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THE

ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE:

a 3/

CONDUCTED BY _

C. G. BAliEETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S

G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. E. McLACIlLAN, F.E.S.

J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S.

LOED WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &c.

SECOND SEKIES-VOL. XII.

[VOL. XXXVII.]

" An attempt liad been made to show the impossibility of preventing in the long run the natural spread of insects, the futility of attempts at extermination of well established pests, and the folly of viewing with alarm matters that had been going on for thousands of years without very great hurt to human interests." — C. L. Maelatt {in Presidential Address to Assoc. Ee. Entomologists, 1899).

LONDON:

GUENET AND JACKSON (Me. Yak Vooest's Successoes),

1, PATERNOSTEE ROW.

1901.

LONDON

NAPIER, PRINTER, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE, N.W.

MDCCCCI.

X\ve.ec"(r3

THE

ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE:

SECOND SERIES-VOL. XII.

[VOLUME XXXVII.]

ADDITIONS, &c., TO THE LIST OP BRITISH COLEOPTEBA DURING 1899 AND 1900.

BY PROF. T. HUDSON BEARE, B.Sc, F.B.S.

In the December number of vol. xxxiv (1898) of this Magazine, Mr. Champion published an account of the additions, &c., to our list during 1898, and as several novelties have been recorded during the past two years, and disputed points in the synonymy of others have been cleared up, it appears advisable to summarize them into one article.

Carahus nitens, L., var. niger, Semenow. — Taken by Mr. Donisthorpe in the New Forest in 1895 (Ent. Record, xi, p. 71).

Anchomenus quadripunetatus, De Goer. — Hitherto this species has remained, doubtfully, in our catalogue on the authority of one specimen taken many years ago by Mr. Bold in Northumberland. Mr. Champion has taken it in numbers near Woking, under fallen pine needles (Ent Mo. Mag., xxxvi, pp. 202, 236).

Harpalus latus, L., v. erythrocephalus, F. — Found in numbers by Mr. W. E. Sharp in North Wales (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 159). I took it some years ago near Oban, and Dawson mentions it in his Geodephaga Britannica.

Phytosus nigriventris, Chevr. — Canon Fowler, in Jiis Coleoptera of the British Islands (vol. ii, p. 170), expressed the opinion that probably this insect was identical with P. balticux, Kraatz. Mr. Champion states (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 1) that it is a distinct species, and gives distinguishing characters; he mentions the Chesil Beach as its locality. Since his note was published it has been recorded from Flint- shire, and from Hoylake, and is no doubt as widely distributed as P. balticus.

Diglotta siiiuatocollis, Muls. and Rey. — The only record of this insect given by Canon Fowler {op. cil., ii, p. 171) is Ireland. Mr. Champion has taken it in Sheppey (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 265), and it has also been found at Weymouth and Altcar.

Stichoglossa semirufa, Er. — Taken by Mr. Harwood near Colchester by beating oaks (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 55), an interesting addition.

Trogophlaeux anglicanus, sp. n., Sharp. — Taken in fair numbers by Mr. Keys and Dr. Cameron on the shores of a tidal stream at Plymoutli. It seems probable that this insect is identical with T. iinicolor, sp. n. (Fauvel), Sharp, from New Zealand, and that it has been introduced (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxvi, p. 232).

Orocharea angustatus, Er. — A single specimen was taken about twelve years ago by Mr. Piffard at Leverstock Green, Herts, at roots of rushes, in a disused clay pit. It lias been recorded by Canon Fowler (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxvi, p. 286).

NtJAKT, 1901.

A [January,

Oli/tru.i flaincornis, Sturm.— Tliis insect was introduced by Mr. Rye aa O. hel- veticus, Tourn., and stands under that name in our Catalogues, and in Canon Fowler's •work {op. cit , iii, p. 152) ; it has been taken at Catcrham, Sandown, &e. (Ent. Mo. Mag., XXXV, p. 159, and Ent. Record, xi, p. 136).

