Lim One ert a © er eee PL LE OE EE ESS SS out : — remnrnnie eet eens POANe ata ee" vache = NE a da = Spt Cae eee pote FS v ~ * - y ~ preted >) genpe ttn tate eine waa * ~ Yaa? Aer. ae : i Aa PT aa Mey , : a . r - fee - : gage an s 7 - | ee : 4 oy paes 7 ” ae antl Etat steals 2 . - co ‘ bn : 9 J; Lene te Agee esp] en ante es ex eA . yee ind~agae use ? “ . : z : ES Pilly - arth Me 1h erate ng D 5 me J. : ul : . a ~ SEs ~ Ee “ - Ie —s ~ . r - per er : \ aad begs : ’ - 5 . auntie tethathd er eee eters LaApee ee ans yee, ee Pen an A ’ + : yah ote eri rtalt fate Pe, ~ Ave f - sews ne Oo? r eo ; pe 4 ae = ¥ . : Sete’ auras aes . ets" rs ‘ ¢ 4 > Aad et et - _ ‘ ry hate ya te Eon aint lath eater Pe Prbesegen «de «Py Wee =P er Ge aaa Pail met te 0 +. 88 tp eran saad HARVARD UNIVERSITY ish LIBRARY ' OF THE Museum of Comparative Zoology Dee reed siyel Wad uitae i fa di Awe i ih ay hats pales oa ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION EDITED BY MALCOLM BURR, D.SC., F.R.E.S. T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, R.N., E. A. COCKAYNE, A.M., D.M. F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. F.R.E.S., F.R.C.P. W. FASSNIDGE, M.A., F.R.E.S. Vo 18, COUHI, thd, loess. Rev. G. WHEELER, M.A., H. DONISTHOREPE, F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. R2R-ESt.) (E-ZAS> and HENRY J. TURNER, F.R.E.S., F.R.H-S., Editorial Secretary Aran at ~ > sities nD Vo LXI. (New Series). }XNUARY TO DECEMBER 1949 PRICE 12s 6d. Special Index (with every Reference), 1s 6d. th braxes, grossulariata, ee so OB orius convolvuli in Argyllshire .. joo lel naiti$), plagiata 1 i ceeseeeeg Sa aR Hanae a Aaa eae 87 Abpea pa Ore opeerd iirc lee eee 69 ANTE SSNWVEETOM TIES TREC IECIS) — Sscacancosenenncee 63 HE EN, IESOIOUS INO TSAO =? a aocdosocosdneoce 13 Aphalara nervosa on Yarrow ............ 113 ’Argynnis lathonia, Rearing ............. 109 Argynnis paphia v. valezina in SOMERS CLM ere ne eee car ons eer eeeEne 117 Argynnis selene, Second brood ......... Ali? Aspen Insects in Isle of Rhum ....... 112 TBC KONO ISIS, OMA CNOEMMEY \ Cercrsosbescosae 113 Boarmia repandata, melanic _......... 5 Brachionycha nubeculosa larva .... 104 Broods of Chrysophanus phlaeas ... 1 Butterflies of Freetown, Life-histories 126 Butterflies at Wood Walton, 13; near Paris, Geneva and Annecy, 97; New Forest, 111; Var and Basses Alpes, 121; Sierra Leone, 124: S.E. LTE Ite HAO ee ecu icudauduoseecaddacecsbeboceds soe 130 Callophrys rubi, Foodplants _......... 6 Catalogue of French Microlepidop- LOTS Wein aR Na an oe re yee is Raa ti 69 Catocala fraxini on the Bosphorus .. 119 Chrysophanus phiaeas, Broods, 1; Via ELAGTOME noses essa sacs ssacecoraneeaenae 25 Clytiomyia rotundiventris ............. 118 Colias croceus at Swanage, 94; New Forest egondgeoenaccdoononasuccesncssooasoaee: 118 Colias hyale at Swanage .................. 43 Congress of Entomology, Eighth In- STE CIE W HIICO) Os Ly deanna mane aE RAR AL tes ec 3 Current Notes 6, 20, 29, 42, 83, 95, 118, 132 CHAOMUIG,, ILGYO, TMRONT | ovedocesebescocnoosaodeoee 73 Deilephila livornica at Swanage, 95; at Braunton, 104, 117; Bourne- TIN OULU eee eee rete wre teers ote een 118 Mranunoccian Comptia. see ee 93 Disphragis coeruleocephala on Laurel 44 Early Emergences ... 44, 55, 56, 57, 68, 116 Elachiptera diastema in Surrey ...... 93 Empis livida, Observations on ...... 39 MUMnaS atta, Mim LOWS .22...c..s02<¢:..sseteu: 113 Kivetria purdeyi in Glos. ...........: 18 Tormica exsecta as a Slavemaker ... 141 Gortyna flavago, Foodplants _......... 81 Hadenavcaesia, val manani -25...).. 82 UAC CHAR ISIVASEey 1 veoee vents we Ne Tabi 93 Homoeosis in Epirrhoe alternata ... 118 Hyiloicus pinastri, Spread’-of <.......... 98 IRE None SAEXE] OLS RH ONG ilierteean sea ee abodes Ch NTS BA 73 VLPs Rays cet Goes KS EPO es i RP eR 19 AUREL? UaAPVAen Onn sl kunt ceil eae 4A PEA CaMi PAVE COLON tivese. ck aieetee eet ee 94 Limenitis camilla in Somerset. ....... il UZACOSRIM ATs SNE@SES,” sessed ceo 28 london, South, INOteS) cic eccsseseeveee ee 37 Lycaena phlaeas, Brood, 1; Varia- tion 25 RTH R ee ew ree e meee ew ween nese eee eeeeeeaee INDEX ill JAN c CONTENTS OF VOLUME LXI. Melitaea cinxia in Hants and Dorset 19, 55, 68 IVES TANS 42d eee erie ener ca ce mere 44, 116 Myrmecophilous Aphid Parasite ...... D4 New Forest Butterflies. .................... 111 NAYES) “OTNENBIG) ia MATEO Y scococnocodsonec 1138 Obituary: L. W. Newman, 58, 80; W. Fassnidge, 58, 129; Sir John Fryer, 79; Captain Gwatkin-Wil- UIE WOKS: Simm aeia rene) ACE Nabi tae cre 92 Ochria ochracea, Foodplants EBaneaee 81 Oncodes pallipes Ay lobee eaneteseroc tue eee 28 OsvmlNSetulvicepialis: ess eee 44 Pairing of Scopeuma species ......... 19 Pararge megera, Oviposition ......... 87 Perrisia ulmaria in Hebrides ......... 113 IPTG), ALE. TWO —scocuosanotoscnosonee 73, 97 Pieris brassicae at Orchid Flowers .. 113 Pieris napi, Unusual Pairing .......... 117 Pieris rapae, Activity and Mortality, 30, 61, 62, 112, 124 Pigmentsot Orihopteray see 118 Plusia festucae, Second Brood ....... 81 Polyommatus coridon, Aberrations .. 110 Polyommatus icarus, Hibernating Larvae ania ciciardsicals eat aac ORO a Cn nE 94 BEINUS FECTS. “aetna oe eee 6 Pulborough, Noctuidae of ............... 76 Reviews: Caterpillars of British Moths, 8; Mitt. Schweiz. Ges., 18, 84; Songs of Insects, 22: Trans. S. Lond. Ent. Soc., 70; Guide to Smaller Brit. Lep., 71; Habits of Brit. Hunting Wasps, 72: Brit. Butterflies, by Vere Temple, 72: Zts. Wien Ent. Ges., 84; Lep. of Egypt, 96; Lep. of Dover and Deal, 95; Dragonflies of Brit. Is., 96; Diptera, Introduction and Keys to Families, 195; Brit. Dermap- tera and Orthoptera ............ 119, 132 Rhingia campestris craloresastealemiare sisteoacis'c oa 44 Le AKOKOUNHES Creo AD HAT Pe Oe 112 Sea Aster, Visitors to flowers ........... 85 Selenia tetralunaria, Genetics ......... 9 Spain, Butterflies of Sierra de Cuenca 89 Sphinx SDINaAStr leamvalenms sae 104 Switzerland, Collections in irate eee 45 SYMtOrMon, macula male cccosee ue 114 Tethea or in Lewis and Harris ......... 112 ADIGA An COME 1) fe peeeny IRs ene 4A PY TOWE: CENity BINOLES winees A cee etl AO (te Vanessa atalanta and cardui, Flow- OFS) WISUGG Cs ad eae eee ot sah 130 Var and Basses Alpes, Butterflies .... 121 VOlUCellas ZONAL At su cty ste ue 131 West Africa, Butterflies ............ 50, 102 W. Sussex, Lepidoptera _.................. 65 WanterBliesy ss eee, eee ee 42 Ypsolophus xylostellus on Snowberry ha, Gi lv ENTOMOLOGIST’ S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/ XIT/1949 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS. Andrews, H. W. ...... (Suppl. 124), 57, 1184-.Johusom) Ko 1b. (io...) 2. pera eee 50, 102 Amina, Os IB 1. SH, GS, Wil@, ail, Waly, ile Kettlewell,, H. B.D). | ssstesceseeeeeeeeere 9 Bainbrigge Ketcher, I. 2, 18, 44; 70; Leeds, H.. A... scsidecenscseceesese tee eeeeeeeeee 13 Wl, 7s, A Murray, D. .scctcksscssswedteasee ee ee eee eeeee 87 IBS HEUOIT -WWIMNIKER, 1h) 9 “gosoncqnoscoasoBeesdaoosdoss 104 Muspratt, V. Mi Seecccc.:cee-reemereeee eee meee 69 IBIBO ban Chea, lala sateetistnaeasasnaanencune 57 Oliver, G.. He Bill eccseseosne eee tee eee eee 127 IBIRGUINEIPIOM, (Ge Ss IBLY Wakdechoosesnadnasaasacs D7 O*’Rourke, B.. des. ccsacsenssee eepee ee cee eee ener 63 BPeUMERCO NM Teens bs 9 i cercne. sapease ae tne AG 1X Owen, D.. Be seedless secten see eae eee ys) Bue Ny 2) 1S Oy 20 22) 42 GO Adee At Parmenter, Ti.) c2s.-:6n-ssseese eee eee 85, 93 GASUIIG: IRUISSEIIL, Sis MER Bededosseosabsoncedosnnae 87 Quereis Os ccs eee 35, 61, 62, 89, 124 (CINEMAS GSTS LOU MI erg fae TUR ee 93 Redgrave, A. ©. BR. 2oec2...-s eee 57 Cockayne, E. A. ... 9, 33, 79, 80, 81, 92, ROMMEL, Tiny uk .eeese ee eee Bia (Gil, (ay. tleee A Siametes Russell (see Castle-Russell) Woda. Jipearens esse isk ek RIO ee 105 Siviter Smith, P22. sieepoueens-eesneeeeene dees Datel Owes LAM bee Saeed Sal be eanne une: 126 Smith, Ku. G.) Vie i.c:cecneeesp eee Eee eee 2 DOMIS TOD CMOEe Ns. entecercete cee ose cec es 13,298 Sperring., A. H.. ....c.22 sie eee 93 AS TOM, «VI MIA AR es adn eae cents 1416, 117 Spicer, Mia Gi. scnsencscheeeeseeeeeee eee eeeeeeeeeee 127 SOWA GS... dis ae MATER TSAR en rene scar nad canes 20 Tatchellis clus axt 5. s-ccearebeeeeeeeeeeee 43, 94, 95 Hearnehough, Wa Ds s.5-.ecsrse. 25, 44, 109 Aviohenene, IEhy, di. 6-8, 20, 21, 29-31, Honseca, BH: CC. M. dAssis- =.............- 114 42-43, '70, 83, 95, 96, 120, 128 (Cardiners, Be OFC. ee eae 83, 104 Turner, EL. eDiee scene tee eee eee ene 19 (CHES CO. 4 MARR Eee ee ee ed se sono Bl, Or, OS Turner, Jao Fa cst yeeros eee eee 127 EVA SOMM ide: WV ELeSLODN eee: 6, 112 Wakely, Si sdccocaiisonse cee eee 28, 37 HAIG Cyr, -AWWics «oe ae ne eee elec 56, 65 Weupherill, -L:\, hee eee eee 1014 FETGRS/) VWV2C"h. MANIACE SCAN en pete) fe 54 Wightman, “A. (Si. eepkeeee-ceeeeee eee 76, 81 EVO ln ymerts 22 NIGUEL. «ARs Ree Sea weet ne 129 Williams, F.. By. . wi. share heeeeeeeceee eee eens a ETO Wait LEE IEIS@) FCI, Gee Ee RE Eee OE fee 83 Wiltshire; Ei. PR) cho eee eee 73, 97 VACOIOS, Ss ING ANG sacscsune i, 45), (fs), 105), 11 Worms, ©. (G. Mis de) ieee seers eereeeeee 3 PAV S Brain Mase, em Reece nes Gee 94 Wyse, L. MH. Bonaparte eee eee 127 CORRIGENDA. 30, line 19. For ‘* Aarnalen ’” read 44, line 4. For “ Mentrastri’’ read 71, line 9 from bottom. 71, line 3 from bottom. 72, line 5. 72, line 7. 72, line 30. (57), line 13 from bottom. (57), line 12 from bottom. . 83, line 10 from bottom. . 96, line 6. For “ Ales. . similis.”’ SSOP DUU UU PU UU SUSU SOD . (67), line 4, etc. fe} Neb lis} Kis} 18, line 19. For “ Durrant, 1911’? read “ Durrant 1911.” “* Annalen.”’ ‘* menthrastri.’’ 44, line 13. For “ very slowly,’ read “ very slowly;.”’ 47, line 2. For “ Tinaeidae’”’ read ‘ Tineina.’’ 47, lines 10, 12. For ‘‘ Meesia ’” read ‘‘ Meessia.”’ 47, line 19. For “‘ phegaea’”’ read “ phegea.’’ 48, line 6 from bottom. For ‘‘ Chalonia’’ read ‘“‘ Phalonia.’’ 49, line 22. For “ peliodactyla’’ read ‘‘ pelidnodactyla.’’ For ‘* portions ’’ read “ patches.” For ‘‘ pneumonantus ” read “‘ pneumonanthes.” For ‘“‘ Litticolletis ’ read ‘‘ Lithocolletis.’’ For ‘‘ Symphoricerpus ’”’ read ‘“* Symphoricarpus.’’ 72, line 19. For “appear” read ‘‘ appeal.” Kor) trom 2 read” + for. Delete ‘* Sam.”’ For ‘ Mer. (1815) ’? read ‘‘ Meyrick 1895.” 75. For ‘‘ PYRAES ” read “ PYRALES.”’ For “ has’’ read “ have.’’ . squento cui somelis’’ read “ Alae . . sequente cui . (65), line 28. For “ procae’’ read ‘“ procax.” Kor “1786-2 read) s0787.-2 . 105, line 14 from bottom. For “ Lucania’ read *‘ Leucanie..” . (73), line 2. For ‘“ Bosa ” read “ Boica.”’ criptions 10/- for Vol. 61 (1949) are now due. Please Send Promptly. /LXI. ge No. A JANUARY 1949 MALCOLM BURR, D.Sc., F.R.ES. WM. FASSNIDGE, M.A., F.R.ES. E. A. COCKAYNE, M.A. FRCP. FRES. J. E. COUN, J.P., F.R.ES. a PAO H. DONISTHORPD, F.ZS., F.RES. H. B, WILLIAMS, K.C., LL.D., F.R.ES. T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R.E.S. (Sub-#£ditor), “* Rodborough Fort,’’ Stroud, Glos. HY. J. TURNER, F.R.ES., F.R.H.S. (Editortal Secretary). CONTENTS. HOW MANY BROODS ARE THERE OF LYCAENA PHLAEAS, L.? P. Siviter Smith Be ex : E ES 3 : Gy ree 32: ; ; 4 AN ACCOUNT OF THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON EN- TOMOLOGY, C. G. M. de Worms, M.A., Ph.D. ... ay Sat eae 3 COLLECTING NOTES: Melanic Boarmia repandata at Rannoch, Perthshire, Haroid B. Williams; Ptinus tectus, Boield. (Col., Ptinidae), S.N.A.J.; The Foodplants of Nala cate rubi in the Inner Hebrides, J. W. Heslop Harrison eat egies CRONE 1 Ora ERE «CON olin or eM Rai fA oe CURRENT NOTES Biuioanl Weer eut abe eyes as BAAN Tak Toi Neate ae to cia 6 SPECIAL INDEX. Subscription for Complete Volume, post free, TEN SHILLINGS. To be sent to The Hon. Treasurer, H. W. ANDREWS, F.R.E.S., The Rookery, Breamore, Fordingbridge, Hants. This Number, Price TWO SHILLINGS (net). Established 1879. _ Telephone: Temple Bar 9451. — WATKINS & DONCASTER (R. L. E. FORD, F.R.E.S., F.Z.S.), PROPRIETORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CO., 36 STRAND, LONDON, W.C.2. | ) : (Adjacent to Charing Cross Station). : ENTOMOLOGISTS. TAXIDERMISTS. ee BOOKSELLERS. THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES By RICHARD SOUTH, F.R.E.S. Edited and Revised by H. M. 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ZOOL. fe LIBRARY Aint ournal of Paviation l5tH JANUARY 1949. LAN eons ARE THERE OF LYCAENA PHLAEAS, L.? By P. Srviter Smite. When examining the various books and magazines for details of L. phlaeas, L., 1 continually come across references to ‘‘ fourth broods of that butterfly in Britain, usually in October, and I find the same comments in correspondence lately. It is my clear impression at the moment that in Britain there are never more than three broods and, even then, any third brood is only a partial one. I have carefully examined the life-histories of DL. phlaeas, as de- scribed by Tutt (Brit. Lep., VIII) and Frohawk (Nat. Hist. of Brit. Butt.) and have drawn up charts to give a clearer picture of what may be expected to happen each year. From this examination [| feel sure that we can expect only a partial third brood as a maximum in a very favourable year. Hot, sunny weather is what suits this species best, in all its stages. Let us assume a year where the weather is as favourable as possible for L. phlaeas, with a preceding winter that has plenty of mild sunny periods during which the hibernating larvae wil] move about and even feed a little. Thus we can expect those most advanced in the preced- ing autumn (and it hibernates in various instars) will be able to take advantage of a fine early spring and emerge at an exceptionally early date. Throughout this speculation we are going to assume the very best possible conditions. It is hardly likely even then that we shall find an imago betore the first week in April, so ova will be deposited at that time. Now the shortest time before ova hatch is 5 days or thereabouts, and the summer larval stage lasts at its shortest about 20 days and the pupal stage about 25 days. It will be reasonable to allow for a rapid metamorphosis of 6, 23 and 28 days respectively, so that under these (imagined) best con- ditions, from egg to imago takes 57 days. Let us say two months. From the earliest emergences at the beginning of April, therefore, we shall expect to see the next earliest emergences at the beginning of June; from emergences at the beginning of June we shall expect to see the earliest emergences at the beginning of August, and the next series will emerge at the beginning of October. Thus, in order to cram four emergences into one year we have to allow the finest possible theoretical conditions right through each brood. We have to allow tor an exceptionally early emergence in’ April and then we must allow for these spring larvae and pupae to mature in the shortest (normally mid-summer) period, whereas they would actually take longer than those feeding up in mid-summer. It is scarcely to be expected that these optimum conditions wil] occur very frequently. 2 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI, 15/1/1949 I have a great many references collated for L. phlaeas and I have scanned these in respect of these favourable factors, to see how often. they may be expected to occur. In respect of very early emergences, I find two remarkable ones in February, both in the Isle of Wight, one on 10th February (Fassnidge) and one at the end of February (Cornell). Apart from those two exceptional dates, Dale gives the next earliest date of 2nd April and there are about four other April records, so that clearly April is not normally the time even of early emergences. In this respect H. B. Williams appears to be correct when he says the usual dates when the species is first seen are between 15th and 20th of May. Thus, in respect of our optimum requirements, it seems clear that it is exceptional to get emergences at the beginning of April and this is therefore strongly against the possibility of getting four broods in a year. In Central Italy, under much hotter conditions, Verity says there are only four broods (and less in higher localities), these being in April, the end of June, the middie of August, and in a favourable autumn, another brood in October, but he says that even this is only a partial fourth brood. In respect of the latest dates on which L. phlaeas has been observed in Britain, Dale gives the latest of all, namely 8th November, and there are two other November dates, one on the 3rd (Dale), and de Worms records it as still on the wing in November (1944); there are more records for October and that seems to be the last month in which one can usually expect to see it flying. My own opinion is that I doubt if a fourth brood has ever been observed in Britain and that specimens seen in September, October and November represent a third brood, and only a partial third brood at that. This opinion is supported by F. V. L. Jarvis (1944), who gives the result of his observations which exactly coincide with this view. In further support of this, I have (by the kindness of H. J. Turner) been able to examine the Diary kept by the Rev. C. R. N. Burrows from 1871-1922. He apparently entered daily every species he observed and although no doubt the conditions of observation altered frequently, it is such a long period that a reasonable average can be arrived at. I hhave tabulated the 110 observations and a graph is ob- tained which shows the following: May—20 records; June—14 records ; July—5 records; August—46 records; September—17 records; October —8 records. The records start on 14th May and show most observations between the 18th of May and the 2nd of June; there are thin records from the 4th to the 30th June, and then there is a blank until another set of records starts thinly on 20th July and giving the greatest series between the 4th and 29th of August. There are thin records through Septem- ber, most frequent between the 9th and the 15th, and a few between the 20th and 28th. There is one record each on 38rd and 4th October, and a small series between the 8th and 12th of that month. The chief densities of these records, then, is from mid-May to mid- June, from early August to the end of August, and in mid-September and mid-October, but the September and October records are much thinner and less definite than the others. EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 3 When these are plotted out, it gives a picture that is exactly simi- lar to what I believe actually happens—in the case of each brood we get a lengthy emergence period, due to the variation in the speed with which larvae of the same brood feed up. This is carried on during the year and so in the autumn we get long extended emergences, some of these late ones being particularly slow or delayed second brood speci- mens, and others being particularly advanced third brood specimens. The larvae of all broods, but particularly the late broods, feed up at different speeds; many authorities refer to this and I found the same thing when I reared the species and hibernated it. This mixture, in the autumn, of delaved second brood specimens and advanced third brood specimens would also account for the fact that ‘‘ summer ’’ (or suffused) forms occur in company with ‘‘ autumn ”’ (‘‘ cold,’’ or non- suffused) forms. Naturally further north in Britain we shall expect only two broods in a vear, and perhaps only one. There is not a great deal of accurate information in regard to this aspect either and detailed observations are much to be desired. That is the object of this note, as I am seek- ing all forms of information regarding LZ. phlaeas and this brood ques- tion is so obscured at present by the popular but (I believe) incorrect fourth brood theory. I shall be most grateful for results of careful observations in all parts of the British Isles that help to settle this, and the aspects referred to in this note may help to point to the factors surrounding these events—the brightness or suffusion of autumn speci- mens helps to point to whether they are second or third brood examples. I have not quoted any references in full, nor all those that T have, as I hope to give all these later in a more extensive review of this species, for which this information is required. 