Tenn Oy fhe Nyt i Aan sa 14 I ean Aas HE Se Snore Pa ere SAMA eth : Pe 4, mY aN \ LUNES nib? EHS cee foae \ I 4 aie a f i in ha) ceria ree \ HOA ae vi Hh $4 ” Sry ate astane th itt Hh pHE she Apettn Y nel te igh “ ! ‘ Ae e ve ah a + me H a dn pS gat Nid eres : i H , F : " ; Why Rie: wc Bede ate ae. il warat ote : a . an ; x b\ i , sins Na aaa ‘ 4 + fn rib Coa | 2 4 ee 1 t hi ul i 4 ‘ sogih Me Me ‘ he ' 43 % 1 ey ‘ LC $ ' \ ' } ) Tes eat i ur A Hi wer ny , i “4 ' ie 1 t i 1 i ASA ‘ ; a ‘iy ‘ I ah. Garba ) " ‘ 4 ' . i j ba ' ee 25550) PY beat sat A 3 ) fi ie aie hes Jpreentiee } A Pease ie i n i f uw! filet ; i ' vi ; ‘ i Tied pe pate: 2 ane! Hepes Ve (andes ve rhs ie ( a : cae is My Hi i fe ee a He ee ee a ai - eae eat eet rae ata iy vi i nee if ia a ee en aa ils oe ee a i | " oa F Nt / yi { SOREN Ha ihiiay Rae 1 y t a) wy a ae 4 iin on HE 2 z ENTOMOLOGIST 'S RECORD JOURNAL OF VARIATION E\pITED BY dy. VU eee ASSISTED BY T. HUDSON BEAREH, B.S¢., F.E.S., F.R.S.E. M. BURR, F.zZ.S., F.E.S. T. A. CHAPMAN, .D., F.Z.S., F.E.S. L. B. PROUT, f.z.s. H. Sr. J.K. DONISTHORPH, F.z.s., F.E. sail VOL. XII. JANUARY to DECEMBER, 1900. PRICE 7s. 6d. | Special lndex (with every reference) Is. LONDON: ELLIOT STOCK, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C BERLIN: R. FRIEDLANDER & SOHN, 11, Carlstrasse, N.W. a NEW YORK: Ph. HEINSBERGER, 9, First Avenue New York, U.S.A. I | PRE WA CEN T@ 7Vi@ie ae ale 1 ote QL cade The great help that has been given to us during the progress of this volume makes it more than usually difficult to express our thanks in anything like adequate form to all those who have in various ways aided us, but it cannot be gainsaid that their kind co-operation has resulted in achieving a greater success in this than any previous volume. The work thrown upon the assistant-editors has been perhaps rather more onerous than usual and our first thanks are due to them. It must haye been a matter for congratulation to all our subscribers, as it was to ourselves, that Professor T. Hudson Beare was able to jom Mr. Donisthorpe in conducting that section of the Magazine devoted to Coleoptera. We have also to specially remember those gentlemen who have helped with the illustrations—Messrs. Burr, Burrows, Capper, F. N. Clark, Donisthorpe, Morley, Dr. T. A. Chapman and the Hon. N.C. Rothschild, whilst Mr. G. B. Routledge has again prepared the ‘‘ Special Index.” Our thanks, however, are tendered to all those who haye in any way helped us either by sending communications for publication or by introducing the Magazine to the notice of other entomologists. We do not propose to make any change in the character of our Magazine during the forthcoming year. In this respect, if copying us is the sincerest form of flattery, we have much for which to be thankful. As, however, this is probably the last number of any British entomo- logical periodical that will be published during this century, we take the opportunity to urge our younger enthusiasts to strive to make their work of the highest possible scientific value, and to increase the reputation of British entomologists both at home and abroad. In order to give British entomologists a brief summary of what has already been achieved, our next number, 7.c., the first of Vol. XIII., that which will usher in the new century, will be called the “‘ century ”’ number, and will contain a series of first class critical reviews by our leading specialists in the various orders—Professors Beare, Fernald, and Poulton, Drs.Chapman and Dyar,the Revs. E. N. Bloomfieldand F. D. Morice, Messrs. Burr, Donisthorpe, Kaye, W. F. Kirby, Kirkaldy, Morley, Newstead, Prout, Verrall, &c. That such a number will be keenly appreciated by our readers we have no doubt, and we trust that they will make the number as widely known as possible to their entomo- logical friends. At the close of the century then we appeal to our contributors to make our Magazine as scientifically useful as possible, remembering that, just as we are to-day using for our generalisations the facts stored by our predecessors of a century ago, so we may reasonably feel assured that our successors will utilise our work, and that many of the incidental facts and observations reported by us will be collected and used in formulating generalisations on entomological problems of which we cannot possibly at the present time even guess, and if progress be asrapid throughout the approaching century as it has been during the last quarter of the yet present one, there can be no doubt that, whilst utilising our facts, they will consider our present biological views and our scientific methods of expression as antiquated as our leaders of to-day consider those of the entomologists of a century ago. Facts, however, cannot alter ; it is these we now particularly ask our contributors to supply. Vou. XIT. BBUNNER YON WATTENWYL. Entom. Record, ete., 1900. Piaele grromologist,s ow ee oe JOURNAL OF VARIATION. Worse ES Nodal January 15ruH, 1900. Brunner von Wattenwyl (with portrait). With this number we take great pleasure in presenting our readers with a portrait of this most distinguished entomologist, and, as an article from his pen is to follow on p. 2, the occasion seems appro- priate for a short appreciative note. Although we are here concerned only with his work as the most eminent orthopterist of the day, it may interest our readers to know that he was born at Bern, 77 years ago, and isa member of one of the oldest Swiss families, but migrated when still a young man to Vienna, which he has since made his home. A member of the Aulie Council, he has held a very high official position, and visited England in the year 1879, as representative of the Austro-Hungarian Kmpire on the occasion of the International Telegraph Conference held at London. His first important publication upon the group on which he has been for years the recognised authority, was Orthopterologische Studien. Beitraye zu Darwin's Theorie iuber die Kntstehung der Arten, in 1861. It was followed in the same year by ‘“‘ Disquisitiones orthopteroloyicae,” in which a large number of new European Orthoptera are described, and the genus Thamnotrizon monographed. This was one of the most important contributions to our knowledge of the Decticidae that had yet appeared. It was accompanied by eight plates, very carefully executed by the author, some of which are coloured, and that extremely well. Four years afterwards he published Nouveau Systéme des Blattaires, which marked the commencement of a new era in the study of Orthoptera. This volume has been taken as a model in all later mono- graphs, and the modern classification of the blattodea has been based upon ths system then first established. An importent essay, entitled Die morphologische Bedeutung der Seg- menter bei den Orthopteren, came out in 1876, and two years later his second great monograph was published. In this the large family of the Phaneropteridae is exhaustively treated and the Locustodea are first divided into a series of families. This series of treatises, which has done more for the systematic classification of the Orthoptera than the works of almost any other author, included monographs of the Steno- pelmatidaz and Gryllacridae (1888), Proscopidae (1890), Additamenta to the Phaneropteridae (1891), and Psewdophyllidae (1894). The Prodromus der europdischen Orthopteren (1832) is a complete encyclopaedia of the Huropean forms, and although our knowledge has 2 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. materially increased in the last seventeen years, this work is still absolutely indispensable to the student of this group; in it, not only are the Orthoptera of Kurope (as politically defined) dealt with, but also the species occurring in the neighbouring regions—North Africa, Syria, and Asia Minor. In working out the rich collections made by Signor Leonardo Fea, in Burmah, he gave us, in 1898, a complete [évision and com- pendium of our knowledge of the group. This is, perhaps, his most important work, and is still considered to be the basis of the systematic work that has since been done in the Orthop- tera. In fact, in working at any division of the order, the student finds this Révision to be indispensable. An important faunistic work on Orthoptera collected by Professor Kiikenthal, in the Malay Archipelago, appeared last year, and a notable philosophic study, Observations on the Colours of Insects, vas published at Leipsig in German and English the previous year. In it the author classifies the various systems of insect coloration, and, although everyone may not entirely agree with the views expressed therein, no thinker could read a more suggestive work. Among the numerous, smaller essays and faunistic papers, one of the most remarkable is Ueber hypertelische Nachahmung bet den Orthop- teren (1883), in which the author put forward his well known theory- of hypertely which explains, or rather, gives a name, to the lack of explanation of phenomena which appear to the author to be mexplicable according to the accepted theories of development. The Brunner collection of Orthoptera is probably the finest in existence ; it includes among other noteworthy things, the great majority of Stal’s types of the Phasmodea. The great Swedish ento- mologist based all his work on this group upon the specimens in Brunner’s collection, bus Brunner himself defies the student to follow out Stal’s work m detail without the possession of his types. ‘The fact that Brunner is now engaged in completing a monograph of the Phas- modea is, therefore, the more interesting. His vast collections are centained in a great number of cabinets, and very many species are represented also by examples in spirits. In the summer of 1898, the writer of this memoir had the honour of spending the day in the company of the great entomologist, and nothing could have been more interesting than the veteran’s remi- niscences of past collecting and past students. He mentioned a strange story of a lapsus memoriae. A system of the Gryllodea published by him in 1874, enlarged and developed with due acknowledgment by de Saussure three years later, was completely forgotten in 1893, for, in his great évision (p. 193), he enthusiastically exclaims, ‘‘ As to the Gryll- odea, the more I study the monograph published by M. de Saussure, the more I am convinced that it is not the system of M. de Saussure, but that of the Creator Himself.” After this naive and unstinted praise of his own work, as Dr. Krauss has pointed out, he adds three genera and nineteen species to ‘‘the system of The Creator.””-—Matcotm Burr. Nete on the Coloration of Insects.* By BRUNNER VON WATTENWYL, Hon. Fellow Ent. Soc. London. I have devoted many years to the study of the coloration of insects, * Translated by Malcolm Burr. NOTE ON THE COLORATION OF INSECTS. 