Olibrns affinis, Sturm.— Taken by Mr. Newbery and by Mr. Champion ; has hitlierto been considered identical with O.particeps, Muls. (Ent. Record, xi, p. 137).

Cercyon bifenestratus, Kiist.— Taken by Mr. Newbery at Deal in 1896. Perhaps confused in our collections with C. marinus, Thorns. (= aquaticus of British col- lections). (Ent. Record, xi, p. 265.)

Lepfidia hrevipennis, Muls. — Mr. Newbery (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxt, p. 292) adduces evidence to show that as this Longicorn has been taken so often, and in such widely distributed localities, it may now be fairly considered acclimatised, and is therefore entitled to a place in our catalogue.

Dinoderus minutus, F., D. pilifrons, Lesne, Stephanopachyss substriatus, Payk. — Mr. Donistliorpe states (Ent. Record, xii, p. 16) that these three species have all occurred in Great Britain (probably introduced), and have been eonfused under the one name of D. suhstriatua, Payk.

Hypera elongata, Payk. — The old records of this species were incorrect or very doubtful, but a specimen was taken by me near Edinburgh (Ent. Record, xi, p. 334). Since my note in the Ent. Record, Mr. Dale has examined his insects standing under this name and found they were not U. elongata. The species, therefore, probably had not been taken in Great Britain before.

Anthonomus rufux, Schon. — Taken by Mr. Bennett, and afterwards by me at Hastings, Fairlight (Eut. Record, xii, p. 159).

Ceuthorrhynehus querceti, Gyll.^ — This insect has previously been confused with Ceuthorrhynchidius terminatus, Herbst. Mr. Champion says (Ent. Mo. Mag.,xxxv, p. 142) that it has been captured at Horning Fen by Mr. Brewer, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Eliiman ; it appears always to occur in marshy places.

I'hytuhius miiricatus, Ch. Bris. — Mr. Champion states (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 143) that this insect has hitherto probably done duty in our collections as P. quadrinodosus, Gyll. On the other hand, Rhinoncus denticollis, Gyll., must dis- appear from our catalogue, as it is really synonymous with Fhytobius quadrinodosus, Gyll., and has been incorrectly included under Rhinoncus.

Aphthona nonstriata, Goeze, var. eenescens, Weise. — This variety has been taken in Wales by Messrs. Walker and Tomlin (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 15).

Aphthona herbigrada, Cuvt., var. ?. — Mr. Champion records (Ent. Mo. Mag.,

xxxv, p. 211) the capture in Yorkshire by Mr. Chaster of an jsneous coloured variety of this species, having more elongate antennje in the males than the type.

There are thus in the two years' work eleven undoubted additions to the catalogue, and three others which were doubtful have been con- firmed, while one name, Hhinoncus denticollis, disappears from the list.

Hyfophlceus linearis, Fabr , which appeared as an addition to our list in Mr. Champion's list of 1898, has been taken by that gentleman at Woking, a new locality (Ent. Mo. Mag, xxxv, p. 117). '1 wo other interesting records are the captures in the New Forest (Ent. Record, xi, p. 340) of Tropideres sepicola. P., and Ernohius abietis, F. The former has hitherto rested on the single specimen taken by Mr. Plant

Kini.] 3

at Buddon Wood, and Canon Fowler considered the latter doubtfully indigenous (Coleoptera Brit. Islands, vol. v, p. 193). Pacliyta seos- maculata, Linn., has also now been taken in two fresh localities in Scotland (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxvi, pp. 235, 287).

It is perhaps worth noting that two old Stephensian difficulties have been cleared up in the identification of Anomala Donovani, Marsh., as Anomala irrorata, Blanchard, an American insect ; and of EumoJpiis Dillwynii, Steph., as Scelodonta nitidula, Balj, a common eastern species (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxv, p. 269).

Richmond : December, 1900.

ON THE COLEOPTERA OF THE FAROE ISLANDS. BY DB. O. M. REUTEB.

