.*■•!''' .-■ ',K,I.' ^■' THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE: CONDirCTED BY C. G. BAREETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. McLACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. SECOND 8ERIES-V0L. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] " It requires less time to make a false statement than to refute it, and there will ever be those who prefer to theorize and jump to conclusions, rather than ascertain facts bj the more tedious and laborious inductive method." — C. V. Riley. ^^H< LONDON: GURNEY & JACKSON (Mk. Van Yoorst's Successors), '^ 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1895. oi NAPIEE, PRINTER, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE, N.W. MDCCCXCT. \ x^\ [January, gall-maker, but subsequent discoveries on the continent, as well as the characters of the insect, have shown it to belong to the parasitic division of the Cynipidce. — T. A. Marshall, Botusfleming Rectory, Cornwall : December 12th, 1894. Note on an American tortoise, and the Coleoptera that follow it. — Mr. John Hamilton, in a letter to me, dated October 9th, answers some enquiries of mine regarding a curious Histerid, which has lately been discovered in the burrows of an American tortoise. I had seen some account of it in " Insect Life," but as this publication has not, I believe, a very wide circulation, either hei*e or on the conti- nent, it may be of interest if I give an extract from Mr. Hamilton's letter : — " From what you say in your letter, I infer you have not seen Mr. Hubbard's account of Gopherus Polyphemus, and the descriptions of the beetles, &c., published in ' Insect Life,' vol. vi, pp. 302 — 315. " This tortoise grows to ten or twelve inches in length, and is supposed to live 100 years or more, always inhabiting the same burrow, unless compelled to dig a new one. The place selected is a sandy plateau (in Florida) among dense growth of low palms, scrub, live oak, &c. The top layer of white sand, where I found them, was about four feet deep, and beneath this there was a deep layer of yellow sand com- pacted to near the hardness of sand-stone. The object of the tortoise is to penetrate the last about two feet, and there it stops. To reach it, the tortoise digs at a measured angle of 35°, which, to attain a depth of about five and half feet, requires a burrow about twelve feet long. If the upper sand is deeper, as it is in some localities, say seven or eight feet, the burrow must be proportionally longer. The turtle is a vegetable feeder, and has an intestine an inch in diameter, and its evacua- tions are very large, and composed almost entirely of vegetable fibre. At the end of its burrow there seems to be an excavation for the excrement, and in this the beetles live. " Mr. Hubbard has taken double the number of species of Coleoptera I did, and each species in much larger numbers, digging in July and August. He has described Onthophagus polyphemi and Philonthus gopheri, and he has also a Trichopteryx and three species of Brachelytra yet to describe. If you have seen Mr. Hubbard's paper this may still interest you, as there are some things here which he does not mention. The digging for Gophers, with the temperature nearly 100° in the shade, and in such a place as I have described, is about as difficult entomological work (physically speaking) as is ever encountered." The tortoise, or one similar to it, occurs in Mexico and other countries, so that the area over which the Coleoptera may be found is a very lai-ge one, and, I think, the method of hunting for them tried by Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Hamilton is likely to lead to the discovery of numerous species. I saw a great many tortoises in Algeria tliis spring, and although the species is not a burrower like Gopherus Poly- phemus, I think it is highly probable some small stercoraceous beetles are more or less attached to them.— G-. Lewis, Archer's Road, Southampton : October 22nd, 1894. The genus Ithaca, Olliff.— In the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 2nd series, ii, pp. 152—154 (1888), Mr. Olliff described a supposed new genus and species of (Edemeridce from Tasmania, under the name of Ithaca anthina, and remarked upon the extraordinary structure of the antennae. This 1895.] 29 same species was described at great length by Newman in 1851 (Zoologist, App., pp. cxsxiii — cxxxvii), under the name of Dohrnia miranda, and he also com- mented upon the peculiar structure of the antennae. Males only were known in each case. The females have the antennfe simple, and the fifth ventral segment unemarginate. Numerous specimens of both sexes are contained in the British Museum, some of which were exhibited by Mr. C. O. Waterhouse at the M eeting of the Entomological Society of London on May 2nd, 1877. The peculiar distortion of the joints 5-7 of the antennte in the male is suggestive of a somewhat similar character in various species of Meloe. -G. C. Champion, Horsell, Woking : Decem- ber ISth, 1894. Ejitomohgical Pins. — While the question of improvements in pins is to front, I would like to suggest that manufacturers should make pins without heads, at any rate, the smaller sizes. Most entomologists now use forceps, and a pin without a head would certainly be more convenient to take hold of; also the danger of jerking an insect out of position through the forceps catching against the pin head when being withdrawn would be avoided, and possibly a little less unparliamentary language would be used. Headless pins would probably be cheaper. — Kalph C. Beadlet, Sutton Coldfield : December, 1894. [I quite agree with our correspondent's suggestion, so far as the small sizes are concerned. Of course the Editors of this Magazine never (or hardly ever) use " unparliamentary " language, but the big heads of short small pins are a standing temptation they would like to avoid. — R. McL.]. Official restrictions on the distribution of entomological specimens. — The report of what took place at the last meeting of the Entomological Society of London, in our present No., gives publicity to a vagary of our Postal authorities, who after having given permission to the sending of insects by sample post to places abroad, now declare packets so posted to be " contrary to regulations," and return them to the senders. As bearing on this, we extract from a popular weekly the following note, translated from the German " Neckarzeitung :" — " A recent freak of the Russian Custom House authorities has been communicated to us by a friend in Helsingfors, Finland. An entomologist, residing in that town, not long ago sent a rare fly from Lapland to a brother scientist in Italy, but had the parcel returned from the Russian frontier with the note — ' The importation of dead animals into Russia is prohibited.' The parcel was subsequently forwarded vvl Sweden." — Eds. Butterflies and Moths (British) : by W. Furneaux, F.R.G.S. Pp. 350, 8vo, with 12 coloured plates and numerous illustrations in the text. London : Longmans, Green and Co. 1894. This may be classed as a Christmas book, and will compare favourably with the host of other works on the same subject, differing chiefly in the method of treatment. It purports to figure and describe all the British Butterflies and a selection of the Heterocerous Macros, with copious chapters on structure, preservation, collecting, &c., and a list of all the species, concluding with the usual calendar. The coloured plates are good (excepting pi. viii, larva;, &c. ; possibly they are somewhat under- coloured, the fault in such works usually being the other way. It is well got up, and nicely printed, and is a safe book for a present at the price. 30 [January, NOMENCLATOB COLEOPTEEOLOGICUS. EiNE ETTMOLOGISCHE ErKLARUNG SAMTLICHER GaTTUNGS-UND ArTNAMEN DER KaFER DES DEUTSCHEN FaTINEN- GEBIETES. Von SiGM. ScHENKLiNG. Pp. 221, 12mo. H. Bechhold, Frankfurt a/m. 1894. We have not critically analyzed this work, but it professes to give an alphabetical List of all the genera of German CoJeoptera, with the derivations of the names, and, if approximately correct, should be useful to many of our own Coleopterists. A list of specific names is treated in the same manner. And finally there is a list of vernacular names with the scientific equivalents. We cannot refrain from noticing one amusing error in the specific list. It is there stated that " Reyi " is named after " the English entomologist CI. Key," a confusion of our own E. C. Eye with the French Claudius Rey. Then, again, taking haphazard the name " Opatrum," we find " derivation unknown ;" surely the derivation is not far to seek in any Greek Lexicon. About 2400 generic names are referred to. If a second edition is called for, we would suggest that the addition of the date of each generic name would be useful. ituaru. Hugo Theodor Cliristoph. — This well-known entomologist and traveller died at St. Petersburg on October 24th, 1894. He was born in Saxony on April 4th, 1831, and became engaged in educational duties. In 1858 he went to Russia, and estab- lished himself as teacher at Sarepta, and to him is mainly due the vast number of new forms described from £Imt place. In 1870 he commenced a series of entomolo- gical expeditions to various parts of the Russian empire and adjoining countries, including, amongst others, Transcaspia, Transcaucasia, Amurland, and North Persia, making 23 journeys in all. The results of these expeditions have been given in many continental publications. Though especially a Lepidopterist, he collected all Orders, and there are few collections of palaearctic insects of any note that do not contain some of his materials. Since 1880 he had been curator of the entomological collections of the Grand Duke Nikolai Michailowitsch of Russia. He was a diligent collector and a keen observer. Francis Buchanan White, M.D., F.L.S., Sfc, died at his residence at Perth on December 3rd, 1894. He was a man of powerful physique, and the announce- ment of his decease would have come as a shock had we not been somewhat prepared for it by the report of a friend who had seen him a short time previously. He was born at Perth on March 20th, 1842. His father (who survives him) practiced medicine in that city. Buchanan White was himself educated for the medical pro- fession, and passed with distinction, but never practised, preferring to devote his life to the pursuit of Natural History generally, and a study of the flora and fauna of Scotland in particular. He was a thorough mountaineer, and probably no other man had so intimate an acquaintance with the Scottish Highlands. His discoveries in all branches were numerous ; in entomology perhaps the most conspicuous were Zygana exulans and Cordulia metallica. What was probably his first published communica- tion appeared in the "Intelligencer," vol. ii, p. 51, and is dated May 5th, 1857. Subsequently he was a constant contributor to that periodical, and to this and other Magazines and Natural History publications. In 1871 he established the " Scottish 1?'.»5.] 31 Naturalist," a quarterlj journal, and continued to edit it down to 1882. In conjunc- tion with the late Sir Thomas Moncreiffe he founded the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, was for long its President, and edited its Transactions. He joined the Entomological Society of London in 1868, and the Linnean Society in 1873. On the whole we should probably consider White's bent as tending towards Botany moi'e than Zoology : one of his latest papers was an attempt to discriminate the British Willows, which was published in the Journal of the Linnean Society in 1890. But bis versatility was great, and his knowledge of almost all branches of Scottish entomology very extensive. At one time he commenced collecting exotic Hemiptera, and acquired much material, an indirect outcome of which was his memoir on the Pelagic Hemiptera collected during the "Challenger" expedition, which showed great powers of research, and was proof of what he could have done had he concentrated his attention. He seldom visited England, and hence was little known personally down south, but his death makes a conspicuous gap in the enterprising group of naturalists ijorth of the border. He leaves a widow and large family. John Richard Wellman. — On the cover of our last No. we alluded to the death of this well-known British Lepidopterist, which occurred on November 12th, in his 62nd year. He was first President of the flourishing South London Entomological Society, which was established in 1872, and continued to act as such for some years, and was again elected in 1883. He was a genial unassunjing man, with much knowledge of his subject, but for several years before his death had been able to do but little actively, owing to ill health. Lancashibe and Cheshiee Entomological Society -. Becemler 10th, 1894. —Mr. S. J. Cappee, F.L.S., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. Messrs. Harry Jackson, of Bolton, and Rhodes, of Accrington, were elected Members of the Society. Mr. Eobert Newstead, F.E.S., of the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, gave an almost complete account of the life-history of Scolytus rugulosxis, Ratz., one of the wood-boring Coleoptera, and gave detailed descriptions of the boring and oviposition of the insect. The lecture was illustrated by diagrams, specimens, and microscopic preparations shown with the aid of the oxy-hydrogen micro lantern. Mr. Douglas Walker exhibited specimens of Scapula decrepiialis and the rare Phibalapteryx lapidata recently captured by himself in Argyleshire. Mr. Newstead also exhibited Lecanium perforatum and other species through the micro lantern. — F. N. Pierce, Hon. Secretary, 7, The Elms, Dingle, Liverpool. Entomological Society or London : December 5th, 1894. — Henry John Elwes, Esq., F.L.S., F.Z.S., President, in the Chair. Mr. E. Augustus Bowles, M.A., of Myddelton House, Waltham Cross, Herts ; Mr. E. C. Cotes, of the Indian Museum, Calcutta ; Mr. WoUey-Dod, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Mr. Joseph W. Green, of West Lodge, Blackheath, S.E. ; Mr. Henry Kceble, of 10, Coleman Street, E.C. ; and Mr. Thomas Turner, of CuUomptom, Devon ; were elected Fellows of the Sociefv. 32 [January, 189o. Mr. F. Merrifield exhibited liybrids belonging to the genus Saturnia, obtained by Dr. Standfuss, of Ziirich, viz. : a male and female hybrid from a male of Saturnia pavonia and a female of Saturnia pyri, to which he had given the name of Saturnia emilicB ; also hybrids from what Dr. Standfuss described as " a male of Callimorpha dominula, var. persona" (received from Tuscany), and a typical female of Calli- morpha dominula, to which he had given the name of Somanovi. Mr. Merrifield remarked that the so-called var. persona differed entirely from the type of Callimorpha dominula. Mr. J. W. Tutt exhibited and read notes on specimens of a very small form of Euchloe, taken in Shropshire by the Rev. F. B. Newnham,who was of opinion that it was distinct from E. cardamines. He pointed out that it was much smaller than the latter species, and that the discoidal spot was placed as in IE. turritis and E. Gruneri. Mr. Tutt also exhibited and read notes on specimens of Noctua Dahlii, from Cheshire, Essex, Yorkshire, Aberdeenshire, and other counties. Herr Jacoby read a letter received from Mr. Buxton Forman, one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Post Office, to the effect that the Postal Union had decided to make a rule not to admit Natural History specimens by sample post, which was intended for the transmission of howl fide trade patterns or samples of merchandize, and consequently that the forwarding of such specimens at the sample rate would in future be irregular. Lord Walsingham stated that he had had a long correspondence with the Post Office authorities on the subject, and that the late Mr. Raikes, when Postmaster-Genei-al, promised him in 1891 that such specimens should, so far as the British Post Office was concerned, be transmitted at the sample rates ; and a letter to the same effect, from the late Sir Arthur Blackwood, when Secretary to the Post Office, was published in the Proceedings of the Society for 1891. Mr. C. G. Barrett exhibited for Mr. A. J. Hodges a specimen of Hydrilla palustris, from Wicken Fen ; also specimens of Caradrina ambigua, from the Isle of Wight. Of the latter one specimen has the hind margin of the right fore-wing indented, and the wing broadened as though from an injury to the pupa, and the margins of the large orbicular and reniform stigmata had become so joined that the dividing lines had disappeared, and the stigmata were fused into one irregularly formed blotch. Mr. McLachlan exhibited, on behalf of Mr. G. F. Wilson, F.R.S., of Wey bridge, a " grease band," which had been tied round trees to prevent the females of C heimatobia brumata from ascending the trunks for the purposes of oviposition ; the band was thickly covered with the bodies of the females, together with a few males. Sui'geon-Captain Manders exhibited a pair of Chelura bifasciata, from the Shan States, and called attention to the " assembling " habits of the male. Mr. B. A. Bower exhibited a beautiful variety of Zygcena lonicercs, Esp., taken at Chattenden Wood, North Kent, in June last ; also a specimen of Incurvaria tenui- cornis, Stn., taken at Chislehurst, in May, 1893. Mr. H. Goss exhibited, for Mr. r. W. Urich, of Trinidad, a series of males, females, and workers of Sericomyrmex opacus, Mayr, a species of fungus-growing and fungus-eating ant. Colonel Swinhoe read a paper, entitled, " A List of the Lepidoptera of the Khasia Hills, Part iii." Mr. C. J. Gahan read a paper, entitled, " On the Longicorn Coleoptera of the West India Islands." Mr. F. W. Urich communicated a paper, entitled, " Notes on the Fungus-Growing and Eating Habit of Sericomyrmex opacus, Mayr." Prof. E. B. Poulton read a paper, by Mr. E. B. Titchener, entitled, " An apparent case of Sexual Preference in a male Insect." The Rev. H. S. Gorham communicated a paper, entitled, " Notes on Herr A. Kuwert's Revision der Cleriden-gattung Omadius, Lap." — H. Goss and W. W. Fowler, Hon. Secretaries. February, 18!)5. I 33 ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM THE NORTH OF IRELAND. BY TUE REV. W. F. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S. The year 1891 has been of a disappointing character. The spring seemed to give promise of a fine dry summer, but this promise was anything but fulfilled, for the sunnner proved to be dull and damp, and most unfavourable for entomological pursuits. The fine spring caused insects to be astir early, and on March 2lst I saw Vanessa urticce on the wing close to my house, and on the '23rd Vespa vulgaris made her appearance in my garden. The 28th and 29th of the same month I spent at Tanderagee with my friend the Rev. W. MacEndoo. On the banks of the river Cusher I took a number of Bembidium tihiale, and in the river itself Hydroporus septentrionalis and Gerris Najas ; I also picked up a specimen of Tceniocampa stahilis floating on a small pond. On April 2nd I paid a visit to Lough Neagh, and on the shore captured, with commoner species, Pelophila horealis, Elaphrus riparius, Bembidium femoratum, and Lathrobium quadratum. Butterflies now began to show themselves freely. Pieris rapae first appeared in Mulli- nure on the 4th. One of my pupils brought me Anthocharis cardamines on the 20th, and on the same evening Mrs. Johnson took Cidaria suffumnta, while on the 27th I saw Pararge Megcera for the first time on the w^ing. On May 27th there was a flood in Mullinure, and I got some Erirrhinus cethiops, and a few days later, by sweeping, I took Gas- troidea viridula, Phyllodecta vitelUnce, Phcedon armoracicB, Corymbites quercus and var. ochropterus, Phyllotreta undulata, Grepidodera rufipes, Gymnetron labile, Ba^^is T-albutn, &c. On May 28th I made a very pleasing capture. I had strolled dowm to Mullinure, and by some mischance had not brought a net with me, though I had fortunately put a few boxes in my pocket. As I was returning home I noticed a moth dashing about the lane in front of me. In default of anything better I assayed its capture with my hat, knocked it down, boxed it, and, to my surprise and pleasure, it turned out to be Hepialus lupulinus. On June 1st Master A, Townsend brought me another specimen, which he had caught in Cathedral Close. Mr. Barrett's capture of this moth in Galway seems to be the only other record of its occurrence in Ireland, so its appearance here is interesting, and seems to point to the probability of its occurring in other parts of this country. 34 [ February, Between this date and June 7th I picked up a few Micros, com- prising Micropteryx caltheUa, Eupoecilia angustana, Pyrodes Bhediana, Ornix angliceUa,Elacliista rufocinerea, and Chrysoclisiajiavicaput. The remainder of June I was on the sick list, and July I spent in Donegal. August was most unfavourable to Lepidoptera, and my captures were few. Mrs. Johnson, however, managed to take a nice specimen of Apamea ophiogramma in MuUinure one evening ; this species has not previously occurred here. I also captured a nice red var. of Leucania pall ens. On August 25th I went over to Loughgilly, where I captured Argyrotoza Conwayana and Arqyrestliia semitestaceella. On the lake were numbers of Gyrinus marinii,s and Gerris argentatus. By beating some trees I took Pliytocoris filics. A few days afterwards I walked over to Richhill, where I took Adalia ohliterata on fir trees. On my way I found a large number of Phratora vitellines feeding on a willow tree, of which they were making sad havoc. The only other capture worth recording w^as the Hernipteron Pliytocoris ulmi, w^hich I got by beating at Eichhill. On September 8th, as ali*eady recoi'ded, I took a fine (^ Orgyia mitiqua, and in the same locality on a subsequent day Peronea varie- qana, P. perplexana, P. aspersana, P. Schalleriana, and Teras con- taminana. None of these w^ere at all in the usual numbers. On September 19th I took a trip dow^n to Lough Neagh, stopping for a short time at Churchhill. On the bog at the latter place I took, by sweeping the heather, &c., Quediiis molocliinus, Stenus impressus, S. similis, Coccinella Meroglypliica, Chilocorus hipustulatus, Haltica palustris (I think), LocMncea suturalis in numbers, also the Hemiptera, Tropicoris rufipes and Scolopostethus decoratus. Lepidoptera were con- spicuous by their absence. Leaving Churchhill we drove on down to Maghery. Here our great object was the capture of Dyschirius obscurus, and accordingly Mrs. Johnson and myself were soon down on our hands and knees on the sand. Bledius suhterraneus was pretty plentiful, but we seemed about to be disappointed in our hopes of Dyschirius, when Mrs. Johnson announced the capture of one, and shortly afterwards her efforts w^ere rewarded by a second specimen, but more we could not get. Besides those mentioned we took a single specimen of Anisotoma nigrita. A few days later we went over to Tynan, partly on a botani- cal quest, but Mrs. Johnson discovered a very large colony of Bledius fracticornis on the canal bank, and we had quite an exciting time picking them out of their burrows. Along with them were a few Bemhidium femoratum . i«'5.] 35 Early in October I had occasion to go to Co. Slijro, and on the 4th, when driving from Skreen to Ballysodare. I noticed flying along the roadside Pararge yEgeria, P. Megcern, and Vrmessa urticce. The day was remarkably fine and the sun very strong, and butterflies seemed as lively as in July. Sugar I found a hopeless failure ; I put it out regularly in my garden, but got nothing save on October 18th, when several Phlogophora meticulosa condescended to partake of the sweets. October was a very fine month, and on the 22nd, when out walking, I saw four Pararge Megcera and one very fresh looking Vanessa urticce flying in the sunshine by the roadside. In spite, however, of the fine weather Lepidoptera were very scarce, and in default of the imagines we devoted ourselves to the capture of larva; and digging for pupae, in which pursuits we found the unfavourable nature of the summer against us, pupae in particular required a large amount of patience and a good deal of muscular exercise. I have not been able to turn up Pselaphus dresdensis again. There have been some floods in Mullinure, but they were quite un- productive of beetles ; however, the Christmas holidays are at hand, and I shall hope to meet my Pselaphid friend once more. Armagh : December IQth, 1894. NOTES ON TWO BEITISH SPECIES OF BOMBUS. BY EDW^AED SAUNDERS, F.L.S- BoMBUs CuLLUMANUs, Kirby. This species should be restored to our list ; in my Synopsis (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lend., 1884', p. 241) I considered it to be a variety of soroeVjs^A', Eab., following the views of E. Smith, in the First Edition of his Bees of Great Britain ; in his Second Edition, however, he treats Cullumanus as distinct. On the continent Schmiedeknecht and Hoffer have considered it as a variety of soroensis, Thomson and Handlirsch as distinct. The Kirbyan type, which is a cJ,is not iu very good condition, and at the time when I was writing my Synopsis I was satisfied that it was only a specimen of the var. Proteus, of soroensis. On redcscribing our Bomhi lately, I examined the type very carefully, and saw at once that my former determination was wrong : the more shortly haired and less basally constricted posterior metatarsi distinguishing it easily from soroensis ; in these respects it more closely resembles pratorum, from which it is somewhat diflicult to separate by external characters, the two species being exceedingly 36 [February, alike in coloration. Mr. "Waterhoiise very kindly came to my assist- ance, and offered to extract the armature of the type specimen ; this done, Gullumanus revealed itself at once as abundantly distinct from any other British species, quite justifying Thomson's and Smith's views of its validity. On consulting Handlirsch's Hummel-Studien (Ann. des K. K. ISTaturh. Hofmuseums, vol. vi, p. 451 [1891]), I tind a good figure of the armature closely resembling the figure accom- panying this, which has been carefully prepared from the type specimen under the supervision of Mr. Waterhouse. Gullumanus may be distinguished from pratorum, its nearest ally, by the following characters : — (? . Abdomen formed more as in lapidarius, i.e., rather more parallel-sided than in pratorum, the pubescence shorter and denser, the difference between the species in this respect being much the same as between hortorum and Latreillellus or agrorum and venustus, the pale hairs are of a less brilliant yellow, the 5th joint of the antennae is much longer than the 4th, and three-quarters as long as the 3rd and 4th together, and the basal joints of the flagellum are slightly arcuate ; for the shape of the armature, see figure. ? . Very like that sex of pratorum, but with the face squarer, i. e., with the outer margins of tlie cheeks between the eyes and mandibles more parallel to each other, and the abdominal black band confined to the 3rd segment ; I have not seen a worker. From the red-tailed variety of soroensis (which has not occurred in Britain), the ? may be known by the longer 3rd joint of the antennae, which is nearly as long as the two following together. The only recorded localities are Southend, Brighton Downs, Bristol, and Suffolk. BoMBUS NIVALIS, Smith, nee Dahlb. The species described by Smith under this name is clearly only a variety of Scrimshiranus. The Eev. F. D. Morice caught a good series of specimens last September {cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., 2nd ser., vol. v, p. 259), and, although differing from normal Scrimshiranus in the black haired tibise, and the yellowish, not white, haired apex of the abdomen, they are structurally, so far as I can see, identical with that species, and the armature of the ^ also entirely bears out their identity. Nivalis must, therefore, disappear from our list as a species. The true nivalis, Dahlb., is a very large species, equalling hortorum, &c., in size. 27, Granville Park, Lewisham : January 4S. Brisein, L., witii a very fine var., Erebia eethiopn, Esp., and several of the genera Argynnis, Lyccena, and Melitcea, and read notes on them ; also specimens of Lyccena Mgon, Schiff., and L. Argus, L., asking if any one could point out satisfactory differentiating characters. A discussion ensued. Mr. Fremlin, a fine specimen of ChcBrocampa celerlo, L., captured at the S. Foreland lighthouse on August 12th, 1894. Mr. Mansbridge, two bred series of Seleiiia bilunaria, Esp., from Ilorsforth and York, including a few yw/itfr/a. Haw.; one female had only the central band developed. Mr. Moore, Pieris Daplidice, L., from Blois. Mr. Tutt read a paper, entitled, " Zyqana transalpina, Esp., and its varieties," and exhibited a large number of specimens, one being set to show the curious tufts of feather scales, said to be scent glands, which exist at the anal cavity. Mr. Adkin read a paper, entitled, " Reflections upon odd Rambles on the Sussex Downs," and exhibited a number of specimens captured near Eastbourne during hia holiday there. A discussion ensued on the various habits Rhopalocera have for effectually concealing themselves. Mr. Tutt referred to Erebia Tyndarus, Esp., which drops down, falls over sideways, and so wriggles on the cow paths of the high Alps, until it reaches some overhanging tuft of grass, under which it rests. December \3th, 1894.— T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. Mr. Robinson, 54, Boundai'y Road, N.W., was elected a Member. Mr. C. A. Briggs exhibited a much suffused variety of Eurrhypara urticata, L. Mr. Williams, specimens of two long bred series of Vanesxa urticce, L., from Leigh ; the larviE were taken at the same time from one bed of nettles, those of one series were full-fed, those of the other small. There was a very distinct and constant racial difference betwen the two series. Mr. Adkin, many specimens oi Melanippe Jttictuata, L., from various localities, and contributed notes. Mr. W. Mansbridge, a large number of Lepidoptera from the Indian Territory, U.S.A., and read a paper thereon. Mr. W. A. Pearce also exhibited specimens from the States to illustrate Mr. Mansbridge's paper. A discussion ensued upon the migration of Anosia Archippus, L., and the forms of Colias Eiirytheme, Bdv. Mr. Brooks, of Rother- ham, a large number of species from that place, including a lo:ig scries of Polia chi, L., showing almost every conceivable variation ; and melanic specimens of Hybernia 56 I February, 1895. defoliaria, L., Boarmia repandata, L., and Phigalia pedaria, Fb. Mr. McArthur, specimens of Coleophora lariceUa, Hb., from N. Devon. Mv. Tutt, a large number of Zygana medicagiais, Bdv., from the Alps, and read a paper on that species and its varieties. January \Oth, 1895. — The Vice-President in the Chair. Mr. Thornhill, Castlcbosy, Ireland ; and Mr. Brooks, Grange Hall, Eotlierham ; were elected Members. Mr. C. Qr. Barrett exhibited a specimen of Hydrilla palustris, Hb., from Wicken, and four specimens of Caradrina amhigua, Fb., from the Isle of Wight. Mr. Tutt stated that the species he had reported as C. .luperstes, Tr., had turned out to be a form of C. ambigua, but he was of opinion that some of his Deal captures were C. supersfes. Mr. W. A. Pearee, a bred specimen of Ackerontia Atropos, L. ; it was stated that the pupa of this species had no free segments, and was thus unable to work its way through the earth. Mr. R. Adkin, bred specimens of Vanessa uHlcee, L., from Sutherland, one of which iiad the central costal and the inner marginal blotch united. Mr. Tutt gave an interesting account of a change in habit of spots of a race of Zygana trifolii, Esp , within the last fifteen years ; in the discussion ■ which followed, several Members gave instances of a small six-spotted Zygcena being taken early in June in various localities. Mr. Carrington gave a short summary of the spread and increase of melanism during the last twenty years. Communications were read from Mr. Step, Portscatho, Falmouth, and from Mr. Brooks, Rotherham. Mr. Tutt read a paper on " Zygana Ochsenheimeri, Zell., and its varieties," and ex- hibited a long series in illustration. — Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Secretary. Entomological Socikty of London — The Sixty-Second Annual Meeting : January IQth, 1895.— Henry John Elwes, Esq., F.L.S., F.Z.S., President, in the Chair. An abstract of the Treasurer's accounts, showing a good balance in the Society's favour, having been read by Mr. W. F. H. Blandford, one of the Auditors, Mr. H. Goss read the Report of the Council. It was then announced that the following gentlemen had been elected as Officers and Council for 1895 : — President, Professor Raphael Meldola, F.R.S. ; Treasurer, Mr. Robert McLachlan, F.R.S. ; Secretaries, Mr. Herbert Goss, F.L.S., and the Rev. Canon Fowler, M.A., F.L.S. ; Librarian, Mr. George C. Champion, F.Z.S. ; and as other Members of the Council, Mr. George T. Bethune-Baker, F.L.S., Mr. Walter F. H. Blandford, M.A., F.Z.S., Dr. Frederick A. Bixey, M.A., Mr. Henry J. Elwes, F.L.S., Mr. Charles J. Gahan, M.A., Professor Edward B. Poulton, M.A., F.R.S., Dr. David Sharp, M.A., F.R.S., and the Right Hon. Lord Walsingham, LL.D., F.R.S. It was also announced that Professor Meldola, the new President, would appoint Lord Walsingham, Mr. Henry J. Elwes, and Professor Edward B. Poulton, Vice-Presidents for the Session 1895 — 6. The outgoing President then delivered an interesting address " On the Geographical Distribution of Insects." A vote of thanks to the President and otiier Officers of the Society having been passed, Mr. Elwes, Mr. McLaclilan, Mr. II. Goss, and Canon Fowler replied, and the proceedings terminated. — 11. Goss and W. W. Fowlek, Hon. Secretaries. March, 1895. 1 57 A HUNT FOR PnORODESMA SMARAGDAEIA. BY HENEY A- AULD. Little more than five and twenty years ago P. smarngdaria was hardly known as a British Lcpidopteron. Mr. Haggar and Mr. Douglas were fortunate in finding it in this country. Newman records that " Thomas Ingall found the caterpillar of this species on the coast of Essex." Stainton says that it is rare, and gi\'es Southend, South- church, and St. Osyth as localities in which it has been found. Having been urged by that indefatigable collector, Joseph Chapjiell, of Manchester, to go and seek the larva on the coast of Essex, bearing in mind that what we had to look for would be decked out with fragments of its food-plant, like its first cousin P. hajularia — a veritable Jack-in-the-green — we determined that on the first oppor- tunity we would do our best to make its acquaintance. Now the question of its food-plant was the difficulty. Did it feed on milfoil, we asked ? Yet why should we doubt it ? Kirby, in his " European Butterflies and Moths," has figured the larva on Achillea miUefoJium (pi. 47c), besides we remembered that on one occasion living larva; were exhibited on a spray of yarrow at a meeting of one of the London Societies, and so, although we started on the wrojig scent, our minds were set at rest later on. When once Messrs. INIachin and Pratt began to find the larva; of P. smaragdnria in fair numbers, the food did not long remain a mys- tery. Both of these Entomologists had a certain number of followers eager to secure the rarity, and the story runs thus : — One man hard at work beating Cohoptera from the sea-wormwood {Artemisia inari- iima), which grows so abundantly and luxuriantly on the saltings, upon examining the tray for the smaller species of his quest, much to his astonishment saw a piece of the plant stretch itself out and begin to walk away. Eureka ! he cried, and placed it in a box. Presently he chanced to come face to face with a " brother" hunter, and as in that district in those days collectors generally gave one another a berth of a mile or so, they were not over anxious to travel the same road. Nevertheless, he of the net remarked, " Well, have you got anything ?" " Yes, I rather think I have!" rejoined our beetle-catching friend, "What is it?" anxiously asks the other. "Why, it is your friend smaraf/dnriay The larva was produced, the rival's face grew very long indeed, and he said, " No it ain't " (which was neither true nor grammatical), but when j\Ir. Coleopterist said, " Well, any how, I mean to rear it, and see what it comes to," the truth, the whole truth, and SS [March, nothing but the truth concerning the food of Phorodesma smaragdaria leaked out. We have got at the plant which supplies our " emerald " with food, and now we are going to get Phorodesma itself. So, on a bright and warm day in the early part of September, when sportsmen are hurrying off with gun and bag in time for the early train, we meet at Fencliurch Street Station of the Southend line — two of us, and a novice whom we had invited with the intention of giving him a good day's sport. In little more than an hour we arrived at Benfleet Station for the land of Canvey. Here a boatman wearing the happy expression of Charon himself, ferries us over the creek, and we are on terra firma or " Little Holland" as it has been called. After a survey of this interesting little island, we again hail our boatman, and regain the mainland. Here the work begins. Having selected a good patcb of Artemisia, which is plentiful, and occurs freely right along the coast to St. Osyth and beyond, we spread out our mackintoslies, lie down upon them, and carefully examine each sprig of the plant. " Here is one !" " Where ?" asks our tyro. " There ! don't you see it ?" " No, I don't," he answers. " I will not touch it, but you look once again carefully on that sprig before you." " Can't see it " he says. When the animal is pointed out to him once more, he exclaims, "What that thing ?" and he gives it a contemptuous prod, which causes the larva to make some n:iovement, which attracts his eye. " So that's it, is it ? No wonder it has so long remained obscure. The only marvellous part is that it was ever discovei^ed, so closely does it resemble the plant itself." We go to work and soon obtain a good bag of these little fluffy-looking spider-like creatures, and time passes on. The salting widening and narrowing in parts, with sea aster {Aster iripolium') , glasswort {Salicornia It erbacea), and sea purslane {AtripJex portulacoides), together with other salt-marsh plants, forms a rich carpet. Presently our friend remarks that his boots are getting wet. We look up and see the tide advancing, for it had overflown its banks, and we have just time to retreat to the river wall. There we make our repast, watching the water gradually rising, and the Noducd as they, driven from their hiding places, fly from one to other of the spikes of the tallest plants now just above the surface of the great sheet of water before us — " A sight for the gods !" we exclaim. How is P. smaragdaria now ? We shall see. So, when we have refreshed the inner man, and have discussed things in general, two hours have passed away. Then all is high and dry as before. Again we go to work. 1896.J 59 and P. smaragdnria, none the worse for the submergence, is gathered into our collecting boxes. A few hours later there remains nothing to indicate that the ground had been flooded, nor would any one have found it easy to believe that the spot upon which we were then re- clining had, a few hours previously, been at the bottom of the sea. That P. smaragdaria is subject to periodical immersions is a fact in the economy of the species of more than ordinary interest, and will be of use for theorists to work upon ; but we do not stop to theorize nor to collect any longer. Well satisfied with our day's woi'k, wo gather together some plants of Artemisia, and leave this desolate spot. Soon we arrive by train at Tilbury and cross the river to Gravesend, where we find all is life and activity — a strong contrast to poor Essex. Our friend having thanked us for introducing him to scenes so new, now seeks the heart of Kent, enjoying for a finish np a night's walk of six miles through lovely lanes and woods. The utter desolation of that part of the Essex coast, with its population of careworn farmers, the weird night passage across the river, and the final blaze of gas light, soldiers, market folk, and the busy rattle of traps, have been a fascinating change to him. So we part, and whilst on our way to the metropolis with a cargo of P. smaragdaria and Artemisia, we resolve to make known, for the benefit of others, that which has come to our knowledge concerning the habits of this species. 31, Belmont Hill, Lee, S.E. : January, 1895. [The original account of the larva of Phorodesma smaragdaria, Esper, by G. Koch, appeared in the " Stettiner entoinologisclie Zeitung," xii, p. 265 (1851), and a translation thereof by me was read at the meeting of the Entomological Society of London on March Ist, 1852 (Trans. Ent. Soc. Proceed., vol. ii, n. s., p. 5, 1852). The discovery of the larva is attributed to Herr Verwalter Muhlig, who found it in the town woods of Frankfort on the Main, where the perfect insect is not uncommon, the food-plant being stated to be the milfoil {Achillea millefolium), and, in confine- ment, also I'oterium sanguisorha ; light places in the woods, on the level ground and dry ditches, where the food-plants grow plentifully, being the favourite localities. The difficulty of seeing the larva-case, as stated by Mr. Auld, was well, though not idiomatically, expressed to me personally by the late Dr. Becker, of Wiesbaden, in 1818, when he was a refugee in this country. lie said, "I siiall have an adult larva in its case before you, I shall tell you it is there, and yet you shall not distinguish the case from its similar surroundings." The. discovery of the larva on Artemisia maritima is of much interest. Mr. Ilaggar and I walking together on the seawall at St. Osyth in July, 1815, kicked up five specimens of the imago from among Achillea milhj'olium and grass. The discovery of the species in this country was by the taking of one example at Southchurch, Essex, as recorded by Curtis.