3 and arrived at results so interesting that I have published them in a work entitled Observations on the Coloration of Insects, which appeared in 1897. My conclusion was that observed facts do not allow us to admit that this phenomenon can be attributed exclusively to ‘‘ Darwinian selec- tion,’ but that, on the contrary, primitive coloration is due to influences which are entirely independent of the welfare of the animal, and some- times even contrary to its needs. The adaptation to the demands of the creature is a secondary action and this only is brought about in accordance with the laws of selection. Naturalists, misled by Darwin’s ingenious theory, shook their heads, and it was especially in England that I met the most serious opposi- tion. My opponents did not deny the facts referred to, but raised the objection that we know too little of the various phases of the phylo- genetic development of the species to be in a position to pronounce a verdict upon the utility of the qualities which we observe. I thoroughly agree that we are far from appreciating the influence of external causes upon the modification of the species, but on a minute examination of colour, it is impossible to admit that it is the result of a slow and eradual modification such as selection demands. Of the numerous examples referred to in my work, I choose one to illustrate my point. Mastax semicaeca, alittle grasshopper of the family Acridiodea, and a native of the Upper Amazons, is of a dark olive colour. The uniformity of this colour is broken up by a lateral yellow band of equal breadth, which runs the entire length of the insect. It begins at the head, crosses the lateral lobes of the pronotum and continues alone the abdomen, regardless of the position and arrangement of the different organs. This band has caught the lower half of the eyes, and I think that the visual powers of the insect are thereby impaired. An objection could be raised that at a certain epoch the diminution of this faculty was advantageous to the insect, and there are several cases of a modification of the visual power, insects which live in caves, for example; but in these cases it can be shown that this result is obtained by a gradual obliteration of the eyes. It is the natural métnod responding to the action of selection. The application of a bandage is usual in the operating chamber of an oculist, but does not occur in biological genesis. May I be allowed to adda point that is very liable to escape observa- tion, a minute question of coloration in the front leg of Hierodula notata, a Mantis from Borneo? ‘The front legs are not adapted for walking, but are used by these voracious animals as weapons for seizing their prey. When in a state of repose there can be seen in the middle of the under surface of the femur a black round spot. When the foot is extended this spot is broken. One part of the black colouring is on the femur, the other on the spines of the tibia, which, in repose, is closed against the femur. The round black spot is formed, therefore, by a combination of two organs in a certain fixed position. If this spot is produced by natural selection, and if it is developed by an action which is part and parcel of the animal, it follows that organs, entirely distinct in their nature, are made use of to produce a black spot. Further, if this spot had been misplaced by a single millimétre, it would have fallen entirely upon the surface of the femur and its pro- duction would have been far more simple. According to my theory that coloration is a property emanating from an external power that 4 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. is independent of the animal, the operation is very simple. The spot was applied to the creature, when the foot was in a state of repose, regardless of the organs which it touches. But, what is this power which is independent of the animal? What are the laws which control it? I confess my inability to answer these questions. Many years ago (in 1878) I gave to the facts which fall into this class the name ‘ Hypertely,” that is to say, ‘‘ une depasse de la nécessité.’’ I prefer the term which I have employed in my recent work, and I call this power “‘ arbitrariness”’ of creation. These words give a name to the facts, without aspiring to an explanation, and, I consider, with my opponents, that to-day we are far from finding one, and that we must confine ourselves to proving and setting forth facts, even when they fail to fall in with our philo- sophic system. And these facts multiply. There is a great charm in examining entomological collections with the object of seeking speci- mens of arbitrary coloration, and I bee my colleagues to give their attention thereto. I promise them a great number of interesting discoveries.—Vienna. December 1899. Three seasons among Swiss Butterflies. (Concluded from Vol. x1., p. 315.) By G. WHEELER. The season of 1899 was early and prolific. (Conepteryx rhamni appeared at the beginning of March, and from the 15th till the begin- ning of April there were constantly fresh species on the wing. On the 15th I observed Pieris rapae and Aryynnis latona, on the 17th Leuco- phasia stnapts, Huchloé cardamines, Polyommatus dorilis, Callophrys rubt, Brenthis dia, Hugonia polychloros, Aylais urticae, Muvanessa antiopa, Vanessa io, Polonia c-album ; on the 18th Pyramets atalanta (the last six of course hybernated) ; after this a week of cold rain ; then on the 27th Coenonympha pamphilus and Syrichthus alveolus; on the 28th Papilio machaon and Pieris napi; on the 29th N Tisomiiaclss tayes, making nineteen species in March; April 8rd produced Cupido minima (alsus), and April 5th Pieris brassicae, Nomiades cyllarus, Polyommatus icarus (alexis), Cyaniris aryiolus and Brenthis euphrosynes After this a break in the weather put a stop to further appearances until the 24th, when Colias edusa, U. hyaleand CO. paniscus were on the wing, the spring brood of C. edusa this year being by no means scanty. ‘The early days of May also produced Nomiades acts, Polyommatus dorylas, P. ayestis and Neme- obius lucina, one specimen of Chrysophanus phlacas, Pyramets cardui (hybernated), P. bellaryus (adonis), Pararge meyaera, Erebia medusa, in the above order, and one specimen of Cupido sebrus 3 , the only one I have as yet seen at Veytaux. On May 19th, following the directions of a very accurate observer, Mr. A. J. Fison, I found Brenthis selene fairly common at “les Grangettes,” between Villeneuve and Bouveiet (only to be reached, however, from the former place, by a long détour through Noville) ; on revisiting the same spot on June 7th I found the species very abundant. This is a very scarce species in Switzerland, though abundant in two or three localities. At the end of May and the beginning of June I found Melitaea artemis, M. parthenie, Evebia oeme and Coenonympha arcania var. darwiniana, at Glion, so that a visit to Caux is no longer necessary for these species, and at the latter date THREE SEASONS AMONG SWISS BUTTERFLIES. 5 Melitaea cinaia and M. parthenie, with its var. varia, were abundant at Veytaux,—a curious fact, seeing that varia is as a rule a mountain variety. Circumstances over which I had very little control caused the greater part of this summer to be passed at Sierre, in the Rhone Valley, and the one place in it where the mosquito is extremely rare. Our first visit there began on June 14th, and the following day I took a specimen of Lycaena tolas ? , and during the ensuing week two 3, all in the immediate neighbourhood of Sierre, but none of them at the famous corner which every entomologist seems fondly to believe is known only to himself, and to one other person to whom he has revealed it in the strictest confidence! Itis, Iam convinced, a mistake to imagine that this insect is confined to a few spots, for it is always found on the bladder senna (Colutea arborescens), is a strong flier and never remains for more than a minute or two at the same plant; it must therefore have a wide range of flight within the very limited area where the food-plant grows. Chanoine Favre informs me that it is Jess uncommon near Martigny. A visit to Visp on June 16th produced M. aurelia and one specimen of var. britomartis, but nothing else of note. Thecla ilicis var. cerri is to be taken at Sierre at this time, though not commonly. Up to this point there were but few butterflies at Sierre, and one was tempted to imagine that it was a somewhat barren locality, an idea which subsequent experience showed to be most ill- founded. A compulsory return to Veytaux, from June 27th to July 8th, did not produce any new species, though I took Limenitis sibylla for the first time in that locality on July 1st and a remarkable specimen of P. tcarus (alexis) 3 , in which the first row of black spots within the peacock eyes on the underside forewings is prolonged into a series of dashes. This is not uncommon on the upper side forewings of Chrysophanus zermattensis, and I have taken at Bérisal a similar 9 of P. dorylas, in which the 8rd and 4th spots of the under side forewings are thus prolonged the former to such an extent as to coalesce with the discoidal spot. On July 8th we returned to Sierre, and found the number of butterflies greatly increased, and amongst them some (such as Hpinephele lycaon, Lycaena arion var. obscura and Pamphila comma which were very abundant) which one is accustomed to associate with the mountains ; but Sierre has many mountain plants which doubtless accounts for this fact. A drive to Montana on the 11th introduced us to what would appear to be a grand hunting-ground and several species seemed abundant. I took Coenonympha iphis 2, Syrichthus fritillian yar. alveus and S. carthamt, the latter exceptionally fine. But the drive down is suited only to those who are as strong as a horse, or as round and springy as an india-rubber ball, the road being incredibly bad. About this time I took S. fritildum (type) in the valley. It was not until July 14th that any other new species was obtained, but on that day I took a very fresh specimen of Lycaena meleayer in the Pfynwald, the wood which extends from the Rhone bridge almost to Leuk station. I have heard more than one collector express disappointment with this famous locality, but it has always been after a search between Sierre and Pfyn, whereas the real happy hunting-ground is between Pfyn and Susten, the little village in which Leuk station is situated. On July 18th a short walk along the railway bank towards Sion resulted in excellent specimens of Pieris daplidice, a couple of Cupido sebrus 3 and 6 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. the type ? of Melitaca didyma, which I had not previously seen. A walk in the Pfynwald, on July 19th, was memorable for the discovery of L. meleayer in some abundance in a field of purple yetch between Pfyn and Susten, in the immediate neighbourhocd of which Apatura tla was abundant, though mostly somewhat worn. The type @ of L. meleager is not found in Switzerland where it is replaced