In his interesting note on Coleoptera from Iceland and the Faroe Islands, in Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xxxvi, pp. 253, &c , Dr. D. Sharp says that he has been able to find only ten species recorded from the Faroe Islands, found by Mr. Walker, 1890, and mentioned in the Entomolo- gist for that year, pp. 374 and 375. He then enumerates 29 species, found by Mr. Annandale.

In Naturhistorisk Tidsskrift, 3 Esekke, 13 Bind, Dr. H. J. Hansen of Copenhagen has already (1881) published a Faunula Insectorum Faer(Bensium (pp. 229—278), in which are recorded 65 Coleoptera, 4 Neuroptera, 26 Hymenoptera, 15 Lepuhptera, 86 Diptera, 2 Orthoptera, and 6 Rhynchota.

The following are the Coleoptera not enumerated by Dr. Sharp : —

Bemlidium bipunctatum and bruxellense, PteroHichus nigrita and vitreus, Ca- lathus melanocephalm, Hi/droporus pubescens, Helophorus grancUs and aquaticus, Hydrobius limbatus, Megasternum boletophagum, Quedius umbrimts and boops, Othius falvipennis, Lathrobium fulvipenne , Stenus speculator and unicolor, Aleochara, lanuginosa and mcesta,AutaUa ptmcticollis, nomalotafiingi,elongatula and circellaris, Tachinus marginellus, Lesteva bicolor, Onialium depfanaticm and rivulare, Altageniia pellio, Simplocaria metallica, Aphodius afer, Niptiis crenatus, Anobium molle and domesticum, Enicmtis minutus, Cryptophagus scanicus, saginatus, dentatus, and n. sp. ?, Atomaria apicalis, Helodes minuta, Otiorrhynchus maurus, Bargnotus Schonherri, Tropiphorus niercurialis, Pissodes pini, Apion cruentalum,iiud. Gracilia minuta* The insects were mostly collected in 1863 — 1868 by Di". A. Bergh.

The following nine species, enumerated by Dr. Sharp, are not mentioned in Dr. Hansen's list : —

* AgubtM alpestris of Hansen is considered to be a variety of A. bipusitdatus.

[Januarr,

Amara aulica, Patrohus excavatus and axsimillx, Bembidium tihiale, Hydroporiis priieostriatus, Philonthus ceneus, Lesteva Sharpi, Dermestes lardarius, Chrysomela staphylea.

In the publication of Mr. Walker there is only one additional species, Otiorrhynclius scahrosus.

Tlius, at the present time at least 74 or 75 CoJcoptera* are known from the Faroe Islands. The species found before the collections were made by Mr. Annandale are mentioned also by W. Lundbeck in " Coleoptera et Hymenoptera Groenlandica " (Videnskabelige Med- delelser, 189G, pp. 196—251), and by G. Jacobson in " Insecta Novaja-Zemljensis," pp. 63 — 65 (Acta Acad. Scient. Petersb., 1898).

Helsingfors : November 5th, 1900.

ANDRENA HELVOLA, L., and AMBIGUA, Peekins. BY THE EEV. F. D. MORICE, M.A., F.E.S.

In the middle of May last I took near Leatherhead a number of very fine and fresh Andrence (males and females) under circumstances which make it impossible for me to doubt that they all belong to one species. Among the males, however, are some which, according to received ideas, are unquestionable specimens of heJvoIa, L., having, together with the other characters of that species, a pretty distinct tooth at the base of the mandible. In others, on the contrary, this tooth is scarcely perceptible, and in some it completely disappears, so that they cannot be distinguished from the males of A. ambigua, Per- kins, as described by that author (Ent. Mo. Mag., .xxxi, p. 39). As to the females I can see no reason to doubt that all are specimens of helvola.

Unless, therefore, some reliable structural difference other than that in the form of the ^ mandible can be pointed out between helvola, L., and amhir/ua, Perkins, it seems at least questionable whether the latter can be maintained as a distinct species. I do not venture to say that it is not so, but the matter seems to require further investi- gation. I understand that Mr. Perkins is at present out of England, or I should have submitted my specimens to him before publishing this note.