21 Melville Hall, Holly Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham 16. AN ACCOUNT OF THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENTOMOLOGY, HELD IN STOCKHOLM FROM 9rx TO 14th AUGUST 1948. By C. G. M. pE Worms, M.A., Ph.D. A big contingent set out from this country during the first days of August, the majority converging on Lund in the south-western corner of Sweden. After a long train journey through Holland, Northern Germany and Denmark, many of the British delegation, including my- self, reached Lund early on 7th August. That afternoon was spent visiting several scientific institutions, among which the Station of Plant Research was especially interesting. The party was shown the latest methods of dealing with pests affecting oil-producing plants such as rape. On Sunday, the 8th, about 150 delegates met in the Zoological Museum to hear a speech of welcome by Prof. Hanstrém and an account of the many famous workers in entomology who carried out their re- searches and teaching in the ancient University. After conducted 4 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL, LXI. 15/1/1949 tours of the well-known Museum of Cultural History and the renowned Cathedral, delegates were entertained to a dinner at the Grand Hotel by the Entomological Society of Lund. Later that evening, most of the party left by train for Stockholm, which was reached early on 9th August. In this fine city some five hundred delegates and guests from nearly every country in the world assembled for the Congress proper, which was officially opened that afternoon in the spacious Concert Hall by the Prime Minister of Sweden, Dr Erlander. After an address of welcome by the President (Prof. Tradgardh), Dr Karl Jordan, Per- manent. Secretary to the Congresses on FKntomology, gave a most illu- minating account of the history of the past Congresses and the objects of the present one, while Professor Jeannel, of Paris, followed with an amusing speech on behalf of the delegates. Later that day the delegates were invited to a special social] evening at Hasselbacken, one of the leading entertainment resorts of the city. The main business of the Congress opened on the morning of 10th August at the modern High School of Ostermalms Laroverk. In all, six separate sessions were held, 187 papers by 163 authors were sub- mitted for reading under eleven sections, including Systematic Ento- mology, Physiology, Oecology, Morphology and Anatomy, Insects of Agricultural Interest, Forest Entomology, Stored Product Insects, Medical Entomology, Means and Methods of Fighting Insect Pests, Nomenclature and History, Arachnidae. Many eminent authorities on these subjects from all over the world contributed papers of very great interest and importance, while the sessions in general afforded a means for discussing at length questions and problems of Entomology, both academic and economic, of great international consequence, such as the war against the locusts, the tsetse flies and the malaria mos- quitos. The field of insecticides in the control of these and other in- sect pests was also a subject well to the fore in the programme, which also included many interesting papers on the morphology, taxonomy, ~ habits and distribution of special families in the insect world. The Con- eress also gave opportunity of many personal contacts among leading entomologists of ail nations. The sessions were concluded on the after- noon of Saturday, 14th August, by a very entertaining speech by the President, who thanked all who had attended for their contributions to the success of the Congress and recalled many of his own experi- ences during his entomological activities. During the week the entertainment of the delegates had been ar- ranged on a very big scale. The whole of Wednesday, the 11th, had been devoted to an excursion to the ancient University town of Upsala. En route the party were conducted round Linnaeus’s famous home at Hammarby, which is kept exactly as it was at the time of his death. Everyone was most interested to see so many of the writings and. posses- sions of this great savant. At the University many famous literary treasures were on view in the Museum, while the collections of Linnaeus and Thunberg were exhibited in the Zoological Institute. The day ended with a welcome from the Rector of the University and a visit to the Cathedral. Oi bo BoD SéS5 early 4.09 p.m. early noon noon early early night early early od early 3.50 p.m. night 3.10 p m. early 6.15 p m. night 5 52 p.m. 6 22 pm. 6.24 p.m. 5.15 p.m. night night 5.03 p.m. 15/1V/1949 ends night early night 7.08 p.m. 3.40 p.m. night noon early night early night or early night @ 6.50 p.m. early night early night 7.09 p.m. 6.50 p.m. 5.25 p.m. night early .55 p.m. .O) p.m. inch Ws 7 0.03 0.23 1.00 oS =a 0.02 dh 0.08 0.11 RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM SOUTH LONDON. 37 Date | Soil Weeds Occurrence of rain Sept. begins ends inch 38 7-8 ctotgicte te stp ata cts 38 | 9-10} +++ aidan staatniate 39 | 11-15 a Le steatocte ste 40 | 16 tet cta ate atk +++ early noon 0.36 ara ly Oe |) ee te tt ataccts ADT 20-21) eet tacts 43 | 22 ia ar ; 43 | 23 O ae 3.27 p.m. 4.15 pm. 0.05 44 | 24-26 | O ats | A SA (P40 (a ee a early 1,12 p.m. 0.45 46 | 29-30 sto oty ate tate ati Oct 47 | 1-3 bet + 48| 46 | +++4+++ + night night 1 29 49 7-8 ate stoahe ate sts “te 50 | 9-14) +++ 1 35 p.m. 4.50 p.m. 0.01 le With the support of these data, and some experiments (Hntom. [ec., XLIX, pp. 73-76 (1937), we try, in the following Table II, to show in which manner the combinations of factors of climate and environment might act upon the life-cycle of Pieris rapae at Philadelphia. (To be continued.) RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM SOUTH SOnD ON: By S. WAKELY. Collecting in London parks and suburban roads might not sound very promising, but it is surprising the numbers of good insects that ean be taken during the season on occasional walks in parks and by keeping an eye on fences and trees by the roadside. The insects mentioned in these notes are those that have been of particular interest to me, and are not by any manner of means a com- plete list even of the insetts taken by myself locally. Mimas tiliae, Linn., is a well-known London hawk-moth, and is frequently seen at rest on fences, but the larvae are quite conspicuous after dark in August and September feeding on the lower branches of lime trees. With the aid of an electric torch and walking stick with suitable crook to bring the branches down within reach, a few dozen larvae can be easily collected, particularly where the trees are pollarded yearly, thus giving plenty of low branches. Sphing ligustri, Linn., larvae are not infrequent on the privet, where their presence is betrayed by the frass on the pavement. I have not met with Deilephila elphenor, Linn., at Herne Hill, but saw two specimens caught at light in Fleet Street last summer. I suppose my greatest surprise was the sight of a freshly -emerged specimen of Pseudoips bicolorana, Fuessl., at rest on an oak tree just inside Brockwell Park by Herne Hill Station jast summer, Erannis aurantiaria, Esp., was frequently seen on the fences at Dulwich in late ata hardly, an insect one would expect to ne breeding freely in London gardens, SBe | 0. ENTOMOLOGIST’S. RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/IV/1949 Larvae of Gonodontis bidentata, Clerck, were found to be common on the Winter-flowering Jessamine (Jasminum nudiflorum), together with a few Ourapteryx sambucaria, Linn. Both ivy and elder are the usual foodplants for the Swallow- tail Moth, and the addition of Jessa- mine is interesting. G. bidentata larvae have a great liking for privet in London gardens. , a Ps Aegeria vespiformis, Linn., larvae frequent the bark of old elms in Brockwell Park, Hyde Park, etc., also the large ‘‘ cankerous ”’ growths often seen on large oaks. Their frass is much in evidence, but one does not find the larvae as easily as one would expect from the signs of feeding, and digging lumps of bark off trees in London parks is not to be recommended! Cacoecia pronubana, Hiibn., is a most common moth, the larvae feeding not only on privet, but on almost every garden plant—from rose-buds to the Petty Spurge (Euphorbia peplus) which grows as a weed in our gardens. In June and J uly the freshly-emerged imagines of Parimede juliana, Curt. (on oak), and P. regiana, Zell. (on sycamore), may be taken