apparently no reasonable grounds. We regret the enforced tone of these remarks; as the Catalogue may still be of considerable use to beginners in Devonshire. General Information. Monograph of the British Newroptera—Planipennia.—Mr. R. McLachlan is now engaged on this work, and will feel grateful to any gentleman who can lend him native examples of the genus Raphidia, which shall be taken great care of, and be returned promptly. He adopts this method of asking for materials in this genus, because, the species being so very closely allied, it is only by comparing considerable numbers that definite results can be arrived at.—Address, 1, Park Road Terrace, Forest Hill, London, S.H. 168 [December, Complete Cutalogue of described Coleoptera.—An important and very useful work is about to appear in Baron von Harold’s “ Coleopterologische Hefte,”’ pub- lished at Munich. It is a complete Catalogue of all described species of Coleoptera, on which the author, in conjunction with Dr. Gemminger, has been engaged for the last ten years. The first instalment of the work will appear in Part. iii. of the “ Hefte,”’ early in the coming year, and will comprise the Cicindelide and part of the Carabide. New French Entomological Magazine.—Mr. James Thomson, of Paris, has com- menced a new serial under the title of “ Physis.”’ The first part contains three articles, all from the pen of the editor and proprietor, viz., 1—on a New Classifica- tion of Longicorn Coleoptera, in which the views of Schiddte are criticised, and some of his amendments introduced ; 2—a Revision of the Dorcadionide, giving a review of 35 genera and 219 species comprised in the group; and 3—a description of a new species of Chelonariwm (Byrrhide). Mr. Darwin’s great work.—It must be gratifying to the cultivators of Philo- sophical Zoology to learn that no fewer than 1,200 copies of Mr. Darwin’s new work on “ Variation under Domestication” were subscribed for at Mr. Murray’s autumn sale the other day. The work is the first section of the magnus opus, “the origin of species by variation and natural selection ’”—the development of the theory, with all details of experiment and observation—of which the small octavo volume previously published was only a brief summary. It is well known that a very large proportion of Mr. Darwin’s illustrations of his theory is taken from Entomology. EntomonocicaL Society or Lonpon, November 4th, 1867.—Prof. Wrestwoon, Vice-President, in the Chair. Mr. Bond exhibited some specimens of Lepidoptera new to Britain; viz., Psyche crassiorella, Bruand; Catoptria ravulana, Herrich-Schiffer; and Coccyx vernana, Knagegs. Mr. McLachlan exhibted a rare species of Mantispide, Trichoscelia notha of Klug, from Bahia, remarkable for the strongly-dilated and flattened hinder tibize : also some cases of gynandromorphism and monstrosity ; viz., an example of Limne- philus striola, Kolenati, in which the abdomen was female, but the rest of the organs combined the characters of both sexes, the right side being male and the left female; and a completely gynandromorphus specimen of Dolerus madidus, Klug (these two insects were exhibited on behalf of their captor, Mr. B. Cooke, of Manchester) ; a female of Hylotoma fasciata St. Fargeau, in which the left hinder tibia was divided by a constriction (or joint ?) in the middle, the apical half being much dilated; and a specimen of Tenthredo scalaris, Klug, with three wings on the right-hand side, the intermediate one with the neuration partaking of the characters of both anterior and posterior. Mr. Wood read a paper in which he endeavoured to prove that the tint of the pupe of the White Butterflies, and Papilio Machaon, assimilated to that of the surface to which they were affixed, thus securing protection thereby. He exhibited numerous pup in support of his theory. A discussion ensued, in which Messrs. Weir, Butler, Stainton, and Bond took part, the latter gentleman asserting that, according to his experience, he could not agree with Mr. Wood’s arguments. Mr. Hewitson communicated a paper on new species of Diurnal Lepidoptera. The Rey. Douglas Timins communicated a monograph of the genus Thais, accompanied by coloured figures of all the species. Mr. E. Saunders read “ A Revision of the Australian Buprestide described by the late Rev. F. W. Hope.” 1867.) 169 NOTE ON THE GENUS PANDORA (DIURNAL LEPIDOPTERA). BY H. W. BATES, F.Z.S. When Professor Westwood first defined this peculiarly-coloured genus of butterflies in Doubleday and Hewitson’s “ Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera” in 1850, it consisted only of one species, then extremely rare, P. Prola. Since then, in 1853, Mr. Hewitson figured a second species, P. Procilla, in his “ Exotic Butterflies,’ and a third, as the female of Procilla, from which an examination of several specimens has convinced me it is quite distinct, not only in colours and markings, but in the form of the antennal club; all the specimens examined moreover, proving to be males. These three species are found in the valleys of New Granada. Recently, in the “ Journal of Entomology,” vol. 11., p. 218, I have described, from a single example taken by myself on the Amazons, a fourth species, P. Regina; and I have lately received, from Pebas on the Amazons, a numerous series, not only of P. Regina and P. Prola, but of another new species, allied to Procilla. “This last I propose now to describe, besides adding a few remarks on the other members of the group. The genus, so far as is at present known, is confined in its geo- graphical range to the sultriest portion of the wooded country of South America, lying near the equator, east of the Andes, and in the neighbouring Andean valleys. The range does not extend to the Atlantic coast, to Brazil or Guiana, and I am not aware that it com- prehends Venezuela. In ascending the Amazons, I first met with species of the genus at a point 1,800 miles up the river, and one species has been recorded as reaching as far in another direction as the Upper Rio Negro. The large size, glossy metallic-green and black colours, and vermillion under-surfaces, make them most conspicuous objects ; and they are easily captured, as they have the habit of flying into the muddy Indian villages, and settling boldly on the whitewashed walls. Although the differences between the species are not of that marked character which we see in many other genera of Nymphalide, I have been forced to the conclusion that they are none the less really distinct, from the constancy of the characters in all the examples I have seen, and from the total absence of intermediate forms in localities where three of the species occur abundantly together, as at Pebas on the Amazons. The genus is allied to Batesia (Felder), and Ageronia (Bdv.), and forms part of the group of Mymphalide of which Limenitis may be considered the type. To Batesia it is very closely allied, but is well 170 (January, distinguished by the two discoidal nervures of the fore-wing being parallel (as in most genera), whilst the upper one is flexuous in Batesia. Ageronia is distinguished from all genera by well-marked peculiarities of neuration, especially the strongly inflected lower disco-cellular nervule of the fore-wing. 1.—Panpora Prowa. 6. Doubd., Westw., and Hew., Gen. D. Lep., pl. 48, f. 5. Felder, Wien. Entom. Monatschr., 1862, p. 112. ?. Larger thanthe g. Fore-wing less produced at the apex ; hind-wing more broadly rounded at the anal angle. Colour and mark- ings of the upper and under-surface the same as in the ¢. Female specimens from the Amazons differ from those received from New Granada, in the apical portion of the anterior wing being red; the same part in New Granada specimens being black asin the ¢. The species is distinguished from all others by the clear pinkish- vermillion colour of the under-surface of the hind-wings, which have only a short black line along the lower disco-cellular nervule, and sometimes a sub-marginal dusky line extending from the anal border. Dr. Felder remarks (J. c.) that the specimen he received from the Upper Rio Negro differed from Bogota examples in being larger, and having the brassy-green belt of the hind-wings much narrower. All the Amazons specimens belong to this same local form. New Granada, Equador, Upper Rio Negro, and Amazons from the village of St. Paulo westwards. 2.—Panpora REGINA. G. Bates, Journ. of Entom., ii., p. 213. Differs from P. Prola in being much larger, with the fore-wing more broadly rounded at the apex, and less incurved on the outer margin. The hind-wing has a row of three black spots in the glossy green belt. The under-side of the hind-wing is vermillion-red, clouded with blackish towards the apex, and marked with black lines as in P. Procilla (Hewits., Exot. Butt., f. 2). There is a row of ill-defined dusky ocelli across the hind-wing beneath, with black pupils. The tip of the fore-wing beneath is rich dark brown, and there are no red spots within the cell. St. Paulo and Pebas, Upper Amazons. I have found the characters constant in the score or so of examples which I have examined. 3.—Panpora CHaLcorHEa, Bates. Hewits., Exot. Butt., Pand., f. 4, and description (as P. Procilla $ ). New Granada and Southern Equador. 1868.] TvL $. This species may be distinguished from P. Regina on the upper- surface by having a blackish streak on the fore-wing within the sinuated part of the brassy-green belt (the same being clear and spotless in P. Regina), and in having a similar streak along the inner part of the corresponding belt of the hind-wing. Beneath it agrees with P. Regina in the absence of red spots from the cell of the fore-wing ; the ocelli of the hind-wing, however, are much more distinct, having well-formed black rings to the irides. 4.—Panpora DIVALIs, n. sp. gS. Larger than P. Prola, apex of the fore-wing less produced and more broadly rounded. Colours above the same, and black marks nearly the same in number and position. Beneath very similar to P. Procilla, having red spots within the cell of the fore-wing, and the apical portion ruddy-brown. The hind-wing differs in being rich dark purple-brown, redder towards the abdominal margin, and wanting the row of ocelli, which are indicated only by very small indistinct blackish rings. The antennal club is slender, and very gradually thickened. Pebas, Amazons; about thirty examples. 5.—Panpora PROcILLA. 3d. Hewits., Exot. Butt., Pand., f. 1, 2. Well distinguished from the other species by the thick and abruptly-formed club of the antenne, and by the pale or tawny-brown hue of the under-surface of the hind-wing. New Granada. Kéntish Town, November, 1867. ON SOME BRITISH CYNIPIDA. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 148.) It is to be remarked that the name Zeras has been used by Treitschke among the Zortricide (1830), and that consequently Hartig’s genus (1840) cannot stand. Perhaps the discarded name Dzplolepis, Geoffr., may here find a place, if the insect is to be separated from Cynips. ec. Scutellum indistinct. Maxillary palpi 5-, labial 3-joimted, the last joint appendiculated. Apterous. Genus Broruiza, Westw. The g¢ unknown. Antenne of the ? apparently 14-, really 15- jointed, the two last joints being connate; 3rd joint three times longer 172 (January, than the 2nd. Head transverse, short, broader than the thorax. Thorax small, compressed ; pronotum separated by a curved suture from the mesonotum ; scutellum flat, inconspicuous ; metanotum very short. Wings none. Abdomen three times longer than the thorax, elevated and carinated above, much compressed; the 1st segment forming a third of its entire length, the other segments nearly equal. Exserted part of the ovipositor as long as the abdomen, slightly curved upwards. Broruiza, Westw., Introd. Synops., vol. ii., p. 56. APoPHYLLUS, Hartig, in Germ. Zeits., ii., p. 193; iv., p. 409. Walker, Ent. Mag., 3, 167, Ne. xxiv.; ¢ included by mistake. Biorhiza aptera, Fab. Testaceous; eyes, tips of the mandibles, antenne in the middle, and often at the apex also, and the segments of the abdomen after the first, more or less, blackish. Glabrous above; the sides, cox and femora with pale pubescence. Head very finely and thickly punctulate. A short ridge extends from the origin of the antenne nearly to the ocelli. Pronotum punctulate. Disc of the mesonotum oval, shining, very minutely punctulate. Metanotum less shining, and with three short elevated ridges. Petiole short, punctulate. ?. Long 24—383 lin. This insect is well known, and numerous references to authors who mention it might be given, although a detailed description can hardly be found. The subterranean monothalamous galls are attached side by side to the filaments of the roots of the oak and some other trees. They are of a woody consistance, oblong, and somewhat less than half an inch in diameter (see Westw. Introd., ii., p. 131). I once found them, with a considerable number of the living insects, in January, at the roots of an oak near Cheltenham, when the ground was partially covered with snow. Their appearance under similar circumstances is noticed by Laboulbéne (Bull. Soc. Ent. de Fr., 1865, p. 5) and Guérin (Rév. et Mag. de Zool., 1865, p. 184). d, Antenne setaceous, not thickened towardsthe tips, 14—15-jointed (15—16-jointed, according to Hartig). Genus Ruoprires, Hartig. Maxillary palpi 4-, labial palpi 2-articulate. Abdomen ovate, sub-compressed; 1st segment much the longest, occupying three-fourths or more of the entire length of the abdomen. Radial cell short, broad, triangular; areolet not exactly placed at the base, but removed nearer to the middle, of the radial cell ; likewise more remote from the costa than from the middle of the wing. Areolet sometimes obliterate‘ 1868.) 173 Although this genus is placed by Hartig in his section 1,—* Area radialis angusta, areola basalis,’—it is far from exhibiting those characters typically. The system of neuration is rather transitional between the elongate radial cell of Cynips, with the areolet at its base, and the section of Synergus, &c.,— Area radialis brevis, lata; areola intermedia.” According to Dahlbom (Onych. och Callasp. Tab. Synopt., ii., p.5, B.) the two usual foveole at the base of the scutellum are obsolete in Rhodites ; this is true of Bh. rose, but not of Rh. nervosus, in which they are faintly indicated. These insects seem especially to affect the different sorts of rose- trees. The males are much rarer than the females. Five species have been described on the Continent :—rose, Lin. ; centifolie, Hart. ; eglanterie, Hart.; canine, Hart. (spinosissime, Taschenberg, nec Inchbald) ; and rosarwm, Giraud. I have only met with one of these in England; but to them must be added C. nervosa, Curt., which is, judging from the descriptions, a distinct species. Ruopires, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., ii., p. 194. Walk., Ent. Mag., 3, p. 167, No. xxvii. Ethodites rose, Lin. Black; legs reddish, the cox, trochanters, and base of the femora black. Abdomen of the ¢ entirely black; wings slightly dusky, the base of the radial cell incrassated, and suffused at the edges with brown. Abdomen of the ? red, black at the apex ; wings darker than those of the @, a pale brown tint covers the whole of the radial cell, and extends some distance beyond. Petiole ¢ ? red. Basal foveole of the scutellum obsolete. Long. 13—2; alar. exp. 3—83 lin. This common insect needs only a passing mention here. Its gall, the Bedeguar of the Rosa canina, is infested by several Chalcideous and other parasites. (See Zoologist, iv, 1859; v, 1661, &c.) Ehodites nervosus, Curt. ?. “Black, shining, obscurely punctured and slightly pubescent ; antenne 14-jointed, as long as the body, two basal joints brownish ; ocelli very large ; post-scutellum rugose, with three parallel ridges ; abdomen very smooth and ochreous, the lower sheath brown: wings pale fuscous, iridescent, the nervures brown, edges of the marginal cell suffused ; anterior legs pale ochreous, intermediate brown, hinder piceous, base of all the thighs darker, apical joint of tarsi fuscous.” “July ; Dover. Distinguished from C. rose by the large ocelli, carinated scutel, dark hind-legs, the absence of the brown splash on the costa of the upper wings, and of the areolet.” 174 (January, i. Curtis, B. E., 688, pl. 3820. Long. 13; alar. exp. 33 lin. The ¢ is similar, with only the usual sexual differences in the antenne and abdomen. Two small indistinct fovez at the base of the scutellum serve also to distinguish it from Rh. rose. The absence of the areolet, mentioned by Curtis above, is not a constant character; in some specimens it is visible, in others it is obliterated on one side only. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. Mine were taken in Epping Forest. The gall is at present unnoticed. (To be continued.) TWO SPECIES OF PIMPLA, NEW TO BRITAIN, REARED BY C. G. BARRETT, ESQ. BY THOMAS DESVIGNES. PIMPLA RUFICOLLIS, Grav., ili, 153, Fam. vi, sec. 3. P. variegata, Ratz., Ichn. der Forstins. i, p. 118, No. 21. Long. 3} lines. Reared both by Ratzeburg and Mr. Barrett from Tortrix Buoliana. PIMPLA OPACELLATA, n. 8. (Gray., ili, sec. 6). Long 4 linearum. Abdomine nigro. Oowis et trochanteribus nigris. Pedibus rujis, femoribus posticis apice nigris. Tibiis anterioribus eaterne Suscis, pos- ticis tarsisque nigris. Antennis gracilibus, longitudine corporis parwm brevioribus. Acubus trienti abdominis longitudine equalibus. Head—Much broader than long; face hoary, the margins adjoining the eyes perpendicular ; forehead above the antenne depressed, exca- vated. Antenne slender, not so long asthe body. Zhorax gibbose, sub-cylindrical ; metathorax strongly punctate. Wings clear ; stigma and radius black, the former with a milky spot at the base ; areolet oblique, sessile, all the nervures black. Legs red; coxe, trochanters, apex of hinder femora, tibie and tarsi black. An- terior tibixw exteriorly fuscous. Abdomen finely punctate ; lst seg- ment with a broad, flat, elevated surface; the incisions between the segments rather deep and very distinct; the 5th segment narrow, but transverse; aculeus stout—one-third the length of abdomen. This insect, apparently hitherto undescribed, was reared by Mr. Barrett, of Haslemere, from a pupa of Psyche opacella. Mr. Barrett has kindly presented me with both species. Woodford, December 12th, 1867. . 1868,] 175 A LIFE HISTORY OF GRACILARIA SYRINGELLA. BY CHARLES HEALY. (Continued from page 150.) These larve show a great repugnance to feeding in an exposed si- tuation, and, indeed, will not do it, possibly from a wholesome fear of ichneumons; if a larva be placed in a jar, on the outside of a leaf, and not covered by another leaf, it crawls underneath and spins a silken web, in which it then feeds; but if a second leaf be placed over the first, the larva is quite content to feed between the two, taking, however, the precaution of fastening them together with silk. To recur, however, to the proceedings of the larva when it first ceases to be a miner. It pierces the upper cuticle, and draws its body through the hole and crawls to the under-side of another leaf, the tip of which it rolls downwards ; this it effects by spinning and fastening silken cords until it pulls the tip of the leaf under, causing it to touch the under-surface of the leaf: the larva then firmly fastens the tip down with silk, and then creeps out of the roll and crawls along the leaf till it has arrived near the centre of the cone, it then rapidly spins several short silken threads, which it fastens to the rolled portion of the leaf, and to that portion which remains flat ; it spins a number of such threads, and then climbs up to the middle of these threads, and, holding on by its prolegs, it stretches forth its anterior segments and spins and fastens other longer cords, its body, whilst thus occupied, being swayed backwards and forwards; when these silken buttresses are completed, they have a slight resemblance to the shoring of a house, but the objects of the two are diametrically opposed ; the shoring of a house is to prop up and support,—but the silken structure fabricated by this larva is intended to pull down and retain in that position the rolled tip of the leaf ; if the larva be then satisfied with the strength of the silken but- tress, it descends and enters the rolled leaf, but if the silken stay be not sufficiently strong, it spins two or three little silken cords at nearly equal distances, on these it crawls and continues spinning similar silken cords till it reaches the ends of the outside of its future habitation : it then turns back, and passing over the newly-spun cords, climbs up the large silken buttress near the centre of the rolled leaf;.it then strengthens the ties of the remaining portion in a similar manner ; all this being done with singular address, the larva never once touching the leaf with its body: it then hastens back to the new-made domicile, and proceeds to close up the two ends; that done, it commences de- vouring the epidermes of both the upper and under-sides of the leaf, which, in the rolled part, are in juxta position. 176 (January, On several occasions, when a rolled leaf containing several larve was just completed, I have broken it open to see the effect produced on the inmates. At first they all appeared in a state of consternation at the partial destruction of their abode, but in a short time, some larve, which appeared to be deputed by the others to attend to the external repairs, would crawl out from each end, and in a most business-like manner, immediately set to work repairing the damage by spinning another set of silken ropes, the larve remaining in the interior ren- dering their fellow larve their hearty assistance towards restoring the rolled leaf to its original position. When all was done, the outsiders hastened back to the interior, closed up the ends, and resumed their meal which had been disturbed by my curiosity. After a few days’ residence in the rolled leaf, the larva moults for the second time, and becomes much stouter ; the colour and marking of the two first segments remains as before, but the other segments are now of a pale yellowish-green, and the dorsal vessel is pale green. In a very short time after this, indeed, sometimes in two days, the larva moults again, the dorsal vessel then becomes dark green; four or five days later the larva is quite full fed, and the dark green colouring matter subsiding, the larva appears white, with a slight yellow tinge. Jt then quits its domicile, in which it leaves heaps of frass and its cast-off skins, and it descends by a thread to the ground, which it either enters, or spins up among dead leaves. Sometimes it penetrates below the surface of the ground to the depth of more than an inch, and there forms its cocoon. Shortly before the time for the exclusion of the imago the pupa emerges from its subterranean abode, and works its way slowly to the surface of the earth, in order to enable the imago to liberate itself; the pupa skins protruding from the ground give the surface of the mould in one’s breeding jars a curious appearance, just as though so many little posts were sticking out. This creature is very hardy, and may be kept indoors with impunity throughout the winter, and even if the mould in which the pup are buried becomes quite dry, if the pup are left undisturbed in their cocoons, the perfect insects fail not to make their appearance in the month of May. If the pupa, however, be turned out of its cocoon for the purpose of observation, the chance of rearing the imago is small.