— J. W. Douglas]. E 2 60 • [March, FURTHER NOTES ON THE HABITS OF PSYCHE VILLOSELLA, OCHS. BY C. G. BATIEETT, F.E S. The perusal of some recent notes of mine upon this species (Ent. Mo. Mag., n. 8., vol. V, pp. 217-18) has induced Mr. McRae, of Bournemouth, to favour me with some further particulars of his own observations, of great interest ; and also to allow me the opportunity of reading and quoting from two letters received by him from our lamented friend, Mr. J. Jenner Weir, which greatly tend to complete our know- ledge of the history of the species. Mr. McRae says, " I took my first specimen of the male flying in the bright sunshine at about three in the afternoon, in the month of July, twenty years ago. During all the years since then I have only on two occasions witnessed its flight, and each time in bright sunshine in the early afternoon. The flight is very rapid, and much resembles that of Anarta myrtilli. In captivity I have always found the males to emerge at about six p.m., or very rarely at any other time. In less than half an hour after freeing the pupal envelope from the case the wings are fully developed and fit for flight, and if not watched, the males soon damage themselves by their liveliness and eager endeavour to find the female. My lamented friend, the late Mr. Jenner Weir, whom I introduced to my colony of villosella, appears to have observed what I should have regarded as a physical impossibility regarding the copulation of this species, and altogether incredible but for my faith in his sound judgment and keen observation. I am sorry to say that my own chances of further observation on the habits of this species are very uncertain, owing to the wholesale destruction of the locality by fire, in its conversion into golf links." Mr. Weir, writing to Mr. McRae, says, " I am vcr'^ much obliged to you for the females, with families, of Psyche villosella, which you regard as a case of true par- thenogenesis ; this may be so, but I have lately had my views on the subject rather shaken. You recollect that I took a large number of the cases when last I had the pleasure of visiting you, and I also preserved through the winter some thirty or forty of tlie larvae, which spun up while I was at your house. Now I find that, as a rule, the female did not leave the case, and further, I noticed that no male paid any attention to those females which I had helped out of the cases ; but when a male emerged he at once sought a female which had not left the case and thrust his abdomen into the case, this part of his body becoming very much extended." " What I find is this — that the male, always, when emerging, leaves the pupa- skin nearly two-thirds projecting from the larval case ; the female, on the contrary, leaves the unbroken abdominal portion of the pupa-skin at the bottom of the case ; she partly emerges and clears the emergent end, thus enabling the male to obtain access to the case ; he inserts his extensile body as far into the case as the wings will permit, so that I have seen the wings become horizontal. Afterwards the female retreats to tlie bottom or proximal end of the case and deposits her eggs in a mass, apparently in the old skin." "Upon opening the cases that I had by mo I found tliat many larvae had been attacked by an Ichneumon, even those I had kept by me for a whole year. I was much struck with this, because the larvse must have been the hosts of the pai-asites all the winter." " I do not say that true i)artl;enogenesis does not take place some- IS95.J Ql times, indeed, I think it docs, because I have had the eggs of Bombyx quercus liatcli when they could not have been fertilized, for I had but one moth, and that a female. You are probably aware that, in the allied genus CEceticus, the male is known to enter the pupa-case to the entire ruin of his wings." " I find the larva of P. villosella prefer the alpine strawberi-y to heath j I have both in my largo case, and few are found on the latter." I have here combined and arranged the remarks contained in more than one letter. In any respect in which previous remarks of my own appear not to be in accord with Mr. Weir's statements, I desire to defer to him, his opportunities of actual observation having been far superior. The species was described and figured by Curtis as Pentophora nigricans from specimens taken by the late Mr. J. C. Dale at West Parley Coppice, in June, 1824. 39, Linden Grove, Nunhead, S.E. : January, 1895. OCCURRENCE OF TINEA VINCULELLA, II.-S., AT PORTLAND, WITH NOTES ON ITS LIFE HISTORY. BY NELSOX M. RICHAEBSON, B.A., F.E.S. Between June 26th and July 1st, 1894, I bred eigbt specimens of a moth not hitherto recorded as Britit^h, which were kindly identi- fied for me by my valued correspondent Major E. Ilering, as Tinea vinculella, H.-S. (Herrich-Schaffer, v, p. 75, fig. 275), a rather rnre species, found in July at Glogau, Vienna, Ratisbon^and in the Taunus Mountains near Frankfurt a/M. and Wiesbaden. I first found the larva at Portland in 1S92, when trying to discover that of T. suhti- lella, which I thought might feed on lichen, but bred none till last year, though one or two pupa? developed sufficiently for me to ascer- tain by dissection that I had not the larva of suhtilella, but something new to Britain. The following is a description of the imago : — Exp. al., 4'". Fore-wings blackish olive-brown, nearly black when fresh, rather glossy, with a slight golden reflection. The costa is divided into four nearly equal parts by silvery-white markings ; (1) a narrow curved fascia, generally of regular width, but sometimes a little narrower towards the costa, slightly oblique in position, the costal end being nearest the base ; (2) costal and anal triangular spots, also obliquely placed, the latter extending through the cilia, occasionally (according to Heinemann) uniting to form a fascia ; (3) a crescent-shaped costal spot concave pos- teriorly. Cilia like the wing, except that the outer row of scales is silvery-white in the apical region. Hind-wings and cilia dark grey, with slight golden reflections, especially in the cilia. The thorax and the extreme top of the head are in colour like the fore-wings ; the abdomen more like the hind-wings. The front part of the head is pale ochreous. Q2 [M.irch, Antenna; dark brown, faintlj ringed with white, flattened in the S C'^e respective diameters being about -05 and '07 mill.), whitish underneath. Maxillary and labial palpi well developed, whitish. Legs blackish, more or less ringed with whitish. In colour and size, this somewhat resembles T. argentimaculella, the most obvious points of difference being as follows : — The wings are acutely pointed in vincuJella, but bluntly in argentimaculella, this being most striking in the hind-wings, as it is rather hidden in the fore-wings by the dense cilia. The markings in vinculella are broader and not so silvery, and the minute apical silvery spots of argentimacu- leUa are absent ; the markings also differ in shape in the two species. It may also be noted that the larva of ai'gentimaculella, which feeds, like the present species, on lichens, makes no case. The following description of the very peculiar larva was taken from a full-grown specimen, October 17th, 189i : — Length, 32 mill, when at rest, 3'8 mill, when stretched out in crawling. Breadth of head, 0'4 mill., prothorax, 0"6 mill., mesothorax, 0'65 mill., metathorax, 07 mill. Segments 7 — 11 are considerably broader, segment 8 being about 1 mill.; the last segment is the same breadth as the head. These measurements are taken when the larva is 3-2 mill, long, and would not be correct for the middle segments when it was stretched out. It is rather cylindrical than flattened in shape ; the spiracular skin- fold is much developed. The legs are very long, about 0-8 mill., but the claspers, though well furnished ■with booklets, are very short and small. The anal flap is furnished with a fringe of small dark bristles, and the bristles on the body generally are large, especially the one which springs from a tubercle in the front of the spiracular region of the pro- thorax, which is about 1 mill, in length, and, with its tubercle, capable of considerable independent motion. The antennal processes are two or three-jointed, and rather long, and bear a few bristles at the tip. The head and first few segments are rather polished, the posterior segments duller, as is usual in ease-bearing larvse. The head, prothoracic plate, and leg plates are somewhat dark brown, the general ground-colour pale yellowisli, and the larva being rather transparent, the food is visible through the skin, which gives an appearance of a greenish-grey dorsal stripe. The anterior margins of the first few segments are whitish ; bristles tinged with the ground-colour ; spiracles incon- spicuous. The pupa is 3'2 mill, in length, rather soft, straw-colour, except the abdomen, which inclines to orange ; eyes nearly black. Skin rugose, segments not well defined. Antennfe slightly longer than the body ; wing-cases almost as long as the body ; these parts are considerably raised, and do not appear to be very closely attached, the last five segments, and perhaps more, being certainly free. The maxillreare short, and lie above and between the two sickle-shaped labial palpi. The maxillary palpi lie nearly at right angles to the maxillae, just under the eyes, and end beneath the antenna}. The three pairs of legs end at i\, |, and the end of the pupa. There are a few small bris'tles about, the niouth, and also on the abdomen, but very incon- spicuous. There is a considerable constriction between the head and prothorax. The end of the abdomen is blunt, willi no hooks or bristles. 1895.] 63 I have only taken one imago, an exceedingly worn ?, on July ISth, 1888, though I have often searched for it. Those bred in captivity have, like most of the genus, great running powers. The larva makes itself a case out of lichen and particles of stone, with a silk lining, something like that of T. i^eUionella, but much neater and better shaped and differently formed at the ends, which are similar to each other. The case lies quite close to the lichen- covered rock, which it resembles so closely that it is difficult to see. The rather flat case is less than half as deep as it is broad, and nearly three times as long ; the transverse section in the middle is slightly convex below, and more so above. The upper half projects consider- ably beyond the lower at each end, the extreme portion of the lower side forming a kind of flap, which is closely shut up against the top part, when the larva retreats into its ease, and opens when the head is protruded. This flap is so elastic that if, when the case has been lately tenanted, it is bent open by a needle, it springs back and shuts on being released. As a rule the larva, when it retreats into its case, leaves its two long prothoracic bristles projecting outside, and it would naturally be concluded that these were delicate organs of touch, especially as they are moved about in different directions, independently of the movements of the prothoracic segment, but I have not, on trying them, found them very sensitive. At the base of this flap the case is narrowest, but sw^ells out again a little near the end, which is beautifully rounded, so as to fit against the inside of the top part. The measurements of a case containing a living larva, full-grown or verj nearly 80 (A), and of a second one containing a younger living larva (13), are as follows : — Total length (A) 5-6 mill., (B) 46 mill. Greatest breadth (iu middle) (A) lOT mill., (B) I'l mill. Breadth at narrowest part (about 1 mill, from caeh end) (A) 1-2 mill., (B) 1 mill. Breadth close to end (A) l-i mill., (B) 1-05 mill. Thickness in middle (A) 0"9 mill., (B) 0'5 mill. Thickness at narrowest part (about 1 mill, from end) (A) 0*5 mill. Length of flap (A) 07 mill. Length of projection beyond flap (A) 07 mill. Length of under-side between ends of flaps (A) -IS mill. This shows the great difference in shape between young and full- grown cases. I have been particular in giving these measurements, as Major Hering has sent me a translation from von Heinemann (Schmetterlinge Deutschlands und dcr Schweiz, Abth , ii, Bd. ii, p. 5G), as folloijs : — " I have cases from the Taunus and from Rntisbon. The former are very flat, 1\ lines (German) broad, 3.\ lines in length, rounded on both ends and compressed before them, covered with fine grains of sand, flesh-coloured (sic .'), with darker Gi (March, grainp ; those from Ratisbon more cylimlrical, f line broad, and 3 lines long, less flat, rounded only on the hind end, and compressed tliere, flourj-white on the surface. In spring on licliens." I have found th.at cases from Portland are of very delicate struc- ture, and, after they become empty, very soon get the ends more or less rubbed off, and also tend to assume a cylindrical form ; the same result takes place if they are not very carefully handled ; and I think it not impossible that the difference between the two forms of cases mentioned by von Heinemann may be accounted for by the manipu- lation they received from the collector, or by their being tenanted or empty when collected. In the Portland specimens there is no difference between the ends, and they are used indifferently by the larva, as in the case of T. pellionella. It is, in fact, very nimble in turning round inside its case, and will sometimes draw its head in at one end, and almost directly put it out at the other, when stopped by a paint-brush. The little claspers, of which it makes no use in walking when taken out of its case, are doubtless employed in holding on inside to the delicate silken lining. If taken out of its case and left on the lichen-covered stone, it will, in the course of a day or two, construct a new case for itself, like most case-bearing larvae. The Portland cases, like the Grerman, are made of lichen and sand, or small stony particles, which must in some way be obtained from the surface of the very hard Portland stone. As I find that these particles are present in the lichen when brushed off the rock, I can only infer that the surface of the rock is slightly disintegrated by the roots of the lichen, and utilized by the larva. Such a case must be a great protection against the jaws of many insects. Probably this larva, like T. j^ellioneUa, makes a case as soon as it is hatched. It lives upon the under-side of stones, and feeds entirely on the fine microscopic lichen which covers them. It is sometimes to be found on the sides of the stones, but I have never seen it on the top. Its favourite haunt is amongst the loose piles of stones so abundant at Portland; where it is generally distributed, though scarce. I have this winter two larvae, found last spring with others which spun up and emerged last summer, which proves that the larva some- times, and perhaps always, feeds for two years before pupating ; a fact which is also indicated by the occasional occurrence of very small larvae at the same time as full-grown ones, the former being very bard to detect, and, therefore, probably often passed over. Lord Walsingham has very kindly sent mo specimens of Tinea 1895.] G5 Leopoldella, Costa, from Cannes, a smaller and very closely allied species, and Major Hering alludes to another near ally, T. vinctella, H.-S. I hope that a coloured plate of T. vinculeUa with its larva, case, &c., may ere long appear iu the Proceedings of the Dorset Field Club. Monte Video, near Weymouth : January, 1895. DESCRIPTION OF THE LARVA OF TEPHROSIA EXTERSAEIA. BY GEORGE T. PORRITT, F.L.S. When on a collecting expedition to Abbott's Wood, Sussex, with Mr. W. H. Tugwel!, at the beginning of June, 1892, we found Te])lirosia extersaria a very abundant visitor to the sugared trees. From some of the specimens boxed eggs were obtained, but it was not until some time after they were hatched that I discovered there was no English description of the larva, hence only meagre notes had been made on the earliest stages. Fortunately the eggs, which were dull dark green, did not all hatch together, so that when I did find out the necessity of studying them closely, I was able to take notes on the larvfB in various stages. By this time, August 5th, they varied from half an inch to an inch or a little over in length. Up to nearly three-quarters of an inch the colouring and marking ai'e pretty much the same, and may be described as follows : — Body slender, cylindrical, and of almost uniform width throughout ; head rounded, but rather flat in front, fully as wide as the second segment ; skin smooth and glossy, and the segmental divisions clearly defined. Ground-colour briglit pale green ; the head yellowish-green in front, brown at the sides ; the very fine medio-dorsal line, and the broad subdorsal stripes darker green ; spiracles black. Ventral area and prolegs bright green, the front pair of prolegs tipped with brown ; anterior-legs grey, ringed at intervals with brown. In the next stage, that is, when about three-quarters of an inch has been attained, two small raised tubercles have appeared on the 9th segment; the ground- colour has become a darker green, and the fine medio-dorsal line still darker green ; the subdorsal stripes have become more or less purple, some sjxicimens having very little of this colour, in others it is th3 predominating colour of the stripes; the two tubercles on the 9th segment are purjile in both pale and dark forms ; the segmental divisions are yellow or pink in different specimens ; the head is still yellowish- green, but has lost a good deal of the brown at the sides. At the next moult an inch has been attained ; the skin has now quite lost its glossy character, and has become rather rough in appearance ; the two small tubercles on the 9th segment have swollen into a distinct transverse ridge, the seg- ments also slightly overlap each other. Ground-colour bright green ; the middle of 66 (March, the dorsal area forms a broad yellowish stripe, enclosing the flne, dark green medio- dorsal line ; the purplish subdorsal stripes have become broken into large, irregular, dark sienna-brown patches, which on the dark green ground-colour are very conspicuous : these dark patches are most dense on the front and posterior segments ; the ridge on the 9th segment is also of this dark colour ; head now almost uniformly green ; spiracles dark sienna-brown, with pink centres. Ventral surface of the same green as the dorsal area, but numerously spotted with dark sienna-brown ; prolegs also green, with the outside of the front pair purple ; anterior-legs green, marked ■with brown. By August 15th, many of the larvae were becoming full-fed, though some of them were still not half grown. The adult larva is about an inch and half long, and of fair bulk, inclining, however, more to slenderness than obesity. Head rounded at the sides, rather flattened in front, a little narrower than the 2nd, and still narrower than the 3rd and 4th segments, which, with the 10th, 11th, and 12th, are rather swollen ; the remaining segments are of nearly uniform width, allowance being made for the overlapping at the divisions ; there is a raised transverse hump on the 9th segment, and a smaller transverse ridge on the 6th segment. There are two very distinct types of colouring : — In Var. I, which is the more numerous, the ground is pale pea-green, the head and the dorsal area at the segmental divisions strongly tinged with yellow ; the lower part of each lobe spotted with black ; the alimentary canal shows thi'ough as a very narrow and interrupted dorsal line ; a purplish-brown patch, marbled with white (this white forming two distinct spots on each of the middle segments), on the posterior half of each segment, except the 12th and 13th, and extending from the subdorsal to the spiracular regions, take the place of the subdorsal and spiracular stripes ; the hump on the 9th segment is dark chocolate-brown at each side, but paler purplish-bi'own in the middle, which gives the appearance of there being two small dark humps ; the smaller ridge on the 6th segment dark chocolate-brown ; spiracles distinct, each being placed on a round lunule of a paler shade of the ground- colour, they are pink, encircled with a clear black ring. Ventral area dingy green, in some specimens with a central longitudinal row of white spots ; in others these spots are absent ; the segmental divisions, and the outside of the front pair of posterior-legs purplish-brown ; anterior-legs also reticu- lated with purplisli-brown. In Var. tl, the ground-colour is purplish-brown, except the head and 2nd segment, which still partly retain the green character of the more numerous form ; head tinged with brown, and the black spots at the base of the sides of each lobe distinct ; in some specimens two interrupted yellowish lines extend through the dorsal area ; in other specitnens these lines are almost obliterated ; the purplish- brown marks of Var. I are in this form replaced by dark chocolate-brown, but the two white, nearly triangular spots on the posterior edges of the segments (in some specimens from the 2nd to the 11th) show out distinctly ; both the lateral ridges are dark chocolate-brown ; each spiracle is placed in a pale lunular patch, pinkish, ringed with intense glossy black. Ventral surface dull purplish or chocolate-brown (in some specimens tinged with dingy green), except on the frontal segments, where it is green, and an interrupted stripe of clear white spots extends through its centre ; segmental divisions purple ; 1895. ) C,7 outer part of tho front pair of postorior-logg purplish-brown, the hind pair green ; anterior-legs reticulated with purplish-brown. My larvfo fed on biix'b, oak, sallow, and osier, but seemed to prefer sallow and osier. The last specimen went down on September * 4th, and on the 19th I described one of the pupse as follows : — of ordinary shape, a little less than half an inch in length, stout, slightly rough, but glossy ; the head-, eye-, leg-, and wing-cases dull olive- green ; abdominal segments reddish-brown, with darker spots and segmental divisions. The moths emerged from May 20th to 2Sth in the spring following. Crosland Hall, Huddersfield : January 5th, 1895. SUCCESSFUL INTRODUCTION OP HUMBLE BEES INTO NEW SOUTH WALES.* BY A. SIDNEY OLLIFF, F.E.S., Government Entomologist. I have been doing my best to introduce Humble Bees into N. S. Wales from New Zealand, and am anxious to procure ^J and $ of the common British species and varieties for exhibition purposes and probably for figuring. I therefore venture to ask you to send me specimens, as I wish to have fresh and accurately named material. It is somewhat curious that immediately after the publication of some newspaper writingsf on the introduction of these Bees, I should observe a true Bomhus on the wing. This I did to-day for the first time since I let loose a number of impregnated queens. A fine B. prnforum flew on to the verandah in which I was sitting, from Lady Macleay's gai'den at Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, a locality in which I had liberated a number of Bombi more than a year ago. After it had sucked its fill from the flowers of an Australian chestnut {Gatanosper- viutn australe) growing beside my window, I succeeded in knocking it down with my hat, and after examination set it free again. In case you may deem the appearance of this Bee worth a paragraph in the Eiit. Mo. Mag., I should be glad to see such a notice. I am of o])inion that Bomhus terrcstris docs assist in the fertilization of clover, although to a low degree. Department of Agriculture, Sydney, N. S. W. : Jannarif blh, 1895. * Extracts from a letter to E. Saunders. t This refers especially to a limg letter from Mr. W. W. Smith, of A.shbnrton, N. Z , to the Sydney Moruiuy Uerald, suggestiiiii that liuuiblo Uees should be imported from New Zealaud. — E. S. G8 [March, ALEURODES PROLETELLA, LINN., AND A. BRASSICjE, WALK.: A COMPAKISON. BY J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. Adverting to my notes on these reputed species (vol. v, 2nd ser., p. 40) I have now to saj that owing to the kindness of Mr. W. H. Bonnewell, I am in possession of living imago, larvae and pupa? of both. A. proletella, taken on the 7th inst. at Coddenham, Suffolk, on the leaves of celandine {Ohelidonium majiis), and A. hrassicce on the 14th inst., found on the leaves of savoys {Brassica oleracea, var.), and also on others of the cabbage tribe, in his garden at Ipswich. This enables me to state positively that A. p^'oleteUa is indigenous, and it also gives opportunity for the following observations. The species, especially in the mature form, are very much alike, and Signoi'et says (Ess. sur les Aleurodes) that without study of the larvae it would have been impossible for him to decide if they were distinct ; but after investigating the larvae he agrees with Eeaumur, Walker, Koch and Frauenfeld, that they are really different. On the other hand, West- wood says that proletella (chelidonii, Latr.) is found on cabbages, evidently deeming hrassicce to be the same, and Walker himself adds to his description of hrassicce the query that it may be only a variety of proletella, and others (without examination) have practically said that it is so. The points of difference in the perfect insects that are most appreciable are, as Signoret states, that in proletella the head is broader than in brassias, and in front has the form of a crescent, while in hrassicce it is narrower, triangular, more pro- duced on to the thorax, and nearly as long as wide. All the wings of proletella are white, with two blackish spots, one of them at the end of the median nervure, the other transverse in the middle of the wing, just where the nervure is deflected, is more or less fascia-form. In hrassiccB the wings are also white, but the dark spots, although in the same position, are differently disposed, the median divided into two parts, one on the median nervure, the other furcating from it towards the anterior margin, the terminal spot also furcate, one branch going upwards and the other downwards. As to the larvae, Signoret finds in them the greatest differential characters, especially when they are very recently disclosed from the eggs (naissant). Thus he says — In proletella they are oval, with a border of rather long hairs all round, 34 — 36 in all, of which four of the more important are at the exti-emity of the abdomen : — in brassiccB the newly-disclosed larvse are more elongated ; on the segments of the body no hairs, and only two long ones towards the extremity. I have not been able to verify these observations for want of larvae young enough, all that reached me having passed beyond that 1895.] 69 first stage, bnt tbcrc is no reason to doubt their accuracy. When more advanced the larva? present the following characters: — A. BHASSIC-i;. Oral, convex, pale greenish-yellow, smooth, marginal field narrow ; the margin itself without a waxen fringe (but it may have existed at a previous age) ; the head rounded in front, with several short, hairlike projections ; the median dorsal area throughout with a series of long, rather blunt, transverse dentations (resembling the vcrtebrfe of a sole), laterally connected, slightly raised, not extending wholly across the median area. This structure is most percepticle in the adult form, increasing in distinctness as (he pupa state is assumed beneath the larval integument, when also the eye-spots become brown and are more evident. The adult form is not described by Signoret. A. PROLETELLA. Oval, convex, pale greenish-yellow, smooth, marginal field narrow, but rather broader than in brassicce, on the margin a white waxen fringe, which is deciduous but persistent almost to the last ; median dorsal area throughout with a series of small, transverse, parallel ridges, not shortened or blunted as in brassicce, but ex- tending quite across the dorsum, indicating the segments of the insect beneath the integument, these dorsal characters become more distinct as the insect develops ; the rest of the surface delicately striate. The head less rounded in front, has there a few short hairs. Eyes ultimately brown. The dorsal structure is not mentioned by Signoret. The larv^ are gregarious in small companies on the under-side of the leaves of the respective food-plants in the autumn, and some even survive the winter. The perfect insects, abundant up to the middle of jVovember, also appear in the spring and early summer. I think the divergencies in structure and markings, in addition to Ihc widely different and exclusive food-plants of each form respectively, afford sufHcient ground for distinguishing the two species, as several of the best observers have done, as noted above. 153, Lewisham Eoad, S.E. : November loth, 1891. Postscript, November 2Gth. — On the 19th inst. I received from Mr. C. W. Dale, Glanvilles AVootton, Dorset, pieces of cabbage leaves to which when they were sent off on the 17th inst. were attached several pupa; of A. hrnssicce, but during transit the imago form had been developed from them. At first the wings were spotless, but the characteristic spots appeared perfectly in a few days afterwards. On the 20th inst. I received from Dr. T. A. Chapman, Hereford, some larvae of A. brassicce on leaves of kale, but they were not so much as half-grown, and at that intermediate state they afforded no special character. If the brood of which they were samples survive the frosts of winter unharmed and become perfected, they may pose as actors in the " Winter's Tale " of insect life. 70 [March, THE SUPPOSED MAEINE HYBROPTILID. BY ROBERT McLACHLAN, F.R.S., &c. In the " British Naturalist" for December, 1894, Mr. G. Swain- son, F.L.S., published an interesting account of a Hydroptilid larva, evidently belonging to the genus Oxyethira, which he found living on the surface of the open sea off the mouth of the Ribble. This also appears with accounts of other aquatic larvae in pamphlet form ("Some curious aquatic larvae," 1894), with some supplementary notes not included in the original publication. Mr. Morton had examined the specimen, and thought he detected differences between the case and that of 0. costalis, Curt., but considers the presence of the larva in the open sea was due to accident, and that it had been brought down with fresh or possibly brackish water. I am quite of the same opinion, and suggest that if other specimens be found at sea attempts should be made to rear them in both fresh and marine aquaria (a note somewhat to this effect is incorporated by Mr. Swainson in his col- lected observations). A pelagic Hydroptilid would indeed be an acquisition ! I call attention to the subject in these pages because it is of far more than " British " interest, and to point out the medium in which the original observations are published. Mr. Swainson's paper is accompanied by figures, and I possess a photograph of the case taken by Mr. A. B. Hoskings, of Lee, London. Lewisbam, London : February 2nd, 1895. EECENT EXPEEIMENTS ON THE MEANS OF PEOTECTION POSSESSED BY ABRAXAS GROSSULARIATA, L. BY W. F. H. BLANDFORD, M.A., F.Z.S., F.E.S. The insect most often selected as a test of unpalatability indicated by warning colours has been Abraxas grossulariata, on which experi- ments are recorded by Jenner Weir (Trans. Ent. Soc, 18G9, p. 25 : 1870, p. 337) ; Butler (Trans. Ent. Soc., 1869, p. 28) ; Poulton (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1887, p. 191 ; The Colours of Animals, pp. 168, 169, 174) ; and Beddard (Animal Coloration, pp. 149, 153). It has again formed the subject of a series of observations and experiments by Prof. Plateau, of Ghent, some account of whose paper (Mem. Soc. Zool. Fr., 1894, pp. 375—392) will be of interest. He summarizes the conclusions of previous observers thus : — Abraxas grossulariata takes no measures for concealment in any istage, and is aufEciently protected by the indications of unpalatability 1895.] 71 afforded by its vivid coloration. It is rejected by European birds, lizards, frogs, tree-frogs and certain unidentified spiders. It is eaten by the toad, insectivorous monkeys and certain exotic birds. According to his observations : — 1. The caterpillar takes precautions to conceal itself. It is not readily found unless abundant. When half-grown it lies along the edge of the leaf, adapting its body to the irregularities of outline ; in this position the colour is protective. When older, it lies under the leaves or at full length along twigs in the lower part of the bush. AV^hen shaken, it falls, rolling in a ring which simulates a patch of bird-dropping, a position maintained for some time. 2. The pupa is mimetic, simulating the abdomen of certain Ves- pidce. [This has been noticed by Poulton.] eS. The larva is disregarded or rejected by tortoises, by Coluber cBsculapii, and Lacerta muralis. It is seized and rejected by frogs. Of these facts, which agree with previous observations, Plateau prefers to offer no explanation. Newts endeavour to devour the larva, but are apparently unable to penetrate its thick skin, and subsequently reject it, but without signs of distaste. 4. In no stage has the insect any nni)lcasant taste. Plateau was so bold as to masticate a newly-killed larva, and he describes the flavour as being very slight, agreeable, neither nauseous, acrid, acid nor bitter, without after-taste, and resembling that of the sweet almond or cocoanut. The flavour of the pupa and of the abdomen of the imago is similar, but more insipid. On this he remarks : " though the faculty of taste in man does not possess the exquisite delicacy observed in certain Mammalia, it is sufiiciently developed to show, in accordance with my experiments, which any one can readily check, that the so- called nauseous taste of Abraxas does not exist." 5. Spiders usually pay no attention to the larva. They are not afraid of it, but are unaccustomed to feed on caterpillars, and do not recognise the movements communicated to the web. A Tegenaria endeavoured to attack the larva, but was unable to pierce its thick skin. Tegenaria and Epeira diadema attacked and sucked the imago. Agelena labyrinthica succeeded in killing it, but was unable to suck so large a prey. 6. Both the larva and imago were devoured by Carahus auratus, and the former by species of Dytiscidce. Two Carabi were ob- served to dispute the possession of a larva, which was evidently appreciated. 7. Abraxas grossulariata has no special protection against the 72 ; March, attacks o£ animal parasites. Out of 51 larvae obtained in May and June, and reared with proper precautions, 22, or 43 % were infested with Hymenopterous or Dipterous parasites. [Similar facts are recorded by Poulton with reference to the " nauseous larva" of Pieris hrassiccd, Col. An., p. 182.] Plateau therefore concludes that Abraxas grossulariata does not disregard means of concealment, that it is protected by no special nauseous flavour, and that it is readily attacked under suitable con- ditions by certain Vertehrata, AracJinida, Adephaga and insect parasites, though not by indigenous birds, reptiles or some amphibia. In his own words, " the results of this research go to prove that, in the case of Abraxas, conspicuous coloration does not possess the warning significance which has been attributed to it, and naturalists will do well to apply further experimental tests to other cases in which this explanation has met with a too facile acceptance." The original paper should be studied in detail by those persons interested in the subject of warning coloration. 48, Wimpole Street, W. : Januari/, 1895. Pre-occupied Generic Names in the Lepidoptera. — Perhaps I may be permitted to mention that, so far as British genera are concerned, all tliose mistaken applica- tions of generic names mentioned bv Lord Walsingham {ante p. 40), and a large number of others to whieh he does not refer, will be found corrected, to the best of my understanding and judgment, in my work now passing through the press. Some of the remainder I have also corrected elsewhere. But with regard to pairs of names, such as Eupselia and Eupsilia, Pandemis and Pandemos, I cannot admit that they are to be regarded as instances of duplicate use. Generic names are now, for the sake of accuracy and clearness, treated as combinations of letters without meanings, and accordingly exempted from orthographical emendation ; hence a difference of a single letter must be held to constitute a distinct name. In cases where a slightly corrected form has become thoroughly established, and there is no possible chance of confusion — as in Gracilaria, Cosmopteryx, Micropteryx, where the original forms are wrongly spelt Gracillaria, Cosmopterix, Micropterix — I see no reason why those who prefer the orthographically correct form should not continue to use it ; but such cases are very few. — E. Meyrice, Elmswood, Marlborough : February 6th, 1895. Notes on a mass of Cocoons of ApJiomia sociella, L. — By the courtesy of Mr, W. P. Blackburne-Maze, of Shaw House, Newbury, I received the other day a well executed photograph of the latter portion of the life-history of this species, showing especially its method of pupation ; and as I have had no previous opportunity of examining such a specimen, Mr. Maze has been good enough to forwai'd the mass of cocoons, together with details of great interest, which he allows me to publish. 18115.] 73 The bunch of cocoons is of about the size of the egg of a goose, and, roughly, of the same shape. From it were secured last season at least 265 moths. It is light (though it was doubtless heavier when it contained from 200 to 300 living larvaB or pupte), and has a singular stringy appearance, the cocoons being apparently laid side by side throughout, each being from an inch and a half to two inches long, and much like a short bit of the loosest soft string, or perhaps even more like one of a bunch of sand tubes of an Annelide, such as is often to be found on low rocks between tide marks. It might even well be passed over for a lump of earth or an old crushed worsted ball, or an underground fungus, and the finder must be a person of acute observation or he could not have noticed it. It was dug up, the owner tells me, by a nursery gardener at Staple, Kent. On enquix'y it appears that there were in tliat year (1893) fourteen wasps' nests in that garden, and that six of these were situated close round the spot from which the bunch of cocoons was obtained in March, 1894. At that time all the fabricators were in the larva state, the pupal condition not being assumed until May or the beginning of June. The first motlis emerged on June loth, when a considerable number appeared, and smaller numbers from day to day (probably influenced by the weatiier) till the 29th, when for a week there was a vast increase in numbers ; afterwards odd specimens continued to appear until the end of July. Mr. Maze says, " I remember that the greater proportion of the early emergencies were males. Thsy usually commenced to come out at about 5 p.m., and continued till night and often through the night. I do not remember that any emerged in the middle of tiie day. It was curious to see them struggling out of the middle of the cluster of cocoons, first the head, then antennae and fx'ont legs, and then they rested a little while, till with a final struggle they were freed, ran down tlie side of the cluster, and rested with their heads up while their wings developed, which only took a short time." As I have already said, the cocoons are long and closely appressed one upon another, indeed, curved so as to fit round and into any interstice. They are brownish or earth-coloured, but tough in an extraordinary degree, so that it is difiieult to detach one, and almost impossible to tear it. When cut open the long cocoon is found to be merely an outer envelope, inside which is the true cocoon, about three quarters of an inch long, thinner, smooth, and rather more papery in texture, but extremely tough, so that the contained larva or pupa has little to fear from even a mouse, while a bird would have no chance at all with it. The pupa is rather slender with very long wing cases, which, with the antennae and limb cases, arc well marked, but closely attached, pale brown ; abdomen rather short and blunt, redder brown, as also is the remainder of the pupa. It does not appear that the bunch of cocoons was attached to, or even close by, any one of the wasps' nests ; and the same may I think be said of the similar bunches previously on record, which, in one or two cases, have certainly been found under a stone. This i-aises a curious question — How did so many larviB find their way to the same place ? It is difficult to understand how something approaching to 300 larvEe can have fed in one wasps' nest, nor why they should do so when tliere were six nests so close together. But supposing that they did feed in a single nest, would every larva bo full-fed and ready to spin up on the same day and at the same moment ? If not, how could the later larvu) find their way to the spot chosen by those first full-fed ? and supposing that larvic occupied all the six wasps' nests, how 74 March, could thej possibly all gather together in this manner ? the more obvious conclusion would seem to be that all had fed together, and at the same rate of growth, and together had left the nest to search out a suitable place for pupation. This may be the case, but the aspect of the bunch of cocoons is not that of a great number spun simultaneously, but rather of the regular addition of fresh cocoons to those already made ; those in the middle being, apparently, pretty straight and parallel, while those outside are curved round the sides of the mass, occupying every interstice, so as to present the closest possible continuous outer surface. Hence it seems probable that by some fine perceptive faculty, all, as they became full-fed, followed their more advanced brethren, and added their labours to the mass. — Chas. G. Baerett, 39, Linden Grove, Nunhead, S.E. : February, 1895. Pemistent odour of Bomhyx querciis ? • — Breeding a female Sombyx quereus, L., I thouglit T would try assembling, so took it out with me on July 7th last, but although the weather was everything that could be desired I failed to atti'act a single male ; it was evidently a little too early for them. I did not do any day collecting again until July 15th, on which occasion I left the female at home, not thinking her worth taking out so long after emergence, but I had on the same satchel as on the previous occasion. Almost as soon as I had arrived on my col- lecting ground it became evident that I was the centre of attraction to a number of male B. quereus, which kept flying round me in their usual headlong manner, giving me every opportunity of netting them, and so they continued for some time, and even after I had moved off to a large open common one or two came. I was rather puzzled at first to account for the evident attraction, until it struck me that the cause was my having carried the female in my bag more than a week previously. — A. n. Hamm, Reading: Januari/, 1895. Scyhalicus ohlongiuscnlus, Dej., in the IsJe of PurhecJc. — On July 25th last, when the Rev. F. O. Pickard-Cambridgc and I were collecting on the west coast of the Isle of Purbeck, my companion was lucky enough to find under a stone on the beach, just at the foot of the cliff, a single male specimen of the very rare Scyhalicus ollongiusetilus, which was promptly secured. A diligent search was at once made, but no others could be discovered ; perhaps in so late a season it was still rather too early to expect to find any more in the perfect state, and we had no opportunity of paying another visit to the locality. It is a great pleasure to be able to record the capture of this beetle in Purbeck, because, although it has been taken on other parts of the Dorset coast line both east and west of Weymouth Bay, it has not, to my knowledge, been previously met with in this neighbourhood. As I am aware that much excellent work among the Coleoptera of the Isle of Purbeck has been done during the last few years by visitors staying at Swanage, Bournemouth, and else- where, I should be very grateful for any lists, with approximate localities and names of captors if possible, of reliably-identified species taken within its boundaries. Although no Coleopterist myself, I hope at some future time to prepare, on behalf of our Dorset Nat. Hist, and A. F. Club, a catalogue of the beetles known to occur in this district, because it seems a pity that the interesting results of such good work should not be recorded in the annals of the county. — Eustace R. Bankes, The Rectory, Corfe Castle, Dorset : January "ilh, 1895. 