from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Later in the day they gradually crawl higher up the trunks and disappear. The former is not at all uncommon in Brock- well Park and at Tooting Common. Laspeyresia splendana, Hiibn., larvae may be found in acorns lying in the gutters of the roads near the Crvstal Palace in October. The berries of pyracantha are much liked by the larvae of Laspey- resia ianthinana, Dup., and Blastodacna hellerella, Dup., together with the larvae of the trypetid fly Anomoia permunda, Harris. These three insects are normally hawthorn feeders. That local insect Blastodacna stephensi, Staint., swarms on old oaks in Dulwich Park during July and August. They look very like Recur- varia nanella, Hiibn., an occasional specimen of which is found with them. Collecting B. stephensi can be made amusing (or embarrassing) by the crowds of people at the boating lake, particularly when the moth has to be tickled out of a crevice with a blade of grass and guided into the box. This species was recorded from Tooting Common many years ago, and it still occurs there in numbers. Strangely enough, I can find no trace.of it in Brockwell Park, although there are plenty of old oaks there. The older the tree, the more likely one is to find the moth present, the larvae almost certainly feeding in the bark. Larvae of Lithocolletis geniculella, Rag., on sycamore are to be found at Dulwich, while the local LZ. comparella, Zell., occurs on white gee near Streatham: the only locality for this pete IT know. o. Bedellia sarmnaleniclle, Zell., occurs at Dulwich, and the fee on wild convolvulus are eee ien at Brockwell Park and even near Lough- borough Junction, where the foodplant grows over garden fences. The species of Blastobasis at present referred to as decolorella, Woll., occurs. with its usual regularity in June and October on the. fences in this district, but there is no evidence of it spreading further afield. Tt is not likely to be confused with its congenor, B. lignea, Wals., which is rare here and is a single-brooded species occurring in July-Aneuse A fuller description of this insect is to be found in the Proceedings of the South London Natural History Society for 1947/48. 38 Stradella Road, Herne Hill, S.E.24. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EMPIS LIVIDA, LIN. 39 SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EMPIS LIVIDA, LIN. (DIP., EMPIDIDAE), WITH NOTES ON PREY. ‘By Kennetu G. V. Smirx, F.R.E.S. The male of Empis livida, Lin., takes prey which is presented to the female and while she feeds upon it copulation takes place, the dura- tion of which probably depends upon the size of the prey (see Hamm, 1908, 9). I was able to study this species while on a week’s holiday at Bodenham, near Hereford, during 1948. Although I was not fortunate in having fine weather for my activities, I did make some interesting observations as well as securing some specimens with prey. The best spot for observation was along the River Lugg, where livida was in fair numbers among the rushes which grew along the water’s edge. Heavy rainfall had churned the banks into mud and this ham- pered my activities considerably. Observations were commenced on 31st July between 3.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. (B.S.T.), the weather being very dull indeed. Both sexes were at rest on the rushes and forget-me-nots. ‘Several females were sitting close together and periodically one or the other would take to flight. This prompted the others to follow suit, and all would circle round several times before coming to rest again, most often im a different place to that previously occupied. I saw no pairs in cop, but I captured a few males with dipterous and trichop- terous prey. : . On the evening of Ist August, at about 7..p.m., I saw a few pairs in cop. along a hedgerow. Unfortunately, I was without a net but | managed to box a pair; the femaie was in possession of dipterous prey. Previous to capture I had watched this pair making short flights from one twig to another, hardly resting before they were off again. The landing seemed clumsy and made considerable noise, and judging by the short distances covered by each flight quite an effort seemed neces- sary to. keep in the air. I did not observe if both insects made use of their wings, but it would be interesting to note this on some future occasion. ‘The wariness of these insects in my experience makes close observation difficult. . 2nd August was another dull day with frequent rainy periods and livida was not very active. I only saw one pair in cop., which I secured. The female dropped the prey and the pair separated. On taking, this from the net I found it to be the mutilated remains of a Chironomid fly. One single male was taken with trichopterous prey. The poor weather persisted throughout Tuesday, 3rd August, and the vegetation was wet, due to a heavy rainfall during the night. 1 only saw two single males with prey, one of which I secured; this had dipterous prey. The other I followed for some time, hoping to observe courtship and copulation. It made frequent circling flights, appar- ently in search of females, but eventually I lost it among the rushes. The prey appeared to be dipterous, but I was not close enough to be certain. Several individuals were at rest on flowers of forget-me-not, each actively moving its proboscis over the surface of the petals. On closer examination it could be seen that they were drinking from the globules of rain scattered over the surface of the flowers. 40 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/IV /1949 >) 4th August was a much brighter and warmer day, but the sun - did not break through the clouds until the afternoon. There was con- siderable activity among livida and I was soon busy collecting material. The prey taken was quite varied among various families of Diptera and I was quite satisfied with the morning’s work. . Rain came again during the night, and it continued throughout most of the morning of 5th August. The sun broke through once, and what activity this promoted I took advantage of. J took two males with ephemeropterous prey. I had wondered why I had not encoun- tered this before, as there were a number of mayflies about. I saw three pairs in cop., two out of reach and one which I followed for some time but eventually lost. Further upstream along a sheltered back-. water, which was drier and more pleasant to work, I found livida in some numbers, at rest on thistles and nettles. Both sexes were en- gaged in imbibing nectar from the thistle flowers. 6th August commenced warm and bright and I was filled with the hope of a good day’s work, but by 10.30 a.m. the skies ‘had clouded and rain commenced. Although I spent the rest of the morning observing from beneath a nearby tree I saw little of interest and collected very’ little material. ’ MetHops or Ho.ipine PREY. The majority of the single males employed the median pair of legs only in holding the prey, the anterior and posterior pairs being used to hold on to their placa of rest. A few of them were holding their prey with the posterior and median pairs of legs and one of the anterior ' pair, the remaining anterior leg bearing the whole weight of the insect as it hung suspended from the twig or leaf on which it had settled. The prey taken from the single males was apparently unin- jured, though motionless with the exception of a badly mutilated ephemeropteron (Ephemerella ignita, Pod.) devoid of its abdomen, and the Chironomus and Culex marked with a ? in the table. Possibly the male had already contacted a female which had fed on the prey, but it seems hardly likely that he would take back the prey after an attempt at copulation. The specimen of Mystacides nigra, L., was still feebly kicking when I took it from the net, but this must have taken a little more to kill as it was quite large compared with the other types of prey met with, | Of the pairs observed’in cop. the male was hanging by either of the two anterior tarsi, or by both of them. All the remaining legs were used to clasp the female. The female employed all her legs in holding the prey and thrusting it up and down on her proboscis. SuMMARY AND ANALYSIS OF PREY. T saw no single females in possession of prey, only those in cop. Ot all the males with prey not one appeared to be feeding on it. Mr A. H. Hamm gives an interesting account of the method of disabling the prey adopted by Empvis tessellata, Fab. (Ent. Mon. Mag., 1909, Vol. XX, p. 159), i.e., by piercing the junction between the thorax and the head, apparently affecting the central nervous system and produc- ing a paralyzing effect. It may be that livida adopts this method also. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EMPIS LIVIDA, LIN. 4] Copulation apparently takes place at all hours of the day and in fine or wet weather. The following table illustrates the nature of the prey taken from 35 sets of material collected. From these results it can be seen that most of the prey taken belong to the Diptera. I can find no previous record _of Hemiptera being taken as prey by livida. The author would wel- come any notes or records of the predaceous habits of the Empididae. No. taken From 33 From and single -9 9 Order. Family. species. 