by the darker and far less handsome vav. steveni, of which at this time I found only one specimen ; later, on returning to Sierre, I took two excellent specimens on August 14th, when the males were all much worn, I took, however, one good g on August 16th, at Sierre. It will be seen that the dates given in Kane’s Handbock are much too early, especially if it be borne in mind that the season of 1899 was an unusually forward one. On this date (July 19th) and subsequent days I found one or two spots in the forest where Thymelicus actaeon was common, but it was as usual extremely local. A visit to the vetch field and to three others in its neighbourhood on July 21st revealed the fact that L. meleayer confined its attentions to the one in which I had previously found it; but in one of the others I took Hveres amyntas var. coretas, and also the very small var. polysperchon, which is certainly not a spring variety, at any rate exclusively, my own specimens and Chanoine Favre’s having been taken in the summer. In the same place I took a beautifully fresh Dryas var. valesina and a specimen of Papilio podalirius var. feisthamelii (with nearly white wings), another specimen of which I took at Sierre a few days later. On July 22nd I took train to Martigny in search of Lycaena amanda, for which I subsequently discovered I was already too late, but took Nv. var. coretas ? (worn) and Cupido sebrus 2. A farewell visit to the Pfyn- wald on the 23rd resulted in some specimens of Apatura ilia, and one each of Thecla spini and Spilothyrus alcaeae, both of which were taken near Leuk station. July 24th saw a return to Beérisal, a much later one than I had contemplated. Parnassius mnemosyne and Pieris var. bryontae were quite things of the past, as well as some of the blues which had been abun- dant at this time last year. A visit to the Steinen-alp on the following day in company with our chaplain, Mr. Fleming, was, however, very productive, Colias palaeno 2, and the varieties ewropomene g and the nearly white philomene ?, were present in numbers, and one or two specimens of Pieris callidice were also obtained, though a rather high wind rendered capture difficult ; but the great prize of the day fell to my lot in the capture of a very handsome specimen of Aryynnis niobe var. pelopta, which has the upperside much suffused with black and the underside very strongly marked ; this is, so far as I have been able to discover unique as a Swiss representative of this variety. J/clampias epiphron was fairly abundant, Polyommatus orbitulus and P. eros, especially the former, were in astonishing numbers by the side of the stream. An expedition on the following day (by diligence) to the top of the pass showed that Colias var. ewropomene was in much finer con- dition than on the Steinen-alp, though no ? was to be seen; it is also much easier to catch, as it affects the comparatively even ground on the right hand side of the road, just beyond the hospice, in which spot it was abundant. My only other noteworthy capture was a specimen of M. artemis var. merope 9, just behind the hospice. J. epiphron was fairly abundant, but worn, and I saw a single specimen of Pieris callidice. A second visit to the Steinen-alp on the 29th THREE SEASONS AMONG SWISS BUTTERFLIES. "7 resulted in two splendid examples of C. palaeno (type), which has far broader and blacker borders than the much commonez var. europomene. All four forms of this insect (two g and two @ ) are to be found at the end of the Steinen-alp nearest to Bérisal, and on the lower part; my experience being that ('. phicomone, though to be found lower, also- extends considerably higher, than (’. palaeno, at any rate in this neigh- bourhood. On the same day L took Mrebia pronoe var. pitho—more than a fortnight earlier than in 1898. Hieh up on the alp Mrebia mnestra was also abundant, as also M. epiphron, whose yar. nelamus I also took. Pieris eallidice was also there in some numbers, principally at the further end of the alp, where indeed all my specimens were taken. A single specimen of Melampias eriphyle completes the list. Part of August 2nd and 83rd were spent at the village of Simplon, on the further side of the pass, where [I was fortunate “enough to fall in with Mr. Tutt and Dr. Chapman. Here Polyomimatus donzlit was poly common, though not one ? was to be seen. The type @ of Chrysophanus viryaureae, which is not found on the Brigue side of the pass, was here in abundance. I took one specimen of Erebia ninestra about a mile above the villaze. On Aueust 5th I came across two specimens, ¢, of Mrebia gorye var. erynnis, high above the fifth refuge, a spot in which Dr. Coulon informs me that he has frequently taken both this variety and the type. This is, perhaps, too great a climb for those who are not too strong, at any rate 1t was my last expedition at Bérisal, from which we returned on August 11th to Sierre, where Pieris daplidice was still abundant. An expedition on the 14th to the Pfynwald (going, as usual, by train to Leuk) resulted, as before mentioned, in two good specimens of Lycaena meleaycr 9, and also a few specimens of Satyrus phaedra 2, of which, as well as S. statilinus &, 1 had taken a specimen at Sierre on the 12th. On the the 18th I went over to Martigny to see Chanoine Favre's collection. This fact is worth mentioning, as it accounts for the four species in my collec- tion which I have not taken myself, and which were given me by him. Parnassius delius, taken at Trient, Lycaena amanda, taken at Martigny (this species comes out in the middle of June, in company with Argynnis daphne and Mrebia styyne (pirenc), and is quite over by the middle of July), Polyommatus orion, taken near Branson, opposite to Martigny, in the middle of April (there i is another brood in July, but Pere Favre has taken all his specimens in April), and Melitaea cynthia, taken near the hospice of 8. Bernard. On August 19th I took a very worn and torn specimen of L. boetica at Sierre, on the Colutea, and on the 21st, following the instruction of the Chanoine, I found the same species on the Colutea, near Branson. SN. statilinus was also present in num- bers, though not quite so abundantly as I afterwards found it round the tower of La Bathiaz. On the 18th, before going to Martigny, I had taken at Sierre a splendid specimen of Colias edusa var. helice, another of which I was so unfortunate (or stupid) as to miss a few days later. One more visit to Martigny, on September 1st, enabled me to secure a pair of the comparatively new fritillary, Melitaea beri- salensis, which has, I think, been conclusively proved by Chanoine Fayre to be a distinct species. This insect is to be found along the Vineyard paths above the Drance, between Martigny-Boure and La Bathizz, a fact which I in no way feel bound to keep to myself, as it has been published by Pere Favre, its discoverer. Between this date 8 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. and the 7th, when we returned to Veytaux, I haunted a patch of purple vetch, near the railway, at Sierre, on which Colias cdusa was abundant, in hopes of finding var. helice, but in vain ; I took, however, several specimens of the beautiful blue ? var. of Plebeius argus known as argyrognomon, and two specimens of the blue 2 var. ceronus of P. bellargus (adonis), as well as one specimen of Lampides boetica, in excellent condition, thus establishing Sierre as a locality for that species. On two of these days I was surprised to find a specimen of Limenitis camilla (which is fairly common in the Pfynwald in July) very little the worse for wear. On returning to Veytaux, on Septem- ber 7th, I found a somewhat abundant brood of Cyaniris argiolus, which I had hitherto seen in Switzerland only in the spring. Drenthis dia was also quite fresh ; this species has at least three broods, as I have found it quite fresh in the same field at Veytaux in March, June, and September. The new captures this year have been P. podalirius var. feistha- melt, C. palaeno and var. philomene, C'. edusa var. helice, C. virgaureae @ type, L. boetica, HK. amyntas var. coretas, var. polysperchon, P. arqus var. argyrognomon, P. bellargus var. ceronus, P. meleager and var. stevent, L. iolas, A. ilia, M. aurelia, and var. britomartis, M. berisalensis, A. niobe var. pelopia, B. selene, M. epiphron (casstope) and var. nelamus, M. eriphyle, E. gorge var. erynnis, S. phaedra 9, C. iphis 3, S. fritil- lum and var. alveus, besides the four species given to me, P. delius, L. amanda, P. orion, and M. cynthia, 31 in all. In order to give an idea of how much may be done in a small epace, I append a list of the 73 species and varieties taken by myself between the village of Veytaux and the top of the first field in the Veraye gorge, the whole distance not exceeding half a mile :—P. machaon, P. podalirius, A. crataeyi, P. brassicae, P. rapae, P. napi and var. napacae, EK. cardamines, L. sinapis and var. erysimi, C. hyale, C. edusa, G. rhamni, Z. betulae, CU. rubt, C. chryseis, C. dorilis, C. phlaeas, P. aeyon, P. agestis, P. icarus and var. icarinus, P. bellarqus (adonis), P. dorylas, P. corydon, P. ewnedon, C. argiolus, C. sebrus, N. acis, CU. minima (alsus), N. cyllarus, L. avton, N. lucina, L. sibylla, L. camilla, LL. popult var. tremulae, P. c-album, HE. polychloros, A. urticae, V. io, I, antiopa, P. atalanta, P. carcui, M. cinaia, M. parthenie and var. varia, M. dictynna, M. athalia, D. paphia, A. adippe, A. latona, B. euphrosyne, B. anathusia, B. dia, B. ino, M. yalatea, I). medusa, E. ligea, P. maera, P. megaera, P. egeria, P. achine (deianira), 1). hyperanthus, E. janura, C.iphis, C. pamphilus, C. arcania, S. althacae, S. malvae (alveolus), N. tayes, T. thawnas, P. sylvanus, and C. palaemon (paniscus). It is probable that other Theclids and also P. aryus, .medea, and S. semele might be found there in addition, and it is certain that the nine minutes’ rail- way journey to Glicn, and the six minutes to Villeneuve, bring the - following species within reach :—M. artemis, A. aglaia, B. selene, I. veme and C'. arcania var. darwiniana. Generalisations on only three years’ experience are unsafe, but I think there can be no question that the visits of English collectors to this country are made, as a rule, too late in the year. In a for- ward, or even an average, season most species are past their prime after the first few days of August, and almost all that can be taken then might have been equally well taken a few days earlier. The vast majority of species, indeed almost all, may be found between the NOTES ON TEPHROSIA BISTORTATA AND T. CREPUSCULARIA. 