1895] 75 Anthicus Wollustoni, F. Walerh. — Anthicus Wolla.stuni, F. Watcrli., from St. Ilclcna [Jovirn. Linn. Soc, Zool., xiv, p. 532 (1879)], iho type of which I liave recently examined at tlio British Museum, is a species of ScydmanidcB ; the name, as I pointed out some time ago,* was long pre-occupied in the genus (King, 18fi9). The insect has been renamed A. Waterhuusei by M. Pic (Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg.,1891', p. 273, nota), but his name is no longer required. The species in any case is an addition to WoUaston's " Coleoptera Sanctae Helena)." The insect formed part of a small collection made by the late Charles Darwin in St. Helena in May, 183'5. — G. C. Champion, Woking : January 3rd, 1895. Scymnus pulcheUus in Suffolk. — I had the good fortune to take, during the month of May, 189t, several specimens of the above named very rare beetle, and up to September last I captured no less than 220, all of which I have carded. I took them off the Finns sylvestris, on one particular tree only ; there were many trees of the same kind growing in close proximity, but althougli I searched them all diligently, not one could I obtain from them. The Scymnus evidently preferred the south side of this tree, as I could not find one elsewhere. I sent a few specimens to Dr. Sharp, of Cambridge, who informs me by letter, " that I need not be afraid of exterminating the Scymnus, as its abundance depends chiefly upon its food supply, and by taking it freely the food will increase, and the Scymnus become more abundant than ever." I hope to be able to find it so. I took with the Scymnus, altliough sparingly, 2'ri- nodes hirtus,a, very local species, and Tiresias serra. — Frederick Fux, Coddenham, near Needham Market, Suffolk : January, 1895. Coleoptera near Cardiff. — Aphodius porcus was abundant in fields by the Taff on September 26th, but vanished in a day or two ; A. sticlicus occurred at the same time, a smaller and darker form than the one plentiful in April. Pria dulcamarce occurred sparingly with Cercus rufdahris on meadowsweet as long as the bloom lasted. Apion punctiyerum and A. pallipes have been plentiful throughout the summer on their respective food-plants, and A. vicire, A. tenue and A. eheninum occasional. Orohitis was common on the dog violet, and I took a good series of Orthockestes by sweeping a roadside bank, together with a single Cryptocephalus morcei. Anaspis pulicaria occurred in flowers of the dog rose, Mordellistena hrunnea (1) on hawthorn, Ochina hederce, Cissophagus hedera, Phyllotreta tetra- stigma (1), Tachinus flavipes (1), Eusphalerum, Bythinus Curtisi, and Chrysomela didymata (1). — B. Tomlin, The Green, Llandaff : January, 1895. Coleoptera at Deal and Dover. — I took a beautiful specimen of Anthocomus rufus on a thistle on the sandhills at Deal on September 11th ; also a good series of I\itidula 4,-pustulata, Xecrophorus interrvptus (1), Aphodius nitidulus (2) : while Dover produced a series of Liparus germanus and Carahus munilis var. consitus in July. — Id. An overlooked record of the occurrence of Thermuhia domestica (furnorum) in Britain. — When engaged in revising a proof sheet of tlie Catalogue of Scientific Papers, I came across the title of an article that escaped notice during the discussion • ef. Ent. Mo. Mag., xx-x, p. 86. P 2 7G I March, on this insect in the last vol. (1894) of this Magazine, and which has probably been generally overlooked. The article is in the Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, vol. iv, pt. 3, pp. 187-188 (1878), and is entitled, " On a species of Lepisma supposed to be undescribed," by James Simpson. It refers to an insect found in quantity in a largo baking establishment in Edinburgh, and is accompanied by a diagnosis (as "Lepisma sp.") by the late Dr. Buchanan White. From this diagnosis, and the account of habits given by Mr Simpson, there can be no doubt that the insect in question was no other than our heat-loving friend so often alluded to in 1894, and I think the record, with the exception of Newman's vague account of his Lepismodes inquilina in 18H3, is the earliest of its occurrence in Europe. Does it still exist in Edinburgh.? — R. McLachlan, Lewisham, London : Feb. 1st, 1895. An aberrant (?) form of Stenocephalus agilis, Scop. — On August 8th, 1893, I took a pair of Stenocephalus agilis amongst thick grass on the Common near Maidenhead, known as Maidenhead Thicket. The $ was an imago, but the ^ was a nymph, which, however, became an imago a few days after. On comparing these insects with continental examples, I have noticed several differences, but as I have no other British examples, I cannot say whether these differences are merely an aberration in the particular specimens referred to, or whether they are characteristic of our insular specimens generally as distinguished from continental ones. The object of the present note is to call the attention of other Hemipterists to the subject, in the hope that the point may be settled by comparison of other specimens. The differences are as follows. The most noticeable ones are connected with the antennae, which are much shorter than in the continental forms, but this abbreviation is effected by a proportionate shortening of all the joints, so that the relative length of the joints is the same in both, and hence both agree wilh the published descrip- tions of the species. The basal joint is not only shorter but also considerably stouter. The shortening of the 2nd joint has produced a very considerable abbreviation of the intermediate dark ring, the basal and terminal ones remaining of about the same absolute size as in the continental specimens. Similarly in the 3rd and 4th joints, it is the pale part at the base that suffers abbreviation. The shortening of the falcate 4th joint is very obvious. But these are not tlie only differences. The hairs on the legs and antennae are much shorter in the English sjiecimens, and this is the case also with those carried by the thoracic punctures, wliich in the English specimens are hardly noticeable, but are very distinct in the continental ones. Finally, the cheeks are not produced so far beyond the central lobe of the face, the legs are proportionately slightly shorter, and the pale spot at the junction of the corium with the membrane at the end of its inner nerve, is either absent or very indistinct. The continental specimens differ slightly amongst themselves; these differences may perhaps be sexual, the imabl_y migrated or not? I may he wrong, but it lias always seemed to me that immigrant examples of P. cardui in this country fly in a much more headlong manner than those undoubtedly recently bred here. This occurred to me forcibly during the remarkable immigration of the species in the cold, cheerless svimmer of 1879. These immigrants are usually much worn, and the absence of the pigment-laden scales would render them lighter on the wing, independent of the unknown impulse which apparently urges them forward. The females in these examples have possibly mostly laid their eggs long before arri\ ing on our shores, and this al.so would give them additional lightness. The matter is suggestive, and worthy of further consider.ition. — U. McLachlan. 1R95.1 89 in my cabinet, -nlu'c-h were canglit near Santa Cruz, mcasnring two and three-quarter inchcH across the wings. There is great diversity in this species, some of the insects netted by myself and those netted by my colleague Mr. H. jMordey Douglas, differing greatly in point of size, colouring, and width of the black hind-marginal border, and in the size and colouring of the orange discoidal spots. The ? s, in my collection in particular, show great diversity from the ordinary type of C. Edusa, hardly two specimens being exactly alike, the chief difference being in the great size and conspicuous dentation of the yellow makings on the black border of the hind- wings. I have both C. ITclice and C. Hyale. I have lately acquired by purchase the pigmy or dwarf specimen which belonged to Don Eoman Gomez {vide Mrs. Holt White, p. 37), measuring less than an inch. Except in its diminutive size, it presents no variation from the ordinary form of C. Helice. There is a (^ C. Electra in the collection of Mr. Trimen at Cape Town, expanding only 1 inch 5| lin., and there is a ? in the South African Museum only 1 inch 4 lin. Both C. Hyale and C. Helice are very rare in Tenerife. I have some dimorphic forms of ? , with the orange-yellow ground-colour replaced by dusky greyish- wbite, the greater part of the hind-wings being suffused nith grey. I have also captured C. Electra in Tenerife, an African species of the genus. C. Electra (Linuteus) is very nearly related to the common European C. Ediisa ; the distinguishing characteristic is the deeper ground-colour, and the pink lustre which the lower wings display in certain lights, and the hind-marginal band of the lower wings is blacker and better defined. Indeed, C. Electra is very similar to C. Fieldii, Menet. I may here mention (though, perhaps, this is a digression from the real subject of this paper) that to me the whole genus of CoUades seems the most interesting and instructive generic division of Hhopalocera. It comprises about fifty species, and they are nearly all characteristic of Pala;arctic and Nearctic regions. Not only are they interesting from their habits, and the lights thrown on biology and geo- graphical distribution, but the species make up » genus of singular and chastened beauty, running through the gamut of oranges and yellows. They are chiefly found in the northern regions, while there are some of these northern species that are literally arctic. One species, C. Ilecla, has been taken as far north as latitude 83^ N- It is generally tliought by naturalists now that these arctic Coliadce are survivors of the circumpolar fauna in ante-Pliocene times,* when there existed in these regions a milder and more uniform climate, and a luxuriant vegetation of tall deciduous trees and evergreens. • No fossil remains of in.tecta appear to have been found in the Pliocene formation (Wallace, Geogi-aphical Distribution of Animals, vol. i, p. Itilii ; b\it in tlie lower Croatian Miocene there is a fossil b\ittoifly showing all the wing-nervures and nervules— supposed to bo either a Janonia i>r a Vatitsxa. 90 [AF-ii, Those species of Coliades tliat are fouiicl in intertropical parts are chiefly con- fined to high altitudes, and are quite alpine in their habitat. In the tropics them- selves the Coliadee are only found in the high Andes, Mr. Ed. Whymper in his recent expedition having discovered a new species, named by Godman and Salvin C. altieoJa. A description of it will be found in the Appendix to Mr. Whymper's book, vol. ii, p. 107. It was the highest insect of any kind obtained, and was collected between 12,000 and 16,000 ft. Indeed, it is the highest-flying butterfly in either North or South America. In Europe thirteen species of Colias are found, two species being found in Great Britain, but they are very fitful, irregular, and capricious in their appearance. GONOPTERTX Cleobule, Hb. This is undoubtedly quite a distinct race of G. Cleopntra, in that the (J has the whole of the fore-wings suffused with orange, whereas in G. Cleopatra only two-thirds of their area are occupied by the brilliant orange colour. In shape, too, there is a difference between these two forms, as the angular projection of the wings in G. Cleohule is less acute, or (to quote Mrs. Holt White) " of a squarer form, and having no decided point at the angle of the hind-wings." G. Cleohule is quite peculiar to the Canary Islands. Although Mr. de V. Kane dissents (in the case of Vanessa Levana-Prorsa) from Dr. Weissmann's theory that a migration south- wards of certain species of Rlwpalocera from the less congenial climates of Northern Europe have modified their size and colouring, nevertheless 1 venture to think that, in the face of evidence such as that afforded by G. rliamni, G. Cleopatra, and G. Cleohule, the fact is undeniable. Surely we must ascribe the increased size, strength, and intensified colour of G. rhamni in its journey southwards, to Madeira and to the Canaries, to the influence of increased warmth and sunlight, and luxuriant food ? Certainly it is a most remarkable zoological phenomenon, and it is difficult for me to see how else the considerable differentiation displayed by G. rhamni, G. Cleopatra, and G. Cleohule is to be explained. M. Boisduval says G. rhamni and G. Cleopatra are identical, since he has reared both from the same batch of eggs. Certainly these two forms fly together. Salamanca, Santa Cruz, Tenerife : December, 1894. [The Canary Islands ai'e now so much frequented by our countrymen as a winter resoi't as to render observations on the butterflies by a resident, of special intei'est, even although some of the genei-al remarks contain no information that is new. — Eds.] 189.5.] 91 NOTES ON CEETAIN ASIATIC nESPERIIDM. BY J. EDWARDS, F.E.S. I. — The Genera Captla and Pfsola, Moore described these genera on page 785 of the Proceedings o£ the Zoological Society of London for the year 1865, placing one species in each genus, and purporting to describe both sexes in each case. In the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society for 1892, pages 317-350, de Niceville discusses these genera at some length, and asserts that what Moore describes as the female of Capila Jayadeva is the true male of Pisola Zennara, and what he (Moore) gives as the male of Pisola Zennara is the true female of Capila Jayadeva. If we adopt this view, and judging from specimens of both species, and the fact that it is now known that several species oE these large Hesperiids have dissimilar, white banded females, there is no reason for doubting its correctness, we have two genera founded on the opposite sexes of the same species, and strictly speaking both names should accordingly fall. I would, however, pro- pose the following as a reasonable mode of dealing with the matter. The two genera being synchronous in publication, and there being no necessity for more than one generic name to include the constituents of both, let the name Capila, which occurs first in order, be retained for that purpose. I would retain the name Jayadeva for the insect described by Moore under that name and its real female, which is the same as Moore's Pisola Zennara, male ; and I would apply the name Moorei to the insect which Moore described as the female of his Jayadeva and its recil female, which latter is the same as Moore's Pisola Zennara, female. The nomenclature would therefore stand thus: — Capila, Moore. 1. C. Jayadeva, Moore. ? ^ Pisola Zennara, Moore ((?). 2. C. Moorei, nam. nov. ^ = Cajnla Jayadeva, Moore ( ? ). 9 = Pisola Zennara, Moore ( ? ). Watson, in his "Proposed Classification of the Ilesperiidce" (P. Z. S., 1893, pp. 3-132), redefines the genus Pisola, Moore, taking as his type the only species placed in the genus by its author, namely, Zennara ; and he goes on to say that the male of Pisola Zennara has no long tuft of hairs on the hind tibia?. But in a paper on the Asiatic Genera of Hesperiidcc, of which he has kindly sent me the proof, and which will shortly appear in Journal of the Bombay Natural History 92 [April. Society, he admits that the insect which he treated as a male in re- defining Moore's genus was really a female, and states that it is therefore necessary to take a fresh character on which to separate the two genera. He gives this fresh character as follows : — Male, inner margin of fore-wing longer than outer margin Pisola, Moore. Male, outer margin of fore-wing longer than inner margin Capita, Moore. In his " List of the Butterflies of Sikkim " (Gazetteer of Sikkim, Calcutta, 1894, p. 17G, No. 512) de Niceville records and remarks upon " Pisola Zeniiara, Moore," of which he says that he possesses five " males ;" apparently overlooking the fact that on his own showing no male insect was described by Moore under the name of Pisola Zennara. Why two such authoritative writers as de Niceville and Watson should make two genera for the two male insects which have hitherto been known as the male and female of dipila Jayndeva, Moore, is not clear. Here we have two insects so similar in structure and appear- ance, that for more than a quarter of a century entomologists were content to regard them as sexes of the same species ; but now, because there is a trifling difference between them in the relative length of the outer and inner margins of the fore-wing, in other words, because the fore-wing of one is a little more pointed than that of the other, they are each to be placed in a separate genus. II. — Erionota acroleuca, Wood-Mason and de Niceville, and E. grandis. Leech. Mr. de Niceville, writing of JErionota acroleuca, W.-M. and de Nice., in his before-mentioned List of the Butterflies of Sikkim, p. 181, No. 567), says, " Very rare. I obtained one example, Mr. Otto Moller two only in Sikkim, after many years' assiduous collecting. It occurs also in Western and Central China, and has been named ^ Hiclari'' grandis by Leech." I take this opportunity of pointing out that the Plesioneura grandis of Leech [Entomologist, xxiii. p. 47 (1890), Hidari grandis, Leech, Butt. China, &c., p. 633, pi. xxxix, fig. 18 $ (1892—1894)], is not the same as the Hesperia acroleuca of Wood- Mason and de Nice- ville (Jour. As. Soc. Beng., 1881, p. 260). The latter, of which there are in Mr. H. J. Elwes' collection, now under my charge, two specimens from the Andaman Islands, one of them labelled acroleuca by Mr. de Niceville, is for me a local form of 'Erionota tlirax, distin- guished by its smaller size, and a tendency to a completely rhomboidal form of the pale spot in cell 3 of the fore-wing above. The pale shade in the apex of the fore-wing above is present in varying degrees in 185(5.] 93 many specimens of E. thrax, and I have before nic a specimen from Pulo Laut which agrees in all essential particulars with E. acroleiica, save that the pale spot in cell 3 of the fore-wing above is sublunate instead of rhomboidal ; there is nothing in the male genitalia of E. acroleuca by which it can be distinguished from typical thrax. E. gramlis, Leech, may at once be distinguished from any form of E. thrax by the pure white colour of the pale spots on the fore- wing ; it is further distinguished from the form acroleuca (whicb ita male resembles in size and in the pale shade on the apex of the fore- wing above) by the irregularly roundish non-rhomboidal shape of the pale spot in cell 3 of the fore-wing above. The diagnostic features of E. grandls are not made sufficiently clear either in the description or the figure ; the former makes no mention of the colour of the pale spots on the fore-wing above, and in the latter the pure white colour of these spots is not sufficiently accentuated. Under these circumstances the geographical distribution given by Mr. de Niceville for Erionota thrax, as represented by the form acroleuca, will require modification ; and in this connection it may be well to mention that amongst some HesperiidcB sent to Mr. de Nice- ville for names I find a specimen of a Gangara from Perak, distinguished from G. thrysis by its smaller size and the presence of a small sharply defined cream-white spot near the base of cell 7 in the hind-wings beneath, labelled " Erionota acroleuca, AV.-M. and de N.," in Mr. de Kiceville's handwriting. Colesboriie, Cheltenham : February, 1895. THE GENERA CRYPTORYPNUS AND UYPNOIDUS. BY G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. In the Ent. Nachrichten, xix, p. 308 (1893), Dr. E. Bergroth remarks that the genus Cryptohgpnus, Latr., is still confounded with Hypnoidus, Schiodte. He gives the characters for them as follows : — Cryptohgpnus : Epimcra mesothoracica coxas attingentia. Aceta- bula coxarum mediarum itaque e mesosterna, epimeris mesothoracicis ac metasterno formata Elytra prothoraci innata. Hyp/ioidus : Epimera mesothoracica coxas non attingentia. Ace- tabula coxarum mediarum tantum e mesosterno et metasterno formata. Elytra prothoraci non innata, sed superposita. 94 [April, Thomson (Skaiid Col., vi) makes a similar division, and he places Hijpnoidus {-^^ Negastr ins, Thorns.) in a different group of ihQElateridcs. C. maritimus, Curt., and C. riparius, Fabr., belong to Grypto- liypnus ; and G. sahulicola, Boh., G. pulchellus, Linn., G. 4i-pustulatus, Fabr., G. det^mestoides, Herbst, and G. 4^-guttatus, Lap., to Hypnoidus. It may also be noted that in Gryptohypnus the prosternal sutures are straight, parallel, or very little convergent posteriorly, as in Dr. Horn's Group 1 ;* and in Hypnoidus the prosternal sutures are arcuate and very evidently convergent posteriorly, as in his Group 2. Dr. Horn [Ent. News, v, pp. 6, 7 (1891)] states that the North American species divide into two genera in precisely the same way, either by the form of the prosternal sutures, or by the characters indicated by Dr. Bergroth. The two genera should therefore be retained as distinct. Horsell, Woking : March loth, 1895. Xanthia ocellaris, Borlch., in Sussex. — Xanthia ocellaris appears resolved to make itself at home with us. Another specimen has been sent up for inspection by my friend Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher. It was taken from a street gas lamp at Bognor, Sussex, on the night of October 7th last by Mr. H. L. F. Guermonprez, of that town. The specimen is a male, considerably worn, of the more handsomely coloured and richly banded typical form of the species, and is the second specimen captured in England, which I have seen, of this form, the remainder being, as before stated, of the dark unicolorous variety lineago. There is yet another striking variety, of which specimens exist in the National Collection at South Kensington, far paler in colour, yellowish-brown, with hooked apex, white dot in the renal stigma, and white nervures beyond the middle of the fore-wings. It is labelled paUeago, as received from the continent. If this is correct, palleago is a form of X. ocellaris, and not of X. gilvago, as indicated by Staudinger. So far as I know, this variety has not yet been observed with us. — Chas. G. Baeeett, 39, Linden Grove, Nunhead : March, 1895. " A hunt for Phorodesma smaragdaria.^' — I find with regret that the article by Mr. Auld upon the larva of Phorodesma smaragdaria in the March number of this Magazine has given keen annoyance to a much esteemed correspondent. Mr. George Elisha writes : — " I am simply amazed that in these matter-of-fact times we should have a veritable Rip Van Winkle arise in our midst to tell us this old story, which we all know so well, as something new ; or is it that we live in such very fast times that the discovery of this particular larva about eight years ago, wheia its whole history was made known, has already become ancient history, and the true facts lost in the dim past, that we are ti-eated to this mythical anecdote of the ' beetle catcher and his friend,' which I need hardly say existed only in the imagination of the narrator ? I must confess that I have a grievance in this anecdote ; and the ' Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, xviii, p. 2 (1891). 18'J5.] 95 memory of iny lato friend Mr. Machiii, iiiduccs me to point out tliat a full and correct account of tlic discovery and habits of this larva is to bo found in the Transactions of the Entomological Society of London for 1886 (page 465), and a partial account in the 'Entomologist,' for ISS-t." Mr. Elisha is too modest to say that tliese papers are by himself: that in the " Transactions " being very complete. It is very certain that history does not actually preserve any record of any conversation which took place on the discovery of the larva, and it may readily be conceded that Mr. Auld has been a little misled by a too exuberant imagination. Our deceased friend Machin was the first to discover the larva in this country, and he decidedly was not a beetle catcher — indeed, I believe, that he was carefully searciiing for cases of the extremely rare Coleophora vibicigefella when this inter- esting larva presented itself to his gaze, and his open-handed liberality was illustrated by tlie fact that he, as soon as possible, sent larvae to me, at King's Lynn, from which the series in my cabinet was I'aised. So liberally was this beautiful insect scattered abroad into other collections by him and by Mr. Elisha that rueful looks came in time to be cast upon early specimens, for which fancy prices had, in some cases, been paid.— Id. : 3Iarch llth, 1895. A small form of Nonagria lutosa. — Through the kindness of Mr. E. Dembski, of Birmingham, I have had an opportunity of examining a moth, which was taken by him at light in Lincolnshire a good many years ago, which he has believed to be a distinct species, and which he desired to name in honour of an old friend. Un- fortunately for this kindly intention the moth proves to belong to a well known species, though to a variety of that species which apparently is far from being so genci'ally recognised. To this last conclusion I am driven by the fact that this form is one of those which come to hand, to be named, by no means unfrequently. It is a comparatively small race oi Nonagria (Calamia) lutosa, Jiiib. (c>'a*«?Vo?*nw, Haw.). In Its ordinary form, as is well known, this species is very nearly the largest in the group, ranging from about Ij inch to over 2 inches in expanse of wings. Mr. Dembski's specimen, however, is only about If inch in expanse — about the size of Leucania obsoleta, and not very unlike that species — and his opinion of its specific distinctness by no means an unreasonable one. In my own cabinet are specimens precisely resembling it, with otliers of graduated sizes to that of the type. These were taken along the banks of ditches in Norfolk, and seem always to occur where there is but little of the food-plant, common reed (Ar undo phragniites), a,nd that rather small in size ; full-sized specimens occurring with them, but being more frequent in the neighbourhood of large reed beds and the banks of rivers. The small specimens, like the large, often have their whity-brown fore-wings tinged with reddish, more rai-ely clouded along the nervures with grey ; they have precisely the same indistinct, curved row of black dots, and in the hind-wings usually the same faintly indicated row of grey dashes. Of the identity of the two forms there can be no doubt.— Id. : March IGf/i, 1895. Aphomia sodella. — When I was a boy (somewhere in the forties) I found a nest of the pupe of this species ; it was attached to the under-side of some planks which formed the top of the lower story and the floor of an upper story of a low dilapidated building that had been one of the properties of an old tea garden which 96 [April, had been closed for years. The building spanned an artificial moat which had run dry, and in which I found (then or at some other time) nests of the water wagtail. The place was orergrown with scattered trees and shrubs that had run wild. About 150 moths emerged, and I well remember that the males, all, or nearly all, emerged before the females. The nest required considerable force to detach it from the planks. It was, I think, larger than the one referred to by Mr. Barrett (Ent. Mo. Mag., March, 1895, p. 72), and was of very irregular shape; but this can perhaps be verified, as I gave the nest to the British Museum, where it was exhibited in a table-case, and I saw it there many years afterwards. — F. Meerifield, 24, Vernon Terrace, Brighton : March, 1895. The food of the larva of Aphomia sociella. — I have had the sponge-like masses of empty cocoons of this species brought me several times, and once had a full one, from which I bred many moths ; I have never been able to find in these any debris of the food, whatever it was, and so am perhaps hardly entitled to criticize Mr. Blackburne-Maze's suggestion that they feed in wasps' nests. I have tliree times, however, seen the place whence the cocoons were taken — twice from under a heap of stones that was much more suitable for a nest of bees than wasps, and once from amongst wood that would have suited either ; the places had been much disturbed in each case, so that I attached no importance to finding no suggestive material (moss, &c.). The chief reason, however, that makes me adhere to the accepted opinion that the food is humble bees' nests is, that the debris oi these contains much waste bee-bread and thick silken cocoons that would form suitable pabulum for the moth, whilst the waste material of a wasp's nest contains very little silk, much wasp larval_excreta, and a trifling weight of wood paper, practically little or no nutritive material. The Dipterous larvae tliat inhabit wasps' nests appear to live on damp excrementitious material that seem quite unsuitable for a Lepidopteron. — T. A. Chapman, Firbank, Hereford : March oth, 1895. Notes on Tinea pallescentella. — Early in October, 1888, odd specimens of Tinea pallescentella flew into my place of business at Birmingham, and wishing to learn something about its habits, I ti-aced it to its home, the cellar of a boot warehouse. On descending the cellar with a light, the moths were seen on the walls in large numbers, scuttling in all directions into nooks and crannies, but seldom attempting flight. They varied exceedingly in size, some of the females being very large, measuring nearly an inch across the wings. Their colour varied from unicolorous pale grey to dark grey, with dark brown markings, and two striking pale yellow forms were taken. In the hope of working out its life-history, many excursions were made during the next few months into the cellar, which contained slack, straw, paper, and plenty of dust and dirt, the premises being very old. The back part of the cellar, railed off, containing butts of leather, showed no trace of moths. Close searching revealed cocoons in the niches of the walls, made of silk, covered with particles of coal dust, whiting or brick dust, harmonizing so well with the surroundings that full ones were very difficult to find, although empty cases sticking out of the cocoons were very conspicuous, sometimes half a dozen together in a bunch. The pupa is about three-eighths of an inch long, pale shining ochreous, the 1895. ! 97 wing-casos darker, t!ic antcnnsc enveloped in thin, transparent sliealhs, lying loose on the wing-cases, not fastened down, as is usual in the Lepidoptera. This fact is remarkable, and I believe attention has not been drawn to it before. After the moth has emerged, the antennal sheaths are sometimes left so perfeet that one might imagine the antennae still there. I obtained eggs from several females, one batch hatched March 18th, but t failed to rear the larvae, although trying them with straw, paper, bits of rabbit skin, &c. The egg is oblong, a little rounder at one end than the other, the colour white, and the surface slightly honeycombed. One full-fed larva was found February 5th, wliich spun up next day ; this larva was half an inch long, dirty white ; head reddish-brown, and a plate on 2nd segment. The imagos swarmed during October, November, and appeared in gradually de- creasing numbers through December, January, February, March, the latest capture being April 7th. Although my attempts to discover the food of the larvffi have up to the present failed, I yet hope to find it out, as the moths still exist in the cellar, two having been taken tliis month and a few cocoons. — Ralph C. Ekadley, Holly Bank, Clifton Road, Sutton Coldfield : February, 1895. Further notes on Psyche villosella. — When in the New Forest in May, 1848, 1 found a considerable number, near Lyndhurst, of the "full-grown" cases of this species, and having put them in a band box, taking the top off and covering it over with a fine gauze, placed it in the day time in the garden of the house where I was staying. In a few days the males appeared, when I secured several fine specimens ; one afternoon I found a male and female in cop., and on examination I observed the latter had turned itself round in the case to admit the organs of the male, when pairing took place, and the wings of the male then became horizontal. In no case did I find the females leave their cases. Most of the above remarks confirm the observations made by my old esteemed friend, the late J. Jenner-Weir, recorded in the last number of your Magazine by Mr. Barrett. Where I was staying at Lynd- hurst was nearly a mile from the heath where I found the cases, but one afternoon I noticed a number of males flying round the band box, no doubt attracted by a freshly emerged female, and I succeeded in capturing a few. — Samuel Stevens, Loanda, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood : March Zth, 1895. Aleurodes brassicce, Walk.- Mr. C. W. Dale writes that this species is usually abundant on the indigenous wild cabbage wliich grows on the coast of the Isle of Purbcck, although it was not so common there last autumn as in the previous year, and, therefore, that the species must not be regarded as imported and naturalized on cabbages cultivated in gardens.— J. W. Douglas, 153, Lewisham Road, S.E. : March \Qth, 1895. llemiptera near Leicester. — I have lately had occasion to look over some llemiptera- lleteroptera captured in the neighbourhood of Leicester by Mr. John Stanyon, and amongst them were the following, which I think are worthy of record, especially as so little is known of the species of the Midland Counties : Scolopos- tethus neylectus, Kdw., Pluiaria vagahuiida, Linn., Pht/tocoris populi, Linn., var. a 98 [April, distinctus, D. and S., P. Reuleri, Sa«ncl., Macrolophus nubilus, H.-S., Orthotylus diaphanus, Khm., on willows, Cyrtorrhinus caricis,Fed\.,PsaU.its Rotennundl, Scholtz, white poplar. It is to be hoped that Mr. Stanyon will continue his researches, as he will doubtless thereby add considerably to our knowledge of the Midland Hemiptera. —Edward Saunders, 27, Granville Park, Lewisham, S.E. : March 9th, 1895. Andrena albicans, Kirh., and Nomada bifida. Thorns. — Mr. K. J. Morton kindly sent me a few weeks ago some examples of Andrena albicans and Nomada bifida taken by himself in the Isle of Arran. As these were the only two species he sent I thought that probably they had been taken in the same spot, and on writing to him I find that this was the case ; he tells me that he feels sure that they were associated. If this be so, which is highly probable, it determines the host of N. bifida, which was doubtful before ; N. bifida is a common species, and appears early in the spring, frequently occurring at sallow blossoms, so that its association with Andrena albicans seems natural and probable from all points of view. We have still three species of Nomada whose hosts are doubtful, or unknown, viz. : N. Hoherjeotiana, a very rare species, and therefore affording few opportunities for observation ; N. solidaginis, a most abundant species in some localities, occurring in July and August, which F. Smith held to be the inquiline of Halictus ruhicundus and leucozonius, but the hibernating habits of the ? Malicti make it improbable that any Nomada should associate with them ; and N.furva,a, very common species also, supposed to associate with small Halicti. Any observations on the habits of these three species would be very valuable ; two of these are sufficiently common to offer ample opportunities for investigation, and if these are really associated with Halictus, there must be a very curious and interesting life history to be worked out. — Id. Andrena amhigua, Perkins, in Norfolk. — Mr. Perkins, in our February number (p. 39), describes this species from specimens which he took in Devonshire, near Moreton Hampstead, and says that he had received a single . acuminatana. On August 4th I had the pleasure of netting four examples of D. qucesfionana, Z. (= alpinana, Wilk.), am.ongst tansy ; this is a welcome addition to the Purbeck list, and the only previous record from the county is " Taken at Lulworth by J. C. Dale on June 18th, 1840." Over its food-plant, Jasione montana, a nice little set of EupoecUia palUdana was taken on the wing by waiting upon it in the evenings. Among the more distinguished Tinece, one Diplodoma margine- punctella, together with four (Ecopliora lamhdella, were the best results of two visits to a hedge composed of living and dead wood and old gorse bushes, and an outhouse yielded two Tinea niqripunctella. Cases of Psyche villosella seemed scarcer than usual on the heath, as did those of Fitmea rohoricolella in a saltmarsh where a colony exists, nor did a diligent hunt in the head-quarters of Epichnopterijx jjulla reveal even a single case. In April Micropteryx Kaltenbachii, to the tune of some half dozen perfect moths and a few cripples, emerged, the larvae having been found in hazel leaves in the previous spring, whilst in early May larva? of Lampronia quadripunctella were rather common in shoots of garden " York and Lancaster " roses : the moths emerge as a rule before 9.30 a.m., and fly in the morning sunshine. In July a few Depressaria nanatella, one D. pulcherrimella, and some Gelechia lentiginosella appeared in the breeding jars, and spun shoots of Lotus major, collected early in June, furnished me with a short set of Anacampsis vorticella, to say nothing of a longer one of Tortrix * Siuoe the above was written I have found that Sorhagen in " Die Kleinschnietterlinge der Mark Brandenburg" recurds U. seiieclana us taken in the evening amongst Uiuni/ at Hamburg ; it is therefore probalilo that, like so many of its congeners, it is not confined to a Bingle food-plant, but favour.