Bath sexes of the bee abounded on Alliaria officinalis, which was the only plant I saw them visit.

Brunswick, Woking :

October, 1900.

* Lesteva bicolor of Hansen is probably L. f>harpi.

is»oi.] 5

TWO SAW-FLIES NEW TO BRITAIN. BY THE REV. F. D. MOKICE, M.A., F.E.S.

Of the genus Tomostethus separated by Konow from Blennocampn, auctt., we have, according to Cameron (Mon. iv, p. 177), five British species. To these I can add two more — one taken by the Rev. A. Thornley (June, 1898) near Lincoln, the other by Mr. Alfred Beau- mont (August, 1900) at Appledore in Kent.

Mr. Thorley's capture is T. gagathinus, Klg.,cf , Mr. Beaumont's is T. funereus^ Klg-, also a (^ . Both species are recorded in Konow's Catalogue from " Germania, Gallia, and Suecia."

The chief distinguishing character of Tomostethus is the definition of the apical part of the mesosternum {prcBsterna) by a distinct im- pressed suture. Some of the species in it have a closed discoidal cell in the inferior wing, others none. Both the present species belong to the former of these groups, and are very nearly allied to each other. Their descriptions will be found on the same page (213) of " Hymenoptera Scandinavise," where 14, B. gagathina, follows 13, B. funerea.

Both are black and shining, with dusky wings and yellow tibia?. Funereun has the femora and tarei also yellow, only its coxse and trochanters being black. In gagathinus the apices of the femora are yellow, but their bases black ; and the tarsi are fuscous. Gagathinus has also shorter and heavier looking antennse ; and its tempora are margined below, which is not the case in funeretis. (This last is a difficult character to see, but an important one for separating species in the JBlenno- campidce).

Thomson further distinguishes gagathinun by its " almost interstitial " trans- verse marginal nervure. It might be called so in the specimen before me, but I must own I see very liitle difference as to the position of this nervure in the two species.

Both insects have a well marked " horny spot " in the second cubital cell, so that neither of them can be identified with the species which Mr. Cameron formerly called micans, but now hrachycera. (That species is known to me only in his description).

Woking : December, 1900.

ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA IN DUMBARTONSHIRE. BY J. R. MALLOCn.

During the last two seasons I have been collecting Hi/jnenoptera Aculeata in the Bonhill district, with the purpose of forming a list to be published next year in the Handbook that is to be issued to mark tTie Brit. Assoc. Meeting in Glasgow. Mr. Dalglish, of Glasgow, has

6 [Janiiavy,

also been collecting the bees, and between us we have turned up quite a few good species, and some that are new to Scotland. My co-worker has been fully as successful as I ; and although we have had only the short space of two years to make up the list we have reached the total of 102 species, and may possibly find some few more additions with the assistance of friends or older records. Among the species that are w^orth noticing are the following : —

Salius fuscus, Linn. — Not uncommon at Arrochar, Maj and June, 1899. S. parvulus, Dahlb. — This species was abundant at Levenside Moor in June, 1899, but was much scarcer tliis year ; it occurs with Andrena analis.

Ceropales maculata, Fabr. — Levenside Moor, Bonhill, 1900, scarce.

Crabro palmipeSjlAnn. — This species was very abundant, being even commoner than cribrarius, on the hillsides ; it was met with almost everywhere in sandy banks, C. varius, Lep. —Not so common as the preceding, but met with at Levenside Moor and Bonhill, 1899-1900. C. dimidiatm, Fab. — One specimen flying along an old wall on Dumbarton Road.

J'espa atcstriaca, Panz. — Have taken this species at Bonhill, 1879, and possess a specimen taken near Paisley, 1899.

Odynerus~trimarginatus, Zett.— This species occurred on an old wall on Leven- side Moor, Bonhill, in July and August, but was not common.

Sphecodes hi/alitmtus, Schenck. — Jamestown and Bonhill, scarce. S. variegatus, Y. Hag. — Levenside Moor and Bonhill, scarce.