* I apprehend that the natural habit of the larve is to enter the ground, but when they are kept in a jar or box unprovided with mould, but containing merely some leaves of the food-plant, they bow to * The effect of the silken cocoons in aceding extremes of temperature or of moisture or dryness, is, no doubt, one of their main uses.—H. T 1868.) 177 the force of circumstances, and attach their cocoons either to the jar, or on one of the leaves. _ The cocoon, however, so formed, is very different indeed from that constructed by the larva when at liberty to follow the promptings of nature. (To be concluded in owr newt.) ON A NEW SPECIES BELONGING TO THE EPHEMERIDEOUS GENUS OLIGONEURIA (0. TRIMENIANA). BY BR. M’LACHLAN, F.L.S. The genus Oligoneuria was founded in 1843, by Pictet, on a curious insect (O. anomala) from Brazil, the founder probably little thinking that a then undescribed form pertaining to the same genus (O. rhenana, Imhoff,) swarmed in certain restricted localities in Switzerland. This latter species (or one very closely allied thereto) has since been found in other parts of southern and central Europe. When in Paris a few years since I sawa third in the Museum of Natural History there, from Mexico, but neglected to make a description of it. Mr. Roland Trimen lately presented me with a large species taken by him in Natal, which I here propose to describe as O. Trimeniana. The genus is above all remarkable for the abortive condition of the legs, these organs being so greatly atrophied, that they must be nearly useless for the purpose of locomotion. And, indeed, the genus would appear to consist of insects which par excellence are “ day-flies,” a term which, when applied to most Hphemeride,is erroneous. But truly Oligoneuria, judging from its European representative, is destined to enjoy (in the winged state) a brief existence, the hours of which may be easily counted: and, as probably most of its short span of life is passed in the air, the defective legs can be of little consequence to it. OLIGONEURIA TRIMENIANA, 0D. sp. Testaceo-albida; alis niveis vix griseo-tinctis, anticis venis longitu- dinalibus absque costa tribus, quarum secunda et tertia longe furcatis ; setis caudalibus fere equalibus albis,ad apicem pubescentibus ( ? imago?). Hab. Natalia. Long. corp. 6”; exp. alar, 19’. Head and thorax whitish-testaceous: vertex longer than broad, sub-triangular, obtuse in front, with a median raised line extending from the posterior edge to near the front, where it joins a similar trans- verse line; the anterior portion bears two large oval tubercles placed laterally and broadly margined with blackish, a line of which colour is 178 [January, continued between them along the frontal ‘margin: face with a mem- branous, semi-transparent, whitish triangular lobe standing out in front between the antenne: antenne with two inflated basal joints, and a long blackish inarticulate terminal seta; the basal joint is concealed on the inner side by a broad thin lobe-like production of the frontal sur- face. Thorax stout, polished above, with raised lines and depressed spaces. Legs whitish. Abdomen broad and depressed, the lateral margins produced into teeth ; the colour in my example is dull greenish, which proceeds from the eggs showing through the integuments, and a mass of green eggs is protruded from the antepenultimate ventral seg- ment; in the cavity of the last segment beneath is seen a longitudinal membranous lobe, produced into a rather long tooth. The three caudal sete nearly equal, white, not so long as the abdomen, stout and glabrous at the base, all pubescent at the tips. Wings whitish, semi-opaque, with a slight smoky-grey tinge: the anterior pair long, triangular, with three strong longitudinal greyish veins (without counting the costa), the second and third of which are furcate from about the middle, all starting from the base ; seven or eight transverse wavy veinlets between the first and second veins: posterior pair ovate, more transparent, veins white. One female imago (?) of this fine species was taken by Mr. Trimen at light, at the Mapumulo Mission Station, Umroti District, Natal, on the evening of the 3rd March, 1867. London: 6th December, 1867. A HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED DESCRIPTION OF A NEW PTEROPHORUS, BY C. 8. GREGSON. PreropHorvs HopexKinsonil, Greg. Alar expanse 7 to 8 lines; head, face, thorax, body and legs light, creamy, ashy-grey,—lightest towards the cleft; very slightly irrorated with darker atoms; the discoidal and cleft-spots scarcely perceptible. Under-wings rather darker than the upper-wings. Pt. Hodgkinsonii differs from Pt. Lowei, to which it is nearly allied, in the general colour being lighter, the less irrorated or suffused appearance, its lesser size, and in its want of the light canary-coloured terminal costal edging to the tip; and also in its time of appearance ;— from Pt. plagiodactylus in its smaller size, much lighter colour, the entire want of the bright buff and light ashy-white upon the thorax and body, the absence of the dark blotches so conspicuous upon good speci- 1868.| 179 mens of that species, the absence of any light edging to the cleft, and in being devoid of any light colour upon the terminal joints of the legs ;—from P¢. bipunctidactylus in its smaller size, more yellowish. ashy-colour and lighter coloured legs, and from the spurs being of the same colour as the legs, whereas in bipwnctidactylus the spurs are lighter than the legs. While in company with my friend J. B. Hodgkinson, this species was first discovered in a small pasture-field at Witherslack, on the road from the Inn to the Moss, early in June, about the year 1860. Sub- sequently Mr. Hodgkinson met with three specimens on the juniper field, one of which he kindly gave to me to make up my pair, one he presented to Mr. Doubleday, and one went to Mr. Burney. Since then he has taken one or two more specimens, and these are al] I know of. That the species is nearly allied to Pt. Lowei is self-evident ; indeed, none but a practised eye would detect the differences ; but this may be said of other species in this very peculiar group, wherein larve without the most remote apparent relationship in form, markings, or habits, produce entomological puzzles. This description of P¢. Hodykinsonii was read in a paper upon the British Pterophoride before the Northern Entomological Society, but was kept out of their Transactions to make room for other matter. Stanley, Liverpool: December, 1867. Notes on Sterrha sacraria,—I am sorry I can report no better success than Mr. Llewelyn with this species. The larveo he so generously sent me fed up well, and all began to spin; two died without becoming pups, while the rest completed the change; and, had they behaved as satisfactorily as the famous half-dozen in 1865, they would have appeared in the perfect state during the latter half of October ; but up to this date not an imago has emerged. I have examined two of my cocoons, and found dead pupz in them ; most likely there is nothing better in the rest, but with a lingering, desperate hope I am keeping them on in a room with a fire, unwilling to destroy the least chance there may yet exist of seeing a moth. Mr. Llewelyn’s brood were hatched two or three days earlier in August than the ’65 brood ; but on reference to a daily register of the temperature here in Exeter, I find they did not enjoy such a favourable time for their development. Throughout September and October, 1865, the thermometer stood several degrees higher than in the same months of this year, with the exception of one frosty night in October ; and, as sacraria is believed to have its head-quarters in climates much warmer than our own, we may suppose that the greater success of the former brood is thus accounted for. At the same, if we allow that cold is so fatal to sacraria, we are met by the question— How then can it establish itself at all in this country ? For we can scarcely suppose that the specimens taken year by year are fresh immigrants, or that their offspring are produced during the warmer months. 180 (January, However, one point has been fairly settled this year, and that is a more correct description of the larvae. From notes taken by Mr. Llewelyn and myself, it seems that nearly every individual of the whole brood of twenty-five presented some little peculiarity of its own, but that all might be fairly ranged under three main varieties. 1. I have taken for the type the form which has all the characteristic markings, yet without any exaggeration in the colouriug. Ground colour on the back a soft delicate grey, on the belly a greenish-white; dorsal line paler than the ground, very finely but distinctly edged with blackish threads, which become stronger on segments 10—12; the sub-dorsal line also pale with fine edgings, and on segments 1—5 having a strong dark streak immediately below it, continued backwards as a dark thread. Sometimes the edgings of the lines are not so dark, but have a reddish tint; sometimes again the dorsal line is not of uniform width, but at the fold from 5—10 opens into a small white dot, immediately followed by a small black dot, which thus interrupts the line. ; 2. On one side of the type comes the variety described in 1865, the ground- colour of which is decidedly green, and the edgings of the lines red; some are blue-green, some full green, some bright green; and the edgings are dark red, bright rust-red, or pinkish. As before, the dorsal line varies in different specimens in being either of uniform width or else widened at the folds and interrupted. 3. On the other side of the type comes a plainer variety, in which the ground is more or less ochreous, sometimes becoming as warm in tint as a piece of clean fresh-cut cork; the belly sometimes whitish, sometimes paler ochreous than the back ; the pale dorsal line still varying as before in width, and although occasionally darkly margined, yet more generally in this variety not so distinctly defined ; in one or two specimens the lines were scarcely visible. I noticed that the pupz were darker than those of 1865—perhaps because they were sickly.—J. HELuins, County Prison, Exeter, December 7th, 1867. Notes on the larva of Xanthia ferruginea.—Though a trifle larger, yet in form and structure this larva closely resembles that of gilwago, but with the following exceptions :— The general colouring is of a browner tint, sometimes of an ochreous-brown. The series of dark central marks on the back, with their dark wedges, assume together more compact forms of an urn shape, being attenuated behind, so that a constant character appears in the hinder pair of tubercular dots being outside the dark urn shapes. On referring to figures of this species of 1861 and 1865, the same characters are apparent, though two of them found under common ash varied much in colour, one being a grey variety, and the other a brighter and more distinctly marked example than any of those on wych-elm.—Wm. Buckter, Emsworth. Notes on Tethea retusa.—I believe this species is not yet considered to be common, so perhaps it may not be uninteresting to state that we take it here in some seasons, by searching for the larve in the folded leaves and shoots of various kinds of sallows, about the end of May and beginning of June. At that time of the 1868. j 181 year, indeed, numbers of common larve are to found in this way, such as Toento- campa stabilis and cruda, Orthosia lota, Cosmia trapezina, Epunda viminalis, occasionally Cerastis vaccinii and spadicea (these two probably hiding in leaves spun together by other species), and always Hypsipetes elutaria and Cheimatobia brumata, as well as some of the Tortrices; but the only larva with which retusa is likely to be confounded is that of viminalis; I have therefore described the former rather fully, and pointed out the characters which distinguish it from the latter. Retusa, when full-grown, is about an inch in length, tapering slightly towards each end, and flat beneath ; the head small, rounded, and rather flat; skin very delicate and thin, so that the lines on it show almost as if ribbed or raised, and the internal organs partially show through it. The colour is a pale dull green, with a yellow tinge towards the head and tail; a broad dorsal stripe, a fine sub-dorsal, and an undulating spiracular line—all whitish in colour ; the spiracles not visible ; the head generally yellowish-green, but sometimes very dark blackish-brown ; occa- sionally also there is a dark collar on the second segment; young larvee sometimes have the usual dots, very visible and black, but lose all trace of them as they grow bigger. The characters printed above in italics distinguish this larva from that of Epunda viminalis, which has a much firmer texture of skin, a thicker and more corneous head (which is pale grey with the lobes outlined in black) ; the lines more sharply defined, and two pairs of whitish dots on the back of each segment.— J. Henrys, October 9th, 1867. Note on Ephyra omicronaria.—I hardly know whether it is worth recording, that of three larvae which Mr. D’Orville gave me July 10th, 1866, two appeared as moths on 26th and 27th of the same month, whilst the third remained in pupa until May 8th, 1867. Also that in two of these three specimens, full-sized and otherwise perfect, the omicron is entirely absent from both fore- and hind-wings.—Ib. Notes on Tortrices.—There appears to be some uncertainty about the habits of some internal feeding Tortrices, their appearance at different and distant times leading naturally to the supposition that they are double or treble-brooded. One of these is Penthina marginana, which is to be found in this neighbourhood at intervals from the middle of May till late in August. Last winter I met with a few plants of teazle, a rare plant in this neighbour- hood, and found that several of the heads contained larve. These I preserved, but they produced nothing till June 26th, when two females of P. marginana emerged. T had, however, taken a female of this species as early as May 11th, and by June 1st had found males badly worn. From these captures the natural inference would be that the May brood pro- duced those found in July and August, yet larveo found in the winter produced nothing till the end of June, and it seems reasonable to suppose, therefore, that there is but one brood, very irregular in its appearance. ; There may be another solution of the difficulty—that we have two species under the name of marginana, and I am inclined to think that this is the case ; but the whole history of the insect requires careful investigation, since it occurs most commonly in places where there are certainly no teazles for it to feed in. 182 (January, : I am inclined to think that the apparent double-broodedness of Argyrolepia — Dubrisana is only caused by a retarded development; and the appearance of | Eupecilia subroseana every month or six weeks from May to September may be from the same cause.—Cuas. G. Barrett, Haslemere, 13th November, 1867. Curious food of Abrawas grossulariata.—In the middle of May I casually noticed _ a number of larve of Abravas grossulariata feeding on the Orpine (Sedum telephium). That this was not caused by scarcity of their natural food was clear, since there | was plenty of blackthorn growing close by. Being curious to see how they would | turn out, I secured the larvze and fed them up on the Sedwm, and had the pleasure of breeding as ordinary a lot of imagoes as one could easily see, with, indeed, less than the ordinary amount of variation. T found avery young larva on the same plant while collecting larvae of Hypono- meuta vigintipunctata this autumn, from which it would appear that they feed up from the egg upon it. This selection of a food-plant seems as curious as the instance recorded by Mr. Chapman, in which the larva of the same species was found on Cotyledon umbilicus, on Ailsa Craig. Mr. Syme, however, tells me that some botanists include the currant in the same group as the Sawifrages, to which both these plants, I believe, belong.—Ib. Acentropus niveus and other Lepidoptera at Haslemere.—On June 10th, passing a fir wood on one of the slopes of Hindhead, I dismounted to have a look for Scotosia undulata. It was a fortunate thought, for I soon found it in plenty. It was not, as I expected, on the tree trunks, but hiding among Vacciniwm and the bramble and holly bushes, and was very restless and difficult to approach. However I secured plenty, with some Hypena crassalis not over fine, and Penthina sauciana among the Vaccinium. After travelling for some hours among the hills I arrived at Frensham Pond, and went to work to find Acentropus niveus. Paraponyx stratiotalis swarmed along the margin of the pond, and Hydrocampa stagnalis occurred, but for some time I could find only drowned specimens of niveus. At last, however, I found some faggots sunk with stones in one corner of the pond, leaving some of the twigs above water, and on the under-side of these twigs niveus swarmed, sometimes clustered four or six in a bunch. They were very sluggish, and, if knocked off a twig, only buzzed along the surface of the water till they found another, and if accidentally immersed in moving the twigs, took no notice whatever of the ducking. At sunset I reached a marsh about a mile from the pond, and finished up my day’s work by taking about fifty Hudorea pallida fying among rushes and long grass.—Ib. Note on Diadema Bolina, Linn.—As there appears to be some uncertainty as to this butterfly being indigenous in South America, I wish to note a new locality for it. Inthe Royal Dublin Society’s Museum we have a specimen from Trinidad. There is nothing remarkable in this locality, except that all the known American 1868.] 183 species (except one from Jamaica) are all from the samo coast, the recorded American localities being Guiana, Surinam, and Cayenne.—W. F. Krrsy, Royal Dublin Society, November 25th, 1867. The white-belted variety of Sesia culiciformis.—The following extract from tho diary of my esteemed friend the late Mr. Henry Hewitt may interest those among your readers who make Lepidopterous varieties their especial study :— “June 5th, 1859.—Five S. culiciformis taken at Wickham, hovering over Spurge,—one white variety.” Through the kindness of his brother, Mr. George Hewitt, the example referred to now enriches my cabinet; and I shall have much pleasure in exhibiting it to any entomologist who may wish to inspect it.—Hpwarp HopPuey, 14, South Bank, Regent’s Park. Note on a white-belted variety of Sesia culiciformis.—In 1858 I had the pleasure of recording the capture of this interesting variety in the following words, :— “T. culiciforme was rather plentiful * * * * and my friend Mr. Linton took a specimen with a WHITE instead of the usual rep band.” —Vide “ Intelligencer,” vol. 4, p. 83.—Cuartes Heaty, 74, Napier Street, Hoxton, December 2nd, 1867. Description of the manner of pupation of Chrysocoris festaliella.—Having arrived at its full development, the larva spins a beautiful network cocoon ; it then assumes the pupal form, the larval skin being ejected from the interior of the cocoon through a little orifice left open for that purpose. In comparison to the size of the pupa, the cocoon appears full large. The little pupa is about 4 lines long, and of a beautiful green colour; the summit of its head and the back of the thorax are surmounted with several little black spines; the anal segment is likewise furnished with a number of brown coloured bristles. After a time the eyes become darkish, the extremities of the antenna and feet turn pale brown, the two anal segments become whitish, and the dorsal vessel is of a darker green than the abdomen; the eyes then deepen into black, and the wings hegin to assume a whitish aspect ; the bases of the abdominal segments, becoming encircled with dark green pigment, present a striking contrast to the remaining portions of the abdomen. The dorsal surfaces of the first and second abdominal segments then possess a yellowish-green tint. The next day or so afterwards, the pupa’s head and thorax become swollen, and the wings, from the shoulders downwards, have an iridescent appearance ; the two anal segments by this time have deepened from whitish to dull brown, and the remaining segments have turned dull green; the antennz of the little pupa become quite black. After a few hours’ interval, the back part of the wings, down to their extremities, turn black, the remaining portions assuming a bronzy tint. Three or four hours afterwards, the tips of the wings become much clouded with darkish, and the pupa’s head, thorax, and wing-sheaths then turn black: this is the last change. When quite ready, the imago bursts through its puparium, leaving the latter, which is quite white, projecting from the cocoon. The perfect insect of this species, when at rest, imitates the habit Stathmopoda pedella has of doubling under its hind legs, and sticking them out sideways.—Ib. 184 |January, Description of the manner of pupation of Dictyopteryx Forskaleana, Linn.