-> diflerent closely-allied ones in ditfcreut localities. L 130 [June, viburnana. Bryotropha mundella, B. umbrosella, (Ecoconia quadri- puncfella (1), and Galanthia variella were numbered among the victims, and no end of time and trouble was devoted to working for young larvae of Q. senescens and one or two of its congeners, and studying their habits and variation, but they proved as slippery customers as ever to secure, and no less difBcult to rear ! Coleo- phora conyzce and C. Fahriciella, which is especially partial to white clover {Trifolium repens), were present, whilst from cases on heads of purple clover (T. pratense) gathered in 1893 C. deauratella, which seems difficult to rear and apt to come out dwarfed, was bred very sparingly : G. ochreella was noticed in the larval state in one spot, C. ohtusella was bred from old seedheads of Juncus maritimus gathered in May, and two or three examples of Elacliista atricomella, and Lithocolletis ulicicolella fell to the net. My attempts to find Lita salicornicd in our Purbeck saltmarshes were rewarded by the capture of two imagines, and numbers of the large form (from Plantago maritima) of L.plantaffinella, though considerably the worse for wear,but repeated endeavours to obtain Acrolepia marcidella in any stage, in the spot where three individuals have been brought to bag, were, as of old, altogether in vain. Even in the very worst seasons some few species are always sure to appear in unwonted numbers, and such was the case, for here and there, in the spring, the gorse-bushes were white-sNiih the larval webs of Galanthia grandipennis, and on one grand night in the beginning of July Xystophora lutulentella ( ,^ ) fairly swarmed, though, as usual, an enormous percentage was sadly worn. In the autumn it was a treat to again, after an interval of several years, come across the larva of Epermenia daucella in moderate quantity in one spot, and to find that Trifurcula palUdella (J') was still procurable in its old haunts : the females of both this and X. lutulentella appear to be extremely rare, and hitherto I have in vain watched those that have been met with in the hope of seeing them oviposit, and have re- peatedly failed to discover the larva of either species. Cases of Coleo- phora adjunctella were unaccountably scarce, and during the last two seasons Gosmopteryx Schmidiella has, as far as my experience has gone, been able to prove an alihi, not a single larva or even an empty mine having rewarded my search, whilst, to the best of my belief, the imago has never yet been captured in Britain. Larvae of Nepticula acetoscd, which had baffled all our efforts to turn it up in Purbeck until the Rev. C. E.Digby chanced upon it when staying with me in August, 1892, were not uncommon in two small spots, but the insect is surprisingly local. It appears to have a succession of broods, and to be always impatient 1895.1 181 to reach the perfect state, a proportion of larvae collected even in September producing moths the same year if kept indoors, though in a cool place. The rest, however, of the autumn leaf-mining larvae, LithocolletidcB, NepticuJidcB, &c., seemed to be exceptionally scarce, and such was also the experience of friends in other parts of England, both in the North, Midlands, and South ; perhaps it is hardly to be wondered at when one recalls the ceaseless torrents of rain, and the absence of sunshine, that prevailed when the imagines of the earlier broods should have been pairing and ovipositing. Expeditions to happy hunting grounds outside Purbeck were not very profitable. From the New Forest district I brought home a few larvae of Asphalia ridens, some four or five of Phycis rohorella found spun up for pupation in a cluster of cocoons under the rotten bark of a long-felled oak log (How they all arrived there is a mystery to me !), and about half a dozen each of Tortrix cratcegana and Pcedisca rufimitrana, but there was a far greater dearth of insect life than I have ever before seen there in the middle of June. At Bloxworth (Dorset) the Eev. O. P. Cambridge, with whom I was staying just before Midsummer, caught one Penthina fuUgana and a solitary Eupoecilia Oeyeriana, besides which our bag included a few Scoparia pallida, Ancylis diminutana, Pcedisca hilunana, Stigmonota Germar- ana, Hb. (2), Epermenia IlUgerella (1), and a case of Coleopkora paUiatcUa, found spun up on a sallow leaf, which yielded me a moth in due course. At Portland Scoparia mercurella var. portlandica (totally distinct from Sc. phoeoleuca, Zell., which is unknown in Britain) was locally much commoner than usual, and I succeeded in boxing an example of the rare Tinea subfilella, which was at rest in a crevice of the rock. During the last week of November I had the pleasure of an introduction to Cheimatobia horeata in Kent, where it seems to have been more abundant than usual, and got both sexes in fine con- dition : they were mostly boxed off the birch bushes and surrounding brushwood after dark, and a fair number were taken in cop. in sheltered spots. In the above jottings on several of the more interesting Le- pidoptera met with during the past year, it is needless to allude to one or two species about which I hope to contribute separate notes, but it may be added that, thanks to help received, chiefly through the generosity of friends, from other parts of Britain, my breeding cages produced such welcome things as ilfeZiVcert Cinxia {1) , Endromis versi- color,LopTiopteryx carmelitn,N'otodonta chaonia,N. trimacula, Acronycta ahii, Tcenioctiiiipn huicographn, T. uiiniosa, PericalJia syringaria, Euime- 132 [June, lesia unifasciata (five, which emerged July 15th to August 11th from pupae received in February, 1892 !), Phyllocnistis suffusella, Lithocolletis cerasicolella, besides the very rare L. distentella and Asyclina ceratella. From a present of a bountiful supply of galls on stems of Polygonum aviculare containing full-fed larvae of the last- named, collected on August 10th and 12tb, 1893, in a sloping field on the downs to the north of Shoreham, Sussex, in which an expected crop of oats had to a great extent failed to come up, and the insect and its food-plant had not failed to make the most of their opportunities for running riot, only eleven perfect specimens (varying greatly in size) and one or two wretched cripples emerged last season, the first not till August 21st, the last on September 8th. My want of better success in breeding them, as also to some extent the lateness of their appearance, was almost certainly due to their being kept till July in too shady, and therefore too cool, a spot, where the direct rays of the sun could not reach them, and the thought occurs that the same cause may have brought about the ill success of others who enjoyed like opportunities, for a similar batch placed by a judicious friend, who alone escaped disappointment, right out in the open and fully exposed to the sun- shine, yielded a large percentage of moths between July 7th and August IGth. Probably not one would have graced my setting board had I not finally, in despair, brought the larvse indoors, and forced them with heat and the direct rays of the sun. " Experientia docet" but it is distressing when the " experimentum,'' from which alone the necessary experience can be derived, can not be first made "in corpore vilV^ ! The Rectory, Coi'fe Castle, Dorset : March \hth, 1895. PRENOLEPIS VIVID UL A, AN INTRODUCED ANT NEW TO BRITAIN. BY Q. C. BIGNELL, F.E.S. PrenoJepis vividuJa, Nylander. — It is interesting to record the occurrence of this ant, a native of Egypt, Palestine, Texas, Australia, etc., in my house, and doubtless introduced with the palms now imported into this country, as I think the following account will show. The history, so far as I am concerned, of the two specimens I have taken, may be a warning to others who find insects in their room after a day's collecting, not to jump at a conclusion that they must 1805.1 133 have brought them home, as I did. On April 20th I visited Caimwood, in the afternoon it came on to rain, and in walking through the wood I picked up a handful or two of dried leaves and thrust them in my pocket to keep other things steady. On my arrival home, very wet, I emptied the contents of my pockets on to a table in my study ; that night my daughter arrived from London, and brought home a young growing palm in a pot, and placed it on the same table ; next day I saw these two ants running about over the old oak leaves. I secured them and mounted them, and not being able to recognise them, I sent them to Mr. E. Saunders as a species captured in Cannwood ; he, however, identified them as above.. I have no doubt they were brought home with the palm, which was purchased the same day from Messrs. Ponsford and Son, 451a, Brixton Road, S.W. Stonehouse, Plymouth : May \Wi, 1895. OTIORRHYNCHUS AUROPUNCTATUS, GYLL., AN ADDITION TO THE BRITISH LIST. BY G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. Mr. Halbert, of the Science and Art Museum, Dublin, re- cently sent me some specimens {^ ?) of an Otiorrhijnchiis from Ireland which he could not satisfactorily identify. The insect in question is referable to 0. auropunctatus, Gyll., an addition to the British list. Mr. Halbert informs me that it is locally common near Dublin, principally on the coast in the Counties of Dublin, ^leath, and Louth, and that he had quite recently taken some specimens at Portmarnock. He states that he had found it in moss, and by beating hedges and trees, and also by sweeping It seems an extraordinary fact that 80 conspicuous an insect has not been noticed in Ireland before. The species had been named for him some time ago as O. maurus, Gyll., which has been recorded from Co. Down, Ireland, by myself, from an example taken on Slieve Donard in 1875.* 0. auropunctatus, Gy\\.,vi\i.\c\i includes O./ossor and 0. rujlpes. Boh., according to Stierlin (Rev. der Europ. Otiorrhynchus-Arten, p. 89), is a common species in the Pyrenees, and occurs also in Spain and in the Auvergne, France. It has been taken in abundance by Dr. Sharp and myself at Yernet, in the Pyrenecs-oricntalcs, at elevations between 2000 and 7000 feet. O. auropunctatus somewhat resembles O. • cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., xii, p. 82. 13-A i-'"»«' tenebricosus, Herbst, but is much smaller and less elongate, and has the thorax and elytra more roughly sculptured, the elytra coarsely punctate-striate. From O. atroapterus, De Gear, which is about the same size and shape, it may be known by the rougher sculpture and the undilated apices of the anterior tibiae ; and fi"om O. maurus, GrylL, by the much longer limbs and the more attenuate elytra. Liosoma pyrenceum, Bris. {^= troqlodi/tes, ^ye) , und Cathormiocerus socius, Boh., possess a somewhat similar extended geographical distri- bution ; both these insects, however, are extremely local in Britain. I am indebted to M. Louis Bedel, of Paris, for corroborating the determination of this interestiug addition to the British list. Horeell, Woking : May \bih, 1895. FOOD-PLANTS OF ELACHISTA CERUSELLA. BY C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. In 1854 Mr. Stainton wrote (Insecta Britannica, Lep. Tin. p. 259) " the larva feeds in the upper part of the leaves of the common reed (Arundo phraqmites) at the beginning of August ; the spring brood of the larva has not yet been observed." In the Nat. Hist. Tineina, vol. iii, p. 94, he says, " Those who walk along the bank of a stream where the common reed, Arundo phragmites, is growing, can hardly fail to notice in April or the beginning of August some con- spicuous large white blotches on the upper-side of the broad leaves of the reed ; these blotches are the mines of the larva of Elachista ceru- sella." And again, "there are two broods in a year, the larvae feeding in April and again at the end of July and beginning of August." Within the last few days my friend Mr. W. C. Boyd has called my attention to the somewhat obvious and well known fact that the leaves of the common reed (Arundo) die down in the winter and have not grown up in April, from which circumstance it seems probable that the larvae cannot feed in them at that time. But he has brought me the conspicuous mines in the broad leaves of Phalaris arundinacea (reed grass or reed canary grass) in which the larvae of this species were feeding, and from which they emerged a week ago, pupated, and have to-day (May 14th) commenced to emerge as moths. Mr. Boyd tells me that in the place from which these were obtained there is no Arundo, nor any within three quarters of a mile, and that both generations of the larva must, in this place, surely feed on the 1895.J 135 Fhalaris. It is certain also that in the August brood it feeds in leaves of reed. This is confirmed by Lord Walsingham, by the late Mr. Machin who collected larvae in abundance, and by my own ex- perience in the Norfolk Fens, where the insect is plentiful ; but how the larvae of the first brood feed in those localities in which the second brood attacks the reed is still a matter of conjecture. Probably, however, Phalaris is almost everywhere available. So far as I can ascertain, Mr. Boyd's interesting observation has not previously been recorded in this country. Entomologists abroad, however, have been more observant. Sorhagen (Kleinschmett. Mark Brandenburg) records it on the two plants and in both broods. Snellen, besides these two food-plants, adds " Holcus, Festiioa, Poa, and Agrostis.^^ (It is difficult to imagine this large larva in a leaf of Agrostis). Hartmann and Wocke record two broods, both (ap- parently) feeding in the reed as well as the Phalaris, but no one hints at any alternation of food-plants ; Kaltenbach and Hof mann only give Arundo, the latter quoting Stainton. Several of these references are from Lord "Walsingham's library, by the kindness of Mr. Hartley Durrant. 39, Linden Grove, Nunhead, S.E. : May Uth, 1895. SOME EEMARKS ON THE HABITS OP AEPOPHILUS BONNAIEII, SIGN. BY JAMES H. KEYS. After an interval of nearly five years I have again the pleasure to record the capture of Ae'pophilus Bonnairii, Sign., and this time with rather better results. On April 28th I took a mature specimen near the old locality, but about thirty paces further seawards than the example last noted {cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., ixvi, p. 247). On comparison of the two I was struck with the fact that w^hereas my old specimen taken in the month of August showed signs of wear about the apex of its elytra, the example now taken in the month of April was quite perfect ; it was also more active when alive. On the next day I felt constrained to go again, and to search as far out seaw^ards as possible. Accordingly, climbing over a reef of rocks which run out a considerable distance into the sea, I came to a transverse channel, the bottom of which was strewn with large boulders, with smaller stones scattered between them, and with the interspaces filled with a mixture of gravel, broken shells and a 136 [June, little clayej matter. Over the whole (the gravel excepted) there was a thin coating of low algaic growth, as well as the usual complement o£ higher Algae to be found in such places. I went to work here, and the first stone lifted revealed a dozen or more undeveloped specimens on its under-side. Beneath the stone adjoining, in a space that could have been covered by a crown piece, there was a group of the un- developed forms, with a single mature specimen in their midst, just as one often finds a family of earwigs, or sees a hen surrounded by her chickens. On exposure to the light they at once commenced to scamper off. Two more precisely similar cases were observed, and two or three mature specimens were taken separately in the gravel ; the undeveloped forms also were frequent, in companies and singly, without any adult near them. To give as good an idea as I can of the conditions under which Aepophilus lives, it will perhaps be interesting to mention that I com- menced to work at 2.45 p.m. ; by about 3.30 the flowing tide was wetting my feet as I knelt down, and I had to beat a retreat, and in a few minutes more the bottom of the channel was covered. High tide occurred that night at 8.38, from which it will be seen that the insects are under water for some ten hours out of the twelve necessary for ebb and flow. On April 30th I again went to the habitat, and by removing one of two large stones lying at right angles to each other, secured five mature specimens in the compost that was Ijing between them ; but, on May 8th, I had my greatest haul, when I caught no less than twenty-five mature specimens. It may be further observed with regard to condition, that there was no foul mud near at hand, and the stones with the insects beneath were generally embedded slightly in the gravel, and invariably in such a position that the water drained quickly away with the ebbing tide. I have experimented with living specimens both young and mature, in the hope of seeing them feed, but they are constantly out of sight on the under-side of the stone provided for them ; and although I looked several times daily I have not been able to detect their proboscis in operation. They hide in companies in little holes in the stone, packed together as closely as possible, or rest on the algaic growth thereon. I observed one specimen with its head stuck right into this matter, and it seems probable that it is on one or other of these low AlgcB that they feed. At all events, there is nothing else that I can see on which my living specimens can subsist, and they are as lively and fresh after six days' captivity as when first brought home. Grow- 1895.] 137 ing on the same stone I bnve three species of A1(/(B (a Fuciis, and a red and an olive kind), but these they do not touch I am quite sure. Once only when examining them did they remain quietly for a second or two, then one of the adults awoke to the fact, and running amongst the larvae touched them on either side with right and left antenna alternately, and the usual stampede followed instantly. 7, Whiinple Street, Plymouth : May IZth, 1895. NOTES ON SOME BRITISH AND EXOTIC COCCIDJE (No. 28). by j. w\ douglas, f.e.s. The male of Orthezia insigms. In this Magazine, vol. xxiv, p. 169 (1888), I described and figured the male and female of this new species from specimens sent to me by Mr. E. T. Browne, who found them on a, StrobiIa?ithes in the Economic House at the Royal Gardens, Kew. The male, instead of the pencil of long hairs at the caudal extremity of the body which is normal in all the previously known species of the genus, had two long projecting setse covered with waxen matter, and mainly on account of this different structure I named the species " insiffnis." I received, in February last, from Mr. E. E. Green, Eton, Pun- daloya, Ceylon, a reprint of a paper by him, published in the " Tropical Agriculturist," Colombo, 1895, in which it is stated that this insect has appeared in large numbers in the Botanical Gardens at Peradeuiya, on " Lantana.''^ " Efforts are being made there to keep it in check, but as it has appeared on Lantana in the neighbourhood, tiiere is no knowing where it will stop. It has fortunately as yet shown no taste for either of our two most important products — tea and cacao. Coffee, howerer, does not share this immunity, for trees of Liberian coffee have been observed to be infested with the insect, and we have no reason to suppose that the Arabian species will be less liable to attack." Mr. Green gives three figures of the female at different ages and in different aspects, which represent that sex correctly, and one figure of the male, which is certainly not the same as that I described and figured. He says of his male : — " Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged figure of the male insect. I believe this has not previously been described. In ilr. Douglas' original description of the Orthezia, the male of some other insect, probably that of the ' mealy bug ' {Dactylopius), has evidently been erroneously tacked on to this species. The real male is a delicate little fly ; slaty-grey in colour ; antenna; very long and slender, 10-jointed, the two 138 ^•'"'^*' basal joints very short, the others greatly elongated ; legs long and slender ; a single pair of wings, rather opaque, dusted with greyish powder ; a tuft of long silky filaments at the end of the body. Eyes black, with numerous facets. The adult male insect has no mouth, and consequently takes no food in this stage." Upon reading this, I wrote to Mr. E. T. Browne, asking him what evidence there was that the insects he had sent to me in 1887 as the males of Orthezia insignis were really of that species, and he returned the following reply : — " It was solely upon the authority of Mr. S. J. Mclntire (who unfortunately passed away in November, 1893) that the winged insects were considered to be the maleo of 0. insignis. He first found them, and was often at Kew collecting speci- mens. I remember being with him there one day, and we saw them flying about the plants on which the females were living. I do not think he saw any copulation." I then wrote to Mr. Green, enquiring if he was certain that the Goccid he figured as the male of O. insignis was really so. While waiting his reply, I received from Mr. C. P. Lounsbury, of Amherst, U. S. A., a copy of his paper, entitled, " A New Greenhouse Pest," reprinted from the " Thirty-Second Annual Eeport of the Massachu- setts Agricultural College for 1894," in which a large space is devoted to Orthezia insignis, and two plates illustrate the species in all stages of growth. The $ agrees exactly with my species, and so also does the (J! I then wrote to Mr. Lounsbury, informing him of Mr. Green's discovery, and asking if there was positive evidence of the insect being the ^ of O. insignis. He replied at once, as follows : — " My specimens of 0. insignis, J , were obtained from plants of Verbena grown under glass jars. In selecting the plants, I took care to take those appearing on a close examination to be entirely free of ' mealy bugs,' which do occur in numbers in our greenhouses. The plants, however, were very badly infested with 0. insignis, and it is possible, though hardly probable, that I might have overlooked some young Dactylopii among the moulted skins of the Orthezia. I did not obtain males from all the plants kept under observation, and none at all from cuttings of plants (kept under bell-jars in bottles) infested with the progeny of single females. " At the same time I observed the similarity that my specimens bore to the figure of Dactylopius destructor, Comst. {citri, Boisd.), in the 1880 Report of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, pi. xxii, but as there appeared to be differences, and I could find no trace of tarsal digitules on any of the nine specimens I succeeded in mounting, and, moreover, as they agreed almost precisely with your description, and as Mr. W. H. Ashmead had also described an insect with but two caudal filaments as an Orthezia (Canadian Entomologist, xx, p. 202), I did not doubt that I had the true male of 0. insignis. I did not observe any coition of the sexes, all the specimens being at rest on the sides of the jars when taken." Mr. Green writes : — " I have no hesitation in saying that the male I have figured belongs to the 1895.1 139 $ Orthezia we have here (I enclose eppcimens of both sexes). I have bred these males from colonies of the Orthezia, and have observed them in all stages, from the time of the larval form, when the two sexes were undistinguishable. The males appeared in countless numbers last year in the Botanical Gardens here, hovering over the bushes infested with the Orthezia. Previously only females occurred, so it is probable that the male broods occur only periodically. " Dactt/lopius is a very common insect in plant-houses, and it seems probable that the males of that Coccid may have been on the wing in the neighbourhood of the Orthezia, $ ." The ? , according to Mr. Green's description and figure, and also the specimens forwarded, being the same as my species, it seems to me to be conclusive that he has found the true <^, and that the ^ I described and figured has nothing to do with O. insignis. It is very curious, however, that both in England and America a synchronous, yet not cognate, ^ Coccid should have erroneously been placed in the same position, and I am very glad the mistake has been found out. The synonymy will, therefore, be : — Orthezia insignis, $ , Doug., Green, Lounsb. „ j> cJ > Green, nee Doug., Lounsb. 153, Lowisham Eoad, S.E. : April loth, 1895. STENOPHYLAX CONCENTRICUS, AUCT. (nee ZETT.), RENAMED .S. PERMISTUS. BY ROBERT McLACHLAN, F.R.S., it this hitter is only partially carried out, and is wanting in the old Neuroptera, &c., where it seems to us to be most needed. As another feature may be mentioned the attempt to indicate the correct pronunciation of all the scientific names quoted : we fear this will not be of great service, inasmuch as it gives no clue to the laws that govern " quantities," and helps the student little further than with the names in the book, which are naturally only a tithe of those existing. The crowded illustrations are nearly all original (which in itself is almost a new feature in American works on general Entomology), and by the careful hand of the "junior editor" (Mrs. Comstock). The majority of these are excellent; there is a blackness about them that in a few cases (notably in the sculpture of the elytra of the Coleoptera) obscures the subject, whereas in others it brings out the details in a wonderfully clear manner. It is impossible in the space at our disposal to analyze the work in a general way. It is unequal — most works of this nature are so — and especially in the treatment of the old Order Neuroptera, which does not receive sufficient detail, such an important Family or Order for instance as the Odonata being dismissed in three pages (in- cluding illustrations) with not a word about the unique (in insects) condition of the genital organs of the male. The Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera and Eymenoptera are worked out at great length. The Lepidoptera are divided into two sub-Orders, JugatcB and Frenatr>.^ 157 Whilst on the subject of tlie Blcroramplice, I may as well draw attention to a small mine, more commonly empty than full, that T have at various times in the autumn found in the stems of yarrow, because I feel pretty sure it belongs here. The larva usually enters at the site of an eye, runs a very narrow mine for about an inch down the pith chamber, and leaves. What then becomes of it I cannot tell. I suspect it crawls down to the root, and there takes on the form and habits of some well known Dlcrornmpha. Although the genus is essentially a root-feeder, probably the young larvae of all, or nearly all, the species inhabit at first the stalks, or it may even be the flower- receptacles, of their food-plants. Indeed, I did on one occasion see a Dicrorampha lay an egg on the scales of the flower of an oxeye daisy, but was unable to ascertain the species. Pamplusia mercuriana, Hb. — It is hardly justifiable, perhaps, to describe a Tortrix larva from a single specimen, especially where the form is extremely commonplace. The following has stood in my note book for a long time, waiting for that further confirmation which has not yet come, and I transcribe it for what it may be worth : — " Cylindrical, of nearly uniform bulk, semi-transparent, and of a dirty greyish-green, with a tinge of yellow on the ventral surface ; head shining, pale brown ; thoracic plate darker than the head, grey, with the hind-margin black ; anal plate ochreous, sjjots inconspicuous*."* The larva fed on heather {Calluna vul(](iris), tying the shoots, if my memory is correct, tightly together. It was taken on the Here- fordshire part of the Black Mountains, the 22ud of June, i8SS, and the moth emerged on July 18th. The occurrence of this charming little insect so far south was a pleasant surprise ; a specimen of the imago has been picked up occasionally since, but it is certainly not com- mon. The locality is a long, flat-topped hill, 2000 ft. or thereabouts above the sea level, and having the flora characteristic of such a situation. Besides mercuriana, such northern forms as Amphisa gerningana, Peronea caledoniana, Nemophora pilella, Argyresthla sor- biella, Gelechia longicornis and politella, together with Elachista kilmunella, LifhocoUetis v a cciniella, and Ncpticiila TVeaveri,gh'e a day's collecting on this ground a singular fascination to one accustomed only to a southern and lowland fauna. Doubtless many another good thing is yet to be added to the list, but the spot being at least half a day's journey distant, only a visit at rare intervals can be managed, and weather, moreover, has to be discounted, for seldom can an absolutely perfect day fall on such bleak and elevated ground. I'yS [July, Peeonea cristana.— I fancy there is much room for information about the larva of this species, yet I cannot pretend to supply the want, although I once bred the moth from a specimen found on wild rose in July. It was supposed at the time to be Batodes angustiorana, but the grey thoracic plate was noted to be unusually dark for that species. Anfjnsfiorava, I need scarcely say, is a slender and very active larva, of a clear pale yellow colour, not unlike candy-sugar, with a pale honey-brown head, and still paler thoracic plate. Another Peronen I had the pleasure of breeding last year, and one not often seen in our jars, was umbrana -. it was strikingly beautiful, fresh from the pupa. The larva was obtained from hawthorn in July, but no note of it was taken. Catopteia tjlicetana — Early in April, 1892, I came upon some plump little larvaj in the pods of Ulex gallii, clearing them one after the other of their contents. Briefly described, they were short and stout, heavier in front than behind, but with small heads ; yellowish- white ; the head honey-brown ; thoracic plate ochreous, shaded behind with grey ; anal plate faintly grey ish-ochreous ; spots indistinct, small and grey. In the beginning of May they began to spin up. Some remained for this purpose in the pods or among the calyces, others left and wandered about until they found a congenial corner among the general rubbish. It was a long time before they pupated, so that what with mould and ichneumons, from which they suffered cruelly, I only reared three specimens, and should probably have failed even of this moderate success had I not, when in despair over the first men- tioned evil, brushed all the material carefully over with the Glycerinum Boracis, P. B., which effectually stopped its inroads. One moth emerged in the second week of July, another on August 3rd, and the third still later. They were all alike — very small (8^ mm.) and dark. I had expected something good, and to breed only the common idicetana was in a way disappointing. However, it may throw some light upon the habits of the insect, and especially upon the nature of its double-broodedness. The first flight swarms round the bushes of the common gorse (Ulex europeus) in May, it then disappears for a time, but later on is once more on the wing from July to September, though in very much scantier numbers. I think it is commonly sup- posed that these autumnal specimens are the produce of the spring flight, but from what has been related above it would rather seem that the two flights are either independent broods, or else two parts of one and the same brood, the larvae of the spring flight feeding up in the H«5.:i I,-)*) autumn, and those of the autumnal flight in the spring. Probably the small size of my specimens was owing to the unfavourable con- ditions under which they were reared, for in nature the one set of moths is every bit as fine as the other. Ulex gnllii offers a curious contrast to U. europeus, by blossoming in the autiiuin and ripening its seeds in the spring. LoBESiA KELIQUANA, Birch {Betula glutinosa) is a food-plant for this Tortrix, as well as Primus spinosa. I have obtained it on several occasions from the plant. A suggestion thrown out that it may feed on oak is, therefore, likely enough some day to come true. Htponomeuta padellus. — A fact in its economy I came across the other day is, perhaps, worth recording. The larvae in the spring are at first leaf-miners — many together in a common mine. Frequently two or three mined leaves lie close together, and the several parties on taking to the web-life join to form one large colony. They moult once in the mine. Gelechia gemmella. — The moth flies towards evening through- out September in oak woods, and may also be jarred in the afternoon out of the tops of the sapling trees. To hunt for its larva would be pretty well a hopeless business, for it is in the tops of these same young oaks, and in the buds or shoots that the animal feeds ; and it was quite by accident, and when after a totally different quest, that the solitary larva I ever saw was taken. We (Dr. Chapman and I) had been looking one day late in June for the egg-pockets of Adela virideJla, and as no success attended our search, a handful! of small boughs was gathered from the heads of the trees for more careful examination at home. During this examination, in partiall}' removing a leaf that sprung from the base of a fat terminal bud, a cavity was exposed that led down into the shoot, and also extended a short way up the stalk of the leaf. Expecting that I might have something very choice, 1 was chary of enlarging the opening much in order to get a complete view of the larva. Nevertheless, the following description, so far as it goes, may be taken as accurate : — " Slender, transparent, watery-white, and shining. Head honey-brown, eyes black ; thoracic plate honey- brown, speckled with grey ; spots large and pale grey, those on the thoracic segments very large. Unfortunately, no mention is made of the shape of these spots, nor whether segments 3 and A had each four spots on the back, viz., a large outside pair and a small inside one, each spot armed with a hair, which is the arrangement so characteristic of 160 [July, the Gelechidcd, or whether instead the arrangement was that of Micros generally, viz., a single pair of spots, each with two hair?, one long, the other short. The larva spun up in situ, and the moth came out in September. KosLERSTAMMiA Eexlebella. — Some doubt was thrown in the pages of this Magazine (vol. xvi, p. 94) upon the mining habits of the larva of Erxlebella when young. There is no question, however, about the correctness of this phase in its natural history, and what is more, some degree of specialization is shown by a particular part of the leaf being invariably selected. This part is the pointed tip. The mine is a rather broad and conspicuous gallery, it follows the edge of the lime leaf and passes round the point, but reaches considerably further on one side than on the other. The larva moults (its first moult, I imagine) just before it leaves to spend the rest of its life exposed on the under-side of the leaf. Tiirriiigtoii, Ledburj : June 7th, 1895. DASYPODA EATON r, SAUND., AND CINGULATA, ERICHSON. BY EDWARD SAtJNDEES, F.L.S. The appearance of Prof. v. Dalla Torre and H. Friese's Catalogue of the pollen collecting bees of Europe has reminded me of two cor- rections which I have for some time intended to make in the synonymy of the species of Dasypoda as given in Schletterer's most useful Monograph published in the Berl. Ent. Zeitschr., Bd. xxxv, p. 11, et seq. In vol. xviii of this Magazine, p. 167, in my " Notes on the Ento- mology of Portugal, Hym. Acul.," I described the ($ of a new species of Dasypoda, under the name of Eatoni, and recorded the capture of four (^ of what I determined to be cingulata, Eriehs. ; the former of these Schletterer places as a synonym of discincta, Rossi, although he expresses some doubt as to the certainty of this determination. The characters he assigns to the (^ of discincta are so clearly de- fined that I can positively state that my species is abundantly distinct ; it has neither the curved femora nor the apically produced tibiae of discincta, of which species I possess several examples. It belongs, however, to the short cheeked division, of which three other species. KW,.I If; I succincta, JA\n\.,plu7nipes, Panz., nnd pi/rofrichia, Forst., are enumerated and described by Schletterer ; its simple antennse separate it from succincta, Linn., the absence of the adpressed apical bands of pu- bescence on the abdominal segments iromplumipes, Panz. (our Jiirtiprs), so that there only remains pyrotricJiia, Forst., to which it could belong ; the colours of the pubescence, however, do not seem to agree with Scbletterer's description, and the 2nd joint of the flagellum is dis- tinctly shorter in proportion to its length than in his representation of it in plate I, fig. 8 ; but as I have never seen an exponent of pyrotrichia, I do not like to speak for certain as to its distinctness. My cingulatn, Schletterer places as a synonym oi plumipcs, Panz. ; in this reference he is possibly right, but if so, my specimens belong to a very extreme variety of the species, the hairs on the disc of the mesonotum are black, all the abdominal segments (except the basal one) have black hairs at the base, the 2nd has no apical band of ad- pressed pale hairs, that of the 3rd is very widely interrupted, and that of the 4th very narrowly ; the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th segments are densely clothed (except at the apex of the first three) with black bristly hairs ; the genital armature is built much on the same plan as that of phimipps, but the sagittae are narrower and have longer points, and the stipites on their inner margin, near their greatest width, are dilated, and the dilatation is densely clothed with short, brown, erect pubescence ; I can see no trace of this character in plumipes. I am, therefore, disinclined to believe that they are identical, at any rate without seeing females from the same locality from which my males of cingulata were obtained. 27, Granville Park, Lewisham, S.E. : May \Zth, 1895. "SERICORIS IXORATANA" CUM CETERIS PARIBUS. BY THE RIGRT HON. LORD WALSINGH.XM, M..\., IJ.n., F.R.S., cfcc. All entomologists who possess good collections, or an intimate acquaintance with our native species, and more especially those who combine some knowledge of European and exotic forms, have probably a somewhat extensive correspondence, and are frequently called upon to assist in identifying obscure specimens which have puzzled their less fortunate or less experienced friends. Such specimens as are 162 -'"ly. submitted for determination are not unusually found to be in moderate or poor condition, which makes it all the more important to exercise a wholesome caution before pronouncing any decided opinion as to their rarity or novelty. It sometimes happens that however guarded may be the language in which an opinion is given, the anxious enquirer is so convinced that his specimen is either new to science or new to England, that he cannot refrain from making it known to his friends or rivals with a proper flourish of trumpets, and he is tempted to quote the authority of any specialist to whom he may have referred it in support of his claim either to describe it as new or to introduce it as British. May I plead in the interests of accuracy and precision that, except perhaps in the rarest and most obvious instances, this should not be done on the evidence of any single British specimen. Our lists are already too densely crowded with synonyms, and what will be the task of the Staudinger or Wocke of the future if he should undertake to com- pile a complete Catalogue of the Lepidoptera, without shirking the task of at least an attempt to identify and include every species or variety that has been honoured with a description and a name ? If a rare or new species is found it soon becomes better known, its habitat or life-histoi-y is discovered, and a time arrives when all danger of confusion ma}^ have passed away, and it can be duly dis- tinguished and published ; but in how many cases have newly-described species remained unique specimens on which no subsequent study or investigation has thrown any light. If the types perish, all clue to their possible identity is lost, and the names remain to crowd our lists and to perplex those who read them. My only object in this note (justified by bought experience) is to urge additional caution not only on those who may think that they have made a discovery ; but equally on those who, without intending to do so, may, by some expression of opinion, however guarded, tend to encourage that belief in cases where further evidence at least should be required to confirm it. Many there be who love to steer Where guarded caution slowly led ; And some there are, who scorning fear, Incautiously rush on ahead. The man who takes his cheese for chalk May bite a stone and call it bread : But who so bold as dares to walk Where such an angel fears to tread. June, 1895. OCCURRENCE OF SOLENOBIA WOCKII, HEIN., IN BRITAIN. BY C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. When at Birmingham last winter I noticed in the collection of my friend Mr. R. C. Bradley, at Sutton Coldfield, a specimen of the male of a species of Solenohia unknown to me. In response to my urgent request he, and Mr. Martineau of Solihull, gave up their spare time at Easter to a systematic search for the species in the Wyre Forest district, on the borders of Worcestershire and Salop. On April 15th one specimen was taken at about 8.15 a.m., three others the next morning between 8 and 9 o'clock, one at 6 p.m. of that day, and a sixth at 10.15 a.m. on the 17th. At the same time search was made in the edge of the Forest on tree trunks and walls in the boundary lane, and even on old apple trees in a neighbouring orchard, for the cases, and, if possible, females, but unfortunately without success. Of these specimens three were promptly forwarded to me, but pressure of other w ork has delayed their identification until quite recently, when at the British Museum at South Kensington I found, in the collection of the late Professor Frey, of Zurich, specimens agreeing most accurately with them, under the name of Wockii, Heinemann, and labelled " Silesia," hence probably from Dr. Wocke. Solenobia Wockii, as described by Heinemann, is of a " yellowish-white-grey," distinctly latticed with brown-grey, and with darker dots on the nervures and costal margin ; the pale spots rather large ; cilia unicolorous ; hind-wings with the apex rather broad, semitransparent light grey ; head dull grey, darker at the back ; body blackish, banded with grey. Expanse, 2 J to 2| lines. Female apterous, yellow- brown, with a snow-white anal tuft. Case of the male 2j lines long and j line thick, cylindrical, constricted at each end, without distinct angles ; that of the female almoet 4 lines long, flat beneath, with distinct lateral and dorsal angles ; covered with grains of sand and morsels of lichen. The full description is rendered obscure by constant references to closely allied species (*S'. pineti and S. Mannii) which are not known to occur here ; and as may be expected, the yellowish colouring is exceedingly indistinct in the British specimens, and the dark flecks and latticing more pronounced, but the proportionately large whitish spots or interstices agree well, and I think that there is no doubt of the correctness of this identification. That Mr. Bradley's specimens agree with Frey's types is beyond question. In Mr. Stainton's col- lection 1 find a single s[)ecimen of the same species among his specimens of 6'. inconspicuella, and from its being labelled '" Edleston," 1 have little doubt that the [)resent species is that which was alluded to by Mr. Edleston iu the Intelligencer, vol. v, p. 146, as either triquetrella or a new species He ai)peara, from his remarks, to have had a more inti- mate acquaintance with the species o£ this genus nearly forty years ago than we can boast of now, or indeed at any time since. For many years we have heard nothing of the cases which he used to find on large stones of millstone grit on the moors (in North Wales ?), which were understood to produce S. triquefrella, and further investigation will be required before we can satisfactorily ascertain whether this last is actually a native species or, so far as this country is concerned, merely s3^nonymous with S. Wockii. Triquefrella, as known abroad, is larger and paler, with the reticulations or latticing very faint and the fore-wings more pointed, much like another Continental species, S. clafhrella, but not so large. Heinemann describes S. friquet?'ella with long fore-wings, brownish ash-grey, with broad darker nervures, and dappled abundantly with grey-white spots ; hind-wings blankish ; head small, brown in front ; expanse of wings, 3 to 3^ lines. Female dark brown, with blackish- brown head and thorax, and whitish-grey anal tuft. S. inconspicuella he describes as smaller, 2\ to 2| lines expanse, fore-wings narrower, brownish- grey, latticed with wbitish-grey flecks ; margin and cilia dotted with brown -grey. Female smaller than that of S. Wockii, rust-yellow with dark brown head and white anal tuft. These details, with the measurements, represent pretty accurately the three species, and appear to confirm the present identification ; but the group is obscure, the species very closely allied, and further information upon all of them is much to be desired, It may be desirable to point out that the species named S. tri- quefrella by Fischer von Boslerstamm cannot well be that referred to above, nor indeed a member of the present genus, since it is described as having pectinated antennae. Probably it represents one of the species of Epichnopteryx among the Psychidce. I feel certain that the Lancashire Entomologists used at one time to find Solenohin cases in numbers by turning over the loose blocks of stone on the moors or hill sides ; and if those of the present day will brace themselves, like their predecessors, to the physical labour of turning over the loose blocks, there is little doubt that they will be rewarded. To obtain males it will be necessary to secure the smaller cases, unless the moths can be captured. It is hardly likely, however, that these will fly so readily on an exposed moor or mountain side as in a sheltered spot at the edge of a Worcestershire forest. Possibly it may be desirable to imitate the Midland workers hj gefting up early in the morning. 