6 6 incop. Total. Ephemeroptera | Leptophlebiidae | Paraleptophlebia cincta, 3 as aa Retz. | Habrophlebia fusca, fl — 1 | Curt. Ephemerellidae | Ephemerella ignita, Poda 1 -- 1 Trichoptera Leptoceridae Mystacides nigra, Lin. 1 = f Polyvcentropidae | Cyrnus trimaculatus, 1 — { | Curt. | Psvchomyidae Psychomyia pusilla, Fab. 8 — 8 Hemiptera Miridae Orthotylus flavinervis, 4 = 1 | Kbm. Diptera | Culicidae 2Culex pipiens, Lin. 1 ee. 1 ; Chironomidae Pentaneura monilis, Lin. 1 _ J 2ChHiTONOMUS spp. 1 ao 1 ?Mutilated — 1 1 Mycetophilidae | Wycetophila fungorum, 1 = J Deg. Empididae Rhamphomyia flava, = 1 il Fall. Dolichopodidae | Campsicnemus scambus, 1 = | Fall. Sepsidae Sepsis cynipsea, Lin. — 1 1 Sphaeroceridae | Trichiaspis stercoraria, 1 = | Me. Cordyuridae Scopeuma stercoraria, — 1 1 | Lin. Calliphoridae Morinia nana, Me. 1 = 1 Pollenia varia, Me. 4 == 1 Muscidae Limnophora triangula, see 1 1 Fall. Limnophora scrupulosa, 1 = q Zett. | Hebecnema umobratica, 1 = 1 Meg. Helina duplicata, Mg. 1 = f | Myopina reflexa, R.-D. 1 aS ] | Pogohylemyia gnava. 1 ess 1 Mg. Erioischia brassicae, — 1 1 Bouché pal; 29 6 35 ACKNOWLEDGMENT. IL am indebted to the following gentlemen for the determination of the prey, which in some cases, due to mutilation, must have provided no mean task. Hemiptera—-Mr SS... W..Carler, F.R.B.S. 42 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1V/1949 Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera—Mr D. KE. Kimmins, Department of Entomology, British Museum (Nat. Hist.). Diptera—-Professor L. W. Grensted. My thanks are also due to Mr A. H. Hamm for his kindness in send- ing me separates of his papers and to the Royal Entomological Society of London for the loan of Professor E. B. Poulton’s paper (1906). All the material has been presented to the Hope Department of Entomo- logy, University Museum, Oxford. REFERENCES. Hamm, A. H. (1908). ‘‘ Observations on Hmpis livida, L.,” Ent. Mon. Mag., Vol. XIX (181-4). Hamm, A. H. (1909). ‘‘ Further Observations on the Hmpinae,” Ent. Mon. Mag., Vol. XX (157-162), Hamm, A. H. (1909). ‘‘ Observations on Hmpts opaca, F.,” Ent, Mon. Mag., Vol. XX (132-184). Hamm, A. H. (1933). ‘‘ The Epigamic Behaviour and Courtslfip of Three Species of Hmpididae,’’? Ent. Mon. Mag., Vol. LXIX (113-7). Lundbeck, W. (1910). ‘‘ Diptera Danica,”’ Part III, Empididae, Copen- hagen. Poulton, E. B. (1906). ‘‘ Predaceous Insects and their Prey,” Trans. Ent, Soc. Lond. (323). Poulton, E. B. (1913). ‘‘ Empididae and their Prey in Relation to Courtship,’? Ent, Mon, Mag., Vol. XXIV (177-80). ‘* Antiopa,’’ 38 Barrow Street, Much Wenlock, Salop. CURRENT NOTES. Winter Fuies.—Few fly fishers give much thought to their streams during the winter months; yet the winter fly hatches are worth more thought than is usually given to them. It has been a queer winter on the quieter streams; perhaps a still queerer autumn. October and Novem- her last year produced hatches which were almost as good as those dur- ing the fishing season. One Wiltshire stream even had a distinctly good hatch of mayfly, of all odd happenings, in November, and from the number of mayfly nymphs killed in a Berkshire pollution near the end of October it is probable that this phenomenon took place on many streams where lack of grayling fishers prevented it being reported. Were these autumn hatches from a spring egg laying, a good part of which had matured before the winter instead of the more usual course of growing very slowly in the cold months and hatching in the spring? And will this mean a poorer hatch of what is left for the spring months?—M. B. Tur Zoological Section of the S.E. Union of Scientific Societies, held at Canterbury, April 19th-22nd.. Programme from Winifred Boyd Watt, Hon. Secretary. . THE magazine is suffering from the lack of the smaller ‘‘ Collecting Notes.”? The abnormal weather must have affected many early stages of our Spring Lepidoptera. In such circumstances immigrant species will not survive unless they have already become firmly established. COLLECTING NOTES. 43 For many years most of the countries of Western and Central Kurope had sufficient entomologists to support two magazines. ‘With these we have been in exchange. It was different with the French. Rev. Bur- rows and I became Lite Members of the Ent. Soc. de France, which gave us the Ann, and Bulletin. I then subscribed to the very excellent little L’ Amateur de Papillions of M. Leon L’homme. For many years L’homme has been working at a fully annotated Catalogue of the Lepi- doptera of France and Belgium. The whole of the section of the Macro-Lepidoptera is complete and parts I and II of the Micro-Lepidoptera have appeared up to 1938-9. All that could be issued was a MSS. List of the names of the contents to be considered in the future of this. [ have a copy ‘‘ hist of Species ”’ to be dealt with in the succeeding parts of the work, LI, IV, V, VI. I and IT are already issued. In early 1938 the magazine took the title Revue Francaise de Lepi- dopterologie, In 1939, atter about a year’s issue, 1t ceased. We hear that an attempt to carry on is about to be made. We hope it will be successful. Betcium has the Bull. and Ann. of the Soc. Ent. de Belge, issued from Brussels, where the meetings are held; the other is the excellent small periodical Lambillionea. The two from Holland are less known, as so few British know the Dutch language. The Tijdschraft, which contains the chief writings of Lempke, and the Hntomologische Berichtan. Sweden has the same difficulty, the language—the Tidskrift and Opuscula Entomologica. And Finland, Swom7, WE have great difficultv in getting Current Notes, and also this year short Collecting Notes have failed to reach us. Several Obituaries were awaiting for record, and one written and posted has failed to arrive. THE mention of Drury, the famous author and collector of the eighteenth century, has brought us an article both informative and interesting. The opportunity will induce us to have the two precious items of Drury we possess as folding plates to illustrate the memoir. Presumably these are in Drury’s own handwriting, and consist of a List of the Contents of the Collection and the document of the circumstances which compel him to part with it. This article will probably appear in the May number and the plates later.—Hy. J. T. COLLECTING NOTES, Cotas HYALE av Swanace.—Friday, 1st April, was a warm day, temperature 55 to 60. At 12.30, as I was strolling over the Peveril Downs, I saw (. hyale fiving over the rough herbage. It flew round in short circles, and then settled a couple of yards away, and I was able to identify it as a female. It was in a perfectly fresh condition, so probably owing to the very mild winter here got through in the larval stage, completed its life cycle, and had just recently emerged.— LEONARD TATCHELL. 44 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/1V /1949 Karty Ewercences In 1949.—The following have been noted at Uley, Glos. (400 ft.):—19.iii, Cidaria badiata; 21.11, Pieris rapae, and con- tinuously since then; 22.i1i, Diurnea fagella; 26.11, Bombylius major, Alsophila aescularia; lav, Spilosoma lubricipeda (Mentrastri), in gar- dener’s shed, doubtless ‘‘ forced ’’?; 14.1v, Opisthograptis luteolata, Euchloé cardamines 3 (2 on 15.iv); 15.iv, Pararge aegeria.—T. Batn- BRIGGE FriercHer, 15.iv.49. g DISPHRAGIS COERULBOCEPHALA ON LAavREL.—On 27.v.48 at Uley, Glos., I found several larvae of Disphragis coeruleocephala teeding on Laurel leaves, which they had evidently been eating for some time, None were to be found on an adjacent Hawthorn hedge but possibly, if any had heen present on the Hawthorn, they had fed up earlier as larvae feeding on a merely tolerated foodplant often develop very slowly, for example, larvae of Pieris brassicae on Arabis as compared with larvae on Brassica.—T. Bainpricce FietrcHer, 15.iv.49. TINEA ARCELLA is a ‘‘ rather common ”’ species according to the text- books, but is one that has Jutherto eluded me. It was, however, com- mon at Uley, Glos., in July and August 1948 along hedges in the late evening, most frequently disturbed from amongst Corylus leaves.—T. BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER, 4.iv.49. Migrants in 1948 were not common, as already noted by many others. At Uley, Glos., Vanessa atalanta was represented by 31 in- dividuals. Seen from 23.vi to 19.x, V. cardui, by only one, on 29.vi1l1, a date on which [ saw the “ five possibles,”’ 7.¢., all the species of Vanessu found locally, curdw, atalanta, io, wrticae and c-album. Sesia stella- tarum, one, not very fresh, on 22.vili. MWuchalew gamma, a tew, trom 24.vi to 23.x, of which three were wings of individuals devoured by bats; on 12.x one gamma was seen flying South at 1400 hours during a sunny interval after a heavy shower at 1200, there being a light South- Westerly breeze at the time. One of the V. utalanta came to light on the night of 5.ix.—T. Barnsricce FiercHer, 4.iv.49. RHINGIA CAMPESTRIS.—With reference to the notes by Messrs Laurence, Andrews, Verdcourt and Parmenter (Hnt. Rec., LX, 100, 107, 108. 119) on the searcity of Rhingia campestris in the Spring of © 1948, | would note that at Uley, Glos., this species was abundant in May 1948 and occurred commonly throughout the Summer to mid-Sep- tember and more sparingly into October.—T. Barnspriccr FLETCHER. 4.iv.49. : } OSMYLUS FULVICEPHALUS.—An example of Osmylus fulvicephalus was found on 3.vii.48 near Uley, Glos., being beaten from vegetation over- growing a small roadside streamlet. This seems a late date.—T. Batn- BRIGGE FLercHer, 4.iv.49. BRITISH DIPTEROLOGICAL LITERATURE, SUPPLEMENT IV. By H. W. Anprews, F.R.E.S. For previous Lists see Hnt. Record, Vol. 43 (March 1931), Vol. 47 (December 1935), and Vol. 55 (May 1943). General Works.—Kloet, C. S., and Hincks, W. D.: “A Cheek List of . British Insects.’’ [Published at Stockport in 1945 by Kloet and Hincks, now at 110 Sackville Street, Man- chester 1; price £2 12/6.] Lasts of species of all Orders. The section dealing with Diptera gives 5199 species, and is the only complete list since the 2nd Edition of Verrall’s List of British Diptera was published in 1901. Nomenclature.—Smart, John: ‘‘ An annotated Bibliography-Chronology of the Literature and Events relating to the Generic Names of Meigen, 1800.’’ [Published in The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Ser. 11, Vol. XI, pp. 261- 272, April 1944.] This pamphlet, explained by its title, should prove most useful as a reference work to all— especially writers—interested in this thorny subject. ORTHORRHAPA. (NEMATOCERA.) Simuliidae.—Smart, John: ‘‘ The British Simuliidae, with Keys to the species in the Adult, Pupal, and Larval Stages.”’ [ Pub- lished as Scientific Publication No. 9 of The Freshwater Biological Association of the British Empire, Wray Castle, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1944; price 2/6.] CXy-e vee Brian O. ©. GarDINER, 34a Storeys Way, Cambridge, 10.4.49. C. LIvorNiIcA aT Braunton, N. Devon.—On 2nd September, at 11.45 p.m. (B.8.T.) a C. livornica, Esp., came to an electric light on the loggia here and was netted with difficlty. It proved to be a large female in very good condition.—E. Barton Waitt, F.R.E.S., Braunton, N. Devon. LarvAr oF H. prInastri, Linn.—Larvae of H. pinastri, Linn., from Bournemouth ova laid in the Spring of 1948 fed up and pupated nor- mally. The pupae were undisturbed until 25th May 1949, when they were placed in moist loose peat mould in a flower pot in the greenhouse. Though alive and active, none has emerged to date—l0th September 1949.—E. Barton Warr, Braunton, N. Devon. Larvasn or B. nusecuiosa, Esp.—lLarvae of B. nubeculosa, Esp., from Scottish ova laid on Birch twigs, were, when one-third of an inch in length, placed in perforated zine cylinders inserted in flower pots. They fed up rather unevenly, but, with one fatality, pupated normally during July 1949.—K. Barton Waite, Braunton, N. Devon. CURRENT NOTES. We have just learned that the International Congress of Kntomo- logy will be held in Amsterdam, 17th-21st August 1951. WE are pleased to state that the admirable Dover [ist of Lepidoptera ean be obtained from the Buckland Press, Dover, Kent, at the price of 5/6, post free. ) CORRECTION. 105 WE understand that that excellent journal for Lepidopterists, Da Revue Mensuelle de Leyidopteres, successor to L’ Amateur de Papillons, is about to reappear under the direction of Monsieur Le Charles, a colleague of the late editor, Monsieur Leon Lhomme. We would suggest that all interested in receiving this magazine should write M. Le Charles, 22 Avenue des Gobelins, Paris, Venne., to ‘ensure that their names are on the subscribers’ list, and we need hardly add that new subscribers would be welcome. Now that Continental travel is open to so many, we feel sure that lepidopterists visiting the Continent will find one of their wants filled by this magazine, and another want will be satisfied by the splendid catalogue on which Monsieur Lhomme worked for so many years, and which, it is hoped, will be completed under the direction of his colleagues in due season as a fitting memorial to this man, who was not only a very sound lepidopterist, but also a delightful companion and correspondent. So far, the Macro-Lepidoptera portions are complete, as also are the ‘‘ Pyrales,’’ ‘‘ Plumes,’’ and ‘‘ Tortrices,’’ while the ‘“Tineina ’ have appeared as far as Depressaria. The whole manu- script is complete and only awaits the funds for publication, which takes place whenever possible. It would be the greatest of pities were this work to fail through lack of support, for it is of great value to those whose interest is limited to British Lepidoptera as well as to those with a wider outlook. M. Le Charles will doubtless be in a posi- tion to give details of cost to all who are interested, and we may add that we have found this very moderate in the past.—S. N. A. J., 20.1x.49. CORRECTION. Ent. Record, p. 94, Sept. No. Mr Sperring states that the species which he referred to was Lucania favicolor, and not suasa, REVIEW. Diptera. Introduction, and Keys to Families, by H. Oldroyd, being Part 1 of Volume IX of the Handbooks for the identification of British Insects, published by the Royal Entomological Society of London. Price Seven Shillings and Sixpence. This is the first part to be published on the Diptera in connection with a very desirable, if somewhat ambitious, scheme for the production of a series of Handbooks on British Insects. Conciseness and cheapness are stated to be the main objectives, and this part of only 49 pages, one coloured plate, and 97 text figures, which includes not only explanations and illustrations of most of the technical terms used in Dipterology, but also indicates the main lines of classification, as well as variations in structure, in the Order, and provides a Key to all the Families, can rightly claim to have attained at least the first of these objectives. 106 ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/X/1949 The figures on the coloured plate (of a Blow-fly and a Bot-fly) are copies of two of Mr A. J. E. Terzi’s well-known masterpieces, but these and the twelve other black-and-white figures of complete insects, all lack one important detail, viz., an indication of the natural size of each. A beginner studying this part is left with the false impression that the Hippoboscid Stenopteryx hirundims, L., is far and away the largest insect of those figured. The introductory portion of 36 pages gives practically all the infor- mation a beginner need know about the morphology of the Diptera in order to use the Table of Families, and should prove of considerable value, a value in no way diminished by the fact that it is open to a certain amount of criticism. In fig. 8 the front part of the frons of one of the Clusilidae is incor- rectly called the ‘‘ median frontal plate,’’ such a sclerite is not present in the Clusiidae, the term is sometimes used for the ‘‘ interfrontalia,”’ forming a chitinized projection forwards of the ocellar triangle, in fact the ‘‘much enlarged frontal triangle’’ of fig. 9 is actually the much de- veloped interfrontalia, and examples of less developed ones are often found in the Tetnocerinae, as well as elsewhere. In fig. 26 the sutural depression causing a definition of the post-alar callus, though mentioned in the Table of Families, is not indicated. In fig. 33 mention might have been made of the ‘‘stigmatical bristles’’ as distinct from the ‘‘ propleural bristles,’ and of the ‘‘ metasternum ”’ lying between C’x2 and Cx3, all of which are indicated in the figure. In Table 1 on page 21 the abbreviation ‘‘ im ”’ for a crossvein should he replaced by ‘‘ m ”’ or ‘‘ m-m,’’ further it is the base of M4 (not M3) which represents the ‘‘ lower (small)’’ crossvein of both Verrall and Comstock-Needham. The figures of ‘‘ breaks ’’ in the wing costa will be referred to later, but fig. 73 gives the false impression that the mediastinal (or SC) vein is absent. On page 25 the emended spelling of Gastrophilus is used, though the original spelling of Gasterophilus is employed elsewhere. In the ‘‘ List of Families ’’ on page 35, an ‘‘i’’ should replace ‘‘z’’ in Chiromyzidae, and ‘‘ Asteidae’’ should read either Asteiidae or the possibly more correct Astiidae. The order of families in the Acalypterae is very far from being a natural arrangement. Finally the fact has been overlooked that the true position of the Phoridae (as near the Platvpezidae) was established by the discovery of the Sciadoceridae. | The compilation of this introductory portion must have resolved it- self mainly into deciding what might safely be omitted for the sake of brevity, but the production of a satisfactory Key to Families was inevitably a much more difficult matter, because no really satisfactory Key has yet been compiled. No one, for instance, who has worked at the Acalypterae could fail to realize the difficulties of adapting to the requirements of British Dinterists these previous attempts at the pro- duction of a Key, which is what Mr Oldroyd has attempted. He was warned that previous Tables in which use was made of the costal ‘“ breaks ’’ were probably unworkable, but he has endeavoured to get REVIEW. 107 over the difficulty by extending the repetition of doubtful cases under both headings, and by giving figures of some of them. It is certain that he might have carried these processes further with advantage. Further, whereas Hendel, who first made use of these costal break characters, appears to have adopted the point of contact of the wpper margin of R1 with the costa, as the point where that vein joins the costa, Mr Oldroyd has adopted the point of contact of the lower margin of R1 with the costa (v. arrow-heads in figs. 71 and 72), without mak- ing corresponding alterations in the position of families in the Key. Moreover, his figures 71 and 72 are not absolutely accurate in their re- presentation of vein R1, or in details of costal chaetotaxy. There are usually some faint indications of a continuation of vein Rl in normal width along the underside of its apparently thickened part, and though there may be an indistinctness of the upper margin of this vein immed1- ately beyond the junction of vein SC with costa, this is due to the presence of the fold in the wing shown in fig. 73. This fold is not dis- tinctive of the Psilidae as stated in couplet 65 of the Key (where ‘‘discal cell (Ist M2)’ should read ‘‘second basal cell (M)’’), but is more or less distinctly indicated in a large number of the Cyclorrhapha, occasionally even simulating a cross-vein between R1 and costa, in other cases an apparent fusion of the two. This constitutes one of the reasons why the character of the position of the costal break in relation to the end of vein R1 is so difficult of application, a difficulty not overcome by Mr Oldroyd’s adoption of another point of junction of R1 with costa be- cause these veins often merge so very gradually into one another. Any- one in any doubt about the correctness of his own interpretation of these costal break characters when using the Key, should invariably try the alternative divisicn. It may be useful to indicate one or two mistakes which have crept into the Key, and call attention to some statements which should not be taken too literally. Couplet 14, first line, for (fig. 1) 5 read (fig. 15). Couplet 16, after ‘‘ Dolichopodidae ’’ add ‘‘ and Empididae.”’ Couplet 18. 222s 28, 56 trifasciana.,. Isotrias’ ~ 2eee eee 48 tullias ‘Cocnonyam pha eee eee 67 turanica, Celama 235 15 tusciaria, (Crocallisy ye... eee 76 uliginosella, Pyrausta — .................... 49 WIM bELatica ey eRUSiia) ee eeeeeeeee eee eee Q7 uncula, “EWUStEotia fae eee 67 unguicelia, “AnGydis 9 fese eee 48 urticae, Vanessa... 14.5ib Acie 57, 100, 123, 130 vaccinil, Conistra 7 eee By) (85: valezina, Argynnis paphia ............ 141% Vatiabilis, INychiodes eee eee af. venata, Ochlodes (see sylvestris, Pam- phila) verbascalis, Mesographe .................. 47 vespiformis, ConOpia —.2!.)....s2.0sensseseees 38. vetusta, Calocampal [ee eee Q7 vibicella, Kupista: | 27.2.2 AT vaburnana, —Lortrixe eee eee AT Vinula;) -Cerura, ..25:-c eee 287 112 xylostellus, Ypsolophus _............. ese sel ZEDrus,: Cupid)... eeseetee eee 123 ZigzZacy INOtOdonita eee 5 oy bd zZoegzana,; GEALXAMUMIS sete eeee eee eee eee eee 46 zonaria, INYSSIA: | s...ceEeeeeeeee eee eens 113 NEUROPTERA. fulvicephalus. Osmylus _.................. 4h THE BRITISH NOCTUAE AND THEIR VARIETIES. IV. (45) Syngrapha, Hb., interrogationis, Lh. Plusia, Ochs. & Tr. (1816-26). Very many authors. [Phytonietr. Haw. (1809) : a few authors: Syngrupha, Hb. (1806), Stz. works. | Hufn., Berl. Mag., 111, 212, No. 15 (1766), said that interrogationts was similar to gumma only that the silvery coloured spot was a frag- mentary character. Schiff., Verz., 98 (1775), Z. 3: imterrogationis, L. Larvae semi- geometrae. Phal. Noctuae Metallicae. Larvae on the common nettle. Grouped with festucue, chrysitis, circumfleza and gamma. Illiger, Revised Verz., V, 347, (93), Z. 3 (801), named it * The Nettle Noctua.’’ He cited Linn., Syst. Nat. and Fn. Suec.; Esper; Fab.; Bork., ete. Fab., Syst. Ent., 607 (1775), cited Linn. as the author. His descrip- tion: ‘‘ anticis fusco cinereoque variis signo. albo inscriptis,’’ was most inadequate. Goeze, Beitrage, III (3), 126 (1781), cited Berlin Mag. (1766); Fab., Syste MWe (ia) s Nunes, sSelngr, WSs Cus) = Srolanitto, Wai 5 (ANS). Bork., Schmett. Noct., IV, 792 (1792), cited Tainn., Syst. Nat.. XI Ted., 884 (1767) and gave the Coser ine lgn: Also he cited Linn., Fn. Swec. ialcn Ueber; de Vill., Ent. Dinm.; Fuess., Schw. Ims.; Hutn., B orl. One: RoR Schmett, Noct.; Goze, " Beitr., etc. Ernst & Engram., Pap. d’Eur. (1792), VIII, 132, fig. 593 a, b (and c, d), gave 3 figures, very good illustrations of 3 different forms. On p. 124 they discuss the conscripta, Hb., of the Beitrage, II (2), 52, plt. IV, fig. U. The authors remark on Hb., ‘‘ The individual example which served him as a model was, doubtless, incorrectly drawn, for his colours are much too pale for this species. He described his species as the Noct. aemula, Fab., Mant., 162. Perhaps it is the same species that this author has described under two names.”’ The omission of recording the rosy suffusion in all the earlier de- scriptions has been the cause of the withdrawal of several aberrational names. The action of Tutt in 1892 of naming a form ab. rosea made a following names to fall as Synonyms:—ab. borealis, Reut., Act. Finn. (1893); ab. aurosignata, Don., English Ins. (1808); ab. wemula, Fab., Mant., I (1787). Hb., Samml. Noct., 281 (1800-1803) gave a very good figure, some- what darker than that of Dup. Hb. had already figured this species in his Beitr., II (2), p. 52, plt. 4, U (1791), under the name conscriptu. Haworth, Lep. Brit., 257 (1809), described it ‘‘ alis cinereo fusco roseo-que varlis, in medio littera V puncto-que contiguo., argenteis.”’ ‘“ Praecedentibus differt statura minore; alis anticis roseo cinereo fuscoque perpulchre variegatis et potissimum charactere argenteo Cilia rosea fusco maculata.’’ This species was known to Moses Harris as above cited, where he remarks that it ‘‘ is a different species from the Phalena interrogationis of Linnaeus.’’ In this, however, probably mistaken, as there are hardly any doubts about this being N. interrogationis of Fauna Suecica. although Linnaeus makes no kind of mention of its beautiful purple tints. It is not the interrogationis of Hiibner, nor does it exactly ac- cord with his Noctua ni; although closely allied to both. (46) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15/111 / 1949 Dup., Hist. Nat., VII (2) (1829), 47, plt. 137 (not 136 as printed), fig. 2. The figure is a good one but somewhat lighter than the average examples, and chequered fringes of the forewings are very clear and distinct. If it were tinted with rose colour that has vanished with time. ‘| he transverse shades are well in evidence. He has cited the double, 1-e. Donavan and his Tortrix. He described this species a grey-brown like gamma and with the same marking; with the same silver characters as LP. ni, only smaller, and the underside of all wings is “ exactly ’’ like that of P. gamma. Treit., Schmett. Noct., V (8), 190 (1826), said that Linne’s species was the species called aemula by Fab. and Bork., but recognized as the true interrogations by Schiff. in the Verz. in the gamma group. He cited about 20 works in which this species had been dealt with; several of which are not often referred to. Illiger in the Neu. Magazine, I, 146 (1822) (1803); Harris, English Ins., plt. 3 (1782); Rossi, Faun. Etruse., II, 188 (1795); Ist ed. Laspeyres, Brit. Revis., 145 (1803); Goeze, Ent. Beitr., III (8), 126 (1781); Fuess., Schw. Ins., 38 (1775); in error he quoted Donavan, Nat. Hist., I, plt. LXVI (1903), interro- gationana, diagnosed, described, figured and named as a Tortrix. [Mr Fassnidge has determined this figure as Hucosma foenella. | Freyer, Beitr., III, 116, plt. 130, fig. 1 (1830), gave an excellent figure of a dark continental form with fairly distinct light main char- acters. Gn., Hist. Nat., VI (2), Noct., 354 (1852), said that since Haworth described this species as being much suffused with rose he could not discuss this species. H.-S., Sys. Bearb., II, 339, 5 (1845+)?, gave no figure, nor did he comment on the figures of authors, especially Hb., he cited. But he gave a description noting most of the characters, a selection of which might be found on any specimen. He recognized the unstable nature of any character and would not describe a ‘‘ type.’’ Splr., Schmett. Hur., I, 305, plt. 50, 11 (1907), gave a very good figure, dark with a considerable amount of hghter marking fairly dis- tributed but not strong. The silvery metallic character was well em-— phasized. He adds ab, fammifera, Huene, ssp. transbaicalensis, Stdgr. ; ab. rosea, Tutt. He refers to its extreme variation and its extensive area of distribution. South, Moths B. Is., II, 73, plt. 26, f. 4-5 (1908), gave two very good figures, one very dark and the other light; he referred to the violet purple tinge ‘‘ when first emerged,’’ and that some have even an amount of blackish suffusion. Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346 (1913), gave aemula, Fb. (nec Schiff.), awrosignata, Don., and borealis, Reut., as Syns. They gave 6 figures: typical, orbata, flammifera, ignifera, cinerea and gammifera., Warr. described ab. orbata 64b; ab. ignifera, 64; ab. cinerea, 64 ¢; and ab. gammifera, 64.c; and figured and described fammifera, Huene, 64b. In Stz. work this species was taken from Plusia, Ochs. (Phyto- _metra, Haw.) and placed in Syngrapha, Hb., p. 345. Tutt had referred (1892) to the endless varieties of this species, a remark which appears to have attracted attention of entomologists in- terested in Variation. It will be noted that the recorded aberrations are practically all dated subsequent to 1892. THE BRITISH NOCTUAE AND THEIR VARIETIES. IV. (47) Culot, N. et G. d’Eur., I (2), 176, plt. 72, f. 4 (1916), gave a very good but very dark Swiss specimen. He gave a condensed but lucid account of the lines of variation and the clear differences from resemb- lance to P. gamma, which latter was dominated by its grey suffusion while it never had the bronze reflection always so dominant in the inter- rogationis. Meyrick, Handbk., used Plusia in both editions (1928) 7? Drdt.-Stz., Pal. Noct. Supp., VII, 220 (1936), separated cinerea, Warr., and its form gammifera, Warr., as a true species: said that annulata, (Hamp.) Strand, was a Syn. of orbata, Warr., and that con- fluens, (Hamp.) Strand, is a Syn. of flammifera, Huene. Drdt. said that the aureomaculata, Vorb., had a golden mark instead of a silvery one; that in aureoviridis, Wgnr., the forewing is largely suffused with oolden-green. Drdt.-Stz., I.c., p. 266 (1937), reported ab. magnifica, Rang., an ab. with an unusually large and prominent silver character on a rich brown velvety area of forewing. Of the Variation Barrett said :— Usually only variable in the depth of the black clouding, and in the shape of the Y, which is very irregular. In a specimen in the collection of Mr A. C. Vine it is produced into a long attenuated and enlarged stripe of rich gold colour toward the base of the wing. Those taken in Londonderry by Mr Milne have a beautiful flush of purple over the forewings. Tutt dealt with the (1) early descriptions, Linnaeus, Zetterstedt, Guenee, Oberthur, and (2) named the colour, not before emphasized, °s rosea. The Names and Forms to be considered :— interrogationis, Ll. (1758), Sys. Nat., Xed., 5138. aemula, Fab. (1787), Mant. Ins., II, 162. Syn. aureosignata, Don. (1808), N. Hist. Brit. Is., XIII, 48, plt. 459. ab. rosea, Tutt (1892), Brit. Noct., IV, 36. ab. borealis, Reut. (1893), Act. Fenn., IX, 97. Syn. ssp. transbaicalensis, Stdgr. (1892), Iris, V, 371 (Stdgr., Cat., IiTed., 139). ab. awreomaculata, Vorb. (1911), Schmett. Schw., I, 426. ab. orbata, Warr.-Stz. (1913), Pal. Noct., TIT, 346, plt. 64 b. ab. flammifera, Huene (1913), l.c. ab. ignifera, Warr.-Stz. (1913), l.c. ab. cinerea, l.c., sp., see Drdt.-Stz. ab. gammifera, l.c., sp., see Drdt.-Stz. ab. annulata, (Hamp.) Strand (1913) (1916), Zep. Phal., XIII, 431; Aacite Nock: zx Xi vA. 2.71. ab. confluens, l.c. ab. simplex, l.c. ab. aureoviridis, Wagnr. (1926), Zt. Oest. Ent. Wien, XI, 26. ab. magnifica, Rang. (1935), Ent. Rund., LIT, 22 (1935). ab. awrosignata, Don., Nat. Hist. Brit. Ins., XIII, 48, plt. 459, 1 (1808), figured and named a Noctuid albosignata. Wrnbg., Beitr., IT, 287 (1864), said it was interrogationis. ’ (48) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXT. 15 /TI1/ 1949 ab. transbaicalensis, Stdgr., Iris, V, 371 (1892). Desorrp.—Cat., IIled., 239 (1901)—‘‘ al. ant. magis grisescentibus, al. post. dilutioribus vix nominanda.”’ ab. aureomaculata, Vrbt., Schmett. Schweis., 1, 426 (1911). Orie. Drscrrp.—‘‘ A rarely occurring form in which the usually silvery-white character is bright shining golden.” ab. orbata, Warr.-Stz., Pal, Noct., II, 46, plt. 64 b (1913). Orig. Drscrie.—‘‘ The silvery mark is highly variable, either form- ing a simple loop with fine silvery edge, or as ab. orbata followed by a small silvery dot as in the type form.’’ ab. flammifera, Huene, Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346, plt. 64 b (gis). Descrip.—‘‘ A large round spot conjoined to it, nearly separate, a development of orbata.”’ ab. annulata, Hamps., Strand, Cat. Lep. Phal. Noct., XIIT, 43! (1913): Areh. Noct., LXXIL, A. 2, 471 (1916). Oric. Drscrip.—‘ Forewings with a small annulus confluent with the outer edge of the stigma at inside.’’ ab. confluens, Hamps., Strand, l.c., l.c. Oric. Drescrip.—‘‘ Forewing with a small spot confluent with the stigma below.’’ ab. sumplex, Hamps., Strand, l.c., l.c. Oric. Descrip.—‘‘ Forewing without spot or annulus. ab. tgnifera, Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346, plt. 64 e (1913). Orig, Descrte.—‘‘ Has the usual silvery or pale yellow mark as in some examples of flammifera shaped like a tadpole with deep fiery red scaling before the outer line beyond the inner and along the submedian fold.”’ ab. cinerea, Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 346, plt. 64 ec (1913), was de- scribed and figured as a form of interrogationis, but now Drdt.-Stz., Pal. Noct. Supp., III, 220 (1936), is declared a true species and that form pyrenaica, Hamp., 1s a syn. ab. gammifera, Warr.Stz., l.c., ‘‘ is certainly a form of cinerea.’ ab. awreoviridis, Wagnr., Zeit. Oest. Ent. Ver., X1, 26 (1926). Oric. Descrie.—‘‘ It had all the characteristic marking of the nor- mal forewing but was a very striking variety. As regards the whole ot the costal margin area of the forewings up to the gamma-mark, as also the basal, the surrounding areas are strongly bedecked with golden- green scales, which colour gives the whole creature a brilliant and quite distinct appearance. Of the normal ground colour there is left only a small portion of the lower-half of the forewing’s gamma marking.’’ ab. magnifica, Rangn., Ent. Rund., LIII, 22, fig. (1935). The refer- ence in Drdt.-Stz., III (1937), is wrongly given as 1936. This class of error occurs frequently in quoting from magazines which do not run concurrently with the annual calendar, e.g., Hnt. Rund., LIM, was pub- lished from October 1935 to September 1936, and the volume labelled 936.7? THE BRITISH NOCTUAE AND THEIR VARIETIES. IV. (49) A. Amphipyra, Ochs. & Tr., pyramidea, Linn. Amphipyra, Ochs. & Treit. (1816) (1825). Most authors. Hufn., Berl. Mag., ITI, 288, No. 32 (1766), pyramidea, gave the fol- lowing Description :—‘‘ Dark brown, with part black-brown, partly yellowish marking; the lower wings red-brown.” Roesel, Belust., I (11), plt. XI, 4-5 (1746?), gave 2 very good figures, 4 spread, 5 at rest, very dark European forms with markings clear but not emphasized to produce a light submarginal area as in many British forms. : Schiff., Verz., 71, G. 1 (1775), classified pyramidea on the larval characters and proclivities. It is recognized as a Linn. species. Illiger, in his revised Verz., I, p. 201, G. 1 (1801), cited the descrip- tion of Fab., Ent. Syst., III, 2, p. 98. He also cites excerpts at con- siderable length on the larva from the well-known Kalender of Brahm. Goeze, Beitr. Lep., TI (3), p. 175, No. 181 (1781). This work usually records descriptions of species which are almost unobtainable. In this case we are able to quote from Hufn., Berlin Mag.; Résel, Belust. ; Reaum., Mem.; Schiff., Verz.; Fab., Syst. Hnt.; Geoffroy, Ins., ete. spe Anbdd, WNocr 4 Ver Gs2,. plin CUNO 1s (1790+ ?), gave a figure fairly recognizable, especially as the good figure of a larva is on the same plate. Teste Wernebg. Ernst & Engram., Pap. d’Eur., VIII, 96, f. 337 d, c, e, f (4789) and its underside. All four are pyramidea. Two other figures on the plate are livida, a species. Teste Wernbg., Beitr., II, 111, fig. e, has normal marking and outer marginal area lighter but the markings are all of a light reddy-brown; fig c is a less marked specimen; fig. e is the darkest. Don., Nat. Hist. of Br. Is., 193 (1798), gave an excellent figure, suf- fused with blackish, the ight markings definite and clear. Hb., Samml. Noct., 36 (1802), gave an excellent figure with the lighter markings very clear and definite, with dark ground. Steph., Zllws., II, 164 (1829), said ‘‘ This beautiful insect varies ex- ceedingly: in some specimens the general colour is pale griseous-yellow, with the usual markings; in others of a deep fuscous, with the posterior wings of a dingy copper colour.”’ Dup. (Godt.), Hist. Nat., V, 136, plt. 56 (136), 4 (1824), gave an ex- cellent figure normal in ground, shading and marking, one may call it typical. Ochs: & Treit., Schmett. Noct., IV (1), 285 (1825), gave a most use- ful List of works consulted by them, copies of nearly all of which are in my Library. In fact only 2 authors are wanting. List: Linné; Roesel; Schiffermuller; Dlliger; Hiibner; Fabricius; Esper; Borkhausen; de Villers; Goze; Geoffroy; Hufnagel; Schrank; Fuessly; Langs; Brahm ; Ernst & Engrammelle; Madam Merian; Schwarz; Admiral; Rossi. Only Schrank is wanting and of Hufnagel (Berlin Mag.) I have Rot- tenburg’s revision in Naturforschen, of which IT have a complete run. GnesHasts Nae. Nock, Nic Ale, (1852), cited. .schitt. .aVerare Msp: Fab.; Don.; Geoff.; Ernst. & Engr.; Godart; Haw.; Hb.; Steph. gave a detailed description of imago and larva. He described as species pyramidoides forms from the United States and another race, I.c., 414, monolitha, from Silhet. Both are now treated as species. H.-S., Bearb. Noct., TT, 326 (1849), makes no comment, but gave a rather full description. (50) ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD, VOL. LXI. 15 / TIT /1949 Stdger., Cat., I[led., 200 (1901), included the far Eastern representa- tive monolitha, Gn., and obscura, Obthr., from E. Asia and Algeria re- spectively, both of which are now treated as specifically distinct. The surnia, Feld., he placed as a Syn. of monolitha. Somtih, M. PPI 1; 323, plt. 154, figs. 1, 2, 3 (1907), gawe 3 ones figures Sa the ‘followime useful deeripicrt under the name ‘ the Copper Underwing.’’ ‘‘ Varies somewhat in the tint of its brown cot- oured forewings, and in the greater or lesser amount of blackish shad- ing on the central area: the latter is sometimes quite absent and not infrequently the outer marginal area is pale ochreous-brown. The hindwings, normally of a coppery colour, are occasionally paler, and sometimes of a reddish hue.’’ The figures give three grades of colour, shade and marking. Hampson, Lep. Phal., VII, 48 (1908), cited Linn.; Hb.; Esp.; Don., etc., and as Syns. monolitha, Gn.; surnia, Feld.; obscura, Obth.; albi- quilimbata, Graes. He recognized monolitha, Gn., as an aberration, and described another from Murree, which Strand subsequently named ab. snurreensis. Splr., Schmett. Eur., I, p. 238, plt. 44, fig. 28 (1907), gave a very dark figure with more light outer area; the white marking thin and scrappy. Even the hindwings were much deeper in shade. He gave ab. virgata, Tutt, the monolitha, Gn., and obscura, Obthr.; the N. American ab. pyramidoides, Gn., was also mentioned. The name was given from the larva having a conical hump on the back of segment IT. Warr.-Stz., Pal. Noct., III, 168, plt. 38a (1911), described this species with 4 figures and two new forms, ab. albisquama, 38 a, and ab. variegata, 38 b, and included ab. virgata, Tutt, 38b.