9 middle of May and the last of July; whereas most persons choose August as the time of their Swiss tour, a month which is, except for those who come for mountaineering, in every way the least desirable of the twelve. For the botanist, the entomologist, the artist, and for all who appreciate natural beauty and grandeur, the late spring and early summer are greatly preferable. Further notes on Tephrosia bistortata and T. crepuscularia. By L. B. PROUT, F.E.S. As it seems to have been a special mission of the Hntomologist’s Record for some years past to clear up the complications connected with Tephrosia bistortata and T. crepuscularia, I offer no apology for the following notes, which are designed to supplement those in Hntom. Record, vili., pp. 76, 308. In the first place, I sympathise with the spirit of Dr. Riding’s ‘“‘ protest’? (Hntom. Record, x., p. 145) against the restoration of the name crepuscularia to Hubner’s species ; it certainly is very annoying to find that Plebeius aegon is the true P. arqus, Corenia unidentaria the true C. ferrugata, and so on; and it is a corresponding satisfaction to find that evidence favours the retention of the traditional use of Linné’s name of hyale, and that a fairly good case, at least, can be made out against Mr. Kirby’s application of the name menthastri to our ‘ Buff ermine.” But in the case of crepuscularia, I really do not see that Dr. Riding has any serious ground for complaint ; Stainton’s Manual, Mr. Briggs, Mr. F. N. Pierce, and others had the name correctly applied before I wrote; and it was only a section of the British entomologists to whom the correction came as an innovation. Where two usages are in conflict, surely the right one is to be accepted, even by those who believe that in some cases the ‘law of usage should override the law of priority.” I find from some notes in Jris, x., pp. 58 et seq. (1897) that Dr. Staudinger really understands these two Tephrosias a little better than his Cataloy led me to think. He has not even yet forgotten that Doubleday (in litt.) insisted on their specific distinctness, and in the note before me he admits that this is ‘very probable; ’”’ this ig a great concession from an entomologist who inclines to “lump” Caradrina alsines and C. taravaci, Cerastis vaccinit and CU. ligula, Caria truncata and C. immanata, Coremia ferrugata and CU. spadicearia, &c. He does not go into the question of their distinctive characters, but remarks that in all his long series of “biundularia”’ females (in Doubleday’s sense) the long ovipositor projects more or less (often a long way), but only in one (Scotch) specimen of his many “ crepuscularia.” Of course this is not a very important matter, as he does not hint that the former species has actually a longer ovipositor ; but I think even differences of habit are not entirely without significance when found constant, or nearly so, in a very large number of individuals. On examining my own very limited material, I find a curious result ; the first brood bistortata and the crepuscularia agree very well with Staudinger’s observations, but quite a number of the second brood bistortata protrude the ovipositor some considerable distance. Perhaps Mr. Barrett will find herein confirmation of his theory that ‘ second brood erepuscularia is biundu- laria.” 10 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. My next note is in the nature of a grumble. Why has Mr. Porritt, in editing Buckler’s Larvae, vol. vil., misapplied one of the very few names which I thought were really safe and reliable—the laricaria of Doubleday? He has carefully kept the accounts of the two species separate, but has used the name laricaria for the single-brooded species and crepuscularia for the double-brooded (/.c., pp. 87 and 35). Lam afraid this cannot but increase the confusion which already exists, especially as there is little in the way of citation to guide the uninitiated as to the application. Concerning the “ var. gen. ii.,’’ I find a less objectionable name than consonaria, Stph. (because not based on a misconception) has fortunately the priority. Scharfenberg, in Bechstein und Scharfenbery’s Naturgeschichte der Schiidliche Forstinsekten (1805)—a work which has not yet been analysed as carefully as it will require to be—describes the second brood as a good species, under the name of bacticaria. Concerning the dark aberrations of the two species, or of one at least of them, some discussion has recently taken place in Societas Fntomologica, but will not disturb the synonymy. In vol. viil., p. 18 (May, 1893) Dr. Klemensiewicz describes ‘‘ Boarmia crepuscularia, Hb. ab. schillet n. ab.,’’ from Italy,as an almost unicolorous dark form with sharply-defined whitish subterminal line. Whether this really belongs to bistortata or crepuscularia is at present uncertain, but as both had been previously named it matters little; as, however, he cites it to crepuscularia, Hb., and gives no definite indication from which one can deduce that this is incorrect, the synonym should be written to ab. delamerensis. Garbowski (l.c., p. 85), points out that the form has already been named defessaria by Freyer (cfr. Hntom. Record, viii., p. 80) ; and he had already used this last as a varietal name in his Materialen zu einer Lepidopteren-fauna Galiziens, where, however, I take it that he is probably referring to dark bistortata. I have not yet been able to investigate the Asiatic and American forms and species in this group. Biundularia var. lutamentaria, Graes. (Berl. I'nt. Zeit., 1888, p. 401), is a July-August form, and either a second brood of one of our British species or of a close ally. Var. ? incertaria, Stgr. (Iris, x., p. 59) 1s a large form taken two months earlier than lutamentaria,at the same place (Vladivostok, in Amurland), and probably its first brood. Staudinger indicates both as haying the whitish ground colour of ‘ biwulularia” (i.e., crepuscularia, Hb.), and they must be provisionally cited to that species with a ?; it is hardly conceivable that bistortata so far south would yield its two broods so late as the end of May and July-August respectively. The following synonymical summary of these notes will facilitate reference; it will be noticed that the doubts which have arisen as to the identity of ab. defessaria, Frv., have led me to cite it with query to both species : No. 1. Bisrorrata, Goeze (1781) = albida-biundulata, Retz. (1783) = biundulata, Vill. (1789) =biundularia, Bkh. (1794), Esp. pro parte (cir. 1797) =crepus- cularia, Dup. (1829) nee Hb. Var. gen. 1. [Abietaria, Hw. (1809) nec. Hb. =]. Laricaria, Dbld.(1847) = crepus- cularia var. A, Gn. (1857). [Abietaria, Hw., is a homonym]. * Probably the strictest workers at synonymy would not even allow consonaria, Stph., validity as a variclal name, seeing it is a homonym and does “ not contain “the type of the conception ”’—“ consonaria, Hb. al. erat sp.,” as Staudinger’s Catalog would say. NOTE ON REARING LASIOCAMPA POPULIFOLIA, ESP. 11 Var. gen. 2. Baeticaria, Scharf., Bechstein und Scharfenberg’s Nat. Schddl. Forstins., li., p. 638, excl. cit. (1805) =? crepuscularia, Hw.(1809) nec., Hb. =consonaria, Stph. (1829) nec. Hb.=strigularia, Stph. (1829). ? Ab. defessaria, Frr., 510. 1 (1847); Garbowski, SB. kK. Ak. Wiss. Math. Nat. Cl., ci., 1, p. 986 (1892). Unicolorous grey or grey-brown, with whitish subterminal. Ab. passetii, Mieg (1886). Blackish brown. No. 2, Crepuscunaria, Hb., 158 (1796) = biundularia, Esp. pro parte (cir. 1797) =laricaria, Buckl., Larv. Brit. Moths, vii., p. 37 (1897), nec., Dbld. 2? Ab. defessaria, Frr., 510. 1. (1847). Unicolorous grey with whitish sub- terminal. Ab. delamerensis, White (1877) =schillei, Klem. (1893). Smoky blackish. Ab. nigra, Mieg. (1886). Black, with white subterminal. 2? Var. incertata, Stgr., Iris, x., p. 59 (1897). Grey-white, blackish markings more prominent than in type. Amurland (Vladivostok, Bikin), end of May. 2? Var. gen. 2. lutamentaria, Graes., Berl. Ent. Zeit., xxxii., p. 401 (1888). Smaller than type, same yellow-white ground colour, mostly weaker marked. Amurland (Isle of Askold, Sutschan, Vladivostok), cir. 27th July-7th August. Note on Rearing Lasiocampa populifolia, Esp. By L. J. LAMBILLION, Vice-President of the Ent. Soc. of Namur. On July 28rd, 1898, a female Lastocampa populifolia was brought tome. ‘This had been picked up in a gutter in the town. I was very pleased, as it promised a chance of rearing the insect should I obtain fertile eges, and I placed it ona sheet of white paper, in a box used for this purpose, and I awaited events, 7.e., eggs. Two days later 42 were laid, and I knew that part of the eggs had been previously laid, and those I had were fertile, for the females of this species usually lay a considerable batch. I at once sent a dozen eges to M. l’Abbé de Joannis, in France, asking him for advice as to rearing the larve, for I knew that he had successfully bred the species in England some years before. On August 3rd, eleven days after the eggs were laid, the larve hatched, and I had 26. In its first instar the larva much resembles that of L. queretfolia. Like that, it is of a brown (almost black) colour, but one recognises it readily by the white spot on the 8rd segment, which, however, one only sees when the larva moyes. All entomologists are agreed that this is a difficult species to rear ; everything goes well until winter, but then, as soon as the larva ceases to feed, it dries up, commencing from the anus, and one some- times sees larvee with the posterior half of the body quite dead whilst the anterior part may live for some weeks. When one is able to pro- cure eggs in June the larve are usually fullfed by the middle of August, and the imagines emerge at the end of the same month or in September, and one obtains the summer form, which is much smaller than the type, but one rarely gets this chance. Usually the larvee hybernate very small. ‘The chance occurred once at Saint- Servais, to M. Castin, who obtained a batch of eggs from a June 9 one year when the spring was very warm, when from a hundred larve more than sixty pupated at the commencement of August, the Imagines emerging at the end of the same month, whilst the re- mainder of the larve fed up slowly, but did not survive the winter. The result, therefore, was an excellent one, for this summer form is very rare, and much wanted by amateurs. 