39, Linden Grove, Nunhead, S.E. -. June ISth, 1895. 165 OBSERVATIONS ON COCCI D.K (No. 11). BY R. NEWSTEAD, F.E.S., CURATOE OF THE GKOSTENOR MDSEUM, CHESTER. LiCHTENSIA VIBUBNI. LicUensia viburni, Sign., Ess. Cochin., p. 204, pi. x, figs. 7 and 7a ; Douglas, Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xxiv, p. Ifi7. ? adult. Antennae of eight joints (fig. 1, left antenna) ; 3 the longest ; 1,2 and 4 in length nearly equal ; 5 a little longer than either of the latter, but much shorter than 3 ; 6 and 8 nearly equal, the latter the longest ; 7 shortest ; the fine hairs are ar- ranged as shown in the figure. Legs (fig. 2, posterior), in length equal, but owing to position, the anterior pair seem a little the shortest in some specimens ; tarsi much shorter than tibite ; anterior tarsi (fig. 3) with a constriction on the upper-side, in some it is situate at about one-third of the distance from the tibio-tarsal joint, in others in the centre ; digitules of the tarsi ordi- nary, those of the claw vei-y long, broad, and much dilated at apex, presenting different forms according as they are placed beneath the cover- glass ; placed close together at the apex of the tibife beneath are two hairs, one much longer than the other, and a little behind them a third. Mentum monomerous ; unexpanded filaments shorter than antenna, but variable, some are much shorter than others. Anal dorsal lobes: inner margin with two long hairs ; apex with two very minute, blunt, spine-like processes. Anal ring with eight hairs. Margin all round with rather long spines, easily seen with a one-inch objective, are shaped like a mason's chisel, but in profile they appear pointed. Mr. Douglas (Z. c.) has so fully dealt with the general characters, that it is only necessary here to give the more minute details, with figures, in order to facilitate the comparison with the next species, to which it is very closely allied. It may be well to add, that I find a very slight tendency to varia- tion in the relative length of the joints of the antennae. It will be found on comparison that Signoret's description (I. c.) of the antenna does not agree with his fig. 7 ; we may, therefore, assume they were made from different individuals. Also Mr. Douglas (/. c.) did not find the 7th joint the shortest. The variation, however, must be con- sidered exceptional. The characters given above may be considered typical. The description is from specimens taken at Llandaff by Mr. B. Tomlin. In my garden at rheslcr 1 have been fortunate in 166 [July establishing a large colony of them on ivy, and it is hoped that some interesting facts in regard to the economy of the species may be observed. LiCHTENsiA Eatoni, n. sp. ? adult (? Tiviparous), elongate-ovate, or short-ovate. The form of the insect did not restore very well in potash. Antennae (fig. 1) of eight joints ; 2, 3 and 4 nearly equal, and longest ; 5, 6, 7 and 8 shorter and subequal ; 1 is shorter on one side than the other ; there are several rather short hairs /Ti Vs./ I n arranged as shown in fig., but I could find no »> /u \ r / trace of one at the extremity of the last joint. Legs stout (fig. 2, posterior leg) ; anterior pair shortest, have the tarsi (fig. 3) constricted in fi'ont, which is constant but variable in character and position ; in some it is very decided, darker, and looks stronger ; in others these latter characters are entirely wanting ; the rest of the constriction in every case is only indicated by a faint line extending to about the middle ; in one instance only did it extend to the under-side. The intermediate and posterior legs show no trace of the con- striction in the tarsi (fig. 4, posterior tarsus) ; tarsi much shorter than tibiae ; digitules of the claw very long and much dilated at apex ; those of the tai'si ordinary. Mentum monomerous ; unexpanded filaments about the same length as anterior legs, but are often much shorter. Anal ring with eight very long hairs, and a double row of circular discs. Margin all round with a single row of short spines, arranged close together, but scarcely visible under a one-inch objective. Anal cleft ordinary ; anal dorsal lobes each with a few hairs on inner margin and two at apex ; one longer and stouter than the other. Long, 5 mm. ; wide, 2'5 mm. Sac of the $ complete, white, closely felted, slightly naiTowed in front, where it is somewhat flattened, and has, generally, three longitudinal carinse ; the rest convex. Long, 4'5 — 5 mm. ; wide, 25 — 3 mm. (? scale glassy, white, with a strong central elevated keel, opaque on the edge, transparent at sides, where it is longitudinally striate. Commencing at the base of the anal cleft, and extending along the sides at the base of the keel, to the margin in front, are two divergent, white, slightly raised carinae ; three other of these white carinse, arranged transversely and equidistant, are most conspicuous on the broad flat margins. Long, 2 mm. Hah. : on olive ; Constantine, Algeria ; altitude, about 2000 feet. Collected by the Rev. A. E. Eaton, October 30th, 1894. It has been necessary to enter into most careful detail in the de- scription, and also to give figures drawn to the same scale, both of this and the preceding species, in order to point out the salient characters of each. It will be seen that this species possesses many 189S.) 167 characters in common with L. viburni. By the most careful comparison of actual specimens of this latter has it been possible to establish the distinctive characters of this interesting species, which may be re- cognised by its shorter 3rd and 5th joints in the antenna? ; the shorter anterior legs, with the constricted tarsi ; much shorter marginal spines ; and the complete sac. The scale of the ^ is decidedly smaller than that of L. viburni, but differs in no other respect. It may be well to note that some of the ? sacs appeared much larger than the measurements given above, but being badly fractured, it was considered unwise to take the measurements. Dacttlopius hibebnicus, n. sp. ? adult oviparous, elongate-ovate, covered with a sac at gestation. Antennse (fig. 1) of eight joints, of v^hich 8 is the longest and about equal in length to 5, 6 and 7 together ; 1 and 2 together about equal to 8 ; 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 shortest and subequal ; all with many fine hairs. Mentum biarticulate ; on either side of apex several (? five) rather long hairs, arranged close together; rostral filaments, unexpanded, shorter than anterior legs. Legs (fig. 2) long, posterior pair longest ; tarsi with claw about half the length of the tibiae, with four very slender digitules. Anal lobes large, studded with numerous short, stiff spines and hairs, each terminated with a single long hair. Anal ring of six hairs. Dermis with short scattered hairs ; and at margin in front many scattered circular discs. Long, 4 mm. ; wide, 1'55 mm. Sac of the ? white, closely felted and complete, but easily ruptured. Long, 4 — 5 mm. ; wide, 2'55 — 3 mm. Hab. : in the " crowns " of a species of grass in sandy soil, on a chalk cliff close to the sea, at Ballingtoy, Co. Antrim, Ireland. Collected by Miss Tomlin, September 3rd, 1893. This differs from any other known European species in con- structing a complete felted sac. In this respect it resembles the African D. graminis. Mask., and the New Zealand D. globosus, Mask., but the sac is more felted than either of the above. Altogether it seems quite distinct, and is the second species of Dactylopius now known to occur in the British Isles. It would be interesting to have this species in its earlier stages, especially that immediately prior to gestation, as it is not now known whether it possesses the ordinary marginal appendages common to most species. One of the specimens examined was badly parasitized, but did not differ from any of the perfect examples. I am greatly indebted to Miss Tomlin for the discovery of this interesting species. Chester : May 23rd, 1895. 168 [Jaly. OXYETHIRA TRISTELLA, n. up. BY PROF. FR. KLAPALEK, F.E.S. Tufts of hair on the face below the anteiiiise silky yellowish, or very pale fulrous, except the tips and external hairs, which are black. The hairs on the vertex silky yellowish, and those on the occipital warts mixed with black. Clothing of the pronotum wholly black. The tufts on the shoulders silky yel- lowish mixed with black. Antennce (which are in the S 35- in the ? 25- jointed) show in the . (still a scarce moth with us), and its head, which bears no resemblance to the normal head of a ujoth, is shaped very much like that of the larva, yet has, in a greater degree, the character of that of the curious apterous, apodous females of the genus Psi/che. It is smooth, shining, horny, rather flattened, with minute points of larval antennfc pointing downward from below the eyelobes. The maxilla) arc formed and slightly crossed at the tips, and the lips clearly indicated, yet all soldered together in one firm hard mask, and immoveable. I have tried with a fine instrument to move the maxilla' but with no success, except that of showing them to be solid and fixed ; and so far as can be perceived there is no mouth opening of any kind. The head is set well forward on a distinct neck, and moveable at the will of the insect, to some small extent from side to side, yet not as though of much real use, but aimlessly and with a tendency toward the right side. I am satisfied that it has in some degree the faculty of sight, since upon the box in which it had travelled being opened it was extremely livel}' and eager to fly ; so eager to escape, in fact, that fear of losing it prevented me from experimenting much on its power of directing its flight. Probably this was not great, since the captor tells me that it was found on the ground, having been disturbed from under a fir cone. For a male of this strong and lively TurtrLv, so fond of the higher branches of the fir trees, this indicated some degree of disablement, yet, with the exception of the head, it is in ordinary and ])erfect condition. The moth was secured in a fir wood in Surrey by my friend Mr. A. Dennis, who prom])tly packed it up, alive and unpinned, and for- warded it to me For this, and particularly for the opportunity of seeing it alive, I am greatly indebted to him. Nunhead : June 2Uh, 1895. [A List of recorded cases of (his class of monstrosity, with peiieralizatioiis thereon, was given by tlic late Dr. Ilagen in a paper, entitled, " Schnielterlinge niit Kaupenkopf und ahnliche IVIissbildungen," jiublislied in the Stettiner Entomol. Zeitung for 1872, pp. 388-102. Ho enumerated 16 instances, including two Beetles and a Syrphus. Some additional instances were noted by the late Prof. Westwood in a paper " On some unusual monstrous insects," Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1879, pp. 221-2-28, pi. Tii. I tliiiik a few further records hare been made since then. — R. McLaculak]. 178 [August, AN EPIDEMIC AMONGST MELANOSTOMA SCALAR E, F., CAUSED BY A FUNGUS. BY RALPH C. BRADLEY. Whilst collecting in Blackroot Bog, Sutton, on June IGtli I came across an extraordinary phenomenon. For a space o£ about a dozen square yards the flowering stems of a grass (apparently Glyceria ftuitans) were covered with a large number of dead Melanostoina scalare, F. {Syrphidce) , whose bodies were very much distended by a fungoid growth, similar to that seen on the house fly in the autumn. Some stems bore thirty to forty specimens, and fresh victims were constantly being added, about 90 per cent, of the whole being females. Two days later, paying a second visit, I found the same process going on, and also two flowering stems of dock covered with the dead bodies in a similar manner. It seems improbable that sucking the juices of the flowers could produce this fungoid condition, but certainly the flies were to be found only on the flowering parts of the stems, and not on any leaves or herbage. Why M. scalare should be the only species attracted to the stems and attacked in this manner is very curious, as swarms of other insects were flying about, but did not seem to be tempted to join them in the least. Perhaps some other entomologists have met with a similar experience, and can throw some light upon the matter. Sutton Coldfielcl: June, 1895. [With this communication Mr. Bradley obligingly forwarded a supply of panicles of the grass crowded with the dead bodies of the fly, and presenting a most singular appearance. Some of the flies have been examined by Mr. G. Massee, F.L.S., of Kew, and he iden- tifies the fungus as JEvqjiisa conglomcrata, Thaxter, a rare sj^ecies in North America and the Continent of Europe, and never before observed in Britain. It is noticed as chiefly attacking larvae and imagos of TipuJidce. Possibly the germs of the disease may have been acquired by the larva) of the Melanostoma in the first instance : but how ?. I would be inclined to doubt any direct connection between the grass and the disease ; but the flowers of Glyceria are well known to be very attractive to insects, and the fungus may have developed very rapidly when the flies were feasting. — 11. McLachlan]. DISEASE OF THE EYE, CAUSED UY THE PENETRATION OF CATERPILLAR HAIRS.* BY J. B. LAWFORD, F.R.C.S., Eng., (OI'IITIIALMIC SURGEON TO ST. TUOMAS'S lIOSPirAl,). This disease, to wliich the name " OjjJtfJtaJiuia vodosa" has been given by Professor Saemisch, of Bonn, is extremely uncommon, and the case, which forms the text of my ])aper, is, I believe, the first instance recorded in this countr}' ; it is, however, improbable that it is the first wliich has occurred. My patient was a lad of sixteen, who was struck in the eye by a caterpillar thrown by a companion. This happened in the month of September, and the caterpillar was determined to be the larva of Bomhyx ruhi. The previously reported cases are to be found in German medical literature, and all (eight in number) occurred in Germany ; the first having been published in 1S83. A few additional but unpublished cases have been referred to by some of the German writers. In all the instances in which it was possible to determine the kind of caterpillar, the fox-moth larva {Bomhyx ruhi), or that of the pine- moth {Bomhijx pini), was the active etiological factor ; in nearly every instance the caterpillar had been thrown, in jest, at the patient by a companion. The disease excited by the penetration of these hairs into the delicate tissues of the eye is veiy grave, and in several instances has resulted in serious and permanent damage to sight. It is also very intractable, and runs a prolonged course ; in no single case have the symptoms entirely disappeai'ed in less than six months from the date of onset. In all the patients only one eye has suffered, but in one unfortunate man the fellow eye was blind from other causes. The disease has begun in August, September, or October in every case except one ; in this it was said to have arisen in June ; and in this case the larva of Bomhyx pini was the caterpillar in ([uestion. Two German writers have described a much slighter form of inflammation of the eye, of which they have seen cases, caused by irritation by the hairs of the larva of Cnethocampa processioned. I have placed under the microscope two hairs removed from the eye of my patient ; they are both yellow-coloured, with a very sharp point at the distal end, and a fractured surface at the proximal end. In this connection Leydig's investigations, published iu Miiller's * Alwtract of a piipcr read before the Ophth.'ilmologiciil Society of the United Kingdom, on Juno 13th, 1805, ;it 11, Chundo.s Street, Loudon, W. P -1 180 [AugUBt, Archiv, 1855, " Zuui feinereu Bau der Arthropoden," are of interest and importance, and I am glad to be able to show a woodcut from his paper, illustrating the skin and skin glands and hairs of the Bomhijx ruhi. After careful consideration of the case under my care, and those previousl}'^ published, I am of opinion that the symptoms and course of the disease can only be adequately explained by assuming that they are due to the action of a specific poison contained in the hairs, or possibly resulting from their disintegration in the tissues. The nature of this poison is quite unknown. [Mr. Lavvford has kindly furnished iiie with the foregoing notes ; it seems some- what strange that the hairs of Cnethocampa processionea should have a less effect than those of Bombyx ruhi ; the explanation, however, is apparently to be found in the fact that the eye was struck violently by the larva of B. ruhi ; the injury done by the hairs appears to be in part mechanical, and in part due to poison. Lord Walsingham, who has carefully examined the hairs of C. processionea , says that besides the longer hairs there are tufts of smaller ones, each of which is furnished at the side with projections, and these work into the skin by the base, not the tips, with an action like a corkscrew. — W. W. F.] ON EXCEPTIONAL OVIPOSITION IN PYRRHOSOMA MINIUM, HARRIS. BY ROBERT McLACHLAN, F.R.S., &c In this Magazine, vol. xxi, p. 211 (February, 1885), I gave a note on females of Agrion onercioriaJe, found during an excursion in Savoy in July, 1 884, having their abdomens incrusted with white mud through ovipositing in places where the water was nearly dried up. Accoi'ding to an observation made recently, this habit obtains in other species of Agrionina. Early in June, 1868, I found A. mercuriale near Lynd- hurst in the New Forest, but have never since seen it alive in this country. Being in the Forest last week I was prompted to try again for the insect ; the precise locality of my captures 27 years ago was 110 doubt re-discovered, but the Agrion was not to be seen. Pyrrhosoma minium was, however, abundant in a deep drain or ditch in which the water was nearly dried up. Some of the females having a peculiar appearance I caught them, and found the peculiarity to be caused by precisely the same conditions observed in the Agrion in Savoy in 1884, the abdomens being incrusted with dry whitish mud from the tip up to the 1st or 2nd segment. In one individual nearly the whole body (including the wings) showed traces of mud, in- dicating that she had probably descended entirely beneath the 18 ^- nitida, ? , and A. rosee, var. Trimmerana were also boxed. The scarcity of Diptera was entirely alleviated by the capture of two fine specimens of Microdon mutabilix, swept in a truly " dismal swamp," with the mud far above one's boots ! One £ach of Myopa buccata and ? testacea, on hawthorn blossom, were taken with several commoner species, among which were Pipizetla virens, Psilopus platypterus, and the curious " New Forest Fly," Ilippobosca equina. The Neuroptera were fairly well represented for the time of year, many of the earlier 8))ecies being met witii. Rhaphidia nolula and inaculicollis began to emerge Q 194 t August, on May 25th ; we beat them from hawthorn blossom and from various trees. Plectro- cnemia conspersa was fairly abundant with several of the common Limnophili about ponds. Heteroptera, like the Diptera, were very scarce, but amongst them, too, one good species was taken ; this was Metatropis rufescens : it was swept at sundown in a swampy wood. Eurygaster maurus was also swept from a swamp, as were Cymus glandicolor and Miris calearatus. Harpocera thoraciea, Cyllocoris Ravonotatus , with other common things, wore beaten, and Oerris paludum and gib b if era noted on ponds, the former by no means commonly. Ipswich : June 15th, 1895. Ten days in the New Forest. — I went down on May 31st to Brockonhurst for a few days' collecting. The first day being wet I spent at Lyraington in the Salterns, where I obtained Bryaxis Waterhousei, Polydrusus chrysomela, Aepus marinus and Robinii. In the Forest on the whole I was most successful, taking such very rare things as Anthaxia nitidala, Colydium elongatum, and Plegaderus dissectus. Among the other things I took wliich are worth recording were — Carabus arvensis and nitens, Lebia chlorocephala, CaLosoma inquisitor, Agathidium nigripenne and nigrinum, Xyletinus ater, Abdera bifanciata, Litargus bifasciatus, Conopalpus testaceus, Silpha '^■punctata and thoraciea, Brachytarsus varius, Melasis bupres- toides, Athous vittatus, Aphodius depressus , Orchesia undulata, Corymbites hipustu- latus, Ips quadriguttata, Cryptarcha strigata and imperialis, Epurma decemguttata, Soronia punctatissima, Thymalus limbatus, Homalota cinnamomea,Tachinus proximus, Mordellistena abdominalis, Elater Irythropterus, Ischnomera sanguinicollis and coerulea, Pyrochroa coccinea, Trox sabidosus, Tillus elongatus (males and females), Tomoxia biguttata, Paromalus flavicornis, Omosita depressa, Dacne humeralis, Cistela ceramhoides, Cytilus varius, Phlceotrya Stephensi. The following Longicornia occurred : — Callidium violaceiim and variabile, Clytus arietis, Liopus nebulosus, Shagium inquisitor and bifasciatum, Toxotus meridianus, Strangalia melanura and nigra, Leptura scutellata, Anoplodera sexguttata. Gram- moptera tabacicolor, analis, ruficornis, and ustulata, Pogonocherus dentatus and hispi- dus, 3Iesosa nubila. All these I took myself, except the last two, which were found by Mr. Bouskell, of Leicester. I was also fortunate enough to take a specimen of Cicadetta montana. — Horace Donisthoepe, 73, West Cromwell Road, South Kensington : June IQth, 1895. Ceuthorrhynchidius Crotchi, Ch. Bris. — The following extracts from a note communicated by M. Louis Bedel, of Paris, are of interest to British Coleoptcrists : " I have recently examined the types of C. Crotchi, Ch. Bris., described from England only, from specimens communicated by Crotch, and find that they are from Madeira! C. Crotchi, moreo\er, is not different from C. nigroterminatus,'Wo\\.,n, Madeiran insect ; the first mentioned is treated as a variety of C. quercivola, Payk., by Fowler and Sharp, but it is distinct from tliat species." The name C. Crotchi must be, in any case, erased from the British list, and, no doubt, C. nigroterminaliis also ; the latter is probably distinct from C. mixtus, Muls. and Rey, of which it is given as a synonym by Fowler and fcjharp. — G. C. Champion, Horscll, Woking: July \2th, 1895. 1895.) 195 Pho.ip?icBnus hemipterus near Southampton. — In the " Entomologist " for Sep- tember, 1894, I recorded the occurrence of a single specimen of this singular glow-worm about four miles from here. On the 2l8t June last past I observed a specimen running on the earth in my garden, and on the following days till the 25th further search resulted in the capture of about seventy specimens of this insect, which has hitherto (with the exception of the one mentioned) not been recorded in this country, except at Lewes in Sussex, The specimens were all taken within a few yards of the spot where the first one was found, none more than say forty yards off, and on the earth and gravel walk near a thick box edging, which, by the way, contains many snails. They all appear to be males, but the female is unknown to me. The light, which is greenish, is shown on two points only on the apical ventral segment, and is of course not visible by daylight, when it is the habit of the insect to move about actively, crawling and " twiddling " its antennae incessantly. It was fine hot weather, and a shower which fell on the evening of the 21st seemed favoura- ble to their development. Mulsant has described both the female and the larva of this species at some length (Col. Fr., Mollipennes, pp. 119, et seq.) ; of the latter he says — " On la trouve au pied des plantes, et pour ainsi dire en famille." But it is not, it would seem, known whether they feed on snails, as I surmise. The insect is very generally distributed in middle and Southern Europe ; but, as I have been told in France, is uncertain in appearance, occurring as it has done now in this country in quantities when it is found. — H. S. GoRilAM, Shirley Warren, Soutliampton : Jult/, 1895. Plusia moneta at Norwich.-I think you may be interested to know that I took another beautiful specimen of Plusia moneta on the wing last evening, about 9.45, when going the rounds of the sugared trees where we took the one last year. — B. C. TiLLETT, St. Andrew's Street, Norwich : June 27th, 1895. Micro-Lepidoptera at Beading and neighbourhood. — Having given some atten- tion to the Micro-Lepidoptera (especially the Tortrices and Tineina) in this district and that of Basingstoke adjoining, during the last two years, I think a list of the more rare and interesting species taken may be of interest to other Lepidopterists. Chilo phragmitellus, at light, Beading. Scoparia pallida, in boggy situations, Reading. Tortrix piceana, among Scotch pine, Reading. Dichelia Grotiana, Basingstoke. Mixodia Ratzburghiana, in a mixed wood of spruce, larch, pine, and various other trees, Basingstoke. Eupaecilia flaviciliana, taken by brushing the herbage on chalky hill sides near Reading, and on a clay soil near Basingstoke, but in both cases among plenty of Scabious. Penthina fuligana, beaten out of underwood, Reading. Sciaphila conspersana, Reading. Padisca profundana, a very fine and handsome variety, orange-red irrorated with silvery, Basingstoke ; P. occultana, at light, Reading. Semasia Ochsenheimeriana, taken in a young spruce plantation ; S. scopariana, in an oak wood in which the underwood and herbage is very varied, Basingstoke. Xanthosetia inopiana, among fleabane, Reading. Argyrolepia Bau- manniana, among Scabiosa succisa, Basingstoke; A. subbaumanniaaa, on chalky hill sides, Reading. Xysmatodoma melanella, on tree trunks, Reading. Scardia ruricolella, Reading ; S. carpinetella, Reading. Tinea ferruginella, Reading ; T. nign'punctella, from 196 [August, inside gas lamps on the outskirts of the town of Reading. Adela SuheUa, beaten from a hedge row, Reading. Micropteryx salopiella, among bircli, Reading. Scy- thropia cratcegella, common on whitethorn and wild ajiple, both at Reading and Basingstoke. Gelechia cethiops, disturbed from heather in the same way as O. ericetella, for a dark form of which it miglit easily be mistaken, Reading ; O. Lyel- lella, the well marked and iinicolorous black forms disturbed from among coarse herbage, Reading; Q. Knaggsiella, taken from tree trunks, Reading ; O. semidecan- drella, in sandy places, Reading ; G. scriptella, plentiful in an old damp ditch by the side of a hedgerow, Reading ; O. albiceps and nanella, tree trunks, Reading ; G. arundineteVa, taken in a boggy place, Reading ; G. gemmella, tree trunks, Reading. (Ecophora binaris, beaten out of underwood, Reading. BntaUs inconqruella, on a heath, Heading. Per/i^/« oJsci(re/3«j«c/e//rt, among honeysuckle, Reading. Coriscium Brongniardellum, in an oak wood, Reading. Argyresthia dilectella, among juniper on the chalk downs. Coleophora hicolorella, olivaceella and palliaiella, by general beating. Laverna vinolentella and atra, Reading. Elachista cerussella, among coarse grasses. Fhylloenistis suffusella, among aspen. — A. H. Hamm, 21, Hathcrlcy Road, Reading : June l^lk, 1895. ^bituarn. The Rt. Bon. Thomas Henry Huxley, LL.D., M.D., F.R.S., .jr., 4c., born at Ealing May 24th, 1825, died at Eastbourne June 29th, 1895. It would be super- fluous for us to attempt any detailed notice of Prof. Huxley, whose recent death has placed the scientific world in mourning. Possibly his sole contribution to Ento- mology in the restricted sense was tlie remarkable memoir, " On the Agamic Reproduction and Morphology of ApJiis," published in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, vol. xxii (1858-59), and of course this had far more than a purely entomological importance. Very many entomologists will have studied his "Crayfish" (1879) with advantage, a work in which his broad sympathies (even with the much abused " mere systematist ") are manifest in every chapter. Possibly no man (Darwin not excepted) did more to influence modern thought on questions of Natural Philosophy and kindred subjects ; it is certain that no man more industriously endeavoured to restrain, the excesses of some of the post-Darwinians. It remains to be seen what the effect of the untimely removal of the curb will be. Laureano Perez Areas died at Requena in Spain on September 24th, 1894; he was born at the same place on Jidy 4th, 1824. It is only quite recently that the news of the death of this prominent Spanish entomologist and naturalist has been made public outside his native country. He published an educational work, " Elementos de Zoologia," which extended to six editions (1861-1886), and many papers on Entomology, principally on Coleoptera. He was the founder in 1871 of the Sociedad espaiiola de Historia Natural, a most useful Society, in the " Anales " of which most of his entomological writings appeared. 1895.1 197 Societies. Birmingham Entomological Society : May 20lh, 1805. — Mr. P. W. Abbott, Vice-President, in the Chair. Mr. Abbott showed a series of Zygcena melUoti from the New Forest, for com- parison with some doubtful specimens of Mr. Wainwriglit's, which he belicTed to be only vars. of Z. lonicera ; also a pale specimen of Agrotis ripcB bred from Fresh- water, and A. Ashioorthii from. North Wales, bred by Mr. Gregson. Mr. R. C. Bradley showed PompUus viaticus from Wyre Forest, and remarked on the extra- ordinary activity of the Family Pompilidce, and the difficulty of capturing them. Mr. Valentine Smith, a variety of Rhagium lifasciatum from Edgbaston, with the white colour much extended, making a white-looking specimen ; also Elater lalteatus from Edgbaston, and three Ulster purpurascens from New Street in the centre of the City. June \st to 4:ih. — The Fourth Annual Excursion was made to Cannock Chase, but owing to the dullness of the weather, and the very small attendance of Members, notliing of importance was done, though a number of insects were secured. Jinie nth, 1895. — Mr. R. C. Bradley in the Chair. Mr. A. H. Martineau showed Siiwdendron cylindricutn, $ , from Solihull ; Criorhina asilica from Trench Woods ; and some unusually fine specimens of Aiidrena rosce, var. Trimmerana, from Clifton Downs. Mr. P. W. Abbott, a number of Lepidoptera taken during a three days' trip to Wicken at the end of May ; amongst others were Arsilonche alhorenosa, Metiana flammea, Nascia cilialis, Acontia luctuosa, Myelophila cribrum, Earias chlorana, Lithostege griseata, Hydrelia uncula, Bapta taminata, and Phibalapteryx lignata. Mr. C. J. Wainwright, fine series of Asthena luteata and Eupisteria heparata from Cannock Chase. Mr. R. C. Bradley, a number of grass heads from Sutton Park covered with great numbers of Melanos- toma scalare, which had been killed by a fungus ; he found great numbers, but only in a small spot a few yards square, and all were on tiie grass flower heads only ; there was only the one species too ; they had evidently been attacked by the fungus, and had then gathered together at the one spot to die : while he was watching others continued to arrive, and all remained to die. He also showed an Ichneumon, the thorax of which, when taken, was covered with bright red parasites of largo size; it made the insect look, when caught, as if it had a very large bright red thorax ; the parasites looked like beetle larvae. He also showed a specimen of Crahro pahnipes, with a cluster of eggs at the base of the wings on one side. Both of these were from Sutton Park. Mr. Valentine Smith, the following from Cannock Cliase : Plerostichus lepidus, Cymindis vaporarioruin, and Thymalus limbatus. — CoLBKAN J. Wainwright, Hon. Secretary. The SorTH London Entomological and Natural History Society: 3Iay 23rd, 1895.— T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. Mr. Barrett, on belialf of Mr. Home, of Aberdeen, exhibited very long series of both Agrotis cursoria, Bork., and A. tritici, L., from the N. E. Coast of Scotland 198 [August, allowing such a range of variation that it was difficult to determine where one species ended and the other began ; also a gynandrous specimen of Saturnia carpini, L., belonging to Dr. Mason, one side being male the other female. Mr. Edwards, a specimen of the rare female of Morpho Cypris, from Bogota, with a male for com- parison. Mr. Dennis, ova and young larvae of Leucophasia sinapis, L., and of LyccBna Argiolus, L., under the microscope. Mr. Hall, two specimens of the rare var. unicolor, Staud., o? Mamestra persicaricB, L., bred by a northern collector from a dark specimen derived from suburban larva; ; also several specimens of a Eupithecia from Mr. Machin's collection, which Members thought were E. mintttala, Gn., var. Jcnautiata, Greg. Several Members who had larvae of Callhnorpha Hera, L., had been only very partially successful in getting them through the severe frost. A long discussion took place as to the felling of trees in Epping Forest. The consensus of opinion was that no harm had been done, and that none was intended to be done. Mr. Carrington and others thought that a periodical cutting of the undergrowth would be of great advantage to entomologists, and instanced the method of cutting Woods in Surrey and Kent. June 13th, 1895. — The President in the Chair. Mr. Frohawk exhibited a dark leaden-blue var. of Lycfena beJlargus, Rott., taken at Weymouth in 1892. Mr. Perks, a Julus taken among bananas in Covent Garden. Remarks were made by several Members on the season, and a few records were made of the appearance of Colias Edusa June 21th, 1895.— The President in the Chair. Mr. Jager exhibited a bred series of Arctia lubricepeda, Esp., from radiata parents ; among them were both var. radiata and ya,v.fasciata, as well as some almost normal types. Mr. Turner, eggs of the lace-wing fly. Mr. Dennis, a larva of Catocala nupta, L., a pupa of Lyccena Argiolus, L., and a pale specimen of Argynnis Selene, Schiff. Mr. West (Greenwich), specimens of Cryptocephalus nitidulus, Gyll., C. coryli, L., C. aureoltis, Suf., and Elater elongatulus, 01., all taken in Headley Lane on June 3rd. — Heney J. Tuenee, Hon. Secretary. INCREASING MELANISM IN THE BRITISH GEOMETUIBM. BY C. G. BABBETT, F.E.S. Of all the phases of colour-variation which occur with us none is more interesting than that which within the last few years has come more and more into notice — the tendency on the part of several species of Qeometridcs to assume a black, smoky-black, or grey-black hue, while at the same time losing almost all trace of their normal markings. There are good reasons for believing it to be a somewhat modern development of variation, and its quite recent extension to fresh species has roused fresh attention to the subject, rendering it desirable that the " History of the movement " should be written, or, at any rate, the records, such as they are, brought together. There 1895] 199 are difficulties in the way — one especially — the circumstance tbatwhen a deviation is first noticed there is nothing to point to it as a form likely to become recurrent, and there is, therefore, no urgent induce- ment to record it ; and it may be that melanic forms of the species in question have long existed, though it seems certain that they have, of late, vastly increased in numbers. The cause has been frequently and exhaustively discussed, and I do not propose novF to meddle with that subject, but merely to collect together the materials scattered through this and other Magazines, personal information, and notes on the forms in many of our best collections, in such a manner as to furnish a basis for further observations. Before going further, I wish to make it clearly understood that the phase of variation to which I propose to draw attention is not that form of melanism which results in a blackening and intensifying of the usual markings of the species, as is to be seen in Gnophos obscurata, nor even of so moderate a change towards smoky-black as is exhibited very often in London specimens of Boarmia rliomboidaria, but that of an absorption of the usual markings, and substitution of smooth clear black or smoky-black over the fore-, and in some cases the hind-wings, only interrupted, usually, at the nervures. Those to which I wish to draw attention more particularly are Amphidasys hetularia, Phigalia pilosaria, Boarmia repandaria, ahietaria, roboraria, Tephrosia crepuscularia, with its variety hiundularia, Venusia camhrica, and Hibernia progemmaria. Our earlier authors, Haworth, Curtis, Stephens, Wood, Westwood and Humphrey, and even Stainton and Newman hardly refer to these forms. Their descriptions and figures are, of course, of specimens having the normal markings, but varieties so striking as we now know would surely not have been ignored by all these writers had they been in existence. So far as I can discover, the first species observed to take this line of variation was 'replirosia crepuscularia, and its paler form, biundularia. In the year 18G6 Sir John T. D. Llewelyn recorded in this Magazine the capture of " a handsome leaden-coloured variety of Tephrosia laricaria " {crepuscularia) , from which he obtained eggs. Through an accident only eight pupa? of this batch were reared, but of these five were of the dark "leaden-coloured" variety. In 1808, however, and subsequently, a good number were reared, and in 1872 lie wrote as follows: — '' A few years ago I obtained three batches of ova from dusky smoke-coloured females of Tephrosia crepuscularia {laricaria of Stainton's Manual) by males of the ordinary typical clayey-grey colour. From these ova I reared to maturity, in the fol- 200 [August, 1895. lowing year, about 160 moths, in tbe exact proportion of half dark and half pale. I now had the opportunity of obtaining ova of which both parents were dark. They throve, and my series the next year emerged in about the proportion of two dark to one pale. Again I obtained ova from dark parents out of this batch — darkly bred dark specimens — and this year my whole series (90) has emerged dark, not one casting back to the original and natural colour. I used to (and still can) take the dark variety at large in the larch plantations here, but sparingly, and in a much lower proportion, say, one dark to thirty of the typical colouring." Ten years later the same careful observer found that this form of variation had extended to the parallel, later-emerging, whitish form of the species (by some held to be distinct), bimidiilaria ; but he noticed that in this the variety was " black, but with the subterminal line conspicuously pencilled-out in white." From that time the black form in hiundidaria has increased in numbers, and is now, I believe, common, but curiously enough, in South Wales, preserving the char- acter of the white subterminal line. Let us now turn to another district. In the " Entomologist " for April, 1887, the late Mr. Nicholas Cooke, of Liverpool, wrote: — "The most interesting case of melanism that has come under my observation is the total change in the colour of Tephrosia biimdularia in Delamere Forest. Some thirty years since, when I visited Petty Pool Wood, this species was very abundant, api)caring in March, and was to be found through April and May, but all were of a creamy-white ground colour. Dark varieties were so scarce that they were considered a great prize. Now, it is just the reverse, all are dark smoky-brown, approaching black, a light variety is very rare." This statement shows the condition of things in Cheshire ten years before the time when the dark crepuscularia began to be noticed in South Wales ; and inci- dentally it points to, another rather unexpected circumstance — that all the specimens then found occurring in March and till June were of the same creamy-white form. With reference to this I made very careful enquiry when at Liverpool some time ago, of Messrs. Capper, Pierce, Gregson, and others, and found that, without doubt, in that district, the specimens of the early emergence, in March, were creamy- white, that the browner form, taken in February and March in the southern woods, was quite unknown there ; and that the first appear- ance of the blackish varieties was not in the March emergence, but that these were found at first only toward the end of May. In time the later emercrence came to consist so largelv of dark gi'ey and Scptomber, 1895. 