—On lifting up one of the neatly folded-over lobes of the Maple which are met with so — frequently during the middle and end of the month of June, we observe underneath it the little yellow larva of this species lying at full length on a coueh of white silk. Supposing we bring it home and watch it closely, we shall notice, about a week afterwards, that its three or four anterior segments become swollen, and, at the same time, that the larva loses all but the faintest power of motion, its ninth segment having an orange tint, After a time the larva is seen to pass slowly into the pupa state, and the whole of its larval skin remains collected in a little heap at the extremity of the abdomen; the pupa is at first quite white, having the tip of | its anal segment covered with a cluster of little brown bristles, which act like so many little anchors, and enable the pupa to obtain a fair hold of the silk contained in its abode. On close inspection, a little brown spot is noticeable on one side of each of the eyes and in the centre, but situate at the bottom of the eyes a little dusky-coloured dot is dimly visible. At the expiration of a few hours we perceive that its head, thorax, and wing-cases turn to a pale amber-yellow, the abdominal segments retaining their original colour ; in the centre of the dorsal surface of the pupa’s abdomen a pale orange-coloured blotch has made its appearance, and furthermore the anal segment has a somewhat swollen, glassy look. After an interval of two or three days the eyes begin to turn pale brown, afterwards deepening into dark brown, and finally become quite black. After a suitable interval has expired, the head, thorax, and wing-cases become whitish, and the blotch on the dorsal surface of the abdominal segments deepens into a brownish tone. At the | next phase of its economy the sides and base of the thorax assume a pale crimson hue, the crimson-coloured pigment spreading itself over the head, thorax, and wings, imparts a similar tint to them, ultimately, however, deepening to pale ochreous. While the immediately preceding part of its economy is taking place, , each wing becomes mapped out (so to speak) by a net-work of little narrow canals, | thus imparting to the wings of this little insect its beautiful reticulations ; the decorations of the inner margin of the anterior wings then develope themselves ; in some individuals they are represented by a largish black blotch on each wing, while on others they are seen simply in the form of a thin dark line or two or three little black spots only ; consequently the markings on the anterior wings are dependent upon the presence, in more or less quantities, of this black-coloured pigment. The pupa gradually becoming more and more matured, its abdomininal segments are observed to have a yellowish appearance ; a little black dash is noticeable at each side of the basal portion of the pupa’s thorax, this and the head having ochreous markings ; | the eyes then have changed from black to a dull blueish tint, each having a black central spot; the markings and colouration of the imago having finally settled down to their proper tone. The pupa, when disturbed, lashes its body about in a state of great alarm, especially so if brought in near contact with a lighted lamp. When sufficiently mature the imago escapes from its puparium, leaving the latter projecting. The puparium in most instances is whitish, at times quite white ; sometimes, however, it is stained with a pale brownish tint.—Ip. 1868. 185 Notes on the larva of Pterophorus plagiodactylus.—I have translated and abridged the following from Millisre’s Iconographie. etc., part 4, p. 209 :— “ Larve, almost cylindrical, becoming slowly narrower from the head to tho last segment. The first segment is plainly less raised than the second and third. It is of a dull green on the back and sides, passing into a glaucous green beneath. The dorsal vessel, broad and continuous, is of a claret colour; the spiracular line is green, very little paler than the ground-colour, and is narrow, undulated. The whitish-grey hairs, which are abundant and rather long, so cover the larva that the stigmata cannot be seen even by the help of a good glass. The belly is without marks. The head is small, globular, retractile, of a testaceous yellow, and sprinkled on the top with a number of small black dots invisible to the naked eye. The three pairs of anterior legs are black, the others of the same colour as the body. This little larveo, which is very slow in its movements, feeds on the flowers of Globularia alypwm, using no concealment.” Millisre has found it abundantly in December in the neighbourhood of Hyéres. It changes to a pupa in January, and the perfect insect appears four or five weeks after. ‘ The pupa is conico-cylindrical, slightly elongated, brown and hairy.” ‘Then follows the description of the perfect insect, which need not here be translated, saving the part which refers to the variety Millieridactyla, a variety which was the cause of much confusion to myself, with regard to the diagnosis of the insect, and may perhaps be the same also to others. “This variety,” says Milliére, “is only distinguished from the type of which it has exactly the general appearance, by a brown spot placed at the extremity of the upper division of the fore-wing. This very characteristic spot is large, oblong, rounded on the external side, surrounded on the right and left by a greyish-white border, and rests on the costa at the internal border of the upper division of the wing.” Millitre suggests that it may feed on other species of Globularia besides G. alypwm, which is an essentially southern plant. As it is found in England, and apparently not very rare in the Lake district, (since owing to the kindness of Mr. Hodgkinson I have a numerous series from there), it must feed on other flowers besides Globularia. Probably the larves would scarcely occur in our island in the month of December. Might it not be found on the primrose in March or April ?— R. C. R. Jordan, M.D., 35, Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Note on Ellopia fasciaria.—This insect occurs under two distinct forms, the one our common fasciara, the other of a bright green colour, but otherwise exactly similar. To this variety the name prasinaria is given. Millitre has proved their identity by rearing an intermediate variety, which he figures. He seems to attribute the variation to food; alleging that fasciaria feeds on Pinus sylvestris, prasinaria on Pinus abies. Here, then, is a case on which experiments may be made.—Ib. Dianthecia capsincola at home in a town finn) Soe a small garden, I planted in it, amongst other wild flowers, a few plants of Lychnis vespertina. Although in the precincts of a smoky town like Birmingham, the very next year after their arrival they were tenanted by Dianthweia capsincola, and it has often 186 (January, been a great pleasure to me to watch the moths hovering around the flowers late in the Midsummer evenings. About ten o’clock on the evening of the 25th of June several of these insects were fluttering about the Lychnis flowers, which were then smelling very sweetly ; yet no other Noctue seemed tovisit them. The moth first hovered over the flower, then settling on it, vibrated her wings rapidly whilst she inserted her long telescopic ovipositor into its very depths, and deposited a single egg upon the future capsule: in only one example that I saw was the egg laid upon the petal, and then upon its claw: in none did I see it laid upon the male flower. The next day I examined the Lychnis carefully, and found many eggs, and on some plants the young capsules were already tenanted, as shown by the small round hole which marked the entrance of the larva, in this its first stage of growth, white and maggot-like. From this time the larva might always be met with, coiled around the central placenta of the capsule, which seems asif formed for their comfort. Some very nearly at their full growth were found as early as the 5th of July. They began to bury under ground early in August, and the perfect insects from them appeared in the May and June of the following season, the first coming out on the 27th of May. The second year after planting the Lychnis, Emmelesia decolorata also put in its appearance. Digitalis, in the same way, was followed by Eupithecia pulchellata ; and ivy planted around the house was tempta- tion enough to induce Ourapteryx sambucarta to come and take up its abode with me. I mention these facts to try and induce others to cultivate insects at home by naturalizing their food-plants in gardens.—Ib. Captures of Coleoptera in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.—I have lately taken, at Studley-Royal, near Ripon, the following species :— Trechus obtusus. This species is apparently more common here than 7. minutus. Oxypoda ruficornis. Homalota hepatica, five specimens; two were found under stones, and the others among dead leaves. lLeptinus testaceus, with two of Agathidium nigripenne, in moss at the root of an old holly-tree, in the dead wood of which I also met with several specimens of Xyloterus domesticus. Ltodes orbicularis. Amphicyllis globus, one specimen only, of the uniformly red-brown variety, found in dead leaves. Atomaria ferruginea, one specimen, found under a stone. Atomaria sp.—?, three specimens, taken when sweeping: I sent this insect to London for identification, and am informed that it is distinct from any of the recorded British species. It bears considerable resemblance to A. ferruginea, but has three dilated joints to the club of the antenne; is rather larger, less thickly punctured (and consequently more glossy), and of a darker colour, inclining to chestnut. Triphyllus suturalis. Hoplia philanthus. Diacanthus metallicus. Helodes marginata, by sweeping at the margins of the river. Telephorus wnicolor. Rhinosimus ruficollis and viridipennis. Choragus Sheppardi: I found ten specimens of this insect (with Sinodendron) in a much decayed part of an old ash-tree. Iwas surprised at the jumping of the insect, which, apparently, has no peculiar structure — fitting it for that habit. I kept a specimen alive, in a pill-box with a glass top, for more than a week: when a gentle tap was given to the box, the insect would leap, but I could not discover how the leap was effected. Barynotus obscurus. Sitophilus oryze, in the Indian corn used for feeding the pheasants. Pogonocherus pilosus- ; 1868.) 187 Orsodacna cerasi, in blossoms. Conioctena pallida : I found a few froshly disclosed specimens of this insect on hazel (!) very early in the month of June, accompanied by many green larve, feeding npon the leaves, and which I have little doubt belonged to the same insect. Pteryw suturalis. Aleochara ruficornis and Thymalus limbatus have been found here this year by Earl de Grey and Ripon. The following species wore taken at Nocton, in Lincolnshire :— Pterostichus oblongo-punctatus, Falagria sulcatula, Leptusa ruficollis, Encephalus complicans, Phleocharis subtilissima, Colenis dentipes, Liodes orbicularis, Amphicyllis globus and Agathidiwm atrum (of each of which two last mentioned species I met with theuniformly red-brown variety only), Epwrea melanocephala, Pocadius ferru- gineus, Malthodes atomus, Byturus fumatus, Hedobia imperialis, Cis alni, Scaphidema metallica (from dead sticks), Mordellistena abdominalis, Brachytarsus scabrosus and B. varius, Rhynchites eneo-virens (common), Tropiphorus mercurialis, Rhytidosomus globulus, Amalus scortillum, Orobitis cyaneus, and Hylesinus oleiperda.— Epwarp A. WatrrHous£, Fountains Hall, Ripon, November, 1867. Note on the occurrence of Coccinella labilis near Canterbury.—I took three specimens of this rare beetle by sweeping heath, &c., on the 19th April last, in the woods between Whitstable and Canterbury. I also took two in the same locality last year. At first I fancied they were mere large spotted varieties of the common C. 7-punctata, and did not know until lately that they were referable to the scarcer C. labilis.—G. C. Cuameton, 274, Walworth Road, S., 21st November, 1867. [It will be remembered that Dr. Sharp has recorded the capture of C. labilis at Herne Bay.—E.C.R.] Note on the capture of a species of Tomicus new to our list.—In February, 1866, I found several specimens of a small wood-boring beetle, which at the time I fancied might be Dryocetes (Tomicus) villosus, under the bark of a decayed branch of a beech-tree lying on the ground in one of the woods near Prestwich, a small village in the environs of Manchester. These specimens were nearly all destroyed, when my cabinet was completely submerged during the serious inundations caused by the overflowing of the Irwell; but I captured a few more of the insect during the present year, at the same time and place, under the bark of recently felled beech- trees. Some of these I sent up to Mr. Rye, for his opinion as to their specific identity ; and he informs me that he thinks it probable they are the insect intended to be signified by the Tomicus (Ips) fuscus of our countryman, Marsham; an insect which since the time of that author appears to have escaped observation in this country.—Tuos. Morey, 29, John Street, Pendleton, Manchester, 9th December, 1867. Note on Tomicus (Ips) fuscus, Marsham.—I think it not impossible that Mr. Morley’s insect above recorded may be the true Ips fuscus of Marsham. Gyllenhal, after giving the beech as the habitat of his fuscus, states that he had the insect also from England, sent to him by Kirby, as the Marshamian species of that name. Now Gyllenhal’s insect, according to De Marseul, is identical with the bicolor of D 188 { January, Herbst (Ratzeburg), who is prior to Marsham by a short period; and I certainly think that Gyllenhal’s description is applicable to continental types of Tomicus bicolor in the Brit. Mus., which as certainly do not agree with (though closely allied to) Mr. Morley’s insect. However, I think it not unlikely that the latter may really be Marsham’s fuscus, and that Gyllenhal was in error in thinking it identical with his species. Apart from the very concise Marshamian description, there appear to be no means of identifying this species. Mr. Waterhouse, in his Catalogue, sinks it, with a query, as a synonym of Tomicus bispinus, Ratz. ; noting, however, that the fuscus of Stephens’ Illustr. cannot be referable to that species. The description in the ‘‘ Manual” agrees well enough with Gyllenhal (being probably adapted from him), but the exponents of fuscus in the Stephensian cabinet, are, as pointed out in the synonomy of Wat. Cat., one bispinus and one bidens. I find no Marshamian type of fuscus in the Brit. Mus.; though a part of Kirby’s collection, containing many Marshamian insects, passed to that Institution from the Entomo- logical Society, when the latter body abandoned itsmuseum. It has been considered that Marsham’s insect is villosus,—on what grounds I know not; but, when we consider that Marsham knew that species well, and points out characters for his fuscus not reconcileable with it, and that Gyllenhal, who received an insect purporting to be a type of Marsham’s species, was also well acquainted with villosus, that idea seems scarcely credible. It may be an argument (however slight) in favour of the consideration that Marsham’s insect is not identical with Herbst’s, that the former author, though quoting the latter in neighbouring species, makes no reference to his bicolor, with which he fails to identify his own insect. On the whole, the species being new to us, and, as far as I am aware, not described at all (if it be distinct from Marsham’s fuscus ; and certainly not adequately described, if it be that species) 1 think the better course would be to name it, provisionally, Marshanvi. This course will, probably, ensure our being soon acquainted with its correct specific appellation, if it be already described in any publication unknown to me. Mr. Morley’s insect, as far as I can judge from the examples that have come under my notice, varies in size from rather less than 1 lin. to 12 lin., or rather more,—equalling 7’. bidens in its average size. It is pitchy black in colour, with the elytra pitchy-red, often much lighter than the thorax; and is set with long, scattered, thin, pale hairs (which are most evident behind), with a thicker tuft in front of the head. The thorax is opaque, and transversely tuberculate-scabrous in front, the scabrosity gradually diminishing behind and not running into punctures ; the hinder part is, however, slightly shining, especially in the middle. The elytra are much more shining and rather narrower than the thorax, cylindrical, elongate, parallel, and laterally somewhat abruptly rounded at the apex, which is unarmed in both sexes, and not perceptibly flattened, only rather abruptly rounded off. They are rather strongly and closely punctate-striate, the interstices being also evidently punctured, the punctures forming as it were rather irregular minor supplemental striea. Compared with bicolor, it is less hairy, narrower, with the thorax behind not so shining, and tuberculated instead of punctured, wanting also the obsolete transverse depr ession behind the middle, and with the elytra not nearly so evidently (if at all) flattened obliquely behind. 1868.) 189 I may obsorve that a specimen of Mr. Morley’s insect was, soon after its capture in Feb., 1866, sent by a friend of his to Mr. G. R. Crotch for determination ; but that gentleman, not being able to make it accord with bicolor, its evident ally, sent it to Mr. Janson (whose knowledge of the wood-feeders is unequalled in this country) for further examination. Mr. Janson now informs me that he has been too much occupied to give the insect his critical attention, and leaves the matter in my hands.—B. 0. Ryz, 7, Park Field, Putney, S.W., 10th December, 1867. Note on Tomicus flavus, Wilkin, Wat. Cat.—When examining the Stephensian exponents of T. fuscus above alluded to, I noticed that the solitary example of this species (which is queried in Wat. Cat.) in Stephens’ Cabinet is a large immature specimen of T. dryographus, Er., already included in our list.—In. Note on Myllena minima, Ktz., a species new to our lists.—I have long doubted whether the exponent of M. infuscata in my cabinet was really attributable to that species; and now find, through the kindness of the Rev. A. Matthews, who has given me a specimen of the true infuscata, taken (very rarely) in Oxfordshire by him, that my insect is the minima of Kraatz (Ins. Deutschl., ii., 371). It is con- siderably narrower than M. infuscata, more uniformly coloured, with more slender antenne (which with the legs are yellowish), and shorter elytra.—Ib. Note on the earlier stages of Oryptocephalus.—In the concluding livraison of Vol. iv. of “L’Abeille,’ M. Gabriel Tappes, of 25, Rue Blanche, Paris (who is collecting material for a work on the Cryptocephalide, and desires notes, &e., however trivial, relating to any of the species comprised in that family) makes, among others, the following interesting observations :— “No Entomologist of the present day is unaware” (?) “that the females of all the species of Cryptocephalus have on the last segments of the abdomen a small cavity, almost oval in outline. The males, also, have very frequently a depression in the same place, but never so deep or of the same form as in the other sex. This cavity has (like every work of the Creator) a special object, which a recent observation of M. Rouget has discovered. “The Cryptocephali, like the Clythre, habitually envelop their eggs in their excrement, or at least in a secretion of the organ that produces it. It would seem that this operation is so necessary for the development of the larve, that those which by chance are deprived of their protecting covering waste and die in a few days time. For this enveloping operation the female necessarily uses it posterior legs only, and the egg would thus roll in all directions if it were not confined in some way. Here, then, the cavity comes into play. The female places it over the egg, which is thus as it were boxed in and immovable, and she can then work entirely at her ease in giving to its envelope, composed of little layers, those different and elaborated shapes which make it resemble certain buds or dried catkins. “Thus, then, we have the egg protected by its envelope against all external attacks. The little larva which hatches from it is at first too soft to come out and search for food beyond its prison, In my opinion, it begins by feeding on its T 90 { January, covering, composed of semi-digested substance, extracting from its materials wherewithal to construct a second envelope or case (usually termed ‘fourrean’ by French Entomologists), destined to protect those parts of its body which remain least capable of resisting injury. This case increases with the growth of the larve, like the shell of the Mollusca, and ends by bursting the envelope, which falls off little by little, only leaving some slight traces at its lower extremity. The larva then presents almost the appearance of that of the Phryganida, as it drags along a kind of sack, containing all that part of its body which is not horny. It is most often found in ants’ nests, where it devours the little twigs or particles of dried leaves, heaped together in large quantities in those places. Here, again, we find occasion to admire the ways of Providence. If the soft parts remained uncovered the ants would soon make a meal of them; but out of the case issue only a flat head, like a little square-cut disc (in Clythra the margins are rounded), as hard as iron, horny and pointed legs, and a first segment solid enough to afford no hold for the jaws of the ants; and at the least attack the larva can draw itself in, leaving only the ends of its legs and the flat surface of its head exposed. “Tf any accident from without happen to make a breach in the case, it is soon re-constructed. The sack swells at its hinder part, in order to allow a recurving of the abdomen, as in the larve of Lucanus, Melolontha, &c.; the anal orifice is thus brought near the opening, between the legs, which seize the matters secreted and make use of them as swallows do of their nests. It isthen only that the larve eat green leaves [I presume with the idea of obtaining a more hurried action of the intestinal canal.—H. C. R.]; for under all other circumstances they wait until the leaves are dry,—or, at least, prefer them in that state. As in snails, the covering is not attached to the animal, and can be separated from it without the larva receiving any injury. It becomes elongate little by little, through the suc- cessive additions made by the larva to its mouth, and in proportion as the larva increases in size. “When the time arrives for the larva to undergo its change to pupa, it with- draws its head completely into the little mouth of the case, which it carefully closes up ; but, since in its perfect state it could not obtain an exit at this orifice, it takes the precaution to turn itself round to face the largest end. Arrived at the limit of its metamorphosis, the perfect insect cuts, as cleanly as with a saw, a sort of cap in the bottom of the case, which lifts up like a valve.” M. Tappes also makes the somewhat unintelligible remark, that the striz of the elytra seem almost always equal in number to the joints of the antennzo.—Id. Note on Lebia (Lamprias) chrysocephala, Motschulsky.—This insect, referred to | at p. 217 of the last part of the current vol. of ‘‘L’ Abeille,” seems to point strongly | to the constantly small race of L. chlorocephala noticed by me as found at Shirley, | unaccompanied by the type form. Motschulsky’s insect (which occurs in the | meridional part of France) is of the colour and build of DL. chlorocephala, but smaller, with the elytra a third shorter, and the thorax cordate and less transverse. | These characters are tolerably evident in my insects above referred to. The elytra are described as having the interstices with a series of fine scattered punctures: but this character is equally found in chlorocephala.—In. 1868.] 191 Captures of Lepidoptera in 1867.—The past season has been very unproductive in my locality (Chertsey), and I have consequently no captures of importance to mention. For some reason which I cannot at all explain, moths would not come to sugar ; even the commonest species were absent. L. stramineola was, as usual, abundant by woodsides and ditches at the beginning of August; it is at Chertsey far more common than L. complanula, which last- mentioned moth is, however, seldom or never found in the moist situations to which griseola and stramineola are partial. I have a very strong suspicion that these two species are identical. T also took P. vitalbata, near Marlow, June 9th; H. rostralis, abundant at sugar, Chertsey, August and September; P. glaucinalis, at sugar, Chertsey, August; C. ligniperda, in Ladbroke Square, Notting Hill, where it is only too common, June 30 ; E. linariata, Chertsey, July 2— A. H. Cuarxs, 16, Furnival’s Inn, E.C., Nov. 4th, 1867. General Information, The * Zoological Record” for 1866.—We are glad to announce the appearance of the volume of this valuable work, containing a record of what was done in Zoological science in 1866; its publication has been retarded owing to the illness of one of the recorders. The volume is less bulky than that of last year, but yet contains 650 pages, whereof 318 (or nearly half) are occupied by the Insecta, a proof that Entomologists are not deteriorating in fertility of publications, The proprietor, having received a guarantee of extraneous pecuniary assistance, will in future probably see his way clear towards continuing this invaluable work, which was languishing for want of sufficient support. We think also that there is a possibility of the book being sub-divided into two or three separate volumes after this year, a boon which Entomologists will not fail to appreciate. Visits of foreign Entomologists.—Messrs. Grote and Robinson, the distinguished American Lepidopterists, have lately paid us a second visit en route for the States, after having studied the principal collections of the Continent. Baron von Nolcken, of the Island of Oesel, near Riga, a well-known Russian Lepidopterist, has left us after a short stay of less than a week. Death of Professor Rennie-—Recent advices from Sydney, New South Wales, announce the decease there of this gentleman, at the advanced age of 81. He was some time Professor of Zoology at King’s College, and was well known in - London, some thirty years since, as the author of “ Insect Architecture,” “ Insect Miscellanies,” &c.; and, though he was essentially only a book-maker, there are few Entomologists who have not derived at one time or other much useful information from the first-named work. The appearance of his “ Conspectus of British Butterflies and Moths” occasioned the memorable law-suit between Mr. Rennie and the late J. F. Stephens for piracy of the “ Illustrations” of the latter author. To the present generation of Hntomologists the name of Rennie will appear as a thing of history only; but there are yet living those to whom the above-mentioned litigation was a cause of much excitement and regret. EntomotocicaL Society or Lonpon, 18th November, 1867; Prof. WEsrwoop, Vice-President, in the Chair. Fred. Bates, Esq., of Leicester, and H. J. 8. Pryer, Esq., of Highgate, were elected Subscribers. 192 [January , Mr. Bond exhibited two female examples of Sterrha sacraria taken by Mr. Rogers, of Freshwater, I. W., and eight specimens bred from eggs laid by them; these were all of a smoky drab colour, and exhibited no trace of scarlet markings. Their duration in the pupa state corresponded nearly precisely with that noticed in specimens bred in 1865 by the Rev. J. Hellins. Mr. Higgins exhibited part of a collection received from Borneo, containing, amongst others, an example of Ornithoptera Brookiana, the rare Prothoe Calydoma, &e., &e. Mr. Stainton exhibited an example of Ebulea catalaunalis, taken by Mr. W. C. Boyd at Cheshunt, and new to Britain. Mr. Trimen exhibited a grasshopper of the genus Pecilocera, from Natal, in which forms apparently pupz were frequently found in copuld. Mr. McLachlan remarked that the singular Boreus hiemalis had been recently found by Messrs. Douglas and Scott amongst moss in the neighbourhood of Croydon. Prof. Westwood gave some details as to the method of obtaining the “gut” used by anglers from the larva of a species of Saturnia in China. This “‘gut” was in reality the silk-reservoir of the larva, and lines from 20 to 30 feet in length were sometimes obtained from a single example. Mr. Stainton remarked that he had just seen the case of a Tinea larva of large size, which fed in the substance of the horns of a South African antelope. Mr. Trimen said he had seen a similar larva which fed in the dried skull and also in the bony bases of the horns. 2nd December, 1867 ; Sir Joun Luszoct, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. A. H. Haliday, Esq., of Carnmoney, Co. Antrim; Herbert Druce, Esq., of Enfield ; Joseph Ince, Esq., M.R.C.S., of St. George’s Place, Hyde Park; and W. C. Boyd, Esq., of Cheshunt, were elected Members. Mr. Pascoe exhibited a new species of Thysia from Sumatra (T. viduata, Pasc.)s also other interesting Coleoptera from Penang, Ceylon, Sumatra, &c. Prof. Westwood exhibited a specimen of Serropalpus striatus, unique as British, captured some years. ago at Sherwood Forest by Mr. Plant. He also exhibited a small spherical nest made of mud, found near Reigate on the occasion of the Society’s excursion last year; it had proved to be the nest of Humenes atricornis. Mr. Smith remarked that atricornis was a synonym for coarctata, Linné; and he exhibited a portion of a post with the nests of one of the leaf-cutting bees, Megachile Willughbiella ; there being no less than ten separate galleries in the one small piece of wood. He also remarked on the diversity of materials sometimes used by M. centuncularis and argentata in constructing their nests; one portion of the cell would be formed from green leaves, and the other from portions of the petals of Pelargoniums, &e. ; Mr. Pascoe read “ Contributions to a knowledge of Coleoptera,” part I. Mr. Trimen read a paper on “Some undescribed species of South African Butterflies,’ including a new genus of Lycenide, remarkable for its pale and uniform yellowish-white coloration, which he termed Delonewra; new species of Acrea, Panopea, Zeritis, Lycena, Aphneus, &c., &c.,—18 in all. = 1868. j 193 OCCURRENCE OF NOROPSIS FASTUOSA, GN.*, AT LIMEHOUSE. BY J. B. LYNCH. This moth was found by Mr. Fletcher at his premises, Union Dock, near the Limehouse entrance of the West India Docks, on a skirting board fencing the path to the ys dwelling-house, and close to the ground. ! yz, 1t was fluttering its wings, and craw- °/ ling, without attempting to fly, and appeared to have recently emerged from the chrysalis. It was easily caught on xer the finger, and killed immediately. Noropsis fastwosa, Gn. No conjecture can be made by Mr. Fletcher as to its native country ; the dock close to which it was found being constantly used for the repairs of vessels trading to and from all parts of the world; and it is easy to suppose that from some one of these it must have been thrown out in the chrysalis state, with the rubbish and dirt remaining after the delivery of the cargo. The time of day was about one o'clock; the date the 19th of September, 1867. The present is not the only instance in which foreign insects have been observed, under similar circumstances, in the yard where this was found. The insect is in the possession of Mr. Wilson Messer. AN ESSAY TOWARDS AN ARRANGEMENT OF THE GENERA OF THE FAMILY SATYRIDA. BY ARTHUR G. BUTLER, F.Z.S. The arrangement which I propose to adopt with the large group of insects comprised in the family Satyride@ is principally founded upon the structure of the discoidal cell of the hind-wings. I find that this character (if carefully adhered to) will separate the seventy-one Saty- ride genera into eleven sections, which I shall here distinguish as A to K. I have restored the original names to some of the genera, they having undeservedly fallen into disuse; but,as I quote the type species of each genus, I have thought it unnecessary to introduce the synonymy of such genera in the present paper. Several of the scarcer types have not yet passed through my hands, and may therefore not be correctly placed. *The hieroglyphica of Cramer. This superb species, which belongs to the singular family Glottulide, inhabits Brazil, Columbia, Jamaica, &c, 194: The Family Satyride will now stand as follows :— Family Saryripm, Swainson. Division A. . . . . . | Cella discoidali alarum posticarum elongata et apicem ad nervule | tertiz median originem formante ; venis omnibus bene separatis nec | ad origines approximantibus. Genus 1. Q@rois, Hiibner (1816). Type, O. Chorineus, 2. Melanitis, Fabricius (1808). Type, MZ Leda. Sub-Genus a, Hippio, Hiibner (1816). Type, H. Constantia. * Sub-Genus 6, Cyllogenes, Butler, Ms. Type, C. Suradeva. Genus 3. Gnophodes, Westwood (1851). Type, G. Parmeno. 4. Amphidecta, Butler (1867). Type, A. prgnerator. » 9. Laygetis, Hibner (1816). Type, 2. Virgilia. Genus 6. Huptychia, Hiibner (1816). Type, #. Herse. » 7. Cenonympha, Hibner (1816). Type, C. Geticus. i (,, 8. ZLriphysa, Zeller (1850). Type, Z. Phryne. » 9. Aulocera, Butler (1867). Type, A. Brahminus. », 10. Hipparchia, Fabricius (1808). Type, H. fagi. 9”? 9 Sub-Genus a, Cosmosatyrus, Felder (1867). Type, C. Leptoneuroides. | t Sub-Genus 6, Satyrus, Westwood (1851). Type, S. Actea. Section 60. Minois, Hiibner (1816). Type, AL. Dryas. ** Genus 11. Elina, Blanchard (1852). Type, #. Vanessoides. 12. Epinephele, Hiibner (1816). Type, #. Janira. 13. Lisiphone, Westwood (1851). Type, 7. Hercyna. 14. Leptoneura, Wallengren (1857). Type, L. Clytus. 15. Hrebia, Dalman (1816). Type, EL. Ligea. Section aa. Oreina, Westwood (1840). Type, O. Cassiope. Genus 16. Pseudonympha, Wallengren (1857). Type, P. Hippia. (., 17. Homeonympha, Felder (1867). Type, H. pusilla. | , 18. Letraphlebia, Felder (1867). Type, T. Germainia. tt ,, 19. Faunula, Felder (1867). Type, #. Leucoglene. |» 20. Stygnus, Felder (1867). Type, S. humilis. L,, 21. Neosatyrus, Wallengren (1858). Type, WV. Ambioria. » 22. Callerebia, Butler (1867). Type, C. Scanda. 5, 28, Calisto, Westwood (1851). Type, C. Zangis. » 24. Zipaetis, Hewitson (1863). Type, Z. Satts. tt ,, 25. Paramacera, Butler, Ms. Type, P. Conhiera. * Cella discoidali anticarum abbreviata, alarum forma et coloribus fere velut in Elymniade | (Eurytelidarum) maribus plaga magna media anticis sericea obscura. + Cella discoidali angustiore. j{. nec Gédart (1819). ** Not examined. ++ I have not seen the types of these genera. ft Alis supra dense pilosis coloribus fere Amecer@ ; antice vena prima disco-cellulari concava brevi, secunda breviore sub-obliqua ; mediana angulariter irregulari: venis ad basin tumidis; venis posti- carum velut in Euptychia, sed secunda disco-cellulari minus obliqua. (Mexico.) |Febr uary — | | | 1868. j 195 Division B. Cella discoidali posticarum regulari, vena disco-cellulari inferiore transversa, venis omnibus fere eque distantibus. Genus 1. Idioneura, Felder (1867). Type, LZ. Hrebioides. » 2. Heteronympha, Wallengren (1858). Type, H. Merope. * , 38. Gen. Nov., Salvin, Ms., allied to Hetera. | Division C. Cella brevi, nervulis secundo et tertio medianis originem eandem ad celle finem habentibus, venis disco-cellularibus transversis. Genus 1. Hetera (sic), Fabricius (1807). Type, H. Prera. Division D. Vena sub-costali secunda venze mediane inter nervulos primum et secundum medianos occurrenti. Genus 1. Pierella, Westwood (1851). Type, P. Nereis. Division E. Cella venis prima et secunda sub-costalibus in mare ad origines valde approximatis et sub-parallelis ; nervulis medianis originem idem habentibus. Genus 1. Anchyphlebia, Butler, Ms. Type, A. Archea. Division F. Cella venis prima et secunda medianis ad origines attingentibus vel approximantibus. Genus 1. Antirrhea, Westwood (1851). Type, A. Philoctetes. » 2. Zophoessa, Westwood (1851). Type, Z. Sura. 3. Zethera, Felder (1861). Type, Z. Pimplea. 4, Orinoma, Westwood (1851). Type, O. Damaris. 5. Anadebis, Butler (1867). Type, A. Himachala. » 6. Neorina, Westwood (1851). Type, NV. Hilda. 7. Celites, Westwood (1851). Type, C. Nothis. 8. Neope, Butler (1867). Type, NV. Bhadra. 9. Lethe, Hibner (1816). Type, L. Luropa. » 10. Pararge, Hiibner (1816). Type, P. Egeria. » 11. Amecera, Butler (1867). Type, A. Megera. Division G. Cella venis prima et secunda medianis ad origines approximantibus nec attingentibus. * This genus includes the Esmeralda and Aurora groups. + This genus, though most nearly allied to Zethera, has some affinity to Arge, 1 196 [Februar 1. Ldiomorphus, Doumet (1861). Type, I. Hewitsoniz. 2. Bletogona, Felder (1867). Type, B. Mycalesis. 3. Mycalesis, Hiibner (1816). Type, I Evadne. > 4. Hrites, Westwood (1851). Type, #. Madura, 5. Cenyra, Hewitson (1865). Type, 0. Hebe. 6. Xois, Hewitson (1865). Type, X. Sesara. 5 +7. Ypthima, Westwood (1851). Type, ¥. Lisandra. : 8. Oressinoma, Westwood (1851). Type, O. Lyphia, . 9. Arge, Hiibner (1816). Type, A. Syllius. 4 10. Rhaphicera, Butler (1867). Type, BR. Satricus. Division H. ¢ Cella posticarum vena superiore discocellulari obsoleta; venis — prima et secunda sub-costalibus in pedunculum positis et furcam | formantibus. Genus 1. Ragadia, Westwood (1851). Type, #. Crista. Division I. Cella tenui, venis sub-costalibus velutin precedente ; prima disco- cellulari elongata obliqua, secunda transversali brevi. Genus 1. Acrophthalmia, Felder (1861). Type, A. Artemis. Division J. Cella elongata abrupte truncata, prima disco-cellulari elongata concava, secunda brevi transversali. Genus 1. Argyrophenga, Doubleday (1845). Type, A. antipodum. . Argyrophorus, Blanchard (1852). Type, A. Argentus. . Gneis, Hibner (1816). Type, O. Norna. . Argynnina, Butler (1867). Type, A. Hobartia. . Geitoneura, Butler (1867). Type, Gi Klugit. . Hypocysta, Westwood (1851). Type, H. Lrius. . Eteona, Westwood (1851). Type, #. Lisiphone. . Lymanopoda, Westwood (1851). Type, L. Samius. . Steroma, Westwood (1851). Type, 8S. Bega. » 10. Pedaliodes, Butler (1867). Type, P. Poesia. 1l. Gyrocheilus, Butler (1867). Type, G. Patrobus. 12. Oxeoschistus, Butler, 1867). Type, O. Puerta. 13. Lasiophila, Felder (1859). Type, ZL. Zapatoza. 14. Dedalma, Hewitson (1858). Type, D. Dinias. we (=) be) Co) SS oy) Si PS Co * Not examined. + Not Hiibner. { The genus representing this division hes the hind-wing cell open. | '1868.] ’) 197 » 15. Pronophila, Westwood (1851). Type, P. Thelebe. » 16. Oorades, Doubleday (1848). Type, C. nyo. Division K. Cella posticarum elongata, apicem ad nervule tertis median originem formante (velut in sectione A), cella autem anticarum, velut in Lurytelidis, perbrevi. Genus 1. Ptychandra, Felder (1861). Type, P. Lorquinii. This last genus may possibly not belong to the Satyride ; the very short discoidal cell of the fore-wing brings it near to the Hurytelide. British Museum. A LIFE HISTORY OF GRACILARIA SYRINGELLA. BY CHARLES HEALY. (Concluded from page 177.) The mode of procedure when the larva forms its cocoon on the surface of a leaf is this: it places itself at full length in a de- pression of the leaf, slightly raises the anterior segments, and moves its head from side to side, thus carrying a silken thread across, which it fastens to the leaf, till a sufficient number of these threads have been spun ; it then raises itself up till the centre of its body rests on the threads it has spun, its hinder segments still resting on the leaf below ; then, using its body asa measure, it stretches forth its anterior segments and begins the fabrication of one half of the outer covering of its cocoon ; this is done by carrying silken threads from side to side of the depression in the leaf, the larva gradually retreating backwards: When the first half of the cocoon canopy is completed, the larva descends from its elevated position, turns round, and after inserting its hinder segments beneath the canopy just spun, it again raises its anterior segments and spins a few more silken threads, precisely as before, and, climbing on to them, it constructs the second half of the cocoon canopy like the first. Whilst the larva is engaged in this occupation, as long as the observer keeps at a moderate distance, it continues its labours, but should he approach too near it ceases to work, and, after looking steadfastly at the intruder for a few seconds, retires under the partially formed canopy till the annoyance is discontinued, when it at once resumes its operations, and, if not interrupted, continues until it has entirely completed its task. The larva then crawls about on the 198 [February, . top of its cocoon covering, and inspects the strength, durability, and finish of its work, and may be seen spinning additional threads to such parts as require strengthening. Whilst thus occupied, we may observe that a vacant space is left in the centre of the cocoon covering, which ~ space had been occupied by the body of the larva whilst at work. I apprehend this covering is only spun with the object of further — indenting the leaf, so as to make it more suitable for the reception of the oval cocoon, as I have observed that when the larva makes its cocoon in the angle formed by the top and side of a box-lid, it often forms it without any covering whatever. The larva now retires backwards through this identical opening on the cocoon canopy, which it does not trouble itself to close, and at once turning on its back, begins the construction of its cocoon proper directly beneath, but not attached to, the upper canopy; in this position it works away, spinning and carrying silken threads from side to side till it has formed the cocoon; it then turns over on to its feet and spins a white silken band all round the inner margin of its partially completed cocoon. When I first perceived the silken band I conjectured that its — object was to keep the larva snug and warm during the winter months, but, as I find that the summer broods of the larve construct similar silken bands, this can harly be the object. In the subterranean cocoons I do not perceive any silken band, or | anything analogous. When the band is complete the larva sets to | work to carpet the floor of the cocoon with white silk, as a soft couch | on which to recline; it then again turns on its back, and continues | actively employed in spinning additions to its cocoon, until this | at last becomes so opaque that the movements within are no longer | perceptible. The time occupied by the larva in the construction of its cocoon | is between nine and ten hours—hours of almost incessant labour. If | turned out of its cocoon directly it is finished, the larva sets to work | and constructs another cocoon complete in every respect like the first, | but if it be again ejected after fabricating its second cocoon, its supply of silk being quite exhausted, it lies perfectly helpless, and a larva so treated very often dies, not having even strength to assume the pupa | state. Tf the larva be left undisturbed in its cocoon, its body soon becomes quite white, and a death-like trance steals over it (it may then be_ handled or turned about without its showing any power of movement), i 1868. ] 199 and it gradually passes into the pupa state, the larval skin being deposited at one end of the cocoon. The pupa, which is five lines in length, is at first quite white, but gradually a pale brownish tinge spreads over the back of the abdominal segments, and the head, thorax, and wing-cases turn whitish-yellow, the posterior portions of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th abdominal segments become encircled with a reddish-brown tint, and the extremity of the anal segment also turns reddish-brown ; the bases of the dorsal surface of the 2nd and 3rd abdominal segments assume a brownish tint, the colouring matter confining itself exclusively to that quarter, and not encircling these segments like the 4th to 8th; the centre of each eye shows a little dark speck, the tip of the head, which is _ decorated with two little black bristles, turns to a reddish-brown colour. Twenty-four hours later the eyes assume a pale brown tint, and then gradually become black; afterwards the thorax becomes clouded; and eventually the markings of the future imago are slowly developed. The imago, in its struggles to escape, forces the anterior end of the pupa through the end of the cocoon, and then releases itself, leaving the pupa-skin projecting from the cocoon. The average duration of the life of the imago is from four to nine days. I carefully watched the movements of one imago that had reached the ninth day of its existence; on the morning of that day it was apparently well and tolerably active, but a great change came over it by the evening ; it had then lost all power of flight, and moved with a shuffling gait about the bottom of the breeding-cage. When the cage was suddenly shaken or tilted on one side it rolled over and over, but generally regained its feet ; in some instances it remained for a time on its back, the only signs of life being a slight movement of the antennz or a faint tremulous movement of the anterior legs. On being turned over it endeavoured to walk, but was only able to stagger along with a crab-like movement for a short distance. One hour afterwards it died. Hoxton, 1867. Description of the larva of Agrotis puta.