12 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. I had no reason to hope for similar success, the season was already © late, and I should have considered myself one of the happiest~ of naturalists if a dozen of the larve had hybernated successfully; | but even this was not to be. The dates of the four moults preceding ~ hybernation: were as follows :—I1st moult, August 10th ; 2nd moult, August 18th; 8rd moult, August 26th; 4th moult, September 10th. After the 4th moult the larve ceased to feed, although they were supplied with poplar leaves. Until this time I had kept them on a large branch of poplar, placed in a vase full of water and stood in a breeding-cage. The larvee rested here and there on the branches, and by their bluish-grey colour and flattened form assimilated perfectly with the bark of the branches, and did not move the whole of the winter. Knowing that heat and drought were alike injurious I placed the breeding-cage in the garden, against a north wall, taking care to damp it when the weather was dry. All these precautions were in vain, and in March the larve began to fall from the branches, quite dried up, and by the end of the month there were only four left. Then I tried a last experiment—I planted a young poplar in my garden in a position well exposed to the sun, placed on it one of the remaining larvee, covered it with muslin, and left it to fate. The weather was bad, but about April 10th the sun shone on the poplar a part of the day, and this appeared to waken the larva, which nibbled one of the buds at the end of the branch. Seeing this I placed the three other larve on the poplar, but it was already too late, for after eating a little they died, whilst the first one continued to nibble the buds, and about the middle of May, when the leaves commenced to develop, the caterpillar ate much and commenced to grow, and at the end of the month it moulted for the fifth and last time. This moult was long and laborious; the larva remained eight days without feed- ing, then it shed its skin and in a short time became very large, and I suspected it would prove to bea ? on this account. On June 20th it spun its cocoon, which is soft and greyish-yellow in colour. On the 23rd the pupa was formed and one could see it through the cocoon, and I had only to await the imago. The experiment was concluded. It is necessary to keep the larve in the sun even during the winter, without this precaution they will die of hunger even by the side of the leaves. On July 15th the imago emerged, a female, as I had pre- dicted. The pupal state had lasted three weeks. The imago emerged about 8.0 a.m., and I intended to take it into the woods in the evening, in order to attract a male, but there was a heavy storm and it was impossible to go out. As far as I am concerned there is nothing more to add. It appears absolutely necessary that the larvee should pass the winter out of doors on a growing poplar well exposed to the sun (a precaution necessary in rearing all the Lasiocampids, each on the plant that nourishes it). It is the only possible means of obtaining a successful result. I have since learned that M. lAbbé de Joannis was also unsuccessful in hybernating his larve ; he kept a part of his larvee out of doors in the winter, but not in the sun. MIGRATION AND DISPERSAL OF INSECTS: LEPIDOPTERA. 13 Migration and Dispersal! of Insects: Lepidoptera. By J. W. TUDT, FHS: We have already shown that butterflies and moths have often been observed and captured at considerable distances from land. The habit of flying out to sea is probably much more frequent than is generally supposed. Walker reports that at Colombo, on April 20th, 1890, the forenoon being fine and hot, quite a number of butterflies came off and flew about the ship, but they were wild and difficult to approach. Among these several male specimens of Ornithoptera pompetus were recognised (one secured), Papilio sarpedon, P. pammon, P. diphilus, P. polynnestor, Messarus erymanthis, &. Mr. Manger has an example of Macroglossa stellatarum taken in the Red Sea, one of Patula macrops in the Straits of Malacca, ten miles from land, in June, 1894, an Ophideres fullonica in the China Sea, 100 miles from land, both the latter by Cap- tain Walker, Deilephila alecto, that came on board thes.s. Mallard in the Mediterranean, Deilephila livornica and Chocrocampa celerto captured in the Red Sea, Abraxas phantes off Cochin China, 100 miles from land, in June, 1894, Huchera capitata taken in the China Sea, on the Kara, in July, 1894, by Captain Walker, and Maryarodes unionalis captured off the coast of Algiers. We ourselves saw a specimen of what appeared to be Pieris rapae heading straight for the coast at Folke- stone, as we were crossing to Boulogne on July 26th, 1899, when the boat was about halfway across the Straits, and there is a note (Hntom. Record, xi., p. 297) of Pyramets atalanta having been captured (many seen) in the Atlantic Ocean, some 500 miles from the Lizard. These, however, are more or less isolated examples, and it may be well to review the evidence available of larger or smaller flights of lepidoptera that have been observed on what must certainly be considered migration flights. Kapp observes (Naturforscher, vi., 111) that on a calm sunny day he noticed a prodigious flight of Peris brassicae, that passed from north- east to south-west, the flight lasting two hours. Kahn also records (Travels, i., 18) a flock of this species about halfway across the English Channel. Tindley writes (Roy. Milit. Chronicle, 1815, p. 452) that in Brazil, at the beginning of March, 1808, there was, for many days successively, an enormous flight of white and yellow butterflies, prob- ably of the same tribe as the cabbage butterfly; they were never observed to settle, and proceeded in a direction from north-west to south-west, no buildings seemed to stop them from steadily pursuing their course, which, ‘‘ being to the ocean, at only a short distance, they must have reached to perish.’’ A migratory column of Pyramets cardut, of from 10ft.-15ft. in breadth, was observed in the Canton Vaud (Switzerland), in 1836, the flight occupying two hours on its passage. The reports of the lighthouse keepers, furnished to a committee appointed by the British Association for the advancement of Science, show some very definite results. Some of the extracts taken from them are as follows :— Hanois Lighthouse (to the west of Guernsey), the extreme westerly point of the Channel Islands, in a direct line between the N.W. coast of France and the S.W. coast of England. 1882.—‘‘June and July: Flights of Plusia gamma.” 1885.— “September 13th: Wind §S.E., sky cloudy. Silver Gamma moths all evening round lantern.’ 1886.—‘‘October 31st, 8.0 pm. A quantity of Silver Gamma moths also a few brown ones but smaller than the Gamma.” 14 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. Fastnet Lighthouse, eight miles ont at sea, on the coast of Co. Cork. 1883.— “ November 2nd: Weather hazy; number of large moths, comparable only to a fall of snow.” Rhymes of Islay Lighthouse, situated on a rock off the south-westerly point of one of the West Scottish islands, and due north of Ireland, whence it is distant some thirty miles. 1885,—‘‘Night of September 7th. Hundreds of moths flying about lantern.” Heligoland Lighthouse, on the east point of the island, facing Denmark, which is the nearest mainland to it, and about thirty miles from it. 1883.—‘ August 6th- 7th: Wind south-east, Considerable flight of Silver Gamma moth (Plusia gamma), but nothing to be compared with the perfect ‘snowstorm’ of this moth that passed in the autumn of 1882, all going west. October 11th: Wind §.S.W. There was a large flight of Hybernia defoliaria, mixed with H. aurantiaria; and also during the nights of the last week in October repeated flights of these moths.” 1884.—‘* Night of July 2nd-3rd. Thousands of Plusia gamma. Night of July 21st-22nd. Great numbers of Bombyx neustria, east to west. July 22nd-23rd. The same. 27th-28th. Numerous flights passing on.” Fiddra Lighthouse, on an island off the east coast of Scotland. 1886.— “August. Moths everywhere after darkness had set in; some very large and beautiful, and so numerous that they had to be swept down with a towel.” Would Light-vessel, ten miles off Happisburgh on the Norfolk coast. 1884.— “June 7th, 4.0 a.m., wind §.S.E. One Death’s Head moth caught alive; several small white moths rested.” These records are definite enough, and, in most cases, point con- clusively to the actual migration of several species besides Plusia gamma. One of the records given above is sufficiently remarkable for further consideration. This is that which refers to the migration of Hybernia defoliaria and H. aurantiaria. Both these species occur in late autumn and abound in many parts of Hngland—in fact, the former is one of the most common of the autumnal moths on the lamps, in the suburbs of London, during October and November—and both have wingless females, which could not migrate long distances under any condition whatever. H. defoliaria, in spite of its having a wingless female, has a great range of distribution, existing in favourable spots in the British Isles, and, extending right across the Old World to Japan, reappears again in Vancouver Island. It thus forms another con- necting link between the faunas of the Palearctic and of the Nearctic areas. The list of lepidoptera found in the small island of Heligoland (Ent. Mo. Mag., xix., p. 164) gives very interesting material for study, and the collector of the material on which the lst is based, Giitke, asserts (Heliqoland as an Ornithological Observatory, p. 87) that the movements of nocturnal lepidoptera are subject to meteorological influences, that this view is supported by repeated observations, which show that these insects travel past the island (Heligoland) under the same conditions as migrating birds, and, for the most part in their company, in an east-to-west direction. He says: ‘(They fly in swarms, the numbers of which defy all attempts at computation, and can only be expressed by millions.” ‘To illustrate this Giitke gives the following details: ‘‘ On the night of October 25th, 1872, during a very extensive migration of larks, many thousands of Hybernia defoliavia, intermingled with hundreds of H. aurantiaria, travelled over the island. In the following year, on the night of July 29th, the weather being warm and perfectly calm, thousands of Ennomos angularia, together with hundreds of Gnophria quadra, passed in the midst of a strong migration of young golden plovers, ringed MIGRATION AND DISPERSAL OF INSECTS: LEPIDOPTERA. 15 plovers, and sandpipers. Again, on the night of August 12th, 1877, during a light east wind, and very light warm rain, myriads of Plusia gamma migrated in company with the shorebirds already mentioned, and among young birds of the wheatear, willow warbler, and other small species. With regard to P. yamma, the author goes on to say, that never have the migrations of P. gamma reached to such an extent as they did during the middle of August, 1882. On the 15th of that month, the wind was south-east, the weather fine and warm; during the night the wind was south with a calm and warm rain. Several small birds (the redstart, whitethroat, willowwarbler, &c.), as well as plovers and sandpipers were migrating in numbers, and, intermingled with these, from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., myriads of P. gamma, like a dense snowstorm, all travelling in a direction from east to west. Early on the morning of the 16th, the wind was west, with rain, the afternoon was fine, sunny and calm, and in the evening and during the night the wind turned south, when there was again a strong migration of small birds and waders, together with countless numbers of P., gamma. These migration phenomena were repeated during the nights of the 17th and 18th, with very light southerly and westerly winds. On the 19th, with a south-east wind and fine weather, many warblers, fly- catchers, and like species were seen during the day. During the night the sky was overcast, but large numbers of waders, again accompanied by P. gammain millions, were still seen, all travelling from east to west. During the night of the 20th, there was a thunderstorm at some distance, which put an end to migration of every kind.’ Giitke further notes here the connection between migration and electrical disturbances of the atmosphere, and observes that in this instance the migration of P. gamma and that of the small birds were both interrupted by thunder- storms. He repeats that he has long been convinced that the more extended flights of lepidoptera are subject to the same meteorological influences as those of birds, that in the month of July of various years he has captured numerous species of lepidoptera not belonging to the insect fauna of the island, the weather of these nights being invariably such that, if it had occurred a few weeks later, it would have conducted hither numerous wheatears. We have already noticed the great immigration of Hybernia defoliaria and H. aurantiaria that accompanied a great flight of larks on October 25th, 1872, whilst on October 12th, 1883, during an exceedingly strong period of bird-migration, large swarms of the same species of Hybernia made their appearance. Pierids, Pstlura monacha, and other lepidoptera, have been seen to pass Heligoland in migratory flights of astonishing proportions, though less than those of P. gamma, the numbers of which are beyond conception, and the migration of P. yamma already referred to as taking place between August 15th-19th, 1882, was such that, as seen from the lighthouse, they passed from east to west in undiminishing numbers, like the flakes of a dense snowstorm. Gitke states that he was in- formed by Cordeaux that an enormous immigration of these insects actually took place in England ata time corresponding with these observations. Gitke’s observations lead him to suppose that, in the migrations of Plusia gamma across Heligoland, they travel from Schleswig- Holstein and the adjacent country to Britain, across the North Sea, 400 miles in extent. The insects, he says, always follow an east to west migra- 16 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. tion, and they adhere to it with as much steadiness and precision, as the different migratory hosts of birds which are observed here; and that they accomplish their journey in safety is shown by the enormous swarms of them that frequently occur on the east coast of Kngland, and which can only be explained as the result of an immigration. Large numbers of Malacosoma neustria, Characas yraminis, and other species, are also represented in somewhat similar migratory swarms. It has been suggested that these insects are attracted by the light of the lighthouse, and consequently that itis only around the latter that they are seen in such quantities ; this, however, Giitke considers to be contradicted by the migrations of Hybernia defoliaria* and H. auranti- aria, since large numbers of them may be found in the course of the night, as well as on the following morning, from one end of the island to the other. Gitke further points out that it is impossible that these moths should be guided by any sort of experience, acquired or inherited, during the single migration of their life, which, moreover, is performed in the darkness of night across a wide expanse of water, and even if they did these would be perfectly useless, for these migrants die shortly after their autumn migration, without having produced further offspring to which they could commit their experiences, either by hereditary trans- mission or personal instruction. So far as Giitke’s observations go, the flights of these insect migrants are composed exclusively of males. In the case of the Hyberiia species, in which the females are wingless, this is, of course, as we have already shown, inevitable. Gitke records the occurrence, on June 28rd, 1880, of a specimen of Papilio podalirius (mw company with Saxicola deserta, a southern bird extremely rare in central and northern Europe), a single specimen of this butterfly alone having been previously recorded for Heligoland. The weather at the time was perfectly calm and warm. He considers that the atmospheric conditions which favoured the migration of the bird had also induced the migration of the butterfly. * It must be remembered that this insect is very strongly attracted by light, and ifit were a common sedentary moth, Giitke might have been somewhat deceived with regard to its migration. GYOLEOPTERA. Nores on THE DinopERUS suBSTRIATUS OF BritisH coLLECTIONS.—The insect in our handbooks (and in our catalogues since 1866) under the name of Dinoderus substriatus, Payk., really includes three species which are, moreover, not all of the same genus. Canon Fowler (Col. Brit. Isles, vol. iv., p. 200) writes of Dinoderus substriatus,* Payk., ‘“In decayed trees; very rare; Darenth Wood (where an example was taken on the wing by Mr. G. Lewis); New Forest (Stephens) ; Skellingthorpe, near Lincoln (Rev. H. Matthews). Of the insects here recorded, those from the New Forest (there are two specimens in the Stephensian cabinet) are the same species as a beetle taken by Professor Beare, in some numbers, in his house at Richmond; and the one from Darenth Wood (this is in the Power collection, labelled ‘‘Darenth, Lewis’’) is another species of the same genus. The * The insect figured in Fowler (pl. 118, fig, 13) is Stephanopachys substriatus, Payk. : COLEOPTERA. i7/ insect taken by the Rey. Matthews, near Lincoln (which is now in Mr. Gorham’s _collection) belongs, however, to quite another genus ; it is the true substriatus of Paykull, is a longer and darker beetle, and has the club of the antenna perfoliate, with the two basal joints not pro- ae inwardly, and the punctures of the elytra arranged in striae. In “Some Observations on the Coleopterous Family Bostrichidae} ” (Ann. May. Nat. Hist., 1888, pp. 348-50) Mr. C. O. Waterhouse pro- posed the generic name of Stephanopachys for this insect, being the Dinoderus of many authors but not of Stephens. This name has been adopted in the last Kuropean catalogue (1891, p. 234), where the synonymy of two of these species is given as follows :— “ Dinoderus, Stephens—bifoveolatus, Woll., ‘Col. Hesp.,’ 110 (siculus, Baudi., B., 1873, 336). Substriatus, Steph. (nec., Payk.).” “« Stephanopachys, Waterhouse (1888)—substriatus, Payk., Kiesw., 30, E. Quad- ricollis, Frm., Ab., 1879, 83.” There seems to have been some doubt as to which of these two species Stephens’ description of Dinoderus refers (see Gorham Proc. Zool. Soc., 1898, pt. ii., p. 829), but it appears to me, without doubt, that he was talking about the former of these two insects, which is the species in his collection. Stephens says (Manu., vol. iil., p. 252) that the two basal joints of the club of the antenne are conic- trigonate, and produced within, the elytra retuse posteriorly and inclining to castaneous, and the length 14 lin., all these points could only refer to the former of these insects. He expresses doubt as to whether his insects are the same as the substriatus, Payk., and men- tions that, unlike that species, the pair he has from the New Forest have the puncta irregular and not arranged in strie. Mr. Waterhouse (/.c.) considers that the substriatus, Steph., is the Apate minutus, F.; this cannot be absolutely proved, as the type is no longer in the Banksian collection, but it appears very probable. M. P. Lesne (Rev. d. Bostich Ann. d. France, 1897, pp. 849-50) takes the same view, but he points out that the minutus, I*,, is not the same species as the biforeolatus, Woll., and, therefore, the substriatus, Steph., is not the bifoveolatus, Woll. He separates minutus and bifoveolatus thus :— a. Ponctuation de la déclivits postérieure des elytres trés forte, confluente, aréolaire, non distinctement ocellée au moins aussi enfoncée que celle des parties basilaires. cusson brillant ee . D. bifoveolatus, Woll. b. Ponctuation de la déclivité postérieure des elytres nettement ocellée, non confluente, moins enfoncée que celle des parties dorsales. Ecusson mat ... D. minutus, FP. Mr. E. C. Rye (Ent. Ann., 1863, p. 98) pointed out that the Dinoderus substriatus of Stephens was not, as had been supposed, the insect known by the same name to continental naturalists, but belonged to a different genus. He, however (/.c.), erroneously attributed Mr. G. Lewis’ capture at Darenth to the substriatus, Payk. It is the Dinoderus pilifrons, Lesne. He separates it from the minutus, F. (L.c., p. 822), as follows :— a. Foyéoles médianes de Vaire postérieure du pronotum obsolétes. Region frontale hérissée sur les cdtés de crins dressés, denses, assez longs a .. LD. pilifrons, Lesne. + It is much to be regretted that this paper was never recorded in the Zoologi- cal Record, 18 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. b. Fovéoles médianes de l’aire postérieure du pronotum bein marquées. Crins dressés de la région frontale généralement trés courts et peu abondants. : Ecusson deux fois aussi large quelong .. .. D. minutus, F. I propose that the three species shall stand in the British list thus :— 1. Dinoderus minutus, F. (substriatus, Steph.) (being the species in the Stephensian cabinet and that taken by Professor Beare at Richmond). 2. Dinoderus pilifrons, Lesne (the insect in the Power col.). 3. Stephanopachys substriatus, Payk, (Matthews’ capture, now in Mr. Gorham’s col.). It is probable that all these insects are importations, D. minutus is found nearly all over the world, and the genus feeds on roots, corn, bamboo, and other wood, &c. I must express my thanks to Messrs. Gahan and C. O. Waterhouse for carefully identifying all these insects, and to Mr. Gorham for kindly letting me see his beetle—Horace DonistuorPe, F.Z.8., F.E.S., 58, Kensington Mansions, South Kensington, S.W. CoLEOPTERA, ETC., IN VARIOUS LOCALITIES In 1899.