201 blackish forms that the latter were supposed by the local Entomolo- gists to be typical hiundularia, while they held the creamy-white form to be typical crepuscuJaria, when arose in due time much controversy at cross purposes. In time the melanic influence extended to the March emergence, and now nearly all are alike dark ; the change extending to both fore- and hind-wings. In some parts of Yorkshire the change does not seem to be quite so complete ; the creamy-white form appears later, from April till July, some of the specimens being more or less tinged with the brighter light brown cjlouring, and a few dark grey or smoky-black, which black specimens are said to be always the latest to appear in the season. In Derbyshire those appearing in the beginning of April are of various shades of grey, and dark grey approaching to blackish, but, so far as I have observed, they have hardly assumed the smooth black tone of colour, but are clouded and mottled with dark grey, and even in some instances have one wing paler or darker than the rest, appa- rently indicating a state of transition ; but the normal markings are, in them, usually more or less obliterated, and they rarely show the white subterminal line of the South Wales examples. I have seen recent specimens of this last form taken by Capt. Robertson and Mr. Holland near Swansea, and they agree in this respect with the earlier Neath examples. The dark variation of this species does not seem as yet to have very greatly extended its area in this country, but Professor Meldola has met with it in the Isle of Man, and Mr, Chas. Watts in Ireland. Abroad it is well known in mountainous districts. Ampeidasts betulakia. — Probably this was the next species to exhibit melanic symptoms — certainly it has given them full and free course. No record seems to have been ke])t of the first black speci- men, though it is wonderful that so striking an aberration should pass unnoticed. In the " Entomologist " for October, 1886, Mr. Joseph Chappell, of Manchester, says : — '* In my early days the black variety was almost unknown. I think Mr. Edleston purchased the first I heard of. In the Manchester district the species has gradually altered in colour from light to dark during the last forty years. The dark forms now predominate." In 18G5 Mr. Edleston wrote in the same Maga- zine, " some sixteen years ago the ' negro ' aberration of this species was almost unknown." These statements place the origin of this black variety witliin the period from 184G to 1850. Mr. Edleston I'urtiu-r rciiiark.s (in 18G-j) : — " 1 placed some virgin females in my 202 (September, gnrdeii in order to attract the males, and was not a little surprised to find that most of the visitors were of the ' negro ' aberration," tend to show the rapid progress made in the sixteen years. Ten years later, the "negro " variety had spread over Lancashire into Yorkshire, and to Delamere Forest, Cheshire. In a few more years it had reached Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire. Dr. Wheeler tells me that in 1870 the black form was almost equal in numbers with the type at Newport, Monmouthshire, and that a few years later the typical form had almost vanished from that district. This may also be said now of some of the other districts. Mr. R. Newstead tells me that at Chester he has seen none but black specimens for many years. In 1890 the black form was found in Nottinghamshire and Stafford- shire, in 1892 at Cambridge, in 1893 in Norfolk, and in 1891< near Reading, Berks, and in Ireland ; but in each case only casual specimens. We also hear from abroad that it seems to be advancing steadily up the Rhine, and that it has been taken in Silesia, Saxony, Hanover, Holstein, and other parts of Germany, as well as in the Netherlands. This is a far blacker and more uniform aberration than in the previous species ; indeed, the deep smoky blackness extends in it to thorax, abdomen, fore- wings, and wholly or partially to the hind-wings ; the general sooty appearance being relieved by a broad pure white blotch on the face, and a round clear white spot at the base of the costa of each fore-wing. Before this black form became dominant, intermediate varieties, showing the normal black markings greatly intensified, were often obtained, but these have now become rather scarce. BoARMiA ABiETARiA. — I find no definite record of a clear black form of this species, far less of its first occurrence ; all descriptions and figures, whether under this name or that of sericearia, referring to a typical, well marked, brown form, having transverse black lines and other markings ; yet it is certain that, for the last thirty years at least, a beautiful silky black variety, occurring in both sexes, and sometimes wholly destitute of markings except the blacker nervures, has been obtained from time to time by London Entomologists from Leith Hill, Surrey. Usually these have been reared fi'om larvae beaten out of fir in that district. My own specimens were reared by the late Mr. Machin, and I know that from time to time he obtained a great many. This form, though as complete in its melanic change as the last, docs not become dominant, and to all appearance has not spread from this one locality. In it, fore- and hind-wings are alike shining black. 1805.1 203 Phigalia PiLOSAUiA. — Tlic first intimation that this species was following the examjjle of AmpJiidasijs hetuhirin was sup[)lied in 1891 in this Magazine by the Eev. Canon Fowler, regarding a specimen found at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire: — " rich velvety black all over, except the vtiins of the upper-wings, which were brown." In 1892 another was found in Derbyshire. In 1893 Mr. South recorded a black apterous female at Barnsley, and in the following year the rearing of this variety in both sexes ; also that a black example had been found at AVharncliffe, Sheffield, ten years before. In 1892 a deep black male was secured near Eotherham, Yorkshire, by Mr. W. Brookes, and f()lU)wing up this clue, he has obtained similar specimens in each fol- lowing year ; in 1894 as many as six, besides intermediates. Other examples have been obtained from time to time : one is in the collection of the late Mr. Bond ; and Mr. Gregson says that he took one, now in Mr. Sydney Webb's collection, twenty-five years ago ; others are in Dr. Mason's collection, and two of a unicolorous dark grey, rather than black, have been taken at Hartlepool, Durham. In all these, whether black or grey, the usual markings have become absorbed, but the nervures are distinctly darker than the remainder of the wing. The hind-wings in this species appear to be but little affected. There can be no doubt that this has become a permanent and recurrent variety in Yorkshire and some of the adjoining counties. BoARMiA REPANDATA. — Numerous as are the permanent varieties of this fine species, and strikingly handsome as are some of them, no tendency in the direction of unicolorous blackness seems to have been observed in it by the earlier writers. Although divided into supposed species — repandafa, destrigarla, convei'saria, muraria — all well marked varieties ; no figure or description refers to any form devoid of the ordinary makings of the species. In 1887, however, Mr. G. T. Porritt found a handsome blackish form, some of the individuals being smooth glossy black, not uncommonly in a fir wood in the Huddersfield dis- trict. Eggs laid by some of these produced in the following year specimens which he described as " almost absolutely inky-black, blacker indeed than the well known form of Amphidasys betularia.'' Three or four years later, the same black form was reared in some numbers from larvre found near Sheffield by Mr. A. E. Hall, and I saw a great many magnificent specimens in his boxes. Other collectors have since reared it from larvae found in the same neighbourhood, and although at present apparently confined to South Yorkshire, this handsome variety is certainly increasing in numbers. In it the fore- and hind- K 2 204 [September, wings are equally black, with deeper black nervures, but on the hind-wings is very often a slender, much scalloped, white subterminal line. BoAEMiA EOBORARiA. — So far as I know this is the latest British species to adopt the unicolorous black tint. In 1893 J saw in Mr. S. J. Capper's collection six specimens of a most beautiful, smooth, smoky-black, with nervures and the lunules of the hind-wings deeper black. Since then Mr. Capper has obtained more specimens, one of which he has most liberally added to my collection ; and informs me that all were reared by a correspondent, in whom he can rely, in the Midland Counties ; but for obvious reasons the exact locality is not revealed. The statement of the captor is as follows:— "I have taken the oi'dinary form of rohoraria for many years, and once, about eight years ago, a black one, which was badly rubbed. In 1892 a second, from which I bred those you have. I think it was at the end of June when I took it — a fine female — at pest on the trunk of an oak. The ova hatched in the middle of July, and I fed them through the summer to the end of October, when they began to hide away. In January I found some of them wandering about for food, so I got them young twigs of oak, and scraped the bark. Some of them ate the bark, but not many, and I only managed to rear about twenty to the pei'fect state, some of them being black. Two of these I kept and bred again, both being black ones, but I could only rear about thirty, of which you have the black ones, except one pair, and from these I have only pulled through fifteen larvae, so I fear that I shall lose the brood." Besides these I hear of only one British specimen, and it will be for future observation to show whether this handsome aberration establishes and extends itself. Like B. repandata it usually shows a whitish sub- terminal line on the hind-wings. Venusia cambeica. — Of the unicolorous blackish form of this pretty species I find no record in any descriptive work or magazine. It is, however, mentioned in the Proceedings of the South London Entomological Society for 1888, the specimens having been obtained from the neighbourhood of Shefiield. In 1890 four more specimens obtained from the same locality were exhibited before the same Society by Mr. Percy Bright. There is one in the collection of the late Mr. F. Bond ; one in that of Dr. Mason ; and a very few more scattered in various cabinets. This variety is not black, but blackish-grey, with darker nervures, and, like the previously noticed species, has lost its typical markings. At present it is only a very local aberration. 1896.] 205 Hibernia progemmaria. — A somewhat similar change has taken place in this species in Yorkshire. Mr. G. T. Porritt records in this Magazine (vol. xxiii, p. 10) its occurrence in the lluddersfield district in greatly increased numbers, and increased intensity of blackness, the semi-apterous females in particular having become, in many cases, quite black. The same has more recently been noticed at Kotherham, Sheffield, and elsewhere in South Yorkshire, and to some extent in neighbouring counties ; but the colour assumed is fuscous or black- brown, rather than smoky-black ; the fore-wings are more opaque, and the usual markings obscured or obliterated, but the nervures are not distinctly darker, nor are the hind-wings in the male so strongly darkened. In the present remarks I have confined myself to the Geometridce, though well aware that in such species, in other groups, as Xylophasia polyodon and Diuriiea fagella, somewhat similar phenomena may be observed. As a pendant to the foregoing remarks, or even as a possible indication of further deviations, it may be well to record that in the cabinet of Mr. S. J. Capper at Liverpool is a smooth smoky-black Boarmia cinctaria, without markings, except the darker nervures, taken some years ago in the New Forest ; that Mr. Sydney Webb has an equally black Boarmia consortaria ; and that, in the New Forest, Cleora glahraria exhibits a distinct tendency in the same direction, several specimens, in the same and other collections, being smoothly clouded with black from the base, and having the markings partially obscured. 39, LiudtMi G-rove, Nunhead, S.E. : Ju.m, 1895. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON BRITISH OAK GALLS. BY G. C. BIGNELL, F.E.S. Andeictjs amenti — I think it is worth recording that I have bred this species (a single ? ) from a gall obtained at Bickleigh in May; bred June 11th, 1887. The abdomen, however, is black. Having a doubt about it, I sent it with the gall to Dr. Mayr, who returned it with the above name. The only previous records of the species in this country are from Braemar and Kew. Andricus Malpiguii. — This gall can be obtained in Cann Woods and Bickleigh in September and October ; in 1890 I collected a few and bred the flies in March, 1892. Of the sexual form, nudus. I 20G [ September, collected several galls from the male catkins on May I4th and 20th, the flies emerging May 26th to 28th, 1895. Parasite, PteromaUis tibialis, bred June 12th. Andhicus glandule. — On October 3rd and 17th, 1890, these galls were abundant in Cann Wood. In the galls that I examined on the 17th the larvse were full fed in the upper part, lower cavity empty ; I bred a number of inquilines {Synergus radiatus) May 1st, 1891, and following days. I examined a few galls in January, 1892, and found perfect flies, those not disturbed emerged in April. The last sentence but one on page 102 of Cameron's Eay Soc. Vol. on the Oak Galls, should read — "The insect emerges in the spring o/'M^' second year." Andricus solitartus.— I can confirm Dr. Mayr's statement that the flies emerge in September, having beaten them out of oak in Tann Wood on September 29th, 1890. Neuroteeus lenticularis on page 131 of Cameron's work, 8th line from bottom, after " April," read "The eggs of the ay amic female are laid, &c." Neuroterus (Spathegaster) tricolor. — I have bred two para- sites from this species, Torymiis auratus and Pteromalus tibialis. Neuroterus (Spathegaster) albipes.— The only parasite I have bred from this species is Pteromalus tibialis (not recorded by Cameron). Neuroterus (Spathegaster) vesicatrix.— Out of fifty galls collected in May and June this year (1895) I have not bred a single maker, the majority contained inquilines (Si/neryns albipes), in some instances two in a gall, and as usual separated by a slight partition ; the remainder produced parasites (Pteromalus tibialis). Neuroterus (Spathegaster )aprilinus. — The quick development of this species is something truly wonderful. The first gall seen with difficulty, just appearing out of the bud, was on April 29th, it was fully developed, and the fly emerged on May 2nd ; only collapsed and shrivelled galls were seen on May 6th. In the middle of May (17th) I discovered a tree with a lot of shrivelled aprilinus galls, and on May 23rd I found galls of Neuroterus Schlechtendali mature and ready to fall to the ground on the slightest touch ; this gall was only observed on the same tree that produced the aprilinus galls. It will be inter- esting if Schlechtendali proves the agamic form of aprilinus. 1 trust I shall be able to decide this in 1897, as I have some hundi*eds of Schlechtendali galls ; unfortunately the flies do not appear until July of the second year. I'^rn.] 207 Andricus ramttlt. — Dr. Acllcr, in his remarks on the oak-apple gall, says, " There is a curious phenomenon in the propagation of Teras terminalis which deserves notice. It appears that whilst some galls produce both sexes, some yield only females and others only males." These remarks may also hold good relative to ramuli. From five galls obtained this year at Bickleigh, and one found at Ivybridge, 1892, I bred males only. EuLOPHus EUEDORESCHUS, Walker. —This species is not recorded as a parasite on Andricus fecundntrix in Cameron's vol. on Oak-galls, perhaps by an oversight. I have bred it from that host, and so far as my observations go, it is the only one that remains so long in the larva stage. From galls collected in August, 1887, the flies emerged in 1889. Other galls obtained in August, 1891, produced flies in May. 1893, and from those gathered in August, 1898, the flies came out May 10th, 1895. A. fecundatrlx (gall maker) appears in March and April of the second year, the parasite nearly (or quite>) two months later. Stonehouse, Devon : July, 1895. ANASPIS RUFICOLLIS, F., AND A. GEOFFROYI, MULL. BY G C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. Messrs. F. and E A. "VVaterhouse have recently submitted to me for examination an interesting series of these two common species of Aua.yns. The A. rvficoUia vary from their normal colour to entirely black, legs, antennae and palpi included. Some of them have the thorax fuscous, with the sides rufescent and the legs fuscous, these specimens being clearly referable to the var. c, or A. alpicola of Emery.* In this species the elytra usually have a broad sutural stripe of blacker pubescence, this becoming wider towards the apex, the rest of the pubescence being greyish. The male characters are quite similar in the various forms ; the intermediate tibiae are straight on their inner edge. Amongst the A. Geqffroyi there is a specimen entirely black, legs, antennae and palpi included. Neither Mulsantf nor Emery mentions an entirely black form, nor do the}'" (nor Fowler) notice a well-marked male character in this species, viz., the strongly sinuous inner edge of the intermediate tibiae. Messrs. Waterhouse's specimens were all found recently near Putney. HorscU : August Vlth, 1895. * Essai Mon. sur lea Mordellides, p. 22 (1876). t Miilsuiit's description of this species occupies 5i pages of his " Longfipfcdes." 208 [Septcraher, SUPPLEMENT TO "A SYNOPSIS OP BRITISH PSYCRODID.JE" BY THE KEV. A. E. EATON, M.A., F.E.S. The present article concerns matters omitted from the " Synopsis of British Psi/chodidae,''' published in the volumes of this Magazine for the years 1893 and 1894i. Their omission was largely due to illness retarding the progress of investigation, and partly to their not being required for differentiation of the species characterized. Among the additional particulars are items likely to be of value in larger schemes of classification ; but their relative importance cannot be gauged exactly from so limited a number of species as the author has been able to study. On this account, and out of consideration of the supplementary nature of these notes, it seems desirable to refrain from establishing new genera in place of subdivisions of the old genus Pericoma at this juncture, although it needs no great ability to discern elements of distinct generical rank among the rallying points mapped out for the assemblage of species. To give a fuller grasp of the subject, mention is made of Algerian PsycTiodidce (to be described in a future communication) that do not quite conform to British standards ; these are denoted by numerals, to facilitate ulterior reference. And with the same object in view, a few particulars that have already been touched upon in the Synopsis are briefly re-stated so far as may be absolutely necessary for the elucidation of leading differences ; because the analytical tabulations previously set forth were not entirely founded upon lines of formal classification. Note to Introduction ; an/e, 2nd series, vol. iv, p. 6, first paragraph. — The wii\gs of Psychodidce are distinctly hairy on the nervures and margins. Scales in both sexes are often substituted for hairs at the wang-roots on their under-side ; and in the males of a few species this substitution is much more extended along certain of the nervures. The wing-membrane also is beset with hairs ; but these are of extreme microscopical minuteness, and when only moderately magnified pro- duce an appearance of punctulation or fine stippling. The more obvious hair is remarkable for diversity in its arrangement. In some members of the Family it conforms very generally to the ridge and furrow contour of the surfaces — the hairs spreading pinnately and obliquely from the nervures, rather close to the membrane, and intercrossing at their tips in opposed ranks when the membrane is slack. But the hair on the upper-side of certain nervures in most of the Psychodidce is bristling or ruflBed up to some distance from the wing-roots. The nervures on which the hair is bristling ar§ not 1S95.1 209 universally the satne, and the extent of the bristling hair on identical nervures varies in different minor groups of species ; and, therefore when its limits and position are correctly ascertained, it yields data worth taking into account. Where the hair is bristling, the hairs tend to be secund and in some measure reclinate inwards ; elsewhere they are either distichous or tristichous and slant outwards, two ranks in the latter case spreading pinnately over the membrane, and the third rank ascending obliquely. The ruffled hair in Si/corax is exceptional in texture, being serrulate, as in IlydroptiUdcc. Some additions may now be made of introductory matters un- mentioned in the Synopsis. Ilalteres of Psi/chodi(l(B are usually clad with appressed scales, seldom with hairs. Sexual differences in the dimensions of corresponding parts of homologous legs are as a rule too small to be detected without careful admeasurement, and are rarely worth recording. Many Psi/chodid(S possess appendages to the antennae homologous with the chitinous bristles of joints in the flagellum noted in the Synopsis under Pericoma soleata, ante, 2nd ser., vol. iv, p. 126. Their nature is undetermined. In some species there is danger of ill-focussed hairs being mistaken for them ; but they are not always hair-like nor setifortn. In Pericoma incerta they have the appearance of longitudinally striate squamulre ; and in species of the 5th Section of that genus their form is digitate. Recipients of named Psychodidce distributed from the author's collection in September, lS9i, are requested to note that under JSTo. 31, Pericoma fusca, two species were intermixed, viz., P. auricidata, Curt, (the one described and illustrated in the Synopsis), and P. fusca, Macquart — vide post, Pericomor, 5th Section, species Nos. 81 and 32. There are, therefore, 41 described British species of this Family instead of 40. Note to Analytical Key ; ante, 2nd ser., vol. iv, p. 31. — The two Groups of genera roughly scheduled in the Syno|)sis may well rank as Sub- Families, and be characterized more methodically, as hereunder, for general use. The first comprises all the forms classed under TJlomyia, Pericoma, and Psychoda ; the second, two British genera, Sycorax and Trichomyia, besides one foreign genus. Phlebotomies. The number of joints in the palpi is no longer taken to be a distinctive characteristic of the main divisions of the Family ; it appears to be four throughout the Psychodidce. Schiner considered these organs to be 5-jointed in TTJomyia and Pericoma — probably mis-reckoning the number in dried specimens ; and in the vSynopsis they were wrongly stated to be 3-jointed in Trichomyia and Sycorax — the basal joint 210 [September, having been overlooked in specimens mounted on their sides between glass. This last error was detected on examination of unmounted fresh examples in 1894. Sub-Family I, PSTCHODINiE. Subcosta met at an acute angle by the radio-cubital nerve-trunk close to the base of the anterior basal cell. Posterior basal cell obtuse at its inner end. Anal-axillar trunk continuous with the anal nervure ; axillar ncrvure well developed. Medias- tinal nervure usually abrupt and linked by a cross vein, at or near its end, to the subcosta alone ; in the absence of a cross vein it ends in the subcosta. Cubitus present ; hence at the wing's apex two simple nervures intervene between the forked nervures. Eyes excentrically reniform, approximate at the vertex. Inferior ^ genital appendages borne at the extremity of a relatively large forceps-basis or subgenital .plate (representing their basal joints connate), with which the perinseum is blended ; the anal valve between them is median and terminal ; their single free joints are armed with at least one tenacular spinule apiece. A pair of penis sheaths present sometimes. Flies inoffensive. Sub-Family II, PHLEBOTOMIN,^. Subcosta met at right angles, very nearly in the middle or beyond the middle of the anterior basal cell, either by the flexed stem of the radius or by a cross vein from the radio-cubital nerve-trunk. Posterior basal cell acutely cuneiform. Axillar nervure (sometimes absent) continuous, when present, with the anal-axillar nerve- trunk. Mediastinal nervure confluent at its extremity with either the costa or the subcosta, usually ending therein with a bold curve and linked by a cross vein, placed at the commencement of the curve, to the opposite nervure. Cubitus absent in the British genera, but in Phlebotomus long-stalked, i. e., confluent with the radius far beyond the anterior basal cell. Eyes rotund or oval, distant at the vertex. Inferior 1^ genital appendages, when free, 2-jointed, and in this case the perinaeum is free also, and in proportion of considerable size ; when the basal joints are connate, the resulting forceps-basis or subgenital plate is very small. An under penis-cover and the upper penis-sheaths sometimes developed. Flies blood-suckers on occasion ; but, judging from experience, only PJdehotomus in Europe and N. Africa is obnoxious to man. Ulomyia (Haliday, MS.), Walker (1856). Syn. Saccopteryx (Hal., MS.), Cui-tis (1839), pre-occupied. Refer ante, 2nd ser., vol. iv, p. 32, analytical key, step 4, and p. 31, woodcut fig. 1 ; also vol. v, pi. i, figs. U, ^ and $ (details). Aflinitics very near the 1st Section of Pericoma ; distinguished by sexual differences in the wing, and a difference in the extent of the bristling hair on the pobrachial branches. S . Wing-pouches formed as follows : — Very near the end of the basal cell, the stem and strongly arched anterior branch of the pobrachial, together with the gently arched posterior branch of this nervure, distend a pouch one-quarter the length of the wing, protuberant above and open beneath, bounded in front by the prae- IS1I5.J 211 bracliial nervure (which is gently arcuate forwards thereabouts), and by the postical nervure behind ; the former branch follows the crest of the protuberance, while the latter passes with a low curve above its base. In front of all this, between the radius and pra;brachial, is the narrow aperture of a collapsed pouch, formed by an oblique inverted arch in the cubitus (shown by dotted lines in he. cit., pi. i, fiij. U, S), that projects as a rounded lobe on the under-side, guarding the gaping orifice of the inflated pouch. Seen from opposite the costa, the two pouches together resemble an oval vesicle bisected obliquely in the plane of the wing. In a denuded wing, mounted between glass and viewed with transmitted light, the curve in the praebrachial is apt to simulate an arch ascending parallel with that of the anterior pobrachial. Bristling hair extended in parts of the wing beyond the shortest line from the end of the subcosta to that of the anal nervure ; present on the mediastinal, radial stem and branches, cubitus, pobrachial stem and branches, postical and axillar nervures ; wanting on the subcosta, pra?brachial and anal. This hair extends out- wards farthest on the anterior radius, and farther on the posterior pobrachial and postical than on the anterior pobrachial ; it is whitish up to the forks at the base of the wing, and also for a short space at the outer terminations of the ranks, but elsewhere dark. Beneatli the wings, in both sexes, at the extreme base of the nervures interior to the fringes, linear scales take the place of hairs. Beyond this in tlie on the above mentioned parts of the head and thorax, cream colour is substituted for white, and an impure whitey brownish-yellow for whitish ; the hair at the sides of the thorax is light yellowish-brown ; the tibial fringes are of a dull colour, and the light markings of the legs are much toned down and reduced in extent. Wings above black or greyish-black, with whitish or yellowish-white markings, viz. : — at the base of the wing, a fascia, slightly curved and anteriorly widened, extending from the costal fringe to the axillar nervure and outwards to the bases of the forks ; at the outer limits of the bristling hair, an angulated fascia broken into three unequal spots, of which the foremost and largest, on the radial branches and cubitus, has almost the form of a right-angled triangle truncate at the posterior acute angle ; the second (on the pobrachial branches and postical) in the $ a curved streak, resembles in the ? an inverted comma, reversed in the right wing, with the tail pointing inwards, and the head subopposite the first spot ; the third and smallest is near the end of the axillar ; lastly, at the apex of the wing the fringe from the end of the posterior radius to a little beyond the end of the anterior pobrachial, the light colour also glossing the tips of some of the adjoining hairs. Elsewhere the fringe matches in colour the darker hair of the wing, and is glossed with light brownish-grey, the gloss shifting with change of posture. A blackish line defines the outer and posterior margins of the disc. Pouch in $ closely overlain with long appressed hair parted along the summit and pointing lengthwise obliquely ; the hair whitish at the inner end of the pouch is elsewhere dark. Hair and scales of the under-side of the wing blackish-brown or greyish-black. 1.S95.] 213 Abdomen dovsally with long and soft wliitish-yellow pubescence, the colour shifting to whitish anteriorly, and to light greyish at the hinder extremity ; ventrally with dark grey pubescence shifting to light grey. Superior $ appendages stout, obliquely inflexed : basal joint concave inside ; 2nd joint ovoid and beaked, with the beak incurved. A widely dispersed species in middle Europe, considered rare on the continent, but common in many southern English counties : Jersey (McLachlan) ; Ireland (Haliday); northern range unascertained. May to the end of June, and August to the end of September. In collections, females of Fericoma niihiJn are often attributed to this species, and vice versa ; but the greater depth of the forks of the wing-nervures in TJlomyia, and the receding of the limits of the bristling hair on the anterior pobrachial, instead of on the posterior branch, enable the species to be distinguished easily from any Pericoma of similar coloration. Westwood figured the ^ wing from the under- side in Walker's Diptera, cited above. (To be continued). OBSERVATIONS ON" COCCID.^ (No. 12). BY R. NEWSTEAD, F.E.S., CURATOR OF THE GROSVENOR MUSEUM, CHESTER. ElPERSIA TERRESTRIS, n. Sp. ? second stage (fig. 1) greenish-yellow ; almost covered with white mealy substance ; legs and antennae yellowish. Yery elongate, sides parallel, suddenly narrowed in front, rather widely rounded behind ; segments distinct. Antennae (fig. 2) geniculated, placed vei'y close together considerably behind the cephalic extremity, of 5 joints, of which 2 is much the shortest and wedge-shaped ; 3 and 4 nearly equal ; 5 the longest ; 4 and 5 together are fusiform. Legs (fig. 3) short ; tibia) and tarsi nearly equal, the latter generally the shortest, with three strong spines arranged close together on the under- side ; digitules to claw and tarsi wanting. Mcntum biarticulate, very long ; filaments rather stout, loop reaching midway between the intermediate and posterior legs. Anal lobes large, with numerous strong hairs. Anal ring with six hairs, placed at the extremity of the body. Dorsum with scattered hairs, more numerous and longer at margins of anal seg- ments, where they are arranged more or less in tufts. On the cephalic region of the dorsum, immediately over the base of the mcntum, are two largo, slightly raised glands ("cicatrice," 214 L September, Signoret), shaped like the human eye ; and two moi-e arranged wider apart on the 2nd or 3rd segment ; some appear closed (fig. 4), others open (fig. 5), and are sui'- rounded with numerous fine hairs. Long, 1, wide, "5 mm. ^ early adult, containing ova, is larger than the 9 2ud stage, and has the anal lobes a little shorter; but differs in no other respect. Long, 1 — 15, wide, 75 mm. 9 adult after gestation differs from the above only in having the anal lobes normal (small) but clearly distinct. Unfortunately, the only two specimens of this stage that I could find have imperfect antennae ; one has the joints perfect up to and including the 4th, they are stouter and the hairs stronger, but their form and relative lengtli are identical with the previous stage. Long, 2"5, wide, 1 mm. Ilab. : on roots of Steplianotis, near Loudon, February Gth, 1895. An exceedingly interesting species ; and although its 5-jointed antenuge are abnormal, in other respects it agrees with the genus. The eye-like glands on the dorsum are curious, and from what one can gather from the mounted specimens, it is highly probable that the insect has the power of opening or closing them at will. Signoret found a very similar character in his Bipersia co7'ynephori (Essai, p. 369, pi xvii, figs. 1, la), which he terms a " cicatrice," but gives no detailed de- scription of it. The arrangement of the glands in M. corijnephori is very different to what I find in this species. It is important to note that certain changes take place in this species during the period of gestation. In the early adult the anal lobes are abnormally large ; but in the older individuals they become normal. It is quite possible, therefore, that some alteration may take place in the antennae at the very last stage, and during period of ges- tation ; but this, for want of more material, cannot now be decided. The Steplianotis is a host- plant for several species of Coccidce, especially of Dactylopius, and it is only by constant care, and the frequent use of insecticides, brushing or sponging, that the " mealy bugs " can be kept in check. Hitherto, however, so far as the writer's experience goes in the British Isles, the roots of the plant have been free from the attack of any insect pest. Nothing is known as to how the insect has come amongst us ; probably it has been recently im- ported with orchids or other plants ; or it may be indigenous, and have been introduced in the " potting " material used in the cultivation of the Steplianotis. Chester : May, 1895. 1S95.I 215 FUNGOID DISEASE OF TIPULM, &c. BY BARON C. R. OSTEN SACKEN, Hon. F.E.S. The notes by E. C. Bradley, " An Epidemic among Melanosfoma scalare, caused by a fungus," in the August number of this Magazine, induce me to publish a similar case of disease which I observed on several species of TipulcB of the group Murmoratce, Schum. During the rainy summer of 1S91 I spent some time in the Hotel Kohlhof, about 1800 feet above sea level, near Heidelberg, and noticed the frequent occurrence, in the woods, of such diseased Tipulce. In June I observed them with a swollen abdomen ; through the thin membrane connecting the dorsal and ventral sclerites I could perceive something like an internal foam, composed of minute globular vesicles, which filled the abdomen. The chitinous coverings, especially towards the end of the abdomen, were scaling off: from the effects of the disease, and in several cases the whole horny forceps of the male had fallen off, although the insect was fully alive and able to fly. I detached a part of the abdomen, placed it on a glass slide in a drop of w'ater, and examined it under a magnifying power of 100. The vesicles, detached from the mass, appeared ovoid, with a distinct circular nucleus in the centre. Within the mass these ovoid vesicles seemed to be arranged in a beadlike fashion. Later, in July, I found a live specimen of the same kind of Tipula with the contents of the abdomen quite dry, pulverized, and the end of the abdomen broken off, just as in the above-mentioned cases. Prof. Askenasy, of Heidelberg, determined the fungus as an Einpusn, perhaps E. tipulce, Fresen. A case very similar to that of Mr Bradley's, concerning the same species of Sijrphus {S. meUinus, L., = Melan. scalare, F.), has been described in detail by MM. C. Brongniart and Maxioie Cornu in the vol. for 1878 of the "Assoc. Fran9aise pour I'avancement des Sciences." The plant was Molinia coerulea. To the literature quoted by those authors may be added the observation of F. Ludwig, in the " Botan. Centralbl.," Cassel, 1884, pp. 122-123, who found on the same plant, Moli7iia coerulea (near Grciz and Elsterberg in Central Germany on August 20th) thousands of specimens of SyrphidcB of the allied genera Melithreptus, Melanontoma and Platychirus, mostly dead, some of them still alive, but all affected by a fungoid disease. (An extract by J. Mik will be found in the \Y\en. Ent. Zeit., 1885, p. 30). Heidelberg : August \si, 1895. 216 [Septumber, Melanostoma attacked hy fungus. — With reference to Mr. R. C. Bradley's ob- servation of fungoid growth on Melanostoma scalare,Y. {ante -p. 178), I observed the same phenomenon wlien collecting at Ivybridge in June. Apparently all specimens of that species were affected in the same manner ; I boxed two, and by the next morning the fungus appeared on them. — G. C. Bignell, Stonehouse : August 5th, 1895. Coleoptera in the New Forest. — Accompanied by a fi'iend, I spent the first week in July at Brockenhurst, and met with a few Coleoptera which seem worthy of notice. My own principal object was to discover the special haunt of Anthaxia nitidula ; and this, after two days' fruitless investigation, i succeeded in doing. But we were rather late for the insect, and only took three specimens between us, all, of course, in flowers; it seems to be restricted to a very small area. Our other captures included Microrrhagus pygmceus (3) on bracken ; Prionus coriarius, dug out of a dead birch, and so immature that I had to keep it alive for nearly a fort- night before it acquired its proper colouring ; Phlceotrya Stephensi (16) from the roots of a dead oak ; Cryptocephaliis moral and aureolus on flowers ; Anoplodera ^ea-^Mif^a^a, in bramble blossom ; Callidiumvariahile,'anAeT\)a,Tk; Liodes orbicularis and Anisotoma nigrita, by sweeping under fir trees ; Salpingus ceratus, a small colony under bark of an elm log ; Conopalpus testaceus, under bark of oak ; and Erirhinus festucce, by sweeping in a damp place. Lina populi was in the utmost profusion, not upon poplar or aspen, but on a low creeping plant, which I am not botanist enough to determine. — Theodoee Wood, 23, Brodrick Road, Upper Tooting, S.W. : July 29th, 1895, Coleoptera in Ireland. — During a visit to several Irish ports in H. M. S. " Northampton," between April 27th and May 21st, I took, among many others, the following species of Coleoptera, which may be worth noting. At Queenstown — Acupalpus dorsalis, in marshy places ; Aleochara hrevipennis and Megacronus cingulatus, under stones, both singly ; Lema Erichsoni, about half a dozen specimens on May 7th and 8th, by sweeping on weedy banks ; Apion OyUenhali, which occurred in every locality I visited, being rather plentiful at Bangor ; Sitones camiricus, var. cinerascens (2) ; and remains of Rhopalomesites Tarda plentifully in beech, but the living insect was not to be found. At Midletown, Co. Cork, on the afternoon of May 6th, I took Monotoma spinicoUis, Aphodius sticticus, Lema Erichsoni (2), Barypeithes sulcifrons, Phytobius 4<-tuberculatus, &c., chiefly by sweeping under some fir trees. On May 13th and 14th, at Bangor, Co. Down, the following species were taken : — Staphylinus pubescens and erythropterus, in roads and on the wing ; Corym- bites quercus and var. ochropterus, with many intermediate forms, in great abundance by sweeping in grass fields ; Lema Erichsoni (2) ; Barypeithes sulcifrons, not uncommon by sweeping under some trees bordering a marshy meadow, where I also had the good fortune to take three examples of the rare Ceuthorrhynchus angulosus on the afternoon of the 14th. At Buncrana, Co. Down, a very promising-looking spot on the shore of Lough Swilly, my chief captures were Dyschiritts impunctipeiinis, locally abundant in damp 1805.] 