—Thanks to the kindness of the Rev. J. Hellins and Dr. Hearder, the larva of Agrotis puta, that has so long remained unknown, is now figured and described. Eggs were sent by Dr. Hearder to Mr. Hellins, August 29th, 1867, from which larvee were hatched, September 2nd, and, as they showed at first a preference for lettuce, they were reared on that plant, varied occasionally with slices of the root of garden carrot. 900 (February, Mr. Hellins tried some of them in a flower-pot with growing plants of dandelions and knot-grass, both of which plants were eaten, but apparently not so freely as the lettuce; but the worst part of the business was that the soil in the pot was in- fested with little earth-leeches, which destroyed most of the larvae. The rest were treated in the same manner as we had,been accustomed to deal with A. ripe ; 1.e., placed in a large pot with a quantity of sea sand, their food being laid on the sur- face, and here they prospered satisfactorily. On October 21st, some had grown about five-eighths of an inch long, and at that date figures were taken, and again on November 14th, when the most advanced had attained its maximum growth of one inch and one eighth in length. On the 24th December I had more examples of similar dimensions. The larva has a small head and anal segment, the body being plump and cylindrical, with a rather semi-circular inflation on the region of each spiracle ; the segmental divisions deeply cut; the legs and prolegs small in proportion. The colour of the back is at first dark ochreous brown, but changes gradually with its growth to brownish ochreous or dull ochreous; this tint is bounded on either side by the dark brown edge of the sub-dorsal line; there is a delicate mottling of rather darker brown of a pear shape on each segment, its broad end in front, through which runs the dorsal line, which is of the brown colour (paler when the larva is quite full grown), and is very thin at the beginning but expands almost into an elongated diamond form at the end of each segment, and is dis- tinctly edged with darker brown, particularly at its widest part. The sub-dorsal line is dark brown, having close beneath it a mere thread of very pale greenish grey; and from this to the spiracles, the sides are greyish brown; another pale thread, much interrupted, running a little above the spiracles. Below the spiracles is a very faint trace of a double dirty whitish line, all the rest of the lower and under surface being a pale greenish grey tint and semi-translucent. The head brown, the lobes and mouth marked with darker brown, and very shining. A dark brown plate on the second segment having three pale longi- tudinal lines. The spiracles are black, and the tubercular warty dots very dark brown each furnished with a very minute short hair. On the 14th January, 1868, I observed one larva no more than half grown, whilst the full grown larve had lost much of their distinctive markings by becoming more unicolorous in tint, a proof of their being now full fed. _ Witu1am Buckier, Emsworth. Correction of an error.—t suppose I must have fair-copied my sacraria note in a hurry, for I see that the last sentence on page 179 does not express what I meant to say: ‘‘ For we can scarcely suppose that the specimens taken year by year are fresh immigrants, or their offspring produced during the warmer months.” This is what I meant to write—perhaps it would have been clearer if I had made it longer :—“ are fresh immigrants, or the offspring of immigrants, which arrived in time to secure sufficient warm weather for the perfecting of their broods.— J. Hetuins, Exeter. 1868.) 201 ON SOME BRITISH DIAPRIAD#. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. Genus Sprtomicrus, Westw. Westw., Introd. vol. ii, Synops. p. 75. Hal., Ent. Mag., ., p. 274; N. H. Rev., vol. iv, p. 171. Forster, Hym. Stud., ii, pp. 128, 125. Thoms., Ofy., 1858, p. 369. Antenne ¢ 9 13-jointed; in the ? clavate at the apex, the club 5—6-jointed, much shorter than the body; in the 3 not longer than the body, 2nd joint shorter than the 8rd, 3rd joint longer than the 4th. Mesonotum with or without two longitudinal impressed strive originating at the scutellum, and becoming obsolete anteriorly. Scutellum with two deep oblong basal fover. Metathorax emarginate behind, the angles produced into two small teeth, carinated down the middle. Wings with a costal nerve and a sub-costal, which unite before the middle of the margin into an oblong punctiform stigma, the apex of which is produced obliquely and acuminated downwards in the direction of the disc, emitting from thence a short branch turned inwards towards the base, and sometimes slightly produced also towards the apex of the wing; the other nervures wholly indistinct. 2nd segment of the abdomen smooth and polished, embracing and concealing the apex of the petiole above ; furnished (like the petiole) with white villosity at its base laterally and beneath. Anterior tibize at the inner apical angle with a long curved spur. The other genera of this group possessing 13-jointed antenna are Paramesius, Westw., and Hemilewis, First. (= Entomacis, Foérst.), in both sexes,—the males of Idiotypa, Forst., and the females of Monelata, Forst. Paramesius, 6, is distin- . guished from Spilomicrus by having the 3rd joint of the antennz less than half as long as the 4th; the Y of Paramesius has the apex of the abdomen narrowly produced and acuminated, which in Spilomicrus, 2, is rounded and comparatively blunt. In Hemilewis, 3 2, the 2nd segment is grooved at the base, and the wings have no costal nerve. Idiotypa is similarly distinguished. The ¢ of Monelata has 14-jointed antennz ; the @ has the last joint remarkably large, forming a club of itself; and the minute size of the insects (much less than a line) renders them unlikely to be confounded with Spilomicrus. A. Antenna of the @ having the apical joint smaller than the preceding. a. Mesonotum bisulcate at the base, 1.—SPILOMICRUS STIGMATICALIS, Westw. ; Thoms., Otv., 1858, p. 369. Black, shining, antenne abruptly clavate, the club 5-jointed; wings slightly infumated ; legs, with the cox, ferruginous. 9°. Long. 1 lin. g. Antenne a little longer than the thorax, 2nd joint not much shorter than the 4th, legs fuscous. The antenne of the ? have the 2nd joint somewhat longer and thicker than the 3rd, 4—8 equal, moniliform, the club abrupt; petiole rather longer than the hind coxee. I have seen no specimens exactly answering the above description, taken from Thomson, who expresses no doubt as to the species being the type-insect of West- 202 [ February, wood. He must have had some additional means of identification beside the original diagnosis, ‘“‘ Niger, nitidus, pedibus obscure piceis, alis pallide flavescenti- fuscis, stigmate nigro,”—which is equally adapted to some other species of the genus. 2.—SPILOMICRUS BASALYFORMIS, n. sp. Niger, politus ; antenne nigre; articulus 2 totus, eeteri apice, ferruginei. Ale anuple, corpore longiores, flawo-hyaline ; ramus stigmaticus a stigmate extrorsum non productus ; nervus transversus conspicuus, ut in genere BASALYS. Tegule rufe. Meso- notum linets 2 basalibus impressis. Scutelli fovee fere in unam confuse. Metathorax rugulosus, dentihbus 2 conspicuis. Petiolus 4-sulcatus, 5te parti abdominis longi- tudine wqualis. Pedes ferruginei; tibie apice leviter infuscate ; cow, femora medio, tarsique wpice, nigra. 6. Long. 14; alar. exp. 3 lin. Described from five specimens, in Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. They may possibly be the same as the preceding, but do not agree with the descriptions. Taken in Leicestershire, and near London. 3.—SPILOMICRUS HEMIPTERUS, n. sp. Niger, politus; antennarum articuli 2—8 rufescentes, clava 5-articulata. Ale perbreves, capite cum thorace haud longiores, ramo sub-stigmaticali obsoleto, fusco- hyaline, breviter pilose. Tegule rufe. Caput et pronotum antice paliido-villosa. Pedes cwm coxis rufescentes, hirti; tarsi apice fusct. Mesonotum supra planiusculum, basi bdi-impressum, striis 2 cwrvatis antice divaricantibus. Scutellum leve, basi bifoveolatwm ; postice punctis nonnullis ante marginem transversim impressum. Metanotum opacum, sulcatum, dentibus 2 longiusculis. Petiolus bisulcatus, opacus. Abdomen thorace latius, levissimum, ellipticum, wpice parce villosum; oviscapti valvulis exsertis. 9. Long. 13; alar. exp. 1g line « I took this insect in the Metropolitan district. It differs from any described species in being sub-apterous, and in the form of the striz of the mesonotum, which are nearly entire, and regularly curved outwards from the basal fovea, instead of proceeding longitudinally towards the middle of the disc. It approaches nearest to flavipes, Thoms. Also found by Mr. Walker. 4.—SPILOMICRUS ABNORMIS, n. sp. Niger vel piceo-niger, politus, hujus generis minimus. Antenne corpore breviores, scapus bast, articulique 2—8 piceo-ruji, artic. 24Us 3° fere dwplo longior et latior, ovatus, 3 haud transversus ; clava 5-articulata; artic. 9 sequente dwplo minor, artic. penul- timus ultimo haud longior quidem, sed duplo latior. Cabut subcubicwm, thoract latitudine equale. Mesonotum glabrum, sulcis basalibus tantum inchoatis. Aloe abdomine longiores, subfumate, stigmate brunneo, costa view cernenda, nervo subcostali | distincto, ramo substigmatico nervoque transverso pallidis, inconspicuis. Abdomen thorace latius, breviter ovatum, depressum. Pedes cum cowis ferruginet; femorwm et tibiarum clave cum tarsorum apice, picescentes. 2. Long. 3; alar. exp. 13 lin. 3 differt antennis corpore paulo longioribus, monilifornibus, fusco-ferrugimeis, scapo obscuriore, articulo ultimo lineari, penultimo longiore, articulo 2° 4° breviore, 5—12 equalibus, haud transversis ; mesonoti suleis profundioribus ; abdomine thorace angustiore. Long. 2; alar. exp. 13 lin. | 1868.) 203 Several specimens are in Mr. Walker’s collection. Resembles a Lowotropa or an Entomacis, but belongs undoubtedly to this genus. aa. Mesonotum not bisulcate at the base. 5.—SPILOMICRUS INTEGER, Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 369. Black, shining ; legs with the coxe testaceous; club of the antenna sub-5- articulate, the 8th joint broader than the preceding; wings very slightly infumated. 2. 6. Antenne longer than the thorax, 4th joint almost twice as long as the 2nd. The @ is distinguished from flavipes, Thoms., by the antenne, which have the 9th joint conspicuously narrower than the 10th, the 8th transverse, broader than the 7th. Not uncommon in England. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. (To be concluded in our next.) Description of anew species of Dryinus, Latr.—While entomologizing last June on the barren and sunburnt slopes of the Spanish Pyrenees, near the village of Torla, I took, running on the ground, what seemed a large Gonatopus, but differing from others that I have met with in having wings, and in the length of its antenna. Subsequent examination, with the aid of various books, convinces me that I have here an undescribed species of the real Dryinus, Latr., not to be confounded with Dryinus, Nees. (Mon. 2, 370), or Dryinus, Walk. (Ent. Mag., 4, 418). As the present condition of Latreille’s genus is very unsatisfactory, owing to the extreme rarity of types, and its confusion with other allied forms, and with Methoca and Tengyra, I have thought it worth while to bring forward and describe the present insect. Latreille himself admitted that his genus was founded upon a single mutilated specimen, and it is far from clear that the individuals subsequently used by him in connecting the diagnosis were identical with the first, or even that they were anything more than Gonatopus, Ljungh. Dryinus, Latr., Gen. Cr. et Ins., iv, p. 40. Partium statura eadem fere ut in Gonatopide, sed antennarum art, primus arcu- atus, 3tius longissimus, sequentibus 3 bussimul sumptis equalis; 4-5 elongati lineares, 4tus 5to sesqui longior; 6-9 subzequales, paulo incrassati, ultimus precedente longior, acuminatus. Prothorax Gonatopidis ; mesothorax optime determinatus, elevatus; scutellum sat conspicuum, sutura basali transverse impressum. Metathorax elongatus, convexus, supra planiusculus, non-nisi apice declivis. Alz angustz, abdomine breviores ; nervus subcostalis stigma attingens ; nervus basalis in discum declivis ramulo occurrit nervi humeralis ex apice orto, et paulo etiam ultra in discum excurrit. Stigma elongatum, lineare, apice incras- satum. Nervus radialis incurvus, incompletus, sed nervo spurio wgre cernendo continuatus, cellulam cultriformem, alz apicem fere attingentem claudit; ramulum etiam retrorsum sub stigmate rejicit, quo cellula cubitalis unica quasi innuitur. Abdomen, pedes, cetera omnes, eadem quae in Gonatopide. 204 [February, DrYINUS TARRACONENSIS, n. sp, D. niger, segmento 1™9, ore, antennarum articulis 2 Yo basalibus totidemque apica- libus, rufis; alis fusco bi- ¥ J Sof fasciatis; femoribus nigris ; Qos SY fo uf’ tibiis tarsisque rufis, illis \ Ny yO Wg linea nigra superne, his apice : ge 5 nigris. &. S Long. 34; alar. exp. 3 lin. Hab. Hispaniam borealem. Antenne aterrime, ar- ticulis 2 primis cum basi tertii, duobusque ultimis totis, testaceis. Oris partes cum clypeo, oculorumque orbitee interne anguste, ‘. testacere. Caput reliquum nigrum. Vertex subtiliter rugulosus, carina longitu- dinali ocellos cum clypeo conjungente. Collum (quo @ scilicet caput prothoraci in- seritur) testaceum. Pro- Dryinus Tarraconensis, Marshall. thorax aciculatus, subobscurus, niger, lateribus et basi incerte rufescens. Meso- thorax et scutellum nigra, lineato-rugosa. Metathorax niger, fortius rugoso- punctatus. Abdomen elongato-ovatum, leve, nitidum, subtilissime parcius punctulatum, apice decurvum, acuminatum; nigrum, segmento primo (praeter petiolum marginemque posticum), piceo-rufo; ano testaceo. Femora omnia (antica fortius) clavata, nigra, apice ipso rufo; tibia 4 anteriores rufte, linea extrorsum nigra, postices nigra, basi ipsa rufee ; tarsi antici rufi, unguibus raptoriis pallidioribus,* medii et postici testacei apice fusco. Ale hyaline, bis fusco fasciate ; nervi fusci, basi et medio decolores ; stigma nigrum, dimidio basali albo; spatium etiam latum sub stigmate albidum, enerve.—T. A. Marsuatt, Milford Haven, November Ist, 1867. Capture of Neuronia clathrata, a Trichopterous insect new to Britain.—Amongst my captures of last season are three specimens of a Phryganideous insect, which my friend Mr. B. Cooke tells me is Neuronia clathrata of Kolenati. They were taken in Bishop’s Wood, Staffordshire.—JosrpH CHappELL, 18, Sheffield Street, Hulme, Manchester, 24th December, 1867. *.* Through the liberality of the captor one of these specimens (they are all males) is now in my cabinet. It is one of the most striking of the European * The right-hand anterior tarsus in the fig. has the raptorial claws open. In the left-hand anterior tarsus, the stout, curved, and strongly toothed inner claw is shut down upon the fourth and third joints; its point fitting against a sort of “ trigger guard’ springing from the latter.—E,. C. R. 1868.] 905 Phryganide. Old specimens are in the British Museum, from Children’s collection, without locality, and very doubtfully British. The two other European species, N. reticulata, Fab., and N. lapponica, Hagen, might be reasonably supposed to occur here; the former was noted as British by Turton. Clathrata may be immediately separated from reticulata, to which it is very closely allied, by all the tibizw being yellow, whereas in the latter the posterior pair only are of that colour; the appendices are also different. Lapponica has a somewhat different aspect, is larger, and wants the rich orange tint on the wings; the posterior pair also shew little trace of the dark median band present in the other two; this is indicated by Zetterstedt as a Lapland form of reticulata; vide “ Insecta Lapponica,” column 1061. All three species are very handsome, and present a striking contrast to the plain and common N. rujicrus, from which they cannot be generically separated. All frequent lakes and deep pools.—R. McLacuan. Stenophylax alpestris, Kolenati; a Trichopterous insect new to Britain.—Since his previous communication Mr. Chappell has sent me a box of Trichoptera for names, and in it are ‘three fine specimens of the above-mentioned insect, new to this country, and which had only hitherto occurred, so far as I know, in Carniola and Austria proper, in mountainous districts. It is very much smaller than any of our previously recorded species of Stenophylax. The ground-colour of the anterior wings is grey with whitish markings, viz., a large ‘ fenestrated spot,” a spot at the base of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th apical cells, a small one at the arculus, and many small indistinct dots most evident in the apical portion. The appendices are recog- nisably figured by Brauer in the “ Neuroptera Austriaca,” figs. 48 and 49. This interesting species was taken in Burnt Wood, Staffordshire. Mr. Chappell sends also a pair of Anabolia cenosa of Curtis, a rare species. These are from a now uncertain locality, but probably from the Manchester district, where Mr. Cooke has found it.—R. McLacuian, Forest Hill, London, 18th January, 1868. Descriptions of the British species of Protinides.—Originally intending only to make a few observations upon Megarthrus Bellevoyei, it occurred to me that it might be useful to some of our readers if I were to describe briefly the other species of the genus to which that insect belongs; and, when commencing to act upon that idea, I have thought it still more likely to be of assistance if I were to extend my descriptions to the few other members of the Protinides. This group, of small extent, is very well represented in our country; as we possess all the recorded European species with the exception of Megarthrus nitidulus, which, as it is found in Germany, I think is not unlikely to occur here. As originally characterized by Erichson, the tribe of Proteinini included (besides the mostly exotic Glyptoma), in addition to the genera to which it is now restricted, Micropeplus, and (with doubt) Pseudopsis. Dr. Kraatz revised it in the Berlin Ent. Zeit., vol. i. (pp. 45—53), and in the Ins. Deutsch. ii., 1019, gives the following characters for it :—Under-side of thorax horny behind the anterior coxa ; prothoracic stigmata hidden; 2nd segment of the abdomen beneath with a longi- tudinal ridge-like elevation in the middle of its base; anterior cox transverse, but little prominent, posterior cox transverse. The insects composing it are 206 [February, small and obscure, the largest being only a line in length ; and they occur in fungi, under vegetable refuse, and at the damp foundations of hay-stacks, often in pro- fusion. I have never under any circumstances found Megarthrus or Phleobium near bark, in spite of the habitat given for those genera by the usually precise Erichson (and as to the latter of them echoed by Kraatz). The structure of Phleobiwm is, however, very suggestive of sub-cortical habits; and, indeed, like Trogophleus, and apparently equally erroneously, it must have been named under the idea that it was in some way connected with trees. All our Protinides seem to point somewhat strongly towards the Nitidulide in the Necrophaga, both in the structure of their anterior coxze and in the commence- ment of a club to their antenne,—a character very evident in the allied Micropeplus, which has been, and still is, balloted about from one section to another. The Ist genus, PROTINUS, Latr., comprises certain very small, ovate, mode- rately convex, shining black insects, gregarious, and frequenting fungi. In it the three apical joints of the antenne are enlarged, the apical joint being the largest ; and the ridge on the 2nd segment of the abdomen is very slight In the males the penultimate segment of the abdomen is emarginate. 1. P. BrEvIcoLLis, Er., Ktz. This, the largest and most abundant species, is, when not dried up in setting, fully 1 line (English) in length. It is black, shining, rather flattened, with reddish testaceous legs, and entirely pitchy-black antenne. The elytra are sometimes pitchy-brown, the humeral callus being often lighter than the rest of the elytron. There is every probability that this is the P. ovalis of (Kirby) Stephens; but the “thorax with hinder angles faintly notched” of that author’s description is almost enough to remove his insect out of the genus. 2. P. BRACHYPTERUS, Fab., Er., Kr. Compared with P. brevicollis, this species is smaller (averaging scarcely { of a line), shorter, more convex, with less evidently punctured elytra, and with the basal joint of the antennew testaceous, the second joint also being sometimes not quite so dark as the remainder. It is almost as common as P. brevicollis. 3. P. macroprervs, Gyll., Er., Kr. This insect, much rarer than C. brachyp- terus, 18 also smaller, being scarcely grds of a line in length. It may readily be ‘distinguished by the two basal joints of its antennez being testaceous, and by its thorax being less rounded at the sides, and gradually narrowed from the base (not from the middle) towards the front. Its elytra, also, are rather lighter in colour. P. atomartius, Hr., Kr. Hasily known by its very small size (scarcely $ a line) and pitchy-brown colour, and by its antenne being, with the exception of the pitchy club, entirely testaceous. It seems to be as rare as P. macropterus. The next genus, MEGARTHRUS, Kirby, has the apical joint only of its antennze enlarged, the 2nd and 38rd joints of its maxillary palpi swollen, and equal in width, and the hinder angles of its thorax notched out. The ridge on the 2nd segment of the abdomen extends, according to Kraatz, over the whole depth of the segment, but it seems to me not to reach the hinder margin; and the males afford con- spicuous sexual characters in the middle and hinder legs, as well as in the under- side of the penultimate and ante-penultimate segments of the abdomen. The species of this genus are rather larger, flatter, and less oval than the 1868.) 207 Protini, and would appear to have a varied range of habits; for, though always found by me in fungi, hot-beds, or other vegetable matter, Hrichson, as above ‘mentioned, states that they live under bark, and Mr. F. Smith has observed that one of them is parasitic upon Saperda populnea. The latter peculiar habit is recorded in Westwood’s Introduction, vol. i. p. 365 (note). Kraatz erroneously quotes Westwood as stating that the larva of a species of this genus is parasitic upon the Saperda; but, whether larva or perfect insect, it seems to me that any connection between the Staph. and Longicorn could only have been through an accidental association. 1. MEGARTHRUS DEPRESSUS, Payk., Er., Kz. This very abundant species may be described as a type with which the others are to be compared. It varies slightly in size, the largest being 14 lin. in length, and is dull black in colour, almost entirely opaque, and very delicately pubescent, with the legs reddish-ferruginous, except the femora, which (and especially those of the hinder pair) are pitchy-black ; the elytra, also, are of a pitchy-brown tinge. The thorax (in the outline of which the principal superficial distinctive characters of these insects are to be looked for) is scarcely, if at all, wider than the elytra, and has a very distinct longitudinal medial channel; its anterior angles are obtuse and its sides gently rounded, the hinder angles being slightly notched out, with the angles formed by the lateral and basal ends of the emargination slightly obtuse. In the male all the legs are stouter than in the other sex; the posterior femora are thickened, with the tibis slightly curved. Erichson and Thomson omit any reference to the ventral characters, which are, however, pointed out by Kraatz ; the penultimate segment of the abdomen beneath (which, with the apical segment, is abruptly ferruginous-testaceous in colour) having a nearly semicircular notch in the middle of the hinder margin, and the ante-penultimate segment being slightly cut out in a somewhat semicircular way for its entire width, so that it is shallowest in the middle. The entirely dark colour of this insect will serve to separate it from all our recorded species but M. sinuatocollis, from which, however, it may be easily separated by the absence of any indication of angulation in the sides of its thorax, which, moreover, is narrower, its greater opacity, the incurved middle tibie in the male, &c. 2. M. nivipuius, Kraatz, Ins. Deutschl. ii, 1028, 2. This insect, not yet recorded as British, does not appear to have been observed out of Germany, judging from De Marseul’s last European Cat.; it seems also to have been unknown to de Sauley. Kraatz states it to be allied to M. depressus in the structure of its thorax, but to be readily distinguishable from that species through its legs and the basal joints of its antenns being red. It seems also, apart from thoracic characters, to differ from M. sinuatocollis in its somewhat narrower form, stronger punctuation, sparser pubescence, and less opacity. The structure of the middle and hinder femora and tibize of the male appear to be the same as in the same sex of M. hemipterus. 3. M. stnvaTocoL.is, Boisd. et Lac., Er., Kr. As the name of this species can hardly fail at times to be confused with that of M. denticollis, when quoting from 208 [ February, memory, it may be of use to remember the insect to which it refers by a mental inversion of the two names: sinuatocollis having the sides of its thorax much more toothed than denticollis, in which insect they are simply sinuate. M. sinuatocollis is apparently equally common with depressus, from which it | may be distinquished by the characters already given. It is also on the average rather larger and more robustly built than that species (for I fail to see that it is somewhat narrower, as Kraatz remarks; indeed, it seems to me to be just the reverse) with the thorax shallower and more transverse, and with a less distinct middle channel, the legs entirely red, and the punctuation of the elytra much stronger and not so close, so that they are much more shining. Although the entire insect (with the exception of its legs) is pitchy-black, the sides, and especially the hinder angles of the thorax, are of a lurid tinge, owing to their thinness, and not to any actual colour. The anterior angles of the thorax are obtuse ; close behind them is a distinct point ; the side is then rounded until the middle, where there is another and rather wider point, followed by a shallow emargination, the posterior and obtuse point of which forms the upper end of the large notch at the posterior angles of the thorax, the lower end of such notch forming at its junction with the base a very sharp point. The base itself is slightly emarginate over the scutellum, with a wider and more evident emargination on each side, meeting the lower end of the notch of the posterior angles. This structure of the base is more or less evident in all the species. In the male the middle and hinder femora are thickened, with their tibize considerably curved; beneath, the penultimate segment has a rather wide semi- circular emargination, and the ante-penult. is slightly hollowed out for its entire breadth. The emargination of the penult. segment is not so strong as in M. depressus. These male characters appear to have escaped both Erichson and de Saulcy. 4. M. BELLEVoYEI, de Saulcy, Ann. de la Soc. Ent. de Fr., 4™° série, 11 (1862) 69, pl. 2. This insect appears to be common in certain parts of the London district : IT get it in my garden here, unaccompanied by any other of its congeners. Its characters are very exhaustively given by de Saulcy, loc. cit. (who figures the thorax in all its allies), who compares it with M. denticollis, to which it is not so closely allied as to M. stnuatocollis. He appears to have found it very rarely ; but M. Ch. Brisout de Barneville (whom nothing appears to escape), at p. xlviii of the Bull. of the same vol. of Ann., records it as equally common with the latter species near Paris, and points out its true affinity. It is, I suppose, in consequence of the comparison with M. denticollis, that de Marseul (or his “ Brachelytrologist”) in the 2nd Ed. of his Cat. sinks M. Bellevoyei as synonymous with that species: in his more recent Cat. he omits it altogether. Hither course would appear almost an impertinence, in the face of so careful and correct a description as that of de Saulcy. The insect was first introduced into British lists by Mr. G. R. Crotch, who, in the 1st Ed. of his Cat., records it as synonymous with sinuatocollis, and in his 2nd Ed. places it (as Bellevoyit), as distinct, next to sinuatocollis. M. Bellevoyei is about the size of sinuatocollis, and exhibits the same thoracic angulation as in that species, but ina very much less degree. The thorax, moreover, is not so wide, and has distinct reddish lateral margins. The entire thorax and 1868. 209 elytra have also a lighter pitchy-brown tone, the apical margin of the elytra being often pale, and the two apical segments and hinder margin of the ante-penult, being always, and the lateral margins of all the segments sometimes, ferruginous- testaceous. It is not nearly so shining as sinwatocollis, being almost as closely punctured and opaque as depressus. In the male the apparent sexual characters are of very slight development ; the posterior femora and tibie exhibiting no increase or curving, and the interme- diate femora being very slightly enlarged, with the tibia scarcely perceptibly curved. The malé)in fact, is scarcely distinguishable from the female. Beneath, the abdomen exhibits the emarginations of sinuatocollis in a more marked degree. From M. denticollis it may be known by its greater opacity, the dark base of its antenne, the more angulated sides of its thorax, slightly developed male characters, &c. M. de Saulcy probably does not intend to rank any of his countrymen as super- ficial observers ; but he does so by stating that M. Bellevoyei has been confounded with M. depressus (!), on account of the colour of its antennze. 5. M. penricous, Beck, Er., Kr. Readily to be distinguished by the two basal joints of its antenne being yellow (the second joint being, however, sometimes pitchy), and its strong, almost asperate, punctuation, In colour it resembles Bellevoyei, but is rather lighter than that insect. The anterior angles of its thorax are somewhat flatly obtuse, and the sides very slightly and gradually sloped to the merest indication of a point in the middle, and thence ina similar way backwards to the notch of the posterior angles, which is sharp and rectangular at both its corners. In the male the middle and posterior femora are strongly thickened, the middle tibie curved, and the posterior tibie thickened and emarginate on the inner side before the apex, which exhibits a stout spur. The trochanters of the hinder femora are very stout and forked at the apex, reaching half-way along the under- side of the femora. The penult. segment has a wide emargination, and the ante- penult. is strongly and semicircularly hollowed out. Though found under similar circumstances with the preceding species, M. denticollis appears to be rarer than any of them. 6. M. uemirrervs, Ill., Er., Kr. This insect is very suggestive of certain species of Epurea, having even been described under the name of nitiduloides by Boisduval. Its larger size (often 14 lin.) and (with the exception of its black head) entirely ferruginous colour readily separate it from all the other species. It occurs at Mickleham and elsewhere near London, in fungi, &c., but cannot be considered common. In the male the middle tibiz are slightly curved near the base, the posterior femora are thickened, and the posterior tibiw are thickened, curved and produced in the middle of the inner side into a stout and sharp tooth, between which and the apex is a very evident semicircular notch. Kraatz notices the emargination of the 6th and 7th abdom. segments, which appears to have escaped both Hrichson and Thomson, possibly on account of there being no occasion to search for other than superficial distinctions for this species. / 210 | February, The genus PHLG@OBIUM, Dej., as in Megarthrus, has the apical joint only of its antennz incrassate, though scarcely so evidently as in the majority of the species of the latter: and the keel of the 2nd abdom. segment is sharper than in Protinus. Its single species, P. clypeatwm, Mull., Hr., Kr., is at once to be known by its possessing a single ocellus (or polished round prominence resembling an ocellus) in the middle of the vertex, between the true eyes. It somewhat resembles a very long and narrow specimen of M. hemipterus, with the head, in petto, of a Scarabeus, the anterior margin being strongly produced, and widely hollowed out in the middle. It averages 1} lin. in length, and is very dull, strongly punctured, and — entirely testaceous, except the eyes and antenns, which (barring the apical, and sometimes the basal, joint) are pitchy-black. It is not uncommon in cut grass, &. In the male the middle and hinder femora and tibie are slightly thickened, the — latter being curved, and, as it were, constricted on the inner side just below the middle. | It appears to have escaped the observation of Hrichson and Kraatz (Thomson . | . not recording the species), and possibly for the reason above suggested with regard — to the same characters in M. hemipterus, that in the male of this insect the apical segment itself has an evident longitudinal groove, the penult. segment has an angular emargination, the sides of which are thickened and elevated, so that the groove of the apical seement is, as it were, carried on to the penult. segment, and the ante-penult. segment is deeply hollowed out in a semicircular way for its entire width.—E. C. Ryr, 7, Park Field, Putney, 8.W., January, 1868. Notes on Coleoptera at Barmouth, Se.—Last August I bred a considerable number of Cryptarcha strigata, from a couple of large pear-shaped puff-balls, found on flat sandy pastures near the coast at Barmouth. This seems to be a very curious locality for the insect, which usually occurs under bark, at sap, or in Cossus- burrows, and is generally considered a tree-species. I also took commonly, in small silvery-grey puff-balls, in similar sandy places, the larve of Dorcatomea. boviste, from which I bred a good series of the perfect insect. On the sand-hills themselves I found the usual coast beetles commonly; e. g., Cicindela hybrida, Anomala (one of the green var.), Microzowm, Phaleria, Saprinus maritimus, Onytelus maritimus, Aleochara obscurella, &c. On Chatmoss I found a pair of the usually littoreal Philonthus wmbratilis, at the sap exuding from a freshly-cut fir-stump; and in October I took a pair of © Harpalus rupicola on muddy deposits of the Mersey, two or three miles from | Manchester, and far from any chalk.—J. Kipson Taytor, Thorn Cottage, Lime © Grove, Longsight, Manchester, 1st January, 1868. Captures of Lepidoptera in the Isle of Wight.—The season of 1867 is past, and | I can aver that insects here have not been nearly so plentiful as in 1866. The following remarks may not be uninteresting. Sallows were particularly unpro- ductive, although I worked very hard at them from February 23rd to April Ist. I could take nothing but common species, T. miniosa being the best. June pro- duced several dozens of M. Cinwia, L. Adonis, and A. luctuosa. Autumn turned out | more favourable. C. Edusa was plentiful, and I took two fine specimens of the | var. Helice. On August 21st I found eggs of Edusa, which hatched fwe days after- | | 1868.) 211 wards, and the larve fed well; I reared one (a 6), which emerged on October 7th On August 23rd I took §. sacraria, close to St. Helen’s Churchyard, on Hemp- _ Agrimony, and another on the 28th, near the same place, on the same plant. I was walking on the side of Brading Down, and, while beating among a quantity of Reseda lutea growing in the chalk-pit, was agreeably surprised to see a female P. Daplidice flutter into my net. A. saucia was plentiful at sugar, and also the common A. suffusa, C. difimis, &o., &e. In September A. pyramidea, C. nupta, X. | silago, &c., appeared at sugar. In this month blackberries produced X. cerago, silago, citrago, ferruginea, A. lunosa, and one C. exoleta, besides a host of commoner species. Ivy was very unproductive and very late in blossoming. I took only two D. rubiginea this season, although I was searching every night for more than a month; the first on October 19th, the second on November 17th.—JameEs INGRAM, Nettlestone, Ryde, December 16th, 1867. General Information. Death of Robert Bakewell, Esq.—This gentleman died on Christmas-Day last, at the age of 57. He was originally a Nottingham man, and was there engaged in the wool trade; but he afterwards resided in the Australian colonies for many years, and there formed a very extensive collection of insects. After his return he assiduously added to his collections, and became possessed of the celebrated collec- tion of Lamellicorn Coleoptera formed by the Marquis de la Ferté, including those of Dejean and Reiche. The most important part of this collection has been acquired by the British Museum. The Australian insects have been bequeathed to Dr. Howitt, of Melbourne, in whose hands we hope they will serve to instruct the numerous band of entomologists springing up in Australia. Mr. Bakewell was a Fellow of the Linnean Society ; he joined the Entomological Society of London in 1857, and that of France in 1860. We are not aware that he published any memoirs, but his name is connected with the specific appellations of several Cole- opterous insects. The American Entomological Society.—Under this more general title, the old Entomological Society of Philadelphia will henceforth be known; and _ its “* Proceedings” have been correspondingly altered. American State Entomologist.—We have every reason to believe that the State of Illinois is about to appoint to this newly-erected office, a gentleman in every way qualified for it ; one who has for years tried to induce his fellow-countrymen to adopt more rational remedies for the injuries inflicted upon agriculture and horti- culture by insect pests. We mention no name, as the appointment is hardly yet confirmed. The salary will be about £400 per annum. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, 6th January, 1868.—Sir Joun Lussock, Bart., F.R.S., &c., President, in the Chair. Professor Newton, M.A., F.L.S., &c., of Magdalen College, Cambridge, G. A. J. Rothney, Esq., of Addiscombe, and Stephen Barton, Hsq., of Bristol, were elected Ordinary Members ; and Baron Edgar von Harold, of Munich, a Foreign Member. Mr. Smith exhibited two examples of the species of Polistes taken at Penzance, alluded to in the ‘‘ Entomologist’s Annual” for 1868, pp. 87,88. He was unable to determine the insects as a described species, but they were closely allied to two 212 { February, South American forms; and he could not imagine by what means they had been introduced into Cornwall, supposing them to have been imported: he remarked upon the singular circumstance that they had been found two years in succession. Mr. Bates gave some details on the habits of the genus as observed by him in Brazil, tending to show that they were not likely insects to be accidentally intro- duced into Europe. The Rev. Douglas Timins exhibited an example of Charawes Jasius bred in England from a continental pupa; and also some very curious varieties of Argynnis Lathonia. Mr. McLachlan exhibited an example of Newronia clathrata of Kolenati, a — handsome Trichopterous insect new to this country, being one of three taken by | Mr. Joseph Chappell, in Staffordshire, in 1867. The Secretary exhibited pieces of the coffee-tree attacked by the “borer,” and the larva, pupa, and imago of the insect, which was reported to have done great damage to the coffee plantations of Southern India. The insect in question was a species of Clytus. The following papers were read: “‘ Remarks on Mr. Wallace’s Pieride of the Indian and Australian Regions,” by Mr. Hewitson. “On Burmeisteria, anew genus of Melolonthide,”’ by Mr. Frederick Schickendantz. ‘‘On the ‘ Borer-pest’ in the coffee-districts of Southern India,” by the Rey. G. Richter, of Coorg. A discussion arose on a question of the right of privately-printed descriptions — to carry priority, with especial reference to a pamphlet on Buprestide printed for, and distributed by, the late Rev. F. W. Hope, but never actually published. The majority of the Members present were of opinion that the names there given by Mr. Hope were not entitled to priority. ASPECTS OF INSECT LIFE IN SOUTH-EASTERN AFRICA. BY ROLAND TRIMEN, M.E.S. The naturalist has many pleasures incident to his special study ; but few of these equal the delight with which he views for the first time a region in which he is about to meet Nature in a garb that, though it may not be wholly strange to him, is yet, in essence and | reality, new to his mind and senses. By none of the votaries of Nature is this pleasure more keenly felt, both in anticipation and realization, | than by the entomologist. To him, indeed, Nature is more prodigal | of her treasures than to any other, and it would be strange if his — grateful appreciation of her favour were not proportionate. It was with some such feelings as these that, towards the end of — January last, I watched, from the deck of the mail steamer, the long — line of sandy coast, and the lofty “ bluff” on either side of the narrow entrance of the Bay of Port Natal. The background was closed by a long range of densely-wooded hills, suggestive of inexhaustible entomo- _ logical novelties. Our arrival was signalised by a thunderstorm of | 1868. | 213 tropical grandeur; but the floods of rain that were falling did not prevail with the steamer’s captain to postpone for a little the disem- barking of his Natal passengers,—a process of extreme simplicity in that part of the world. It must be understood that the steamer lies outside in the open ocean, and that a clumsy cargo-boat comes out to her, across the bar, from the inner anchorage. Into this cargo-boat the passengers, with their baggage, are graciously allowed to drop or scramble, as well as the long rollers of the Indian Ocean will admit of their doing. This accomplished, away goes the steamer (if, as usual, late with the mails) for Mauritius or Port Elizabeth, as the case may be, and the boat, with its forlorn human freight, flounders and wobbles through the waves, and risks the dangers of the bar, before terra firma can be reached. But it is not my object to dilate upon these incidents of travel, and I will accordingly proceed to give some account of my impressions of the entomological aspect of Nature in Natal. And first, let me de- scribe a winter’s day at Port Natal itself. The reader, then, will be pleased to imagine himself with me in the Botanic Gardens at Port Natal, a spot where an entomologist might profitably spend a lifetime. Let no one imagine this to be a trim and ordered garden such as he is accustomed to see in Europe. From the dense forest which clothes the long, low hill-range of the “ Berea,” en- circling the greater part) of the lagoon, a limited space has been gradually won by sheer labour of fire and steel. The principal native trees have wisely been left standing im sitw, and interspersed among them are trees, shrubs, and flowers, not merely from the adjacent regions of Africa, but from all the warmer parts of the world. The dark back-ground of forest shuts in the garden on the north and west, a road skirting the southern side; but eastward one looks from the highest part of the slope, over a wide view of the lagoon, the town of D’Urban, and the open sea beyond. Here, then, we must suppose ourselves stationed, about 7 a.m., fronting the newly-risen sun, which is dispersing the mists that still cling to the wooded hills. The silence of the morning is only broken by the voices of birds, and the occasional distant shouts of Kafirs going to work. Insect life is yet perfectly dormant ; the nocturnal tribes have retired, and those that love the day are not yet aroused. It is in vain that one examines leaves and flowers, or beats the branches of trees just at this time ; there seem to be no insects alive. An hour passes, and by this time the sun is at some altitude, and his rays begin to penetrate the trees and under- growth. You turn from looking at the sun, and lo! diurnal insect life 214 reeriaee} : has suddenly begun. Not only are flies buzzing about you, but active Hesperiide (the last of butterflies to retire to rest, and the earliest to rise) are darting about the sun-lit leaves of the mango and orange trees. As you watch one of these “skippers,” which is conspicuous from its size and white markings, you are surprised to find him abruptly disap- pear. You watch for a little, and he is about again in a wonderful : i bustle, but only to vanish as mysteriously as before. On this occasion © you mark the exact leaf on which he seemed to settle for an instant, when you are close to it, you see the leaf quiver a little,—there is something underneath it :—you stoop to look, and there is the butter fly clinging to the underside of the leaf, with all his wings expanded — as neatly as those of one in your cabinet.