—My entomological excursions this year outside my own district (Lea Valley and Epping Forest) have not been numerous, but I have nevertheless been able to add therefrom a few good insects to my collection. The results of two visits in May, and one in September, to the Dorking district, were :— Chrysomela goettingensis, not rare in moss, I was fortunate enough to find a nearly full-grown larva, which afterwards pupated, but died before reaching maturity ; Ceuthorrhyncus euphorbiae (crux), one swept, there were some beautiful patches of Veronica chamaedrys in flower close to the spot, from which no doubt the weevil came; Nitidula rufipes and 4-pustulata, a few of each, with Dermestes murinus, &c., out of a dead rabbit on a chalky slope; Carabus nemoralis, two or three out of moss—this is not In my experience a very common insect ; Cistela luperus (1) from a guelder rose blossom ; Phyllotreta nodicornis, several swept from some plants of Reseda in a lane; Amara acuminata (1) in moss; one each of two species of Hemiptera—/remocoris poda- gricus and the beautiful metallic blue Zicrona caerulea, also turned up in moss. A day’s collecting at Darenth, on June 17th, was very disappointing, so far as rarities were concerned, although I got a few more or less common species I wanted—Molytes coronatus (1) was met with crawling in a chalky lane, and a greenish aberration of Rhynchites pubescens came out of oak, with Cryptocephalus parvulus, in plenty, out of birch; on a mullein plant I noticed a single Lonyitarsus, but as my boxes were full, I did not take it. Mr. J. J. Walker, whom I met in the evening at Darenth village, informed me that he had taken the rare L. patruelis in the wood that afternoon, so that it is very probable the insect seen by me was that species. A visit to Deal on June 25th was also disappointing as regards its main object, Saprinus metallicus, for which I was apparently too late, while most of the specimens of S. aeneus, the only species of the genus which occurred, were damaged. Two of the Deal specialities turned up, however, in the shape of Melanotus punctolineatus, of which I found a single specimen sunning itself on a low stone wall, and Lirws bicolor, of which four specimens occurred on the golf links, at the roots of a large plant of Hrodiwn cicutarium, in company with the Hemipteron Pseudophlaeus falenit. Masoreus wetterhali, Dermestes undulatus and COLEOPTERA. 19 Hypera murina also occurred, but were all scarce. Lastly, by a visit to the Sheppey glue and chemical works, Queenborough, at the end of September, I obtained most of the special things met with there, including a series of Carcinops 14-striata, three or four Gnathoncus nannetensis, Alphitobius diaperinus, Necrobia rufipes and rujicollis; the last three species were extremely abundant, but the majority of the Alphitobit were damaged ; Omosita depressa, which Mr. J. J. Walker has taken here, was not to be found. (In addition to the beetles I got a couple of the fine earwig, Anisolabis annulipes). I also had an hour’s search in the vicinity of the town, but got nothing worth mentioning except a few specimens of Amara convexiuscula, at the root of Cheno- podium growing on the sea-wall.—F. B. Jennives, F.E.S., 152, Silver Street, Upper Edmonton, N. CotzorreRA at CoxcHEsTER.—I have to record the following captures in this district (Colchester) during 1899. The long drought made many of the species unusually scarce and others totally absent. Among the few things I captured were Bembidiwn clarki, in ditch rubbish ; Berosus spinosus,in coast ditch ; Microglossa yentilis, one only in an ant’s nest; Myrmelonia funestra, humeralis, and laticollis ; Staphy- linus stercorarius, on pathways ; Ocypus ater, in seaweed ; Trogophloeus foveolatus, in ditch rubbish; Hister marginatus (one) and Amphotis maryinata, nants’ nests; Klis cupreus,in a small stream ; Dolichosoma lineare and Malachius marginellus, in flowers, &c., on the coast; Hedobia imperialis by beating hawthorn blossom; Lyctus canaliculatus, Saperda carcharias, one damaged; Orsodacna cerasi and lineola, rare; Zeuygo- phora flavicollis, two specimens; Mordellistena brunnea, one; Anthicus humilis, Evirrhinus festucae, Rhynchites pubescens, Balantnus tessellatus, and others, including a few at present undetermined, among which I hope there may be something decent.—B. 8. Harwoop, Colchester. Cotroprera in 1899.—Among other things taken early in the year, worthy of notice, are Anchomenus livens, out of moss, at Guestling Wood, in some numbers, and Cryphalus fagi, from the same locality, also in plenty. Three days in Richmond Park produced some interest- ing captures—a series of Trinodes hirtus, Dorcatoma flavicornis, Anitys rubens and Heledona agricola, and single specimens of Cossonus linearis, Scraptia dubia and Athous rhombeus ! (very small); this seems to have been quite a special year for A. rhombeus.—W. H. Bennett, Hastings. CoLEOPTERA OUT OF Moss AT CHOoBHAM IN OcToBER.—An afternoon’s work at thick wet moss on Chobham common, on October 14th, pro- duced the following species :—Quedius fuliginosus, Grav., Lathrobium punctatum, Zett., L. multipunctum, Gray., Philonthus bipustulatus, Panz., P. niyrita, Nord., Homalium caesum, Grav., Acupalpus dorsalis, F., Pterostichus minor, Gyll., Agabus sturmti, Gyll., A. femoralis, Payk., and many others.—T’. Hupson Brarz, B.Sc., F.E.S., Kings Road, Richmond, Surrey. *Mr. W. E. Sharp tells us that he took this beetle in numbers, in Boleti, in Windsor Forest this summer. SCIENTIFIC NOTES. A new British Fiea.—lt may interest readers of the ‘ Ento- moloyist’s Record’’ to know that I have received specimens of T'yphlo- psylla orientalis, Wagner (Hor. Soc. Ent. Ross., xxxi., p. 591., t. x., f. 20 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. 30, 1898). Messrs. Brazenor Bros. sent me aseries of this insect from Brighton, and Mr. William Farren a similar lot from Boxworth, Cambs. I have also received a pair from a weasel taken near Nairn.—N. Cuartes Roruscutp, B.A., F.Z.8., Tring Park, Tring. Deceniber 30th, 1899. New Psycumw cenera.—lIn order to legitimise as it were, certain names that I am using in my second yolume of British Lepidoptera, and to prevent (as far as possible) them being reduced to synonyms prior to publication, I wish to notice the following: (1) Genus Bruandia, n. gen. with type reticulatella, the anterior wings reticu- lated, the costa rounded, possessing a well-defined cellula intrusa, the anterior tibial spines short (under -64 the length of tibia) and 20 or more antennal joints. (2) Genus Masonia, n. gen. with type crassiorella, the anterior wings without reticulations, the median neryure not forming a cellula intrusa; the anterior tibial spines intermediate, *66-"72 the length of the tibia, the antennal joints usually 20 or more. The Fumeids of which casta is the type, will retain the name H'umea, Haw. Among the Epichnopterygids, one separates readily the Bijugids and Psychideids from the Epichnopterygids proper which are withont anterior tibial spines. The species thus left appear to fall into two genera, viz. :— (1) Epichnopterix, Hb., with (dark) unicolorous wings and well represented by pulla, which is the type of the genus. (2) Whittleia, n. gen. with reticulated wings and well represented by reticella, which may be named as the type. The extended diagnoses of these genera will of course be published in British Lepidoptera, vol. u.—J. W. Turr. January 1st, 1900. FURTHER NoTE ON LUFFIA FERCHAULTELLA.—In reference to my note on this species in Hint. Record, xi., p. 2938, 1 wish to add a remarkable point that I had not clearly before me in writing that note. It does not in any way alter the facts then stated, but may affect some of the conclusions that may be derived fromthem. In observing the habits of the various Luffiid races, Mr. Bacot especially notes that whilst L. ferchaultella from various British localities commenced ovipcsition immediately on emerging from the pupa, those from Bignasco did not do so, but on the contrary, assumed a ‘‘calling’’ position like those of L. lapidella; he bred altogether six females between July 20th and 27th, as to each of which he makes this note. But he did not note whether they ultimately laid eggs or, still less, whether they were fertile. Still, his observation is abundantly adequate to show that the females expected males, and that such males must exist, however rare they may be, and that this race cannot be so completely parthenogenetic as the English examples. It is, nevertheless, true that perhaps some 200 cases were collected, that from twenty to thirty, perhaps more, 9s were bred, together with swarms of Chalcids, and that not one male appeared, and, further that in all its anatomical points, it agreed absolutely with L. ferchaultella and not with L. lapidella, and that in the matter of variability within the L. fer- chaultella form, especially affecting the tarsi, it occupied an intermediate position, between the two forms presented by different English races.— T. A. Cuapman, M.D., F.E.S., Betula, Reigate. British Lerpmoprera, Vou. I.—Crirican Nores.—I have been reading your British Lepidoptera, vol. i., and think it a good work. Perhaps you will not object to my mentioning a few points that struck VARIATION. 21 me on reading. (1) p. 12. Concerning number of eggs laid by moths, I think my record for Hcpantheria scribonia would have been interesting to add, viz., 2274 (see Can. Hnt., vol. xxiii., p. 106). (2) On the tree (p. 113) you seem to assume that the Castniidae have upright eggs. Is there any proof of this? The American genus Megathymus, put in the Castnians by Kirby and Druce, bears no relation to them, but is a true Hesperid. (8) p. 117. In your characterisation of Megalopygids you © say ‘‘ seven pairs of abnormal prolegs.”’ It should be stv. The anal legs are normal without accessory pads (see Journ. N. Y. Knt. Soc., vii., p. 69). (4) p. 125. ‘‘ The thoracic horns of Ceratomia.”’ I wish authors would stop quoting these as evidences of anything whatever. They are perfectly secondary, as I have shown, and are merely a special adaptation. Jn Ceratomia the ordinary oblique lines are re- placed by rows of teeth, and the ‘ horns ”’ are only another manifesta- tion of this peculiar converting of markings into structural characters. (5) p. 3864. ‘Cy avellana with its reversible spines on hatching.” You surprise me by suggesting any homology between this and the mature structure in Doratifera. The two are as utterly different as it is possible to imagine. Naturally this makes you get the evolution upside down. (6) p. 865. You did not improve the synopsis by changing the last paragraph. The presence of primitive sete and skin spines is not contradictory to my definition of ‘‘ smooth,’ which refers to the absence of warts or their derivatives. The distinction between the Hulimacodinae (better Prolimacodinae) and Cochlidinae is really a sharp one. You do not seem to have apprehended it. Warts in stage 1; later primitive sete only .. .. Prolimacodinae. No warts in any stage; strong and weak segments .. Cochlidinae. (7) pp. 122 and 865. Hairs not stings. I think they are stings. The shaft seems hollow, and on the removal of the cap on entering the skin the poison probably escapes (see Packard’s figures). The sensation is certainly a sting, different enough from the Lasiocampid hairs. Do not confound Packard’s ‘‘ caltropes’’ and the detachable spines with the ordinary urticating spines of the horns. They are quite separate things.—Harrison G. Dyar, Ph.D., United States National Museum, Washington. October 21st, 1899. [This note was sent as a private criticism, not specially for publication; but I have noted the facts involved in the criticism in my own copy, and doubt not other students would like to do the same.