217 sand on tlic beach in company with a rather dark form of Bledius arenarius ; Pteroslivhus vitreus, Trechus rubens, and Pairobus assimilis, rarely under stones on high moorland ; Cillenus lateralis, sparingly ; Creophilus maxillosus, in carrion and decaying seaweed ; Bledius spectabilis and Heterocerus marginatus, common in sandy mud on the shore, the latter species varying to a handsome unicolorous dark fuscous form without any markings ; Oliorrhynchus blandus, on the sandhills, and O. rugifrous, under stones on turf walls ; Sitoties griseus, a very large form, and -S. lineellun, rarely on the sandhills, with unusually large and nearly white females of Philopedon geminatus ; Orchestes saliceti, Dorytomus hirtipennis, and D. pectoralis, sparingly on young willows. — Jajies J. Walkee, H.M.S. " Northampton," Devon- port : Aftgusl lOM, 1895. Coleoptera in KeKt during Jane. — I spent nearly the whole of June on leave of absence at Sheerness, but found beetles decidedly scarce, chiefly owing to the per- sistently dry weather which prevailed during that month. Still, I managed to add a few interesting species to my list of Coleoptera occurring in the Chatham district, which now includes nearly 1400 species, more than two-fifths of the British list. At Snodland and Cuxton I met with Taphria nivalis and Ocypus pedator, under stones on the chalk hills ; Ani-sotoma curvipes, Schmidt {ynavropus, Rye), a fine ^ , in company with A. punctulata, by sweeping in a woody lane, miles away from any fir trees ; Telephorus translucidus, sparingly in wood paths (also at Cobham Park) ; Silis rtificolUs, Malachius marginellus, Cassida equestris, Donacia affinis, and Gymnetron veronica, by sweeping in a marshy place close to Snodland ; in this spot I also found Aitoplvs roboris rather freely on young alder shoots, and obtained a good series of Ceathor rhynchus urticie by persistently working at Stachys palustris, which had not yet come into flower. These last two insects were exceedingly local, each being confined to a space of a few yards in extent. Heptaulacus villosus again turned up at Cobham Park in the precise spot where Dr. Sharp and I found it in 1889, and curiously enough, on the anniversary of that great haul of the species (cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., ser. i, vol. xxv, pp. 325, 359), but on this occasion it was in very scanty numbers. Chattenden Roughs produced, among very many other species, both forms of Lehia chloroeephala, Throscus elateroides and carinifrons, Telephorus figttratus (common), Saperda populnea in abundance on some youug aspens, Gryptdius equiseti, Liosomus oblongulus (3) ; I also found this species here in March last, in moss, along with Euryporus picipes, Dryoccetes coryll (1), &c. Cryptocephalus hipunctalus, var. lineola, occurred in profusion on some st unted hazels at Queendown Warren at the end of June, and in the same locality I took Hydnohius strigosus, Phyfctcia rylindrica, Cryptocephalus biliiieatus, Rhynchites pubescens, &c. I had one day's collecting at Deal, which was somewhat spoiled by a cool east wind, but on the banks of a ditch, at the back of the sandhills, I took no less than nine species of Donacia in a few minutes, viz., bicolora, thalassina, cinerea and affinis sparingly, and limbata, simplex, clavipes, sericea and nigra in abundance. The only beetle worth mentioning from the Isle of Sheppcy was Bruchus canus, oi which I got a small series by sweeping on the edges of the uliils.— Id. 218 [September, Byschirius obscurus, Gyll.,at Lough Neagh. — The late A. H. Haliday took this species at Lough Neagh more than forty years ago, and his specimens are now in the Science and Art Museum, Dublin. Since that time no capture of it was recorded 80 that Canon Fowler (Brit. Col., toI. i) pointed out that it would probably have to be removed from the British list. In the Ent. Mo. Mag. of January, 1893, Mr. Champion mentioned that he had seen specimens of this species from the collection of the late Dr. Boswell Syme, but they were unfortunately without locality. In the summer of 1893 I captured a single DyscTiirius at Lough Neagh which I submitted to Canon Fowler, but he felt doubtful about it, though inclined to consider it D. obscurus. Last year Mrs. Johnson found two specimens, but though I returned to the spot I could find no more. This year we were more fortunate, and succeeded in taking a good many. I submitted specimens to Dr. Sharp and Mr. Champion, and Mr. G. H. Carpenter kindly compared it with Haliday's specimens in Dublin and also forwarded it to Herr Reitter. All are agreed tliat it is D. obscurus, G-yll., though Dr. Sharp considers that it varies slightly from the continental form. I am very glad to have obtained a satisfactory number of this beetle, for I had made so many expeditions for it in vain that I began to think it must be extinct. It is extremely local, and anything but plentiful where it does occur. It was in company with Bledius subterraneus, which was much more numerous than the Dysphirius. — W. F. Johnson, Armagh : August ^st, 1895. [Mr. Johnson refers to me as pointing out that D. obscurus would probably have to be removed from the British list : this contingency is of course done away with by the confirmation of Haliday's specimens, apart from Mr. Johnson's re- discovery of the insect; at the same time it must be borne in mind that Dr. Sharp considers that it varies, even though slightly, from the continental form, and in a genus like DyscTiirius, where many of the members are extremely closely allied, slight variations are of great importance in the determination of species. The British members of the genus require careful revision and comparison with authentic continental types, and if possible, with those of the original authors. — W. W. F.]. Note on the soaring of Endromis versicolor when alarmed. — I can quite en- dorse the statement made by Mr. C. G. Barrett in his book of " British Lepidoptera " as to the habit of " soaring," when alarmed, sliown by End?-omis versicolor, a habit which my friend Mr. Holland says he has never noticed in this species {vide post page 173). Mr. Holland is so keen and close an observer, and such an excellent field naturalist, tJiat very few habits escape his notice, but that versicolor does soar when it is really alarmed I can most positively assert. My first introduction to this fine rpecies was on April 12th, 1858, at Tilgate Forest, wliere I was in company of the late Mr. Charles Tester, who had two days before captured 119 males attracted by a virgin female. We had the same female out with us that morning, but having been bred several days before, she did not attract very strongly ; the males came up, but were not drawn to the decoy female, they seemed undecided, and generally necessi- tated a chase to capture them. By sharp running I succeeded in capturing two males, and twice that morning, on striking at the moths and brushing them, tliey commenced to soar, and continued this rapid upward flight to such a heiglit that they fairly passed out of view. I was much surprised, and called my companion's attention to this (to me) unusual flight ; but he said it was quite a habit of the 18/ero taken during the Society's field meeting at Oxshott, June 29th, including Eurymene dolahraria, L., Macaria lituraia, Clerek, and Hadena pisi, L. Mr. Adkin, a yellow variety of Ematurga atomaria, L. Mr. T. W. Hall, a pupa of Se!iia sphegiformix, Fb., and a bred series of Eupilhecia valerianata, Hb. Mr. Edwards, a specimen of Papilio Sesostris, var. Xe.ttos, from South America. July 2oih, 1895.— The President in the Chair. Mr. Hall oxhibiti>d a long and variable bred series of Bianthaecia carpophaga, Bork., the larva? having been found on Lychnis vespertina ; one specimen had all the usual markings nearly obliterated, and gradations led to the opposite extreme of a specimen with the markings much extended and intensified. Mr. Robson, a var. of Smerinthus tilicB, L., without the usual dark band across the fore-wing, and an exceedingly pretty suffused form of Zonosoma pendularia, Clerek. Mr. Dennis, e 224 [September, 1895. bred series of Cosmia affinis, L., from Horsley. Mr. Turner, a series of Lycmna Mgon, Schiff., from Oxshott, showing amalgamation of spots on the under-sides, blue-splashed females, and one female undistinguishablc on the upper-side from L. Astrarche. August 8(7i, 1895. — The President in the Chair. Mr. T. W. Hall exhibited specimens of Hadena oleracea, L., in which both the reniform and orbicular stigmata were scarcely to be traced. Mr. Adkin, a series of strongly marked Eupithecia tenuiata, Hb., from Drogheda. Mr. South, a number of series of species taken near Macclesfield during the present season, including four forms of Xylophasia rurea, Fb. ; all forms of X. monoglypha, L., except the very dark Durham form ; Miana strigilis, Clerck, were all dark, not a single type form having been taken ; and two forms of Hepialus velleda, Hb., with vai-. carnus taken at different elevations : he also remarked on the absence of melanism in a district apparently favourable for it, and stated that he had only obtained one black Phigalla pedaria, Fb., a female, and one var. Doubledayaria, St., of Amphidasys hetularia, L. Mr. A. E. Hall, a specimen oi Argynnis Adippe, L., var. Cleodoxa, Och., and a remarkable Triphcena comes, Hb., with intense black markings. Mr. Moore, a speci- men of Epinepkele Janira, L., with a considerable increase of the fulvous area, and an Orthopteron of the genus Petasia from South Africa. Mr. Frohawk, a grand series of under-sides of Epinephele hyperanthus, L., showing all gradations from var. arete, Miill., to var. lanceolata. Mr. Turner, a var. of Euchelia jacobcecB, L., with a small additional spot, and other Lepidoptera. — H. J. Tuenee, Hon. Secretary. BiEMiNGHAM ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY : July 15t7i, 1895. — Mr. p. W. Abbott, Vice-President, in the Chair. Mr. R. C. Bradley referred to the fungus-killed Melanostoma scalare showed at the last Meeting ; he had sent specimens to Mr. McLachlan, who said the fungus was Empusa conglomerata, a species found in America and Germany on TipulidcB, but not hitherto found in Great Britain. A discussion following, Mr. Wainwright said he had found several lots at Sutton on grass heads and dock flowers, and one specimen on Equisetum ; he had also taken specimens on the wing, which developed the fungus on the way home. Mr. Martineau said he saw a specimen at Bridgnorth ■with the fungus well developed while the insect was on the wing. Mr. Wainwright showed Therioplectes tropicus,\a.r. hisignatus,h'Ova Sutton, together with a specimen of the type form from near Stroud. Mr. Abbott, a number of moths taken in Wyre Forest at Whitsuntide, Macroglossa bomhyliformis, Cymatophora or, ditplaris and iluctuosa, Acronycta ligustri, Tephrosia extersaria, Asthena Blomeri, and others. Mr. G. H. Kenriok, Hadena genistce from Kings wood, also Nola cristulalis, Mela- nippe hastata, Alacroglossa bomhyliformis, and other Lepidoptera from Coombe Wood, near Coventry. Mr. Martineau showed Chelostoma florisomne, Hippohosca equina, and other insects taken in the New Forest at Whitsuntide by Mr. Chase. Mr. Bradley, Uelophilus transfugus &nd frtttet or um from Sutton Park, and remarked upon the unusual abundance of the genus there this year ; he had taken good series of both the above, while before he had never taken transfugus and only a few frutetorum. — Colbkan J. Wain weight, lion Secretary. October. 18it5. 1 225 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON INCREASING MELANISM IN BRITISH OEOMETRIDJi. BY THE LATK W. H. TUGWELL. In the London district Ennomos angulauia frequently occurs very dark indeed, not black, but of an unicolorous sooty-brown, a very striking variation from the ordinary type. This form was I believe first found in Hyde Park. Ntssia hispidaeia. — This species shows a most decided tendency to become melanic. In 1888 I bred a long series from Richmond Park parents, and fully fifty per cent, were of a decided melanic type, both males and females ; fully as dark as any of the Yorkshire P.piJosaria, in fact, about the same tone of colour as this species from Shipley, spoken of as black, the colour being sooty. Hemeeophila abeuptaeia. — This species in the London district is occasionally found quite black. BoAEMiA ABiETAEiA. — Amongst the dark yew trees on Boxhill and Mickleham Downs, where this species is fairly common, the dark and black type is quite the form of the district, in fact, you rarely breed but this melanic type. The red coloured specimens are rarely or never seen there now. These black insects are extremely delicate, the slightest rub denudes their scales and spoils the beauty of the specimens for the cabinet. Tepheosia punctulata. — I possess a melanic specimen of this species, given me by the late Mr. Thomas, of Eotherham, Yorkshire. Yenusia cambbica. — I possess three fine specimens of the melanic form of this insect ; they were taken at Eotherham, York- shire, and presented to me by the late Mr. Chas. Thomas, of Eastwood Vale. Evidently this form is very rare, as Mr. Porritt tells me he has not been able to obtain it as yet in Yorkshire, so 1 may congratulate myself on possessing three quite perfect examples. Htbebnia leucopheaeia. — Of this most variable species, so common in Eichmond Park, perfectly black specimens are to be ob- tained not unfrequeutly. They occur of every possible shade, from the deepest black and all tones down to pale grey. The black and white banded form is much more striking in appearance, and more readily detected on the dark bark of the old oak trees, and so perchance the quite black form the more often escapes detection, as it is easily overlooked. IStee:sia cLATiiuATA. — This pretty species, which in the type is T 226 [October, beautifully latticed witt brown on a white or cream-coloured ground, I have as practically a black insect, only sparsely spotted with white dots. This form occurs occasionally in the district of Basingstoke. Larentia multisteigaeia. — A melanic form of this occurs sparingly in Aberdeenshire. EupiTHECiA castigata. — A black form of this species occurs commonly at Paisley, and was a puzzle for several years, and called the "Paisley pug." EupiTHECiA ALBiPUNCTA, var. ANGELICATA. — This black form is not rare near York. EUPITHECIA EECTANGULATA, Var. NIGEOSERICEATA. — This black variety is quite the ordinary condition in the London district. We rarely see the green form now. Greenwich : September, 1895. DESCEIPTION OF THE LAEVA OF BOARMIA CONSORTARIA. BY O. T. POREITT, F.L.S. Another Geometer which came commonly to sugar, but not so abundantly as did TepTirosia extersaria, during the expedition of Mr. W. H. Tugwell and myself to Abbott's Wood, Sussex, in June, 1892 (see Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxi, p. 65), was Boarmia consortaria. Eggs deposited by some of the specimens taken were bright green, and small for so large a moth. They hatched June 24th, and fed well on oak, birch, and sallow, some of them being almost full grown by August 3rd, when I described them as follows : — Length, about an inch and three-quarters, and slender in proportion ; head, slightly narrower than [the second segment, notched, but not deeply so, on the crown, the lobes rounded at the sides, but flattened in front, giving the face a flat appearance. Body cylindrical, of fairly uniform width, but swollen a little towards both extremities ; on the 6th segment are two prominent humps ; two other, but much smaller, humps on the 12th segment ; and still two more small ones, pointing horizontally, at the extreme tip of the 13th segment; skin smooth, but with a slightly wrinkled appearance. The colour varies extremely in different specimens, but the variations are mostly among the brown forms. Var. I has the ground-colour a pale glaucous-green, and through it the alimen- tary canal can be distinctly seen, and forms a darker green dorsal line ; head yellow, but almost covered with pale brown marbling ; the mandibles and a few small dots at the bottom of the side of each lobe, very dark brown ; the humps on the 6th seg- ment chocolate-brown, the smaller ones on the 12th segment paler brown ; spiracles 1895.] 227 largo and distinct, white, encircled with very dark brown. Ventral area of the same colour as the dorsal surface, but having a pale pinkish stripe extending longitudinally through its centre ; the legs marbled with pale brown like the liead, anal segment and prologs yellowish-brown, the extreme bases of the latter dark chocolate-brown. Judging from my larva) reared from several batches of eggs, this is the least common form. Var. II has the ground-colour brown, yellowish, or greyish, strongly marked or marbled with dark brown or red-brown ; the top of the head in those forms having a pale yellow streak, edged above with very dark brown or black, and the head generally being much darker brown than in Var. I ; the warty humps on the 6th and 12th segments are dark chocolate-brown, the tips in some examples being red ; spiracles pale, encircled with very dark brown or black. The ventral surface par- takes of the colouring and marbling of the dorsal area, but the broad central stripe is much more conspicuous than in Var. I ; in some cases it is ochroous-brown, with smoky edging throughout its length ; in others, generally the darkest larvse, the ochreous is interrupted at intervals with patches of darker colouring. The legs and prologs vary so much in the amount and position of the brown on them, that to describe any of them in detail would probably be misleading, so far as concerns the determination of casually captured larvae. Feeds on oak and birch, and in captivity also well on sallow. By August 23rd nearly all the larvae had disappeared below the surface of the ground, and the moths, a very fine sei'ies, emerged from May IGth to nearly the end of July following. Crosland Ilall, Huddorsfield : September 12th, 1895. . ABUNDANCE OF CULEX DOESALIS* Mo., AT ALDEBURGH. BY A. PIFFAED. One of the peculiarities of this pretty seaside town, which never fails to engage the attention of summer visitors, is the presence iu vast numbers of a small species of gnat, which is always busy in doors and out of doors, in shade and even in bright sunshine, in inflicting a bite which has such a virulent effect on those unacclimatized, that but few hours elapse before each new arrival has the " mark of the beast " set on him. The species is known by the inhabitants as the " Norway Mosquito," and I ascertained on enquiry that it had been abundant for at any rate the last 25 years. A tradition generally accepted here assigns its introduction to a particular yacht which used to ply between this port and Norway. Curious to know if there was any probability of truth iu this story, I submitted a few specimens to my friend Mr. Austen, * CuUx dortalU is iucludud iu Mr. Vorrall's List uf "Reputed liritisli Species." T -' 228 (October, of the British Museum, who kindly identified the species for me, and besides furnishing me with an account of all that is known of it, has supplied an admirable description of the characters of the insect, which I feel sure you will deem too valuable to let pass unrecorded, Aldeburgh, Suffolk : August 17 th, 1895. CULEX DORSALIS, Mo. BT E. E. AUSTEN. This species maj readily be distinguished by the fact that the joints of the tarsi are shining yellowish-white at the tip as well as at the base. The abdomen is yellowisli-white, with a pair of somewhat quadrangular black spots on each segment, sometimes indistinct at the tip, and leaving transverse bands on each segment and a narrow central line yellowish-white. The thorax is badly described by Schiner (Fauna Austriaca, Diptera, vol. ii, p. 62fi) ; in the ? , at any rate, it is dark brown, thickly clothed above with short close-lying pile of a tawny hue, becoming whitish- yellow behind, owing to the junction of a pair of somewhat divergent narrow stripes of the same colour which run from the front to the hind margin. The anterior margin of the dorsum of the thorax is narrowly whitish-yellow in the centre, while the head is clothed with pile of a similar colour, with a narrow tawny spot on each side above. The bright-coloured thorax with its paler stripes, the chequered abdo- men, and the banded tarsi, make this an exceedingly pretty little species. Its length is about 5 mm. As to its distribution, the species was described by Meigen (Syst, Beschr., vi, p. 242, 1830) from a ? specimen from the neighbourhood of Berlin. Walker (List Dipt. Ins. in Coll. Brit. Mus., i, p. 3, 1848) mentions a single specimen from " England. From Mr. Walker's collection." This specimen (a ? ) is still in the General Collection of Diptera in the British Museum (Natural History). In vol. iii of his Insecta Britannica, Diptera (1856), however, Walker does not mention the species. Zetterstedt (Dipt. Scand., ix, p. 3465, 1850) writes — "Found here and there in Southern Scandinavia in the months of June and September ; I have met with it sparingly at Lund and Lomma in Sweden ; in Denmark it has been taken not infrequently by Herr Stseger at Copenhagen. In the month of August Staegar found the larvae in very great abundance in lagoons {lacunis littoralihus) in the Isle of Amager (on which Copenhagen is partly situated). In Central and Northern Scandinavia this species has not yet been ob- served, so far as I am aware, with the exception of a single $ , taken on June 16th, 1849, by Herr Siebke in Toien, near Christiania, Norway, and forwarded to me." Schiner {loc. cit.) merely states that the 1895.] 229 species is "somewhat rare." Van der Wulp (Diptera Neerlandica, Eerste Deel, 1877, p. 325) also says that it " appears to be rare," adding that the ? has been taken in August at Brummen, near Zutphen, and in the dunes near Vogelenzang, not far from Haarlem. British Museum (Natural History) : Auffust 16tk, 1895. NOTES ON COCCIDS FROM KENT. BY E. ERNEST GKEEN, F.E.S. DiASPis Eos^, Bouche. In a note on this insect, published in the Ent. Mo. Mag., June, 1887, it is intimated that the species is somewhat rare in England. In reply to a query on the subject, Mr. J. AV. Douglas informs me that he has had no notice of its occurrence since the date of that article. I have, however, received specimens from Mr. R. Newstead, taken at Chester in 1892. Its appearance this year in the Maidstone district may be worthy of notice. I find a large colony of the insects located on the stems of a wild rose tree in a garden at Bearsted, and another colony on a cultivated rose (^Gloire de Dijon) trained against a wall in the same garden. In each case the scales are principally confined to the old stems. The ? scales contained, in July and August, adult insects of the normal form (fig. 1) and numerous eggs. In the speci- mens under examination the median pair of pygidial lobes only are conspicuous, the others being almost completely concealed within the margin of the body. 1 find the ^"^ *' number of orifices in the grouped glands to vary considerably in different specimens ; nor are they generally symmetrical. The formulae for six specimens examined are as follows, viz. : — (.% 30) (l8 22) (3.5 40) (32 29) (24 25) (27 29) \40 27/ \14 2C/ \3fi 35/ \29 29/ \25 26/ \25 28/ Other six specimens from Chester give the following numbers : — (24 17) (24 22) (21 27) (24 25) (.34 30 ) (23 26) \28 24/ \26 2"/ \27 24/ \30 30/ VSO 20/ \26 24' The lateral groups are almost continuous ; but the divisions can be determined by following the contour lines that enclose each group. 230 [October, ^•sU />/<^ The ^ scales .ire strongly tricarinate (fig. 1«). The adult males appeared in August. They are of the normal Diaspid form ; body ra- ther slender ; colour bright orange-red. The terminal joint of the antenna (fig. W) bears a stoutish knobbed hair at its apex. The feet (fig. le) have three knobbed digitules only, two on tarsus and one on claw. An examination of the $ scales shows them, where not distorted by overcrowding, to be almost Chionaspiform. The pellicles are on the extreme edge, and the first pellicle very frequently projects beyond the margin (fig. \d). In this respect (the position of the pellicles) I see little difference between Diaspis rosce and Chionaspis biclavis, Comstock ; nor does the form of the (J scale help us. In both genera they are of the same form, viz., white and tricarinate. The same peculiarity of form of the (J scale may often be noticed in Diaspis Janata, Morg. & Ckll., in the early adult stage. In specimens of D. rosce sent to me by Mr. Maskell from New Zealand, the pellicles are in every case central and mucb darker coloured than in our English examples. AspiDioTTJs zoNATUS, Frauenf. This insect is fairly common here on isolated oaks in pasture land. The (J scales may be found singly or in small groups on the under-surface of the leaves. The ? scales of the second stage are clustered on the terminal branchlets at the base of the new year's growth and sheltered by the dry bud-scales. The mature ? scales are found on the older branches, but not in any quantity ; and at this time of the year most of them seem to have been eaten out, possibly by some Coccinellid beetle. In this stage they are extremely difiicult to detect, being covered by the dark smoky deposit that settles upon the bark. The whitish scars left by the fallen scales will sometimes show the locality of a colony of the insects. The minute winged males (fig. 2) made their appearance at the end of August and early part of September. Their colour, bright clear yellow, with jet-black apodema, the mesothoracic plates with 1S95. 1 231 iV '^■i> h- ?■ brownish margins, legs and antennae colourless. There is a prominent colourless ocellus on each side of the head, besides the four large black eyes. Feet with four knobbed digitules (fig, 2a), Terminal joint of antenna with bhree long knobbed hairs (fig. 2&) , one at apex and two near the base. Total length. If", of which the genital spike occupies I'". The black apodema is a striking feature in this insect, and doubtless suggested the name of the species ; for Frauenfeld's description was made from the male insect only. AsteeolecaNiitm quercicola, Bouche. This pretty little Coccid is also common on the oak branchlets. The ? of second stage I find in the same situation as that of Asp. zonatus. In this stage the colour of the test is yellowish-brown, or it may be better described by the tint known to water colourists as " brown-pink." There are on the dorsal surface of the test five longitudinal series of detached thin waxy plates (fig. 3), representing possibly the early larval test, which has become fissured along the lines of growth, and the parts separated by the se- cretion of fresh material. The colourless glassy fringe can only be seen in its entirety in this stage. The older females occupy shallow depressions in the bark, as does their near ally, Planchonia ventricosa of Maskell. I have been unable to find the males or male scales of this species. hi-i Lecakium ole.^, Bernard. I have found this species in considerable numbers upon an oleander plant in Yaldiug, Kent. The plant in question is kept in a 232 [October, conservatory during the winter, but bedded out in summer. The insects have been noticed upon the plant for several years. Signoret places this species in his fifth series of Lecanium, to- gether with L. ct/cadis, L. depressum and L. testudo. It agrees with depressum in having large polygonal dermal cells (fig. 4), as may be well seen in specimens that have been boiled for some time in caustic ^7«^ h l4-t> J^- potash ; whereas unmacerated or insufficiently treated specimens will show only the large oval nuclei (fig. 4«). The marginal hairs are simple, with bulbous bases. The three stigmatic spines are sharply pointed, the median one about three times as long as the others (fig. 45). MiMICET OF COCCID SCALE BY A LEAF MINER. While hunting for scales of Aspidiotus zonatus on oak, I came across numerous specimens of what I supposed to be a small species of Chionaspis on the under-surface of the leaves. There was a minute pellicle at the narrow anterior extremity ; a suggestion of a second pellicle ; and a delicate greyish scale widening behind (fig. 5). I was congratulating myself upon the discovery of Comstock's Chio- naspis quercus in England, and confidently expected to find the single undivided median lobe peculiar to that species ; but, ^/■■^ upon dissection, instead of a female Chionaspis,hene&th the supposed Coccid scale was a minute caterpillar. In fact, my imaginary Chionaspis proved to be the work of the mining 233 larva of one of the Micro-Lepidoptera* The terminal pellicle resolved itself iuto the empty egg-shell vacated by the caterpillar ; the separated cuticle of the leaf formed the greyish scale, and the collection o£ frass near the anterior extremity suggested a concealed second pellicle. The mimicry was complete, though doubtless unconscious and acci- dental. Bearsted, Kent : September, 1895. OBSERVATIONS ON COCCID.E (No. 13). BY R. NEWSTEAD, F.E.S., CUBATOH OF THE OROSVENOB MUSEUM, CUESTER. Chionaspis bilobis, n. sp. ? adult dull crimson (after death). After treatment with caustic potash, black ; but on examination with transmitted light, blue-black : this colour is appa- rently due to ova contained in the body, as older individuals without ova were rendered almost transparent in the potash. More or less pyriforni, narrowed in front. The pygidium (fig.) has the five groups of spinnerets distinctly separated ; the an- terior of 10 ; the anterior laterals of 14 ; the posterior laterals 10 to 15. Median lobes contiguous, much smaller than second pair ; the latter, the largest, are united to the third pair. There are two short plates between the first and second pairs of lobes ; and following tlie third lobe are two more, and beyond tliem several others. Pro- jecting a little beyond the third lobe are two very slender spines. Within the margin are several scattered pores. Scale of the ? pure white, more or less pyriform, suddenly widened immediately behind the second moult ; or elongated witli sides parallel ; very convex ; larval and second moult yellowish, or frequently pure white. Long, 1"5, wide, "75 mm. Scale of the unctulatum, and better still, three specimens of the local Notiophilus rufipes. By sweeping in the meadows on the cliffs here some interesting things turned up, such as (Edemera ccerulea (a pair), Corymbites metallicus and pectinicornis, with Lacon murinus, and in flowers of Cynoglossum a very interesting Longiiarsus, most probably distinguendus. My friend Mr. S. Pegler, of Retford, has also taken Bembidium fluviatile at Crow Park, on the Notts, side of the river, and nitidulum, Marsh., abundantly at Grove. He took also (Edemera coerulea in Clumber Park ; and more strange still, came upon a colony of Broscus in sandy ground near Retford Station. It will be worth while to record as having occurred in my own village this year, Aphodius sticticus in April commonly, and a single specimen of Tanymecus swept in July. — Alfred Thobnley, South Leverton Vicarage, Lincoln : September 5th, 1895. Boreus hiemalis at Clova. — On April 5th, 1895, whilst staying at Clova, I found several insects on the snow between the hotel and Loch Wharral, at 1500 — 2000 feet. Among them is a specimen which Dr. Sharp has identified as Boreus hiemalis ? . — J. C. Willis, Cambridge : August, 1895. [It seems to me an age since I last heard of the capture of this curious Panorpid iu Britain. The late date is of course due to latitude and altitude. — R. McL.]. 1M05.) 2-il Deilephila livornica at Dover. — Upon raising a fallen volume on a bookshelf last week a fine female of this species was found beneath it, dead but still limp, the only injury being a slight mark on the thorax. It has been kindly added to my collection by Mr. Fenn of this town, who was the fortunate captor.— Sydney Webb, Dover: September 14th, 1895. EucheJia jacobfBCB in Roxburghshire. — As I have not heard of the Cinnabar moth having been before observed in Roxburghshire, it may be worth noting that on June Ist last one of the gamekeepers here handed me in a fine S specimen of Euchelia jacobcBCB. He first observed it on the wing, and following it till it settled, captured it. It is a very large sized specimen, larger than any of a series I have from the coast. Much of the soil here is of a dry sandy loam, with no want of ragwort, which may partly account for its appearance. — A. Elliot, Caverton, Roxburgh, N.B. : August 21th, 1895. Agrotis prcecox away from the coast. — On the 2l8t instant I took up here, 1050 feet above sea-level, six miles as the crow flies from any salt water, and still further from any sandhills, an Agrotis prcEcox at light. This is, I think, a very unusual occurrence. The house overlooks miles of heather and bog land. — C. E. Paeteidoe, Farehynys, Dolgelly : August 24trictions on the distribution of Entomological specimens 29 Orange Gai'den, In an old ... . .. ... .. .. l;j Otiorrhynclius auropuiictatus, Gyll. : an additiou to the Brilisli Li>t . i:VA PAGK Oxyethira tristella, n. sp. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 168 Perlidffi, Early 121 Phorodesma smaragdaria, A hunt for ... ... ... ... ... 54,94,119 Phosphaenus hemipterua near Southampton ... ... ... ... ... 195 Pieris Daplidice in Staffordshire .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 143 Pin Forceps ... ,.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 78 Pins, Entomological... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 29 Platydema asynimetricum and its allies ... ... ... ... ... ... 47 Plume Moths in New Zealand ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 241 Plusia moneta at Norwich ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 195 Pogonus luridipennis, &e., at Sheerness ... ... ... ... ... ... 282 Poly porus betulin us as a material for mounting small insects ... ... ... 184 Prenolepis vividula : an introduced ant new to Britain... ... . . ... 132 Pre-occupied generic names in Entomology, 26 ; Lepidoptera, 72 ; Micro- Lepidoptera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 Preparatory stages of insects, j4 protest against giving names to the ... ... 189 Psamniobius porcicollis, III. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 266 Psilota atra, Fin., Didea intermedia, Lw., as British Insects ... ... ... 267 Psyche villosella, Further notes on ... ... ... ... ... 60,97 Psychodidse, Supplement to a Synopsis of British ... ... ... 208, 245 Pteromalus, Note on tlie transformations of a ... ... ... ... ... 253 Pyrameis cardui in California, A migration of, 143 ; the flight of, 120 ; Cal- lirJioe : correction of an error ... ... ... ... ... ... 143 Pyrrhosoma minium, Harris, On exceptional oviposition in ... ... ... 180 Relaxing and setting insects ... ... ... ... ... ... 21,45 Reviews : — " Butterflies and Moths (British) :" by W. Furneaux, 29 ; " No- menclator Coleopterologicus :" by von Sigm. Schenkling, 30 ; " The Coleoptera of Baja California :" by G. H. Horn, 52 ; " The Cabbage Root Maggot :" by M. V. Slingerland, 78 ; " A Handbook of British Macro-Lepidoptera :" by Bertram G. Rye, 78 ; " Die Kafer von Mitteleuropa : by Ludwig Gangl- baur ;" " Sixteenth Report of the State Entomologist on the Noxious and Beneficial Insects of the State of Illinois :" by S. A. Forbes, 146 ; " A Manual for the Study of Insects :" by John Henry Comstock and Anna Batsford Corastock, 146 ; " Synoptical List of Cnccidse from Australia and Pacific Islands, and further Coccid Notes :" both by W. M. Maskell, 222 ; " The Natural History of Aquatic Insects:" by Prof. L. C. Miall, F.R.S., illustrations by A. R. Hammond, F.L.S., 222 ; " Ab- stract of Proceedings of the South London Entomological Society for the Year 1894," 223 ; " A Handbook of British Lepidoptera :" by E. Meyrick, B.A., F.Z.S., 283 ; " The Book of British Hawk Moths :" by W. J. Lucas, B.A., 286 ; " Frail Children of the Air :" by S. H. Scudder, F.E.S., 286 ; " The Butterflies of North America:" by W. H. Edwards ... 286 Rhenish Prussia, Neuropterous fauna of, 109 ; Ten days' collecting in ... 140 Salda Muelleri, Gmel. : an addition to the list of British Hemiptera, with notes on allied species ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 236 Saturnia carpini, Habits of fliglit in, 173 ; pavouia near Dublin, Black variety of the larva of * ... 119 PAGB Sciopterjx consobrimis, Klug : an addition to the British Teiitliredinidne ... 24 Scoparia basistrigalis, Knaggs, Remarks on, 273 ; truncicolella, Stn., Remark- able variety of ... .. .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 49 Scybalieus oblongiuseulus, Dej., in the Isle of Purbeck ... ... ... ... 74 Scymnus pulchellus ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 75,174 Season of 1894, Disappointing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 " Sericoris ingratana " cum ceteris paribus ... ... ... ... ... 161 Shetlands and Orkneys, Lepidoptera in .. ... ... ... ... ... 1 Societies: — Birmingham Entomological Society, 54, 79, 101, 147, 197, 224, 243, 287 ; Entomological Society of London, 31, 56, 80, 102, 123, 149, 175, 272, 290; Lancashire and Cheshire Entomolo- gical Society, 31, 54, 79. 101 ; South London Entomological, &c.. Society, 55, 79, 101, 123, 148, 197, 223, 244, 271 288 Solenobia triquetrella, British locality for so-called, 219 ; Wockii, Heinm., in Britain, Occurrence of . . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 163 Sphecodes rubicundus, v. Hag., 258; and other bees near Dover ... ... 256 Sphinx convolvuli at Dover, 268 ; in Dorset ... ... ... ... ... 280 Stauropus fagi. The first larval stage of ... ... ... ... ... ... 274 Steganoptycha pygmseana, Hb., at Merton (Norfolk), Notes on the occurrence of 105 Stenocephalus agilis. Scop. : an aberrant ? form... ... ... ... ... 76 Stenophylax concentricus, Auct. (nee Zett.), renamed S. permistus ... ... 139 Stornoway, N. B., Coleoptera at ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 182 Sugaring meadows, moors, mountain sides, &c.. Method of ... ... ... 77 Tenerife, Notes on some Butterflies of (Part I), 43 ; (Part II) 87 Tenthredinidse, Sciopteryx consobrinus, Klug: an addition to the British ... 24 Tephrosia extersaria, Description of the larva of, 65 ; Notes on the larva, &c .. 81 Teras contaminana : an unexpected apricot pest ... ... ... ... ... 278 Thermobia domestica (furnorum). An overlooked record of, in Britain ... 75 Tinea pallescentella. Notes on, 96 ; vinculella, H.-S., Occurrence of, at Port- land, with notes on its life history ... ... ... . . ... ... 61 Tineidse ?, Are the antennae of the pupa free in the family ... ... ... 86 Tipula, Fungoid disease of .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 215 Tortoise, Note on an American, and the Coleoptera that follow it ... ... 27 Tortrix piceana, L. : an imago with a larval head ... ... ... ... 177 Vesperoctenus, Bates, and its systematic position ... . . ... ... 22 Wax secreted by Lepidoptera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 251 West Sutherland, Lepidoptera in ... .. ... ... ... ... ... 1 AVhite, Proposed Memorial to the late Dr. F. Buchanan ... ... ... 47 Xanthia ocellaris, Borkh., Another British example of, 50; in Suffolk, 279 ; in Sussex ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 94 Xylina Zinckenii in Suffolk ... .. ... ... ... ... ... 279 Yorkshire, Rare Hydradephaga near West Ayton ... ... ... ... 100 SPECIAL INDEX. COLEOPTERA. PAGE Abdera bifasciata 194 Acidota cruentata 174 Agabus tarsatus 100 Agavicophagus ceplialotes 264 Alphitophagus bifasciatus, quadripustu- latus 283 Amara alpina, 265 ; infima 264 Anaspis ruficollis, &c 207 Anisotoma curvipes, 217 ; nigrita, 34 ; Triepkei 48,264 Anobium denticolle 193 Anoplodera sexguttata 142, 193, 194, 216 Aiithaxia nitidula 192,194,216 Antliicus Wollastoni 75 Aiithrenvs pirapinella' 281 Beinbidium fluviatile, stomoides, 240; virens 263 Caenoscelis ferruginea, pallida 174 Callidium variabile 194, 216 Calliihipis 22 Calosoma inquisitor 194 Carabus arveusis, 194; cancellatus, 265; clathratus, 183; nitens 194 Ceutliorrhynchidius Crotchi 194 Ceuthorrhj'nchus angulosus, 216 ; ur- ticse 217 Chiysomela staph\'laBa, V. Shaipi 184 Cicindela germanica 99 Cissophagus hederae 75 Cleonus nebulosus 143, 265 Colon angulare 264 Colydium elongatum 194 Corymbites bipustulatus, 193, 194 ; nie- tallicus 240 Deleaster dichrous 142, 174 Dromius vectensis 99 Dyschirius obscurus 34, 218 Elater pomoniB, 99 ; pomorura, sanguino- lentus 142 Epursea decemguttata 194 Erirhinus aethiops 33 Euplectus Karsteni 49 Euryporus picipes 217 Gymnusa brevicollis 192 PAGE Havpalus discoideus, 99, 264; obscurus, 282; ruficornis, 283 ; tenebrosus...99, 266 Helophovus tuberculatus 174 Helops pallidus 48 Heptaulacus villosus 217 Hister niponicus (sp. n.), Lewis 188 Hololepta arcuata (sp. n.), Lewis 186 Homalota perexigna, 49 ; hypogeea, &c.... 47 Hydroporus discretus, 100; ferrugineus, 99; incognitus, 100; marginatus, 122, 175 ; oblongus 100 Hypiioidus 93 Ischnomera sauguinicollis 194 Ithaca janthina 28 Lema Evichsoni 216 Leptura scutellata 194 Liparus germanus 75 Meligethes exilis 48 Mesosa nubila 194 Microrrhagus pygmseus 216 Molorchus minor 175 Monotonia rufa, &c 141 Mordellistena brunnea 75, 265 Myrmedonia collaris 174 Nebria complanata 48 Necropborus interruptus 75, 99 Notolister 5-striatus (sp. n.), Lewis, 187; sulcicollis (sp. n.), Lewis 187 Oberea oculata 142 Ochthebius Lejolisi 181 Ocypus pedator 99, 217 Onthophagus polyphemi 28 Orobitis cyaneus 282 Otiorrhyuchus auropunctatus 181 Pelophila borealis 33 Philontbus gopheri 28 Phosphasnus bemipterus 195 Phytoecia cylindrica 217 Platydema asymmetricum 47 Plegaderus dissectus 194 Pogonus luridipennis 282 PsaTnmobius porcicollis 266 Rhinonciis bruchoides 265 Scybalicus oblongiusculus 74 Si-ymnus pulchellus 76, 174 PAGE Silusii rubigiiiosa 264 Sitone-i cambricus, V. cinerasceiis 216 Spodochlarays Poultoni (sp. n.), Shipp 116 Tachinus elongatus 99 Tachypus formosus 99 Telephovus Darwinianus 184 Throscus caiinifrons, elateroides 217 Tillus elongatus 194 Tiresias serra 281 Trechus rubens 217 Triballus pluristriatus (sp. n.), Lewis ... 189 Tychius 5-punctatus 99 Vesperoctenus 22 Vesperus 22 DIPTERA. Actora aistuum 51 Alophora bemiptera 51 Arctopbila mussitans 51 Atylotus fulvus 116 Bombylius major 144 Bracbyopa bicolor 51, 115 Calliceia ajnea 115, 240 Cheilusia cbrysocoma, flavicovnis, grossa, sovor 51 Conops ceriiformis, vesicularis 115 Criorrhina asilica, 51 ; ruficauda 114 Culex dorsalis 227, 228 Diastata basalis, fumipennis, nigripennis, notata, 169 ; unipunctata 170 Didea ahieti, 51; fasciata, 113, 280; in- teimedia 113,267 Dioctria flavipcs, Reiuhardi 51 Doros conopseus 114 Echinomyia ferox, grossa, 51 ; ursina, 51, 14i Kristalis crypt.irum, rupium 114 Hylemyia festiva 267 Idioptera pulchella 52 Laphria marginata 52 Lasioposton cinctus 116 Limnobia bit'asciata 52 Liogma glabrata 62 Mallota eristaloides 114 Mibmostoma byalinatus, 113, 246; sca- lare 178,215,216 Merodon equestris 114, 280 Jlyiolepta luteola 114 Orthoneura elegaiis, nobilis 51 Painponeunis gcrmanicus 52 PAGB Pelecocera tricincta ... 51, 113 Pericoma cognata, 247 ; compta, extri- cata, 248 ; gracilis, mutua, 247 ; nu- bila, 249; palustris, 246 ; trivialis ... 250 Platychirus peltatus 51 Pocota apiformis 51, 115 Psilota atra 113, 267 Spilomyia speciosa 115 Syrpbus eucbromus, 113; lineola, nitidi- collis, triangulifera, 51 ; tricinctus, 113,280; vittiger 51 Ulomyia fuliginosa 211 Xipbura atrata 52 Xylota abiens, flava, lenta, segnis, syl- varum 51 HEMIPTERA. Aepopbilus Bonnairii 135,144 Aleurodes brassicae, 69, 97; carpini, 117; proletella 69 Aspidiotus zonatus 85, 230 Asterodiaspis quercicola 85, 231 Astlienidia sinuaticollis (sp. n). Reuter ... 171 Capsus laniarius 238 Cbartoscirtacincta; Cocksii; elegantula... 238 Chiloxanthus (subg. n.) pilosius 238 Chionaspis bilobis (sp. n.), Newstead, 233 ; uerii (sp. n.), Newstead 234 Chorosoma Schillingi 282 Cicadetta inontana 194 Cyrtorbinus caricis 98 Dactylopius hibernicus (sp. n.), Newstead, 167; radicum (sp. n.), Newstead 235 Diaspis rosEB 229 Freuchia semiocculta 222 Gerris paludura 194 Gnatboconus picipes 282 Lasiocbilus assiuiensis (sp. n.), Reuter .. 170 Lasiellidea (g. ii.), Reuter; glaberrima (sp. n.), Reuter 172 Locanium Douglasi (sp. n.), Sulc, 37 ; genevense, 85 ; olene 231 Licbtensia Eatoni (sp. n.), Newstead, 166; viburni 165 Macrolopbus nubihis 98 Metatropis rufescens 194 Mytilaspis pomorum 85 Odontoscelis fuliginosa 282 Oplobates (g. n.), Reuter, 170; fenioralis (>p. n.), Reuter 171 PAGE Ortbezia insignis, (J 137 Orthotylus diaphanus 98 Phy tocoris populi, 97 ; Reuteri 98 Ploiaria vagabunda 97 Psallas Rotermundi 98 Ripersia terrestris (sp. n.), Newstead 213 Salda pahistris, 237 ; pilosa 238 Sciodopterus littoralis ; morio ; Muelleri.. 237 Scolopostethus neglectus 97 Stenocephalus agilis 76 HYMENOPTERA. Andrena ambigua (sp. n.), Perkins 39, 98 Aiidricus araenti, 205 ; glandulaj, 206 ; Malpighii, 205 ; ramuli, 207 ; soli- tarius 206 Bombus Cullumanns, 35 ; nivalis 36 Crabro gonager, Panzeri 122 Dasypoda cingulata, Fatoni 160 Eulopbus euedoreschus 207 Halictus angusticeps (sp. n.), Perkins ... 39 Ibalia cultellator 27 Neuroterus albipes, aprilinus, lenticularis, Scblecbtendali, tricolor, vesicatrix ... 206 Nomada bifida 98 Pern phredon morio 281 Prenolepis vividula 132 Pteromalus tibialis 206 Sciopteryx consobrinus 24 Sphecodes rubicundus 256, 258 Synergus albipes, radiatus 206 Torymus auratus 206 LEPIDOPTERA. Abraxas grossulariata 70 Acherontia Atropos 126 Acidalia fumata, 2 ; perochraria 141 Adela rufimitrella, 25 ; Sulzella 196 Agdistis Beiinettii 128 Agrotis prsecox, 241 ; porpbyrea 2,7 Amblyptilia acanthodactyla, cosmodac- tyla 128 Ampbidasys betularia 201, 242 Anacanipsis vorticella 129 Ancbocelis lunosa 27 Ancylis diminutana I'^l Anusia Plexippus 14 PAGE Antispila Rivillei 191 Apamea ophiogratnma 25, 34 Aphomia sociella 72,95,96 Aplecta tincta 2 Arg)'nnis Aglaia 4 Argyresthia dilectella 196 Argyrolepia Baumauniana, sub-Bauman- niana, 195; zephyrana 128 Asycbna seratella 132 Boarmia abietaria, 202, 219, 225 ; cinc- taria, 205 ; consortaria, 205, 226 ; repandata, 203 ; roboraria 204 Bombyx pini 179 Boty s asinalis 128 Bryophila glandifera lv!7 Butali.s incongruella 196 Capila Jayadeva, Moorei 91 Caradrina cubicularis 2,5 Catocala fraxini, sponsa 267 Catoptria ulicetana 158 Cerastis spadicea, vaccinii 128 Cerura vinula 124 Cbaraxes Sempronius 14 Chauliodus daucellus 130 Cheimatobia boreata 131 Chilo pbragmitellus 195 Chcerocampa celerio 241 Chrysophanus Plilaeas 87 Cidaria psittacata 127 Cleora glabraria, 205 ; lichenaria 127 Cnetbocampa processionea 179 Coenonympha Typhon 4 Coleophora adjunctella, 130 ; bioolorella, 196 ; conyzse, 130 ; deauratella, 25, 130 ; Fabriciella, obtusella, ochreella, 130 ; viminetella 25 Colias Edusa, 88, 126, 173, 219, 268; Electra, 89; Hyale 89,173 Coremia inunitata 6, 8 Coriscium Brongniardellum 196 Corycia tarainata 268 Cosraia pyralina 60 Cosmopteryx Schmidtiella 130 Crambus margaritellus 25 Crymodes exulis 7,9,11 Cymatopbora duplaris, 2, 279 ; flavicornis, 25, 120; or 279 Dasycanipa rubigiiiea 128,220 Uepressaria ciliella, 25 ; nanatella, pul- cberriniella 129 DiantluBcia carpDpliajiu, 223 ; coiispersa .. lO Dichelia Grotiana 120,195 Dichrorampha alpestrana, 280 ; plumbag- ana, 166; plumbana, 155; quaestion- ana, senectana 129 Dicranura bicuspis 219 Diloba cEeruleocephala 25 Diplodoma marginepunctella 129 Kbulea stachydalis 128 Elachista atricomella, 130; ceiusella...l34', 196 Emmelesia albulata 4 Eiuj-dia cribruiu 142 Kndiomis versicolora 50, 173, 218 Ennychia cingulata 128 Ephippiphora ravulana 25 Epunda lutulenta 267 Erebia sethiops 141 Erioiiota ocbroleuca, 92 ; thrax 93 Euchelia jacobaiaj 241 Eupithecia all>ipunctata, castigata, 226 ; constrictata, 127; rectaiigulata, 226 ; subciliata, 127 ; togata, 279 ; veno- sata 10 Eupoecilia ciliella, 25 ; flaviciliana, 195 ; Geyeriana, 131 ; pallidana 129 Fuinea betulina 275 Galaiithia graiidipeiiuis, senescens, vaii- ella 130 Gelechia aethiops, arundiuetella, 196; geni- niella, 159, 196; Kiiaggsiella, 196; lentigiiio>ella, 129 ; Lyellella, scrip- tella, semidecandriella 196 Goiiepleryx Cleobule 90 Hadena coutigua, pisi 3 Halias pi'asiiiana 25 Heliothis armigera, 49; dipsacea, 142; niaigiiiata, 128 ; peltigera 127 Heineiophila abruptaria 225 Hepialus lupuliiius 33 Hesperia Actajoii 126 Hiberiiia leucophreaiia, 225 ; piogem- niaria 205, 242 Hypoiiomeuta padella 159 lalineiius Evagoras 14 Lamproiiia quadripuncta 129 Lareiitia cmsiata, 4, 7, 9, 11, 25; didy- niata, 6, 8 ; multistrigaria 226 Lasiocampa quercus, 74, 219 ; rubi 179 Leioptilus tephradactylus 2 Limenitis Sybilla 124 liita ocellatella, 82, 173; plantaginella, salicorniap 130 Lithutollrti? niessaniella, 27 ; ulicir'-vl<>lla 130 PAGE Lithosia griseola, 126; mesomella 142 Lobesia reliquana 159 Luperina cespitis 25 Lycffiiia Icarus, 4, 6 ; Webbianus 45 Macroglossa bombyliformis 25 Maraestra anceps, 275 ; furva 7,9 Micropteryx Allionella, 25; Kaltenbacbii, 129 ; salopiella, 50, 196 ; Sparmannella 25 Mixodia Ratzburghiana 195 Myoscelia Auletes 153 Nemoria viridata 143 Nephopteryx angustella, 279 ; genistella.. 128 Nepticula acetosffi 130 Noctua festiva 2, 9, 12 Nola confusalis 25 Nonagiia lutosa 95 Notodonta dromedarius 25 Nyssia hispidaria 225 Odontia dentalis 128 fficophora lambdella, 129 ; lunaris 196 Opostega crepusculella 25 Oxyptilus paividactylus, teucrii 128 Pachj'cnemia hippocastanaria 142 Paniplusia mercuriana 11,157 Papilio Erectheus, 13 ; Machaon, 144 ; Macleayanus, Sarpedon 14 Penthina dimidiana, 25 ; fuligana, 131, 195 ; sellana 128 Perittia obscuripunctella 196 Peronea cristana, 158; perplexana 34 Phigalia pilosaria 203 PhorodesTna smaragdaria 57, 94, 119 Phycis roborella 131 Pieris cheiranthi, 44; Daplidice, 87,141, 143; WoUastoni 45 Pisola zeniiara 91 Plesioneura grandis 92 Pleurota bicostella 2 Plusia bractea, 25 ; moiieta 195 Poedisca occultana, 195; opbthalmicana, 25 ; oppressaiia, 155 ; profundaiia, 195; rufiinitrana 131 Porthesia chrysorrhcea 126 Pseudodoxia limulus (sp. n.), Durrt 107 Psoricoptera gibbosella 267 Psycbe villosulla 60,97, 129 PtPiopliorus baliodactylus, 128 ; furca- talis, lycosoina, inonospilalis, 241 ; spilodautylus 128 xu. PAGE Pyratueis Atalanta, 8 ; cardui, 10, 120, 126, 143, 144; Callirhoe, 87, 143; Huntera ; 88 Retinia resinana 251 Roeslerstammia Erxlebella 160 Salebria semirubella 128 Saturnia pavonia 119, 173 Scardia cavpinetella, ruricolella 195 Sciaphila conspersana, 128 ; pascuana ... 129 Scoparia atoinalis, 25 ; basistrigalis, 273 ; cratsegella, 25 ; mercurella, 128, 131; truncicolella 49 Scytbropia cratiEgella 196 Selenia lunaria 25 Semasia Ochsenheiineriana 195 Sericoris iugratana 161 Sesia formicaeformis, 50 ; ichneumoni- fonnis, 141 ; spheciforrais 50 Solenobia inconspicuella, 164 ; trique- trella, 164, 219; Wockii ]63 Sphinx convolvuli 268, 280 Stauropus fagi 274 Stegaiiopt3'cha pygniaeana 105 Steiiia punctalis 128 Stigmonota perlepidana 25 Strenia clathrata 225 Taeniocampa munda 25 Tephrosia biundiilaria, 200, 242 ; crepus- culaiia, 199 ; extersaria, 65, 81 ; punctulata 225 Teras contamiuana 278 Tethea subtusa 25 Tiuea ferrugiuella, 195 ; nigripunctella, 129, 195; pallescentella, 96; subti- lella,131; vinculella 61 Tortrix cratajgana, 131 ; icterana, 25 ; piceaiia 177, 195 Trifuvcula pallidella 130 Triphajiia subsequa 127 Vanessa c-album 124, 141, 268 Venusia cambrica 204,225 Xanthia ocellaris, 50, 94, 279 ; silago 27 Xanthosetiajiuopiana 195 Xylina peti-ificata, 25, 128 ; Ziuckenii ... 279 Xylopbasia polyodon 5 PAGE Xysiuatodoma melanella 195 Xystopbora lutulentella 130 Zygaena lonicerae 2o, 219 NEUROPTERA. ^schna borealis Agi'ion Lindenii Boreus hieraalis Capnia nigra Chorotei'pes Picteti Chrysopa tenella Ephemera lineata Hemerobius orotypus Homilia leucopbffia Hydropsyche fulvipes, 263; saxonica Hydroptila tigurina Lestes nj'inpha Mesophy lax aspersus Molanna palpata Nemoura cambrica, inconspicua, 262 ; prsecox Nothocbrysa capitata, fiilviceps 101, (Ecismus monedula Oxyethira Frici, 112 ; tristella (sp. n.), Klap Panorpa communis, var Perla Selysii, var. n., mosellaj, McLach... Plectrocnemia geniculata Polymitarcys Virgo Pyrrhosoma minium .. Raphidia maculicollis Sericostoma turbatura Soniatochlora arctica Stenophylax infumatus, 263 ; permistus (concontricus) Stolotermes ruficeps Thermobia domestica (furnorum) 260 111 240 121 lU 110 111 262 111 110 112 120 255 263 121 121 110 168 110 111 233 111 180 193 110 261 139 52 75 OKTHOPTERA. Mucostethus grossus 267 ADDITIONS TO THE BRITISH INSECT FAUNA BROUGHT FORWARD IN THIS VOLUME. COLEOPTERA. PAQE Bembidium virens, Gyll 263 Ochthebius Lejolisi, 3f2 for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage. 2/6 ; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. show room for cabinets Cabinets of every description made to order. Estimates given. Published every 'Ihwsday, price Gd., vrATURE: A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. -'-^ Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post OfiBce Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, tlie Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a inoi-e general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. Second Serieao. 62.] FEBRUARY, 1895. [Puice Qd. THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MOHTHLr MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &o. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] "J'engage done tous k eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalit^, toute allusion depassant les limites de la disonssiou la plus sincere et la plus oourtoise." — Ldboulhlne. ,■'". r.^' <''. ■. LONDON : GURNET & JACKSON (Me. Van Voobst's Successors), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAPIKR, PRINTKR, SKYWOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE. E. H. M:I5EK:, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies ISntomolosists toitfi ebeip l^equisitt OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PETCED CATALO&tlE ON EECEIPT OF STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediale attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints, 3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x lS,for Beating,&c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/(1, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing l3ox, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of KilUng Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, t/O, 1/8, 1/10, .S; 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size, Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizi's, mixed, 1/ per oz.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, Ijd.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 g'OiS. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £"3 Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/0 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16 x 1 1, 8/6 Tin Y. Gd. ; Brass Y, 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6; witli Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready lor use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTIVIENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOGK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FORKIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. SHOW ROOM FOR CABINETS Cabinets of evert desceiption made to oeder. Estimates given. Published every 'Ihursday, price 6d., NATTJEE : A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post OflBce Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken iu tiie public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic ;iianuer, tlie Grand Results of Scikntific Reskauch, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing ut science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a liigher place iu the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on iu the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. Second Series, No. 63.1 Tv/rAT^nu lonr m [No. 370.1 MARCH, 1895. [Phice 6<;. THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. G. BAERETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLEE, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. E. M'LACHLAN, F.E.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDEES, F.L.S. LOED WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.E.S., &o. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOX.. XXXI.] , 3()y43^ 1 ^MR:: " J'engage done tous k eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalit'fi, toute allusion depassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Laboulbene. LONDON GUENEY & JACKSON (Mb. Van Vooest's Scccessoes), 1, PATEENOSTEE EOW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAPItR, PRINTER, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE. _I_Li. _l_l_. .l-V-J- -12J J2J .rV., -LX fcttU.X'fclXL»L, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies ISntomolosists ixiitf) eberg J^equisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PETCED CATALO&UE ON RECEIPT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies'" Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints, 3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x 1 8, for Beating, &c., 0/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Kilting Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz., Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, l^d.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 groas. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £Z Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16x11, 8/6 Tin Y. 6d. ; Brass Y, 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6 ; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. show rooivl for cabinets Cabinets of eveet desceiption made to oedee. Estimates given. N- Published every Thursday, price 6d., ATURE : A Weekly Illusteated Jouenal op Science. -'^^ Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half-Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post OfBce Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, VV.C. ou»:w--^ \ Second Series, No. 64.] ap-ptt lonr tp^t^t, cj rxT nn] 1 ArJiiL, 1895. [rEiCE Go. THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MOMHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. a. BAERETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] "J'engage done tous k eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalit^, toute allusion depassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Laboulhene. LONDON: GURNET & JACKSON (Me. Van A^ooest's Sdccessobs), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAl'llK, I'KINTKK, SKYWOUK STKKKT, KUSTON SQUAUE. E. H. MiEEK, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies iSutomolosists ^itl) ebera Jlequisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PRICED CATALOGUE ON BECEIPT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints, 3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x 18,for Beating, &c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz., Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, \\A.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 gt-oas. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £?> Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16 x 11, 8/6 Tin Y. 6d. ; Brass Y> V. f*"" Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The Nevif Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. show room for cabinets Cabinets of every description made to order. Estimates given. Published every Thicrsday, price 6d., NATUEE : A Weekly Illustrated Journal op Science. Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post Office Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, v^ritten by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. ^'°™Po"372J°'^°'^ MAT. 1895. [Phice Od. THE EKTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. G. BAREETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. SECOND SERIES-VOL. VL [VOL. XXXI.] " J'engage done tous k eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalit^, toute allusion depassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Laboulbene. LONDON GURNET & JACKSON (Mb. Van Voobst's Successobs), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAI'IKK, PRINTF.K, SKYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE. E. EC. lyCEEK:, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., e^upplies lEutomolosists b3it5 ebei*s l^equisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PRICED CATALOGUE ON RECEIPT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate atlen'-ioa- Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints, 3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x 18,for Beating,&c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box. 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of KiUing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, Ud, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, l^d.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 groas. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £2> Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16x11, 8/6 Tin Y. 6d. ; Brass Y> 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. SHOW ROOM FOR CABINETS Cabinets of every description made ro order. Estimates uiven. Published every Thursday, price fid., NATUEE : A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post Office Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a 'popular and yet authentic manner, tlie Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going ou in the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it— varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. ^™°*[No"373J°'^'-' •'^NB, 1895. [Pn.CE 6d. THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. G. BAREETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, P.K.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R S., &c. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL.. XXXI.] "J'engage done touB a eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalite, toute allusion depassant les limites de la disoussiou la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Laboulbinc. ,-,. ^-M3dM9 LONDON : GURNEY & JACKSON (Mb. Van Voorst's Successors), 1, PATERNOSTER R(.»W. iSOLl) IK GEKMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAHIIK, PBINTKK, SKYS10UK STKKKT, KUSTON SQUAHK. E. H. IVJIEIDK:, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies ISntomolosisto Utf^ cberji l^equisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PRTCED CATALOGUE ON EECEIiT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto 7/6 Ladies^ Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2 Wire ditto, with Brass Screw 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Jointsts/e & 4/6 Balloon Net. 26 x lS,for Beatmg,&c.. 6/ Telescope Net, 6/. 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/G, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box. 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/5 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, Ud.) , . „,„ ^ Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes nested, four si^es, 2/6 gro«3. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £6 Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/b Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/ 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered m Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16x11, 8/6 Tin Y, Rd. ; Brass Y, 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6 ; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready tor use 1/, 1/^, and 1/fa The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, b/, & lU/O A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. show room for cabinets Cabinets of eteuy description made to order. Estimates given. Published every Tlmrsday, price 6d., N\TUEE- A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post Office Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestlv invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Naticre is to awaken m the public n.ind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view it provides oi^Sna? Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Granu Results of Scientific Research, discussin- the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of sdence upon civilization and progress and its claims to a znore general recogm- tion as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. EveTy intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world ; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it -varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. Second Series, No. 67.] ttttv lonc m FNo S741 JULY, 1895. [Peice Ci. [No. 374.] THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M. A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &o. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL.. XXXI.] "J 'engage done tous k eviter dans leure ecrilB toute personnalit^, toute allusion depaBsant les litniteB de la discuBsion la plus sincere et la plus courtoiae." — Laboulbene, LONDON : GURNEY & JACKSON (Me. Van Vooest's Scccessoes), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLI) IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAPIKR, PKINTER, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SqUARK. E. H. MUBE^K:, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON' ROAD, LONDON, S.W., <^uppUes iSutomolosijits biitlj eberfi Requisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PETCED CATALO&UE ON BECEIPT OF STAMP. Alt Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, '2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints,3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net. 26 x 18,for Beating,&c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/fi, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size, Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oi.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, Ijd.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 grous. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £Z Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16 x 11, 8/6 Tin Y, 6d. ; Brass Y. V' fo"" Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomologica-L Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock show room for cabinets Cabinets of every besciiiption made to obder. Estimates given. Published every '1 hursday, price 6d., 'VrATURE: A Weekly Illustrated Journal op Science. -'-^ Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post OfiBce Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction !N their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing ol science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world ; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London : Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. 1 ^^ ^''^''^[Ss!]'"^^'^ AUGUST, 1895. [Prick Grf. THE \.A uJiU jUvJ 01 0 A/r A AT T U T V AT A rt A 7 AT V MOi^lnLi MAljAZliH. EDITED BT C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLEE, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., «fcc. SECOND SERIES-VOL. VI. [VOL.. XXXI.] " J'engage done tous k eviter dans leurs ecrils touto personnalite, toute allusion depassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Lahoulhenc. ♦ LONDON : GURNET & JACKSON (Me. Van Voohst's Successors), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAPIIK, PKINTKIi, SKVMDUK STREKT, KUSTON SQUAUt. E. H. M:15E1^, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies lEntomolosists ixiitfj cberg Jtlequisitc OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PRICED CATALOaUE ON RECEIPT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies^ Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints,3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x 18,for Beating,&c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of KilUng Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz., Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, l^d.) Bottle of Mite Oestroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 groas. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £3 Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16x11,8/6 Tin Y. 6d. ; Brass Y, 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6 ; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Eenzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock SHOW ROOM FOR CABINETS Cabinets of every description made to order. Estimates given. Published every Thursday, price 6d., NATURE : A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post Office Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. N 1^ Second Series No. 69.] SEPTEMBER. 1895. [Pkice g^. [No. 376.] ♦ >. THE entomologist's" monthly magazine. EDITED BT C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. AY. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] "J'engage done tous a eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalite, toute allusion depassant les liniites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Labo^dbene. LONDON: GURNEY & JACKSON (Mb. Van Voobst's Successoes), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLI) IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAFIIK, PRINTKK, SEYMOUR STREET, KUSTO.N SQUAKli. E. iI..M:HlIi]K:, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies lSntomolosi9t0 ijoitlj eber^ Mequisitc OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PBTCED CATALOGUE ON RECEIPT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints, 3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x 18,for Beating, &c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, l^d.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 groas. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £?> Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16x11, 8/6 Tin Y, 6d. ; Brass Y> V. for Cane Nets, Breeding Cage, 2/6 ; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock SHOW ROOM FOR CABINETS Cabinets of every description made to order. Estimates given. Published everij Thursday, price 6d., VTATURE: a Weekly Illustrated Journal op Science. -'-^ Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post Office Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public niind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction in their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world ; the cohimns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. Second Series, No. 70.] npTnTi-pp loorc ru o^ r¥n "^vVl UCiOiiJhiK, 1895. [Fkice Gd. [No. 377.] THE EBTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZISE. EDITED BY C. G. BAERETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLEE, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. E. M'LACHLAN, F.E.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDEES, F.L.S. LOED WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.E.S., &c. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] "J'engage done tous h eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalite, toute allusion depassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courtoise." — Laboulbene. LONDON: GUENET & JACKSON (Me. Van Vooest's Successoes), 1, PATEENOSTEE EOW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAl'IKR, PRINTER, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE. E. H. M:iH]3d]l^, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies ISutomolosiists Ijoitfj eberg laequisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PRICED CATALOGUE ON RECEIPT OF STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive immediate attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies^ Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints,3/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net, 26 x 18,for Beating,&c., 6/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/(3, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size, Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz., Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, l^d.) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 gross. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £i Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16 x 11, 8/6 Tin Y. 6d. ; Brass Y. 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6 ; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Benzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. SHOW ROOM FOR CABINETS Cabinets of every description made ro order. Estimates given. Published every Ihursday, price 6d., "^ATUEE: A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. ^^ Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post Office Orders to be made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction iis their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, the Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going on in the scientific world ; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. London: Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. Second Series, No. 71.] ^p.^r-p^;rT3T3,p ,qq_ .d ^j rTfn '^781 JN(jV±ilVlBJi/K, 1895. [Price Qd. [No. 378.] THE EHTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLr MAGAZISE. EDITED BY C. G. BAERETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLEE, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, r.Z.S. E. M'LACHLAN, E.E.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDEES, F.L.S. LOED WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.E.S., &c. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] ■ — -^ 11 ^^' " J'engage done tous a eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalite, toute allusion depassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus oourtoise." — Lahoulhenc. LONDON: GUENEY & JACKSON (Mb. Van Vooest's Successoes), 1, PATEENOSTEE EOW. SOLD IN GERMANY BY FRIEDLANDER UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAPIKR, PRINTKK, SKYMOUR STRKET, KUSTON SQUARK. E. H. M:ii:EK:, Naturalist, 56, I5R0MPT0N ROAD, LONDON, S.W., Supplies iEutomolosiists i^itf) eber^ l^equisite OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PETCED CATALOGUE ON KECEIPT OP STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied by Post Office Order, will receive itmnediale attention. Steel Knuckle Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/6 Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints, 3/ 6 & 4/6 Balloon Net. 26 x 1 8, for Beating, &c., 0/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-acting Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Box, 9d. & 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, 1/G, 1/8, 1/10, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomological Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, Ijd,) Bottle of Mite Destroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, 2/6 gross. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £"5 Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16x11,8/6 Tin Y. 6d. ; Brass Y. 1/. for Cane Nets. Breeding Cage, 2/6; with Two Compartments, 5/ The New Glass Killing Bottle, charged ready for use, 1/, 1/3, and 1/6 The New Sugaring Lantern, burns Jienzoline, 5/, 6/, & 10/6 A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF BRITISH INSECTS KEPT IN STOCK. DEALER IN BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRD SKINS. Priced Catalogue on receipt of Stamp. Entomological Cabinets, from Twelve Shillings to Forty Guineas, kept in stock. show room for cabinets Cabinets of evert description made to order. Estimates given. Published every Tliursday, price 6d., NATURE: A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Yearly Subscription, 28/. Half- Yearly, 14/6. Quarterly, 7/6. Post OfBce Orders to bo made payable at King Street, Covent Garden, W.C. The attention of all interested in the general progress of knowledge is ear- nestly invited to this Journal of Science, which has become the accredited organ of the leading scientific men in both the Old and the New World. One of the leading objects of the Publishers of Nature is to awaken in the public mind a more lively interest in Science. With this end in view, it provides original Articles and Reviews, written by scientific men of the highest distinction iw their various departments, expounding in a popular and yet authentic manner, file Grand Results of Scientific Research, discussing the most recent scientific discoveries, and pointing out the bearing of science upon civilization and progress and its claims to a more general recogni- tion, as well as to a higher place in the educational system of the country. Every intelligent man is now expected to know something of what is going ou in the scientific world; the columns of Nature will give a summary of it — varied, compressed, and authentic. ^ondou; Macmillan and Co., Bedford Street, Strand, W.C. )-.>■ ^'''°^rNn"?79^l''^^'^ DECEMBER, 1895. [Puice OJ. [No. 379.] THE EiNTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY C. G. BARRETT, F.E.S. W.W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. SECOND SERIES— VOL. VI. [VOL. XXXI.] "J'engage done tous a eviter dans leurs ecrits toute personnalite, toute allusion depassant les liniites de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus uourtoise." — Lahfjulbene. LONDON: GURNEY & JACKSON (Me. Van Voobst's Sdccessoes), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. SOLI) IN GKK.MANY 15Y FRIEDLANDKR UND SOHN, BERLIN. NAPIKR, PRINTER, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE. E. H. lyCEI^K, Naturalist, 56, BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W., <#upplie0 iSutomolotjists toitlj ebei*^ laequisitc OF THE BEST MAKE. NEW PRICED CATALOaUE ON RECEIPT OF STAMP. All Orders, when accompanied bi/ Post Office Order, will receive imne Hate attention. Steel Knuckle .Jointed Net, folds up for pocket, 4/6 Self-acting ditto, 7/l) Ladies' Umbrella Net, 5/ Cane Ring Net, with Stick, 2/ Wire ditto, with Brass Screw, 2/ Pocket Folding Net, 3 Brass Joints,:i/6 & 4/6 Balloon Net. 26 x 18, for Boating,&c., G/ Telescope Net, 6/, 8/6, & 10/6 Self-actin;; Sweeping Net, 8/ Larva Box, 6d., 1/, 1/6, & 2/ Sugaring Tins, with Brush affixed, 2/6, Pocket Relaxing Box, 3/ Killing Bo\, 9d.& 1/ (new principle) Bottle of Killing Fluid, 9d Corked Setting Boards, 6d, 7d, 8d, 9d, lOd, lid, 1/, 1/2, 1/4, l/(», 1/8. I/IO, & 2/ each Mahogany Pocket Box, with glass to slide in groove, 4/6 Entomolooical Pins, any size. Gilt or Plain, 1/ per box. Four Sizes, mixed, 1/ per oz.. Exchange Lists, Id. (Postage, l^d.) Bottle of Mite I'estroyer, 1/ Willow Chip Boxes, nested, four sizes, '2/6 gro-^s. Setting and Drying House, complete, 10/6, 12/6, and 15/6 Pocket Box, 6d., 9d., 1/, and 1/6 Postal Boxes, 6d. The Entomologist's Store and Setting House, containing every requisite, £"'3 Improved Pocket Lanthorns, 4/ and 5/, Zinc Oval Pocket Box, 1/6, 2/, and 2/6 Pupa Diggers, 2/ and 3/ Beating Tray, 15/ Corked Store Boxes, best make, 2/6, 3/6, 4/, 5/, & 6/ Ditto, covered in Green Cloth, Book Pattern, 16 x ] 1, 8/6 Tin Y. teel Fotcep.'^, 1/6, 2/-, ZJB per pair ; Pocket Lens, from 1/- to 8/-. Taxidermists' Companion, containing most necessaiy implements for skinning, 10/6. Scalpels, with ebony handles, 1/3 ; Fine Pointed Scissors, 2/- per pair ; Brass Blow- |iipe, 4d., 6d. ; Ef O O X. Birds .Ttid ilarnmals, ^c, ['reserved ^ Mounted by Jirst-rlass workmen Our New Price List (66 pp.) sent post free to any address on applicatioo- L. u r\ 1 rj Pi JO. pAtJK I'eniarks on Scoparia basistrigalis, Knaggs. — B. A. Bower, F.E.S .. 273 Note on the first larval stage of Stauropna fagi. — the late IF. H. Tug well :i7 1- Further notes on Fnmea betulina, Zeller.— C. 0, Barrett, F.E.S 275 On the larva of Mamestra auceps, Hiib. — 7(i 27H Teras contaminana : an unexpected apricot pest. — Id 278 Further captures of Lepidoptera at Enniskillen, Ireland. — Lieut. -Col. C. E. Pariridqe 279 Xanthia ocellaris and Xylina Zinckenii in Suffolk. — Rev. J. H. Hocking, M.A. .. 279 Nephopteryx angustella bred. — A. Thurnall 279 Hybrids betveeen ^ Ennomos alniaria and $ E angularia. — A B. Farn, F.E.S. 280 Sphinx convolvuli in the larva : tate in Dorset. ~N. M. Richardson, B.A , F.E.S. 280 Didea fasciata, Macq,&c.— /•'. H .Jennings 280 Insects bred from a dead branch of maple at Blackheath. — A. Beaumont, F.E.S. 281 Aculeate Hymenoptera in Ireland. — Percy C. Frcke 282 Poyor.us luridipennis, &c., at Slieerness. — J. J. Walker, R.N., F.L.S 282 Gnathoconus picipes at Great Yarmouth. — Id ... 282 Harpalus obscurus, F., at Swaffham Prior. — Rev. Canon Fowler, M.A., F.L.S. .. 282 Harpalus ruficornis injurious to strawberries. — Id 283 Alphitophagus quadripustulatus, Steph. — G. C. Champion, F.Z.S.... 28^ Rkviews. — A Handbook of British Lepidoptera: by B. Meyrick, B.A., F.Z.S.— Rt. Hon. Lord Walsiyigham, M.A., LL.D, F.R.S 28;-$ The Book of British Hawk Moths: by W. J. Lucas, B.A. 286 Frail Children of the Air: by S. H. Scudder, F.E.S 286 The Butterflies of North America: by W. H. Edwards 286 Obituary. — Emile Louis Ragonot, F.E.S., Pres. Soc. Ent. de Fr .. 287 Societies. — Birmingham Entomological Society .. 287 South London Entomological, &c.. Society 2."'8 Entomological Society of London 290 T 1 TLK Pagil, Index, &c. ... i — xiv *^* The publication of several important papers, some already in type, is unavoidably postponed. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. Vol. VI, New Series (1895), ends with the present Number. Sub- scriptions, 6/- (POST-FREE) for 1896 are now due. Post Office or Postal Orders may be sent to the " Editors " Care of &urney & Jackson, 1, Paternoster Eow, London, E.G., or to either of them personally at his residence. Intending new Subscribers should send in their names and addresses as soon as possible. Any one wishing to discontinue his Subscription must give notice to that effect on or before the 20 th inst, otherwise he will be considered liable for the ensuing Vol. MONDAY, DECEMBER 2nd.- BRITISH AND EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA. TU'R. J. C. STEVENS will Sell by Auction at his Great Rooms, 38, King Street, Covent Garden, on Monday, Dec. 2nd, at ^-past 12 precisely, tlie remaining portion of the valuable and extensive Collection of British Lepid- optera formed by Mr. W. Farren, of Cambridge, comprising the Psychidse and TineidaB The specimens are in exceptionally fine condition, having been recently collected and most carefully set. Also Exotic Lepidoptera, including a Collection from Japan as received, &o. Books, Cabinets, &c. On view the Saturday prior, 12 till 4, and Morning of Sale, and Catalogues had. TUKSDAY, DECEMBER 10th. THE VALUABLE COLLECTION OF BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA FORMED BY THE LATE W. H. TUGWELL, ESQ. ATR. J. C. STEVENS will Sell by Auction at his Onat Rooms, 38, -'-*■ King Street, Covent Garden, on Tuesday, Dec. loth, at half-past 12 precisely, the valuable and extensive Collection of British Lepidoptera formed by the late W. H. TuGWEi.L, of Greenwich, during the last forty years, including the only British specimen of Syntomis phegea, fine specimens of Chrysophanus Dispar, Polyommatus acis, r,celia coenosa, and numerous other rare insects in excellent condition ; also the two Mahogany Cabinets in which they are contained. Books, &c. On view the day prior, 12 till 4, and M.orning of Sale, and Catalogues had. h ^ 3 9088 00908 2132 I I