* This is no freak of an individual, for you soon observe several others conducting themselves in precisely the same manner. And now the Pieride begin to appear ; first the white and yellow Pieris Agathina, and, soon after, P. Severina ; and these, with an occasional Danais Echeria floating about, hold the ground till the forenoon is well advanced. Then a grand outburst of Lepidoptera takes place, quite bewildering one with their number and variety, but chiefly belonging to the Pieride. Among the herbage numerous bright yellow Zerias are slowly flitting, the more active species of Pieris and beautiful red-tipped Anthocharis, pursue each other about the flowers, while swift white or yellow Callidryades and Eronie hurry past like meteors. The Mymphalide are tolerably numerous in species, though not in individuals; four Junonie, two Diademe, Eunica Natalensis, and an occasional rapid Nymphalis or Philognoma contributing to swell the Rhopalocerous gathering; while numerous Lycenide, perched on the blossoms, or chasing each other in the air, add their colour and life to the scene. Nor are butterflies alone conspicuous ; several day-flying moths, more than rivalling them in brilliancy, are whirring through the clear air, or busily rifling the nectaries of flowers; the most striking being the large, glittering “Burnet,” Glaucopsis formosa, and the splendid Hyybolia Vaillantiana, shot with metallic green and purple, and barred with intense orange. You are struck with the scarcity of active Coleopterous life at this season; though, as will be seen hereafter, at a later period of the year there is no ground for complaint in this respect. At present, the smaller Oetoniide principally attract notice, with their heads buried among the florets of composite flowers. You must dig among decaying wood, if you would see the larger members of the Lucanide, Hlateride, and other forest-loving beetles. * his habit, even more than their rapid—but much-interrupted—flight, must be of great service - to the numerous Hesperiide that exhibit it, in enabling them to escape from pursuing or observant enemies. It isonly constant among those that carry all the wings fully expanded when settled, and which are thus most liable to attract notice.—R. T. 1868. ] 215 But let us leave for awhile the brilliant sunshine, with its life and colour, and endeavour to realize in the shades of the wood that this is winter time! Here are pathways cut through the underwood, and the shade cast by trees so dense that it is like darkness to you at first. How much colder it feels here! One sees but little insect life till one watches carefully. But look at all those very long-bodied, slender dragon-flies that are slowly steering their way about the low plants: what thorough creatures of the shade are they, and how different from their swift brethren of the waterside! Moths of various kinds rise from the dry leaves and herbage on which you tread; and then sud- denly rises up the large red-brown Cyllo Leda, a butterfly that never voluntarily leaves the “dim, religious light” of the woods, and delights to settle in the darkest corners on the dead leaves to which it bears so close a resemblance. Where the sunshine breaks through the screen of foliage, yellow-banded and spotted Hesperiide are merrily darting about; and even dark Satyride of the genus Mycalesis, quitting for a few minutes the shades they love, chase each other slowly over the moist earth. Long files of large ants, with most vicious-looking man- dibles, traverse the ground in a determined and business-like manner ; one energetic set is dragging along a huge dark crimson Jwlus, which has been partly crushed by some passing foot, but retains sufficient life to struggle against its myriad foes. Plainly, the aspect of the woods only serves to convince the entomologist that there is no “winter of his discontent” on the coast of Natal. And now let us glance at the richer, fuller life of summer in the same region. To do this, we will transport ourselves to the wider and less broken forest that lies at the back of the Berea. It is almost the “deep mid-noon,” and, in the open where you stand, the sun pours down a flood of heat that makes you glad to rest awhile under the friendly shade of a large “flat-crown” Acacia. The heat, however, does not at all discompose your Kafir collector, who has encountered a sable friend, and squats with him in the full sunlight, glad of any excuse to do nothing. The indispensable snuff is produced on both sides, from a small fur bag which is carried, faute de poche, in a neat roll thrust through the lobe of the ear. No word is uttered for a little, each gixing himself up to the full enjoyment of the snuff, which educes long- drawn sighs and copious tears of delight. In the conversation that ensues, it is plainly to be gathered that the friend is much puzzled by your Kafir’s net and collecting box, and notably by the contents of the latter; but though your “intelligent Zulu” is not much more enlightened on the meaning of insect-collecting than was Punch’s chaw- 216 [February, bacon on that of “ Protection,” he has no difficulty in explaining, to . his acquaintance’s admiration, that you are a great chief who allows him so much a month besides his food, and gives him very light work. It is ten to one, after this, that the two set up a barbaric chant in your — honour, the object of which is to extract from you a “pen,” or penny, which in Kafir computation means a threepenny bit. As you amusedly ~ watch the two Africans, and admire their symmetrical proportions and easy flow of language, you half envy them their simple enjoyment of life. They have no cares, they take no thought for the morrow. — Tailors’ bills are as much unknown to them as tooth-ache. No wonder they are always langhing and singing. It is doubtful whether, if they © could be brought to understand them, they would vex their brains much 99 66 over theories of “ natural selection,” “‘ centres of creation, “ glacial ”»—. A deep red butterfly, floating slowly past just in front of you, cuts short your philosophical reflections. It settles on a leaf of the bush to your right, where it lazily basks with open, slightly-wavering wings. — It is the beautiful Acrea Petrea ; and as you look up at the wall of tree-foliage and twiners behind you, you find the place alive with this butterfly. Conspicuous as they are, they lazily float through the warm air, or settle in the most exposed situations, with the utmost security. Other butterflies hurry about, scarcely giving themselves time to take food, or seem, if slow fliers, to seek concealment among the foliage. But these Acree are the very aristocrats of the, Rhopalocera; they will not hurry themselves for anything. Flash! comes a great dragon- fly, glittering in mail of blue and green, right through the fluttering throng. Surely he has one of the idlers in his jaws, as he settles on a bare twig at some distance. You cautiously approach ;—the victim is no Acrea, but a luckless yellow Pieris, and Afschna the terrible is making short work of her. While you are wondering what was the reason or this selection, one of the Acree, perfect in depth of colour, passes within such easy reach that you net him without effort. The first thing the captive does is to feign death in a very admirable manner ; but, knowing the gentleman previously, you are not taken in by this. Finding this of no avail, he suddenly struggles mightily to escape, but your practised fingers close upon him. This treatment induces him to try his last and (usually) most effective means of dis- gusting his captor, and he forthwith, from various joints of his body, suffers to ooze forth a clear yellow liquid, which exhales a disagreeable odour, and strongly stains your fingers. But you are proof against this even, and he is securely pinned in your box, after the administra- tion of what you consider a very sufficient pinch of the thorax. (868. } 217 Your much-besnuffed Kafir here approaches, exhibiting with pride a mangled assortment of captures, the majority of which consists of Danais Chrysippus and D. Echeria. As you clear the pins of most of hese useless specimens, you have the pleasure of acquiring a large amount of a similar kind of yellow fluid to that so liberally bestowed by the Acrea. The Kafir’s pinches are no joke, as too many ruined rarities have often convinced you; but such is the elasticity of these Danaide that nearly all of them, on the withdrawal of the retaining pins, flag off in a nonchalant manner as if nothing had befallen them, and the remainder only appear rather stupified. The Zulu now indi- cating that there is something to be seen close by, you follow him to an inlet of the open, where there is a large thorny bush covered with sweet-scented white flowers. And the flowers are covered with insects of all orders. Strong Cetoniide jostle aside the slender Callichrome ; flower-like Mantide have not long to wait for their prey; in imitation of these the Neuropterous Mantispa lifts its long arms ; and black-and- red Reduvic, of malignant aspect, lurk for victims among the corollas. Above the bush, now hovering, now settling, are swarms of Lepidoptera and Diptera, most of them eager for nectar, and through the crowd there ever and anon bursts a great heavy Xylocopa with her angry buzz. The broad, painted wings of the Lepidoptera, apart from their reckless activity, of course render them the most conspicuous members of this assemblage. It is evidently here that the Zulu has taken his Danais Echeria, for that butterfly abounds on and about the flowers. Catch a few specimens; you find them behave precisely as the Acrea did. Try another, that floats above you, just within reach. How active this fellow is; he won’t “sham dead” in the least. And surely he is much stouter about the thorax; besides, what a big head and palpi! Why, it’s a Diadema—and not a Danais at all!! Yes, turn it over ay much as you please, you can’t make anything else of it; and yet you could have taken your oath it was an Hcheria. After this dis- covery, you keep on catching the Danais, and make your Kafir do the same, in the hope of getting others of the delusive Diadema; but your combined efforts are in vain, and you begin to understand that you have taken a rarity. After filling almost all your boxes from this favoured spot, a tre- mendous chorus of Oicade attracts you towards a neighbouring Acacia. When you are close to the trunk, the sharp ring of the insects’ note makes you certain that these musicians are sitting just before your eyes, but, for the life of you, you can’t see them. At length, when 218 [Mareb, . your nose is all but touching the tree, wuz-squeak-wuz! a fellow takes the alarm and is off, just brushing your face. Another follows; and the concert stops in your immediate vicinity. A few minutes’ patience, and they strike up again. You are getting to know the trunk now,—_ you scan it narrowly—something moves ; and lo! the whole choir is at last visible—half-a-dozen stout, bull-headed individuals, sitting close | together, with their abdominal plates vibrating most rapidly. You no— longer marvel at the difficulty of discovering them, for their bodies are | coloured with greenish and grey, so as closely to imitate the surface on — which they sit; and their wholly transparent wings, which cover the abdomen, obscure any distinct outline of the insect. | A fluttering above your head makes you look up. Two large butterflies, which you at once recognize as species of Mymphalis (Charaxes) are hovering about a moist spot on one of the branches, and the beating of their strong wings against the adjacent twigs causes — the sound which you heard. They settle, and you at once see that | there is quite a cluster of insects on that particular part of the branch, all sucking away at the exudations from the bark. Besides the two species of Nymphalis, there are half-a-dozen examples of Hunica Natal- ensis, several of Hurytela Hiarbas, a fine Philognoma, and a sturdy little Zoxura. Beetles, too, are busily feeding: the fine “ Goliaths,” Hudicella Smithii and Amaurodes Passerinii are in great force, not to mention several smaller Cetonias ; while every available space is occu- pied by Diptera and Hymenoptera of various sorts. Towering above them all, a very skeleton at the banquet, is a monstrous green Mantis, with a half-devoured butterfly in its paws. This is indeed a chance for making a good “ bag ;” and you accordingly get the long bamboo from your Kafir and fix the hoop-net to the end. The bamboo is fortunately of sufficient length, but, as you steady it, you soon perceive that to capture the whole company “at one fell swoop” will be impossible, from the nature of the branch. You therefore specially keep your eye on the Goliaths and Mymphalis Brutus, as you make your stroke. The net sweeps along the branch, dispersing all the revellers and capturing some seven or eight. While securing the specimens, you observe a little space sprinkled with the wings of butterflies and other insects, lying just beneath the branch. On examining these, you notice that some of them are gnawed at the base, and others have portions of the thorax still adhering to them. This is clearly the work of that big Mantis which you saw eating a butterfly on the tree, and which is now kicking about at the bottom of the net. Butterflies of most Families have their remains scattered here ; but you observe no wings of Danade 1868.) 219 or Acreide. Is the absence of the latter due to those butterflies not frequenting the universally attractive liquid that exudes from these Acacias, or must we suppose that the Mantis does not approve of such strong-scented and probably distasteful food? Further observation must decide this point; but, judging from the abundance of the two Families in question, and their custom of constantly taking nourish- ment, it would seem improbable that they should entirely forsake a food so generally sought by other Rhopalocera. Before you have safely bestowed the last of your captures, insects are again eagerly crowding to the white, gummy secretion on the lofty branch. If you return to the spot again and again, you are pretty sure to find something worth having. As you make your way back through the woods toward the town, you are probably struck by the variety of Acreide that cross your path. Besides A. Petrea, eleven other species haunt these forests, and most of them are very common. ‘The rarest, perhaps, is A. pwncta- tissima, the smallest and least conspicuous of all; but even this should rather be termed local than rare. You will do wisely to take a look round the Botanic Gardens before going indoors for your dinner, and afternoon’s work of setting out and registering your captures. The Gardens (which we have already seen in winter time) are a grand resort for all kinds of insects ; and, more than that, you are certain of a hearty welcome and a cool drink from the Superintendent, who is, moreover, a practical naturalist and collector, and will put you up to many an entomological wrinkle.* Here you will notice, entomologically, considerable changes, as compared with your winter visit. The higher temperature has brought to birth a crowd of insects that did not then appear. This is specially noticeable in the Lepidoptera. If there are fewer of the Pieride which were formerly so common, their place is more than filled by others of the same family, and some that were scarce then are abundant now. The thickly-blossomed rows of Vinca rosea, that border the long paths, are alive with butterflies, and notably with the fine Papilio Demoleus and Eronia Cleodora. It is worth a journey to Natal, to see and cap- ture in its perfection the snowy-white Anthocharis Ione, with its wing- tips of glittering-violet and black. This lovely creature abounds in the woods adjoining the Gardens, but is much less easily taken there, flowers being so much scarcer. The black Papilio Nireus, striped with Dene eee ae * 1 may be permitted to mention that the gentleman to whom I here allude is Mr. M. J. M’Ken, to whose energetic efforts D’Urban is indebted for its fine series of exotic plants, and the principal British and Colonial Gardens for the botanical treasures of Natal and the adjacent regions. 220 { March, blueish-green, which is common through nearly all Southern Africa, seems to attain its maximum of development at Natal, and may be taken in dozens. Fitting about leaves or flowers, and constantly settling, may frequently be seen the beautiful “ Blue,” Lolaus Silas, the under-surface of whose wings is satiny-white with a single blood-red streak ; and occasionally the rare Loxura dermaptera bears him com- pany. Coleoptera, too, form a much more marked feature of the scene than formerly. Large red-and-black Longicorns are constantly on the wing in the hot sunshine, awkwardly sailing past with every limb ~ stretched out; and the beautifully variegated Lamia Bohemanni is common about Erythrina-trees. Phytophaga are likewise active ; the burnished “ pearly-gold” of the Casside particularly striking the eye. Cetoniide are more numerous than of yore; and an occasional member of the Buprestide shames even them by its brilliant hues. You are hurrying from the too seductive scene, when you come | full upon a great mass of Lantana in flower, and are straightway rooted to the spot. What lepidopterist, what entomologist, nay, what naturalist of any description, could pass by such a sight as this? All that you have hitherto seen of insect abundance is nothing to what is now before you. Every head of blossom on the great bank of Lantana has its eager visitants, nearly all of them lepidopterous. The numbers confuse you at first, but you soon begin to master the details. Those numerous Sphingide reduce themselves to two species, the clear-winged Sesia Hylas,and the brown-and-orange Macroglossa Trochilus. The proboscis of the former is so short, that you see he has to rest his fore- tarsi on the edge of a flower while he pumps up the honey; but none of the many specimens of the Macroglossa have to do this. The bulky, bustling Hesperide, that are feeding about the lower flowers, belong to the genus Ismene; there are three species, and it is difficult to say which of them is the most impudent and pugnacious. The lofty summit of the bush is astir with the incessantly-vibrating wings of Papilios ; besides your common friends Mireus and Demoleus, there are the many-spotted P. Leonidas and the scarce and delicate P. Pylades, not to mention a stately P. Merope with his long tails. But why does the last-named Papilio trouble himself to give chase to one of the many Danais Echeria hovering near? See, here they both come back ; now’s your time to net them together. What a nuisance ! You have only netted the Hcheria. But stop a minute: zs it Hcheria ? No! by all that’s wonderful, another Papilio, and none other than P. Cyrea of Stoll. When you get home, expand side by side the Danais, | 1868.) 291 the Diadema that you took in the forest, and this Papilio, and then ask any ordinarily intelligent person whether he or she sees any difference between them: he or she will almost certainly reply that you are joking, and that of course they are all the same butterfly. After this, you had better proceed to ask yourself what this wondrous imitation of a common butterfly by two scarce ones of entirely different groups means. But it would be tedious to recount all the forms of interest and beauty which crowd this limited flowery space ; how you mistake the female of Diadema Bolina for the Danais Chrysippus near which she sits; or how you capture, for the first time, the splendid Junoma Anacardii, the living gloss of whose pearly wings contrasts strangely with your memory of some ancient and battered specimens that have hitherto represented the species in your cabinet. It is high time to change the scene. Remove we, then, to the uplands at some distance from the coast. On these undulating grassy downs, extending far and wide to the boundary-ranges of mountains, how clear and exhilarating is the air, how bright the wayside flowers and dew-laden herbage. Nature seems to rule here with a more placid and cheerful sway than on the torrid coast. The very oxen that draw the cumbrous waggon, which you have learned to regard as your home for the nonce, feel the relief of this high’ plateau, and step out quite briskly, without need of the incentive usually supplied by the loud crack of the driver’s whip. You walk on ahead, enchanted with this charming climate, and almost induced by the beauty of the orchids and Giadioli around to abjure your profession and swear allegiance to Flora. Beetles evidently have it much more their own way up here. On the grass-grown waggon-track that you are following Ateucha and other Coprophaga are hard at work, bearing witness to the fact that another waggon has passed not long since. Slow Heteromera, of a grave and venerable aspect, are also perambulating the path: they remind one of nothing so much as elderly gentlemen taking a “constitutional,” for they seem to have no particular object in view, and stop occasionally in a yague manner, as if for want of breath, or perhaps pondering whether they have walked far enough. The rugose Rhyncophora that toddle about are even slower, and seem the very tortoises of the insect world. A rapid Anthia or Cicindela now and then hurries past at a very different pace; they are evidently on business, and look as if they feared to be late for their train. If you wander from the track among the long grass, you are sure 222 | March, od to put up some huge Myrmeleons, of the genus Palpares, the spotted and variegated aspect of whose long wings will probably cause you to mistake them for moths. Though much like those other conspicuous members of their Order, the Dragon-fiies, these great insects are very unlike Libellulide in their flight, flapping wildly and irregularly about, as if their muscular apparatus were too weak to wield their stretch of wings. In repose, the wings are folded above each other so as to form an acute-angled roof above the abdomen. They differ in this respect from the long-horned Ascalaphi, which deflect the wings on either side, and hold the abdomen erect, or nearly so. As for Grasshoppers, they are in legions, but chiefly of one kind— a large green-and-brown species ; though now and then a slender, long- legged and long-headed Fruwalis starts up almost from under your feet, and flies for a short distance with a sharp clicking sound. Butterfly life differs widely in this treeless region from its aspect on the wooded coast. The only Papilio that appears is P. Demoleus, and there seem to be but stray specimens of that. The ubiquitous Danais Ohrysippus, of course, is prevalent ; but the Pieride, so numerous in the lowlands, here find their only representatives in Colias Electra and Pieris Hellica, both insects of wide distribution. Two beautiful Acree, very rare on the coast, have their head-quarters in these parts, viz., A. Nohara and A. violarum, both red, with rows of black spots ; but for the numerous coast species, with the exception of A. serena, you look in vain. But the great feature of these green expanses, as in similar parts of the Cape Colony, is the multitude of Hrebia Sabacus. Far as you can see, hundreds of this sober-tinted Satyride are flitting about the grass, or basking on the flowers. Nor must the richly-painted Junonia of the hills be forgotten; the blue-and-red J. Amestris; its duller but more harmoniously-coloured ally, Anchesia ; the large dark- red Octavia ; and the gaily-varied Ceryne ; alladd a charm to the scene, and by their boldness and activity cannot fail to attract notice. Then, if you are in luck’s way, at some point where the road cuts into the side of a hill higher than ordinary, you may fall in with the Meneris Pulbaghia, settling under the edge of the bank, and may profitably speculate whether you should class it with the Mymphalide or the Satyride. * * * * % * * I feel it to be necessary to close this series of rambling reminis- cences of insect-collecting in Natal, or I shall run on indefinitely. “ Caviare to the general,” as they must ever prove, I can at least submit them to the readers of this Magazine, resting assured that, 1868.] 223 faintly as my words reflect that which I would describe, they will awaken in many minds kindred memories of happy days in the past. And if, in addition to this, they afford to any one a useful hint for _ future work, or suggest a fruitful thought, their object will have been attained. London: December, 1867. ON SOME BRITISH CYNIPIDZ. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Continued from page 174.) Genus Diastrropuvs, Hartig. Maxillary palpi 5-, labial 3-jointed, the two last joints appendicu- lated. Antenne cf the ¢ 14-jointed, somewhat thickened towards the apex, the 3rd joint half as long again as the 4th; of the 9 13-jointed, the 3rd joint only a quarter as long again as the 4th; the joints from the 4th to the penultimate, in both sexes, decreasing gradually in length; the last joint longer than the preceding, lanceolate. Body glabrous in D. rubi (pubescent in D. scabiose). Mesothorax large, ele- vated, gibbous, with two deep longitudinal sutures, hardly converging posteriorly, and a medial suture abbreviated in front; all the sutures punctulate ; interstices shining, but with very minute and shallow punctures. Scutellum separated from the mesothorax by a transverse suture, rugose, pubescent, nearly hemispherical as seen from above, with two small basal foveole. Metathorax rugose, perpendicular. Abdomen of the ¢ compressed, the first segment occupying one-half of its length, the following gradually shorter; ovipositor directed upwards and outwards, shorter than half the height of the abdomen; in the g the abdomen is smaller, less compressed, and the 8rd and following segments are retracted within the 2nd, except the apical one, which projects in a short cone. Wings ample; nervures as in Cynips ; areolet small, basal ; the sub-costal beyond the middle, the base of the radial cell, and the two complete sides of the triangular areolet, in- crassated. : Diastrophus, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, 194; 4, 410; Tasch. Hym., 123. Diastrophus rubi, Hart. Black ; parts of the mouth, antenne at the base, squamule, and legs, ferruginous ; extreme base of the coxw and apex of the tarsi, black. 224 [March, Face, and sides of the thorax partially, aciculated. Abdomen nigro- piceous; of the 2, often reddish beneath. Wings hyaline, nervures 1 reddish-brown. ¢¢. Long. 1—14; alar. exp. 33—4¢ lin. Var. a. With a fulvous patch on each side of the thorax, before the tegule. | Var. b. With a falvous patch as in var. a, and with the disc of the | mesothorax and scutellum variegated with fulvous or testa- — ceous. An extreme example of this variety is described, by mistake, on p. 101, as Andricus Hartigi. That name must | be suppressed, and the description considered as referring to. this place. Not to be confounded with Oynips rubi, Schrank, Ins. Austr., p. 320, No. 646, which is a Callimome, probably parasitic in the bramble- gall. Another parasite is Hurytoma habrotani. D. rubi forms the strumous enlargements frequently seen on the stems of Rubus cesius. These galls are figured by Reaumur, Ins., t. 3, pl. 36, f.1—5. Fig. 4 represents the larva magnified ; it has two oval brown spots on the last segment but one. Beside the preceding, two other species of Diastrophus have been described ; D. aceris (Férst), Kaltenbach, Ver. nat. Ver. d. pr. Rheinl., 1856, p. 171; and D. scabiose, Giraud, Verh. Zool. bot. Gesellsch. Wien, 1859, p. 868,—which are both likely to be found in this country. Genus SpaTuEecaster, Hartig. Antenne @ 15-jointed, longer than the body, slender, filiform ; 8rd joint nearly twice as long as the 4th ; 4-14 gradually decreasing in length, 14 and 15 equal, the latter acuminated ; of the 9 13-jointed, hardly longer than the head and thorax; 8rd joint as in the ¢, 4th longer than the 5th, 6—13 much shorter, and gradually incrassated to the apex. Mesothorax convex, gibbous, hardly shining, sub-coriaceous, with three obsolete longitudinal sutures ; at each hinder angle is a foveola. Scutellum separated from the mesothorax by a wide, sinuated depression; oblong, sub-coriaceous, faintly margined, hardly shining. Metathorax nearly perpendicular. Petiole of the ¢ one-third as long as the hind coxe ; of the ? very short. Abdomen of the 2 much compressed, the dorsal ridge rising above the scutellum; viewed laterally, sub-orbicular, truncated behind; ovipositor hardly exserted. Abdomen of the ¢, viewed from above, linear, compressed, much smaller than that of the ?, its dorsal ridge not rising nearly as high as the scutellum; viewed laterally, spathuliform, its upper edge convex, the lower edge straight. Wings as in Neuroterus. 1868. 225 Spathegaster, Hart., in Germ. Zeits. 2,194; Tasch. Hym. 128. This genus differs from Newroterus in having the maxillary palpi 5-, and the labial 3-jointed (which in Newroterus are respectively 4- and ‘2-jointed), and from Trigonaspis in having the dise of the mesothorax sub-coriaceous instead of glabrous, the labial palpi without apical appendages, and 8- instead of 2-jointed (cf. p. 125 of this vol., Malpighii). The length of the petiole in the g Spathegaster is also a good distinctive character. Spathegaster baccarum, Linn. Black, shining ; abdomen glabrous, the rest of the body covered with fine irregular strie and punctures; the elevated portions of the thorax and scutellum nearly glabrous. Antenne fuscous, straw-coloured at the base. Ocelli red. Wings very ample, sub-hyaline, pubescent, having the same nervures as Newroterus Malpighii, suffused with brown and incrassated, but more deeply, and the radial vein more distinct. Legs straw-coloured ; cox at the base, and tips of the tarsi, blackish. $9. Long. 1—1}; alar. exp. 4—4¢ lin. The synonymy of this species appears to be as follows :— Cynips quercis-baccarum, Lin., F.8., 1522; Fab., S.E., 2, 101; Piez., 144; not of Cuv., R. An. Ins., pl. 118, f. 3, nor P Fonseol., Ann. Se. Nat., 26, p. 197. Cynips quercis-pedunculi, Lin., F.S., 1524; Fab., 8. E., 2,102; Curt., in Gard. Chron., 1844, p. 499, fig. with gall; Westw., in Loudon’s Arboret. Brit., vol. 3, p. 1824; ete. Oynips interruptric, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, 207 (gall only). Spathegaster interruptor, Hart., in Germ. Zeits, 3, 341. Figures of the gall are also to be found in Malpighi, pl. 16, f. 56, and Reaumur, Ins., vol. 8, pl. 40, f.1—6. The gall is of two kinds, one the globose, pellucid pea-gall found on the under-side of oak-leaves (Q. baccarwm), the other occurring on the male flowers of the oak, in clusters, which “resemble in form, size, and colour, bunches of the champagne currant. Oaks are sometimes covered with them as thickly as currant-bushes with their fruit. They once occurred at Coombe Wood in profusion in the middle of May ; also at Wingham, in Kent, and Enfield.” (Curt., Gard. Chron., 1. c.) It is to this latter gall that the name of Q. pedunculi refers. Hartig first observed that the insects hatched from both galls are identical. Having found both kinds myself abundantly last spring on the same tree in this neighbourhood, and having reared the flies, I am enabled entirely to corroborate this 226 A r [March, observation. The gallsare, in fact, identical in form and structure, and differ only in their situation. Callimome flavipes, Walk., and Platyme- sopus tibialis, Westw., are Chalcideous parasites of this species. It is found throughout Europe, but seems to be rather local in England. Spathegaster tricolor, Hart. Black; mandibles, 2nd and 8rd joints of the antennx, squamule, two spots on the metathorax, and the petiole, rufous. Legs bright yellow, apical joints of the tarsi fuscescent. Wings hyaline, obscurely infumated towards the apex, the nervures suffused with black. Petiole one-third the length of the abdomen, ¢.— ?? with two lateral testa- ceous spots at the base of the abdomen ; wings less infumated than those of the g. Long. 1 lin. On the oak. I named this species from specimens sent to me for identification, and, as they are no longer in my possession, I can only translate Hartig’s description in Germ. Zeits., 3, 341. (To be continued.) Occurrence in Cumberland of two species of Fossorial Hymenoptera (Pompilus melanarius and Passalecus monilicornis) not previously recorded as British. PoMPILUS MELANARIUS, Van d. Lind; Dahlbom, Hym. Europ. 46, 25. Female—Black, smooth, but little shining ; head and prothorax with long diverging black hairs; clypeus and mandibles with a fringe of rigid hairs; antennze about as long as the head and thorax, stout; an impressed line runs from the anterior stemmata to the base of the clypeus; the posterior margin of the pro- thorax slightly elevated and angulated, the metathorax with a distinct longi- tudinal impression; wings hyaline, slightly clouded at the apical margins; second and third sub-marginal cells nearly equal in size, sub-quadrate ; trochanters and legs with a slight silvery pile, intermediate and posterior tibiao with a double row of spines, anterior tarsi slightly ciliated ; abdomen with a few long black hairs beneath, and on the apical segment ; the second and third segments with a band of silvery pile at their hinder margins. Nearly allied to P. niger, but easily separated from that species by being less glossy, by the long hairs on the head and prothorax, and by the larger and sub- quadrate sub-marginal cells of the wings. Dahlbom’s description (loc. cit.) is very unsatisfactory, and without Mr. F. Smith’s assistance I should not have ventured to refer my specimen to his insect. This specimen, a female, was taken in the east of Cumberland, in July, some years ago. Mr. Smith informs me of a second specimen, taken last year by Dr. Sharp, near Dumfries. The male appears to be unknown. PassaLa@cus MoNrLicornts, Dahlb., 1. c. 243, 144; Wesmael, Rev. Crit. Hym. Foss. de Belg., 122, 2. 1868.) 227 Black: vertex of the head, mesothorax, scutcllum, and abdomen shining. Male—Head finely reticulate, opaque in front ; mandibles palo yellow, rufo-piccous at the apices; clypeus sparingly covered with silvery hair; antennae rather long, sub-fusiform, the joints of the flagellum sub-moniliform, the scape in front white; mesothorax and scutellum very finely reticulate, the former having from four to six indistinct longitudinal scratches ; metathorax coarsely rugose ; tubercles white; tegule fusco-testaceous; wings slightly iridescent, the nervures pitchy ; tho apices of the femora, the tibiw, and tarsi ferruginous, the hinder tibia more or less stained with fuscous ; abdomen impunctate, with the base of the first segment constricted, and the last segment terminating in an up-curved spine. Length 23—3 lines. Female—This sex appears to differ from the male in being somewhat larger (8—33 lines), with the antenna not thickened, and the legs paler, and in wanting the up-curved spine at the apex of the abdomen. The thickened sub-moniliform antenne readily separate this species from its congeners. It appears to be not uncommon in Germany, and in Scandinavia, occurring in July and August. Wesmael says that it is very rare in Belgium, the male only having occurred. I captured four males of this species, entering the cracks in a gate-post near Wall-holme, East Cumberland, in July, several years ago; these I have submitted to Mr. F. Smith, who confirmed my opinion as to their identity with P. monilicornis, Dahlb.—Tuos. Jno. Botp, Long Benton, Newcastle-on-Tyne, January 21st, 1868. ON SOME BRITISH DIAPRIADZ. BY THE REV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. (Concluded from page 203.) AA. Antennm of the ? having the apical joint longer than the preceding ; meso- notum with two furrows impressed at the base and obsolete anteriorly. 6.—Spinomicrus nicRIPEs, Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 370. Black, shining; antenns and legs nigro-piceous; club abrupt, 6-jointed ; wings slightly infumated. &. g. Antennz one-third shorter than the body, 4th joint twico as long as the 2nd. Var. Legs testaceous, antenne in the middle, and the clavate portions .. sue femora and tibize, pitchy. The antenns of the ? have the 2nd joint longer and thicker than the 3rd ; 4—7 equal; 8th distinctly broader than the preceding, but somewhat narrower than 9th; wings longer than the abdomen ; substigmatical branch produced both ways, but more obscurely towards the apex of the wing. Teeule black. Metathorax rugulose, acutely carinated in the middle, the margins elevated; denticulated at each hinder angle. Petiole in length about one fifth of the abdomen, 4-carinated, the interstices smooth. Abdomen widest a little behind the middle. $9. Long. 13—2; alar. exp. 23—4 lin. 228 {March, Note 1.—One ¢ of this species, sent me by Mr. Rye, is entirely apterous. The wings may have been lost by some accident, but no torn stumps are visible. Note 2.—This species is very variable in size, and easily confounded with others. The full-sized males are the largest insects of the genus. The distinctive characters of the species are the 4th joint of the antenne, which in the ¢ is twice, or more than twice, as long as the 2nd; in the ? the apical joint, which is longer than the preceding; and in both sexes the black tegulee. Common in several parts of the country; near London, Cheltenham, &c. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. 7.—SPILOMICRUS NIGRICLAVIS, 0. Sp. Niger, politus; antenne artt. 83—7 rufescentibus, clava 6-articulata, parum discreta. Ale abdomine breviores, auguste, infuscate, volatui vie idonew; fpostica, costa ciliata. Tegule nigre. Caput parce griseo-pilosum. Pedes rufescentes, cowis, — trochanteribus, femorumque clavis medio nigris. Tarsi articulo penultimo preter basin, ultimo toto, nigris. Abdomen apice griseo-villosum. Q. Long. 12; alar. exp. 23 lin. Most resembles nigripes, which is distinguished by having the stria of the mesonotum impressed at the base, by the developed wings, colour of the legs, and structure of the antenne. The present species has the thorax villose at the sides and shoulders, and the tibize clothed with pale concolorous hairs. From stigmati- calis it differs in having the apical joint of the antennz larger than the preceding ; and from integer in having the mesonotum bisulcate. This remarkable species, from the London district, was given to me by Mr, Rye. Genus Loxorropa, Forster, Hym. Stud., ii., pp. 122, 123, 126. Basalys, Hal., N. H. Rev., vol. iv., p. 171. Basalys, Sect. B, Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 368. Antennx of the ¢ larger than the thorax, 14-jointed, 4th joint not longer than the 8rd, sinuated at the base; of the ? 12-jointed, clavate, the club abrupt, 3—4- jointed. Mesonotum without dorsal lines. Scutelluam depressed, margined at the sides, with a basal foveola. Abdomen somewhat depressed, 2nd segment without a basal furrow, not conically produced and acuminated in the 2. Femora and tibia clavate. Wings ciliated, sometimes abbreviated or wanting; costal nerve none; sub-costal ending before the middle in a punctiform triangular stigma ; the basal transverse nerve distinct. Pronotum and petiole lanate. The males of Diapria, Latr., and Basalys, Westw., have 14-jointed antenna, but the wings of the former are without a basal nerve, and in the latter genus the 4th joint of the antenna is distinctly longer than the 3rd. Again, the females of Glyptonota, Forst., Diapria, Latr., and Idiotypa, Foérst., have the antenne 12- jointed, but the two former genera have no basal transverse nerve, and the last has the mesonotum bisulcate, and the club of the antenne 5-jointed. The type of Loaotropa is Psilus antennatus, Jurine. There are several British species, only a few of which have been indicated. I. Club of the antennze 4-jointed. ¢. 1868.] 229 1.—LoxorTropA ANTENNATA, Jur., Hym., p. 319, pl. 13; Diapria, id., Nees, Mon. ii., 329; Basalys, id., Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 368. Tho ¢ isunknown. Not common. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. II. Club of the antenns 3-jointed. &. 2.—LOXOTROPA TRIPARTITA, Nn. Sp. Picea, nitida, capite nigro, swpra obscurior. Antenne cum pedibus testacer ; clava abrupta, picea, 3-articulata, articulus 9n¥s 8v paullo latior. Ale subhyaline, abdomine longiores. Abdomen ellipticwm, depressum, thorace latius, medio latissimun, piceum, nitidwm, apice sub-testaceo. Petiolus brevis, lanatus. Alarwm stigma triangulum, apice subtilissime appendiculatum ; nervo transverso tenuissimo, fusco. @. Long. 14; alar. ewp. 2 lin. This is the largest of the females with a tri-articulate club; it differs from dispar, Nees, in its greater size, pale colour, complete wings, and differently shaped joints of the antennz. In Mr. Walker’s collection. 3.—LoOxoTRoPA TRITOMA, Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 368 (Basalys). & 2. Common. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. 4.—Loxorropa aBrupta, Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 368 (Basalys). Q. In Mr. Walker’s collection. 5.—Loxorropa DIsPar, Nees, Mon., ii., 828 (Diapria) ; Thoms., Ofv., 1858, p. 368 (Basalys). g 2. Common. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. 6.—LOoXoOTROPA EXIGUA, N. sp. Minima; nigra, nitida, antennis pedibusque ferrugineis; clava abrupta tri- articulata, scapo longitudine wquali, nigra; articulus 9ns 8% non latior, 2dus 3iio triplo longior et crassior, 4—8 globosi, 9 vix transversus, ultimus oblongus, penultimo paullo longior, apice obtuso, Ale hyaline, abdomine longiores. On 3 differt antennis nigricantibus, corpore paullo longioribus, artt. 3° et 4° oblongis, 4° extus ad medium usque emarginato, 4—9 globosis, ultimo ovato; femoribus tibiisque medio piceis. Long. vie $; alar. exp. 1 lin. Resembles Basalys parva, Thomson, which, however, has the wings shorter than the abdomen. In Mr. Walker’s collection. TII. Of the following species the ? is nnknown. A. Apterous. 7.—LOXOTROPA NIGRICORNIS, 0. sp. Nigra, nitida; antennarum articulo 24, scapa basi, pedibusque, testaceis, femoribus tibiisque medio nigris. Antenne corpori longitudine equales, crassiuscule ; artt. 3tius et 4tus lineares, 4tus pracedente dimidio brevior, 5—13 wquales, subrotundi, ultimus ovalis, penultimo haud longior. Pronoti laterw antice et petiolus lanugine brevi grisea vestita. Alarum ne vestigium quidem. Scutellum parvum, foveola basali rotunda. Caput pronoto latius. Metathorax compressus, abdomine muulto angustior ; hoc ellipticum, parum depressum, thoraci cum petiolo longitudine equale. fg. Long. % lin. 930 {March, This is the only apterous male that I have met with; the contracted meta- thorax and imperfect scutellum show that the wings have not been lost by accident. The antennz, which are neither verticillate-pilose, nor irregularly bristly, afford the only character which forbids the insect to be placed with Diapria, as limited by Forster. In Mr. Walker’s collection. , AA. Winged. 8.—Loxorropa ruFIscaPA, Nees, Mon., ii., 330. 3. Common. In Mr. Walker’s collection and my own. Milford Haven, December 7th, 1867. Re-occurrence of Dytiscus lapponicus in Mull.—During the month of July, 1866, I spent some days in the island of Mull. Recollections of fine “ doings” there, some years ago, raised sanguine hopes; but, on the present occasion, beetles seemed to have left the island. Such Lepidoptera as E. Blandina, 0. Dawus, A. Aglaia, and §8. aipinalis were common ; but, with the exception of an occasional Carabus glabratus, or Pterostichus aethiops, beetles were at a premium. The various lovhs in the neighbourhood were searched for Hydradephaga with hardly any result. Tho reason was soon dis- covered. The lochs were absolutely swarming with trout, so that beetles had no chance. Compelled, therefore, to lay aside the net, I consoled myself with the rod. Let the Coleopterist note, that trout and beetles go in inverse proportions. From | the top of one of the hills, looking down on the beautiful sound of Mull on the one side, and on Staffa and Iona on the other, I counted some sixteen lochs and tarns, | all of which I searched with care. | The last evening of my stay in the island arrived, and Dytiscus lapponicus, one | of the chief objects sought, had not been seen. I felt disappointed. There was | one small tarn which I had not visited, and in regard to which I felt uncomfortable. | So, starting off late in the afternoon, through a drenching rain, over bog and stream, I reached the spot. It was gloomy enough. The loch lay in the bottom of what might once have been the crater of a volcano. No trout were visible: everything had a dead look. No stream apparently issued from the loch, so my hopes began to rise. Where no stream goes out, trout have a difficulty of getting in. Soon a newt appeared, wriggling along. Hope rose rapidly; for, from former experience, newts and D. lapponicus I knew to be great friends (perhaps the newts would say enemies). Shortly after, a magnificent ‘‘Devil’s coach,” with graceful curve, hove in sight. Allright now. He was secured, and the search began in earnest.