—Ep. ] NY ARIATION. CABERA PUSARIA AB. ROTUNDARIA AND A PARALLEL AB. OF C. EXAN- THEMARIA..—Some time since I beat a number of larve from birch, in Coombe Wood, Surrey, which I considered to be Cabera pusaria, and from them I bred a long series of C. pusaria, with a fair sprinkling of rotundaria, but as there were some decidedly intermediate forms I have ever since considered it to be only an aberration of C. pusaria. Many of the forms representing rotwndaria were more or less crippled, and looked as if they had been somewhat dried whilst in the pupal stage, from which I thought this may have produced the difference in shape and possibly in markings also. A. W. Mera, 79, Capel Road, Forest Gate, E. Some years ago I bred a number of C. pusaria from eges obtained 99. THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. from a typical ? , taken in Yorkshire ($ parent unknown), and among them were two or three specimens of rotundaria, so that I consider it merely an aberration and not entitled to specific rank.—T. Manppison, F.E.S., South Bailey, Durham. As bearing on the question of Cabera pusaria ab. rotundaria, I may say that one of my sons took in the New Forest, in 1892, an aberration of C. evanthemaria, which runs somewhat parallel to the rotundaria form of C. pusaria. The wings are rounder and more ample in pro- portion to their length than in the type, and are divided into three almost equal spaces by the strongly marked transverse lines. ‘There is no trace of a third line. The aberration is a striking one, because the outer transverse line is deeply shaded and the inner one, which in the forewings is also shaded but not so deeply, has a dark blotch in it near the costa.—J. C. Moprruy, M.A., F.E.S., 9, Rockstone Place, Southampton. ABERRATION OF ZONOSOMA PORATA.—I captured this year, in Devon, an aberrant Zonosoma porata, in which the tzansverse lines on both fore- and hindwings form distinct broad fasciz, in which the white spots stand out in bold relief.—B. A. Bower, F'.E.S., Langley, Eltham Road, Lee, S.E. October 14th, 1899. WOTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. Lepmorrera FROM SuRREY AND Hppinc, 1899.—As I had never tried the Dorking district, and had heard a good deal about the beauty of the Surrey scenery, my father and I made several excursions there during the past season. The country undoubtedly is lovely, but we were disappointed in the insects, the best part we visited beine round Friday Street, which is, to my mind, the most picturesque piece of country as well, with its miniature lake and pine clad hills round, and a few old-fashioned cottages about, but as it is situated about four miles from any railway station it can scarcely be termed convenient. Our first expedition was April 19th, to Boxhill for a few hours, but a few Orrhodia vaccinit, at treacle, were the only insects seen. Four days later we worked from Gomshall to Dorking, via Deer Leap Wood and Evershed’s Rough, but only obtained a few larve of Rumialuteolata, Cidaria russata and Larentia didymata, the two last by sweeping the bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) which grows in the utmost profusion, and later on in the season at a considerable height, in Deer Leap Wood. May 14th we spent the whole day working from Dorking, via Friday Street and Abinger to Gomshall. The day was warm but dull, and rain came on about 4.0 p.m. By beating the junipers which abound near Friday Street a large number of Hupithecia sobrinata larvee was obtained ; they varied much, but the green variety was much more numerous than the brown. Larve of Nola cucullatella, Diloba caeruleocephala, Metro- campa margaritaria, Thera variata, Cheimatobia brumata, Hypsipetes elutata and Miselia oxyacanthae were beaten, whilst more Larentia didymata were swept from bilberry. A few Pieris rapae were seen on the wing, but Melanippe subtristata and one Scotosia dubitata were the only other imagines noticed. May 20th-22nd was also spent at Dork- ing. The additional larve were Porthesia auriflua, Boarmia repandata, Pseudoterpona cytisaria (Gomshall), and Chesias spartiata (Gomshall), the latter abundant, Oporabia dilutata, Hybernia defoliaria, Hypena NOTES ON COLLECTING. 93 proboscidalis, Xanthia silago, Epunda viminalis and Anchocelis rufina (one, at Friday Street). Gonepteryx rhanni, Pieris rapaec, P. napi and Coenonympha pamphilus were the only butterflies seen. Hepialus lupu- linus, Anticlea derivata, Melanippe fluctuata and M. subtristata were noticed on palings, and Tephrosia crepusculartia (biundularia) on a pine trunk at Friday Street. Drepana cultraria, Venilia maculata, Lomaspilis marginata, Fidonia atomaria, Ligdiaadustata, Macaria aarti. Asthena candidata, Cabera pusaria and Ephyra trilinearia were also taken. As we were desirous of becoming better acquainted with Epping Forest, where we have scarcely done any collecting, we spent a whole day there (May 31st), walking from Loughton through Monk’s Wood to High Beech and the King’s Oak and back. The day turned out very hot and we were fairly successful, the chief drawback being our inability to obtain something decent to eat. A female Dasychira pudi- bunda was taken at rest on a tuft of ling, from which we obtained a laree number of ova, but the larvee from them all died. A nice speci- men of Nola cristulalis was boxed from a beech trunk in Monk’s Wood, resting head downwards. Drepana binaria, D. cultraria and HKphyra trilinearia, the former from oak, and the two latter from beech, were beaten out in profusion, but the ‘‘ hook-tips”’ were very difficult to keep an eye on, flying first in the sun and then in the shade, and zigzageing among the trees. Halias prasinana were beaten at the back of the “ King’s Oak.” Bapta temerata and Corenia propugnata, were taken in Monk’s Wood, whilst Venilia maculata, fidonia atomaria, Panagra petraria and Hubolia palumbaria were abundant in the open. Huclidia mi and Phytometra viridaria (aenea), were also seen. Among the butterflies a few good Syrichthus malvae, which were in beautiful condition, were the only ones worth taking. At dusk Cilix glaucata, Odontopera bidentata and Hypena rostralis were taken, and Panagra petraria swarmed. Lary were very abundant, Chetmatobia brumata being an easy first in point of numbers. The following were taken :— Nola cucullatella, one Hylophila bicolorana, Porthesia auriflua, Diloba cacruleocephala, Crocallis elinguaria, Himera pennaria, Aetrocampa margaritaria, Hemithea thyniaria, Abravas yrossulariata, Hybernia rupi- capraria, H. aurantiaria, H. defoliaria, two Chesias spartiata, E’punda viminalis and Miselia oxyacanthae. On July 9th, whilst walking to North Dulwich station, en route for Dorking I picked upa female Zeuzera pyrina from the payement in fair condition. Arrived at Dorking with a small party of friends we proceeded to Ranmore, where we spent the day. Rhopalocera were not abundant, a few good Cupido minima being the only ones worth taking. Tinodia hyperanthus, Thymelicus thaumas and Pamphila sylvanus were noticed. Of moths the best were Anticlea sinuata, Scotosia vetulata and Asthena luteata. Cidaria fulvata, Eubolia bipunctata, EB. palumbaria, Ligdia adustata, Iodis lactearia, Pseudoterpna cytisaria, Hecatera serena, Aplecta nebulosa, Miana furuncula, and worn Phytometra viridaria, were also seen. Only a few minutes were available for treacle, as visions of the disappearance of the last train haunted us, and in that time Thyatyra batis, in beautiful condition, Aplecta nebulosa (several) and Rustna tenebrosa were taken. The vision of the last train disappearing was unfortunately rather more than a vision on this occasion, which was all the more annoying as the collecting ground was too far off for us to care about returning to it. 24 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. Cerigo matura was common at Herne Hill at light during July. September 10th, was spent at Gomshall where larve af Macaria liturata, Fidonia piniaria and one Thera variata were beaten from pine and HKupithecia nanata and one small Anarta myrtilli from ling. Thera variata, and Phlogophora meticulosa (1 of each) were the only moths and Pyrameis atalanta and the ‘‘ Whites”’ the only butterflies. Treacle only produced Noctua aanthographa, T'riphaena pronuba, T. orbona and Amphipyra pyramidea.—F. M. B. Carr, 46, Handen Road, Lee, S.E. Nores From LuanstepHan, S. Waxes, 1899.—From August to October this district has been visited by a perfect plague of Pieris brassicae. The larve have completely destroyed the cabbages in every garden, leaving nothing but the bare stalks, acres of turnips have likewise been defoliated, the larve swarming over everything in all directions, whilst walls and sides of houses now show the pupe in every niche and corner, and countless little heaps of ichneumon cocoons. [N.B.—The parasites appear to have been equal to the occasion.]| The natives are filled with wonder at this extra- ordinary invasion, never having seen anything of the sort before. On interrogating a farmer as to the cause of the destruction of his turnip crop, he told me that it was some sort of worm that had done all the mischief. I explained to him that these worms were the progeny of the white butterfly, and that in their turn they would develop into white butterflies ; he answered nothing, but gave a pity- ing smile. It will be interesting to note the result of this excess on the coming season. It may, indeed, be in this way that vast migra- tions have their origin, and should such migration take place P. — brassicae will be no more in evidence next year than usual. The abundance of the insect, in the first place, may be due to the same cause, viz., immigration, but on this point I am by no means sure, indeed rather favour the following solution. The late summer itself has been an extraordinary one, remarkable for excessive heat and drought, conditions most favourable to the young larve, for nothing, in my opinion, is more destructive to exposed larve than rain, they are either drowned outright or washed off the leaves, and being too feeble to regain their food-plant perish in numbers. Should this theory be correct it is easy to understand that a double- and treble- brooded insect would increase in incredible numbers, and it is perhaps fortunate that these combined favourable conditions occur but rarely. I have little doubt that the vast migrations of insects may be attri- buted to local abnormal conditions of atmosphere, &e. P. rapae was also excessively abundant. MM. stellatarwn, more numerous than I have ever noticed it before. This insect appears to have been very general all over the country, and this fact may have afforded ento- mologists an opportunity for a closer study of its habits, which seem - to be but little understood. Its times for appearance are