Andrena fucata, Smith. — Occurred near Jamestown, not uncommonly, flying about hawthorn hedges at the end of May. A.fascipes, Kirby. — One S > 1899, and several "^ s, August, 1900, on Levenside Moor ; flying on the heath. A. analis, Panz. — A very common species ; burrowing in the moorland paths, Levenside Moor, &c.

Nomada obtusifrons, Nyl. — One specimen, 1899, and several more, 1900, Leven- side Moor and Jamestown. N. borealis, Zett. — Scarce; one at sallows, 1899, and two more at dandelion flowers, 1900, Bonhill.

Dillichip Terrace, Bonhill, N. B. : October 2Uh, 1900.

ACULEATE HYMENOPTBRA IN THE WEST OF SCOTLAND.

BT ANDREW ADIE DALOLISH, F.E.S.

During the last two years, whenever the weather permitted, I have devoted a great amount of my time in collecting the Aculeata ; the principal object being to assist Mr. J. K. Malloch with the list which he is compiling for the occasion of the British Association's visit to Glasgow in 1901. It is an extremely interesting group, and I am afraid my favourite Order, the Lrpidoptera, has been somewhat neglected during these two years.

1901.] 7

To Mr. Edward ISauuders, F.L.S., I am indebted for the identi- ficatiou of the greater portion of my captures, all the specimens having gone through his hands. I have already had the occasion of personally thanking Mr. Saunders, when he spent an afternoon with me in Glasgow, but must also embrace this opportunity of again expressing my gratitude, not only for the identification of my captures, but for the very great interest which he has undoubtedly taken in the matter.

The weather during these two seasons, as every one knows, has not been of the finest description, but full advantage was taken of the intervening fine days ; and I am not altogether displeased at the result. The following is a list of the principal captures : —

Fompilus Ktiguicularis, Thorns.— One $ on flower heads of yarrow, King's Cross, Arran, August 18th.

Oxyhelus uniglumin, Linn. — Several near Irvine, June 30th to July 22nd, on wild carrot. O. mandibularis, Dhlb. — Earo, near Irvine, July l-ith, on similar plant (three spocimens).

Odynerus spinipes, Linn. — One S, Dundonald, July 14th. Mr. Anderson Fergusson also brought me from Barr 2 (J s and a ? .

Prosopis brevicornis, Nyl. — One ^ and four ? s, Irvine. July 22nd.

Halicius tumKlorum, Linn. — da very common at King's Cross, on knapweed, August 15th.

Andrena Cetii, Sehr.--One $ swept from birch, and two ? s on scabious, Aug. 4th — 8th, at King's Cross.

Nomada ochrostoma, Kirb. — One ? , Barr, Ayrshire, in 1898, Mr. Anderson Fergusson. N. Fabriciana, Linn. — One, King's Cross, August 13th, near burrows of Andrena Q-wynana.

Epeolus productus, Thorns.— One specimen, Irvine Moor, July 8th, 1899 ; and another at same locality, July 22nd last ; this little species will doubtlessly be parasitic on Colletes montanus.

I can find no previous Scotch record for any of the above. The following are rare in Scotland, but have all been recorded : —

Fompilus xpissus, Schiodte. — One J , Dundonald, Ayrshire, July 14th.

Crabro tibialis. Fab. — One S , Dundonald, swept from birch, July 14th.

Colletes montanus, Mor. — This species, which I had the luck to add to the British list last year, and which was described by Mr. Saunders, ante vol. xxxv, p. 262, I again found this season very commonly from June 30th to July 22nd, at Irvine.

Andrena cineraria, Linn. — One ? taken by the late Mr. Geo. W. Ord at Strathbano, June, 1899, and a S from Pirnmill Arran, June this year, by Mr. A. Fergusson.

Nomada obtusifrons, Nyl. — One c? and five ? s at King's Cross, Arran, on August 13th, at a spot where Andrena coitana was abundant.

Bombus Jonellus, Sm.— One ?, Irvine Moor, July 8th, 1899; Luss, June 2nd,

[January,

1900; and King's Cross, August ISth. B. xoroensis, Fab. —One $ , Barr, Ayrshire, July, 18'J9; one (?, Kilkerran, September 15th, and $ s from Dundonald, July 14th ; and Kilsyth, September 8th this year.

Mr, Anderson Fergusson has kindly permitted me to record the specimens taken by him.

21, Princess Street, Pollokshields : November, 1900.

CORSICAN ANTS, &c. BY G. C. BIGNELL, F.E.S.

Last summer (May to October, 1899) I spent in Corsica, and the greater part of the time 1 had lodgings in Ucciani, which is about 19 miles from Ajaccio, at an altitude of about 1250 feet ; it was in this district that the undermentioned insects were obtained. I am very much indebted to Mr. E. Saunders for naming the specimens.

Camponotus maculatus, Fab. Leptothorax tuhervm, Fab.

(r. athiops, Latr.). (r. Nylanderi, Foerst.).

lateralis, Oliv. angttatulus, Nyl.

pubescens, Fab. Myrmica rubra, Linn. Colobopsis truncata, Spin. (r. scabrinodix, Nyl.).

Lasius emarginatus, Olir. Cardiocondyla sp. 1 $ .

fiavus, De Gear. Ajjhcenoy aster barhara, Linn. Playiolepis pygmcea, Latr. testaceopilosa, Luc.

Bothriomyrmex meridional is, Roger. Pheidole megacephala. Fab.

Tapinoma erralieum, Latr. SoJenopsis fugax, Latr.

Cremasiog aster gcutellaris, Oliv.

The large species of the above began to sestivate in June and remained in that condition until the rains appeared in September, the smaller species were obtained by beatinir, mostly from Arhufns, which is the prevailing shrub uf the island. It may be also interesting to note that on May 11th and following days I observed Aplicenocjaster testaceopilosa in several localities robbing weaker nests of their pupjE, I presume to strengthen their own,^as do Formica rufa and Myrmica rubra in England.

I also obtained two species of Mutilla, viz., maura and viduata, and three of Scolia ; S.Jlavifrons, Fab , was abundant on the flowers of a large thistle at Campoloro, near Ajaccio, two or three often occurring on one flower ; the other two I captured were smaller species, viz., qiuidripunctata and unifasciata.

Saltash : September lOth, 1900.

1901.] 9

NOTES ON BKITISH TRYPETIDM, WITH ADDITIONS TO THE LIST. BY KALPH C. BRADLEY.

Records of Trypetidce appear so seldom, and the insects are, with one or two exceptions, so uncommon, that a few remarks about them may prove acceptable, especially, as during the last season, several interesting species have been taken.

The additions. Tephritis {Oxyna) elongatula, Lw., a pair swept in a field at Swanage, August 29th. T. ruralis, Lw., one ? taken June 29th, 1898, New Forest.

The next two, although not in the list, have been exhibited and recorded by myself. RhacochlcBna toxoneura, Lw., one ? on window, Sutton Coldfield, May 22nd, 1897 ; this has not apparently been taketa again. Tephritis tessellata, Lw., one $ taken in July, 1894, New Forest ; Mr. Wainwright and myself came across this species on a visit to West Runton, Norfolk ; seven specimens.

In the same district we found Trypeta cornuta, F., commonly on the heads of a Centaurea ; it is a lovely green insect when alive, but unfortunately fades to a dirty drab when dead — this was new to us. T. tussilaginis, P., and T. bardance, Schrk., were fairly common, and Mr. Wainwright was lucky enough to get a (J Spilographa alternata, Fin.

Urophora solstitialis, L., occurred ; and Tephritis vespertina, Lw., and Sphe- nella marginata, Fin., were common.

Ensina sonchi, L., fell to the sweeping net, and I also met with it at Bourne- mouth, and later on two specimens on sunflowers in my garden at Moseley. Urellia stellata, Fues., a few at West Runton, I afterwards found it more commonly at Bournemouth, and, like the previous species, found it in a field a few days later close to my house. These two are recorded, I believe, for the first time in the Midlands.

Urellia eluta, Mg. : this is in italics in Mr. Verrall's list. Mr. Wainwright took a single ? at West Runton, and he has also met with Trypeta onotrophes at Selsby and Sutton Coldfield.

Tephritis absinthii, F., three specimens of this fell to my share at Bourne- mouth in August (two males, one female).

The genus Carphotricha seems very rare ; last year I captured a J guttulans, Mg., in my garden, July 26th, 1899, and this year Mr. Martineau swept a $ pupil- lata, Fin., at Solihull.

Many of these little gems used only to be obtained by systematic sweeping, and it behoves one when examining the contents of the net not to throw the debris away hastily, as the little creatures seem stunned, and it is frequently four or five minutes before some of them recover suflBciently to crawl up the net.

Coleopterists must come across these little spotted and banded winged flies in their sweeping excursions, and I should be glad if any collectors would kindly forward them to me, by this means increasing our knowledge of the distribution of this interesting group, and possibly adding to our list.

Lyndhurst, Mayfield Road,

Moseley, Birmingham : Decembtr, 1900.

10 [January,

ATHERIX CRASSIPES, Meio. : A NEW BRITISH DIPTERaN. BY n. W. ANDKEWS, F.E.S.

While collecting in July last near Ticehurst in Sussex, I took half a dozen specimens of a Dipteron which Mr. Verrall has since kindly identified for me as Atherix crassipes, Meig., an addition to the British list ; he also tells me that there are only a few European records for this species. My specimens were taken flying among some small alder bushes on the banks of the River Rother, and had I known what it was I was catching, I could have taken a considerably longer series, as it was not at all uncommon in that particular locality.

9, Victoria Road, Eltham : November, 1900.

Merodon equestris. Fab. — It may be of some interest to note that I found in a newly erected house near Saltash thirteen dead specimens of Merodon equestris, six S and seven $ ; on making enquiries I ascertained that the owner had purchased at a sale room in the town a parcel of imported bulbs, that he deposited them in a glass cupboard for a time ; while there the larvae left the bulbs, turned to pupse, and the flies duly emerged. Not knowing this Dipterous fly, I sent them to Mr. Coryndon Matthews for identification ; he kindly named them, and remarked that he had taken several specimens in his garden at Ernie Wood, near Ivybridge, mostly in one season, and that they varied in colour as much as those I found. These flies are thickly covered with short stiff hairs on the thorax and abdomen, and may be mistaken for small bumble-bees ; four represent in colour Bombus venustus, and one a $ lapponicus, the other eight are rather mixed in colours for good comparison, for no two are quite alike.— G. C. Bignell, Home Park Road, Saltash, Cornwall: November \2th, 19U0.

Correction concerning Erebia glacialis. — I should like to correct a couple of lines on p. 292, vol. xxxvi. What I believe I said was that the insects shown were very close to the form called melas from Campiglio. This was at one time supposed to be melas, but was proved by Calberla to be glacialis. — T. A. Chapman, Betula, Reigate : December 3rd, 1900.

Notes on Lepidoptera from Staffordshire. — I have taken one specimen of Vanessa C-album here this season ; it is a great rarity in these parts. Of Colias Edusa I have seen one. Acherontia Atropos has been plentiful in the larva state. Macro- glossa stellatarum has occurred all through the summer ; I took the last at rest in my hall on October 22nd. On July 22iid I took at light a nice specimen of Xylophasia scolopacina ; it is, I believe, the second ever taken in the county. On August 19th I captured one Apamea fibrosa at sugar, being the second that I have secured here. I have found this year that Hadena contigua feeds on larch in the wild state ; Mr. Woodforde beat one larva from it last year, but we both thought that the larva had fallen from an overhanging birch ; I beat out two this year, very late in the season, from an entirely isolated small larch. — Richard Freer, Church Street, Rugeley, Staffordshire: November, 1900.

1901. J 11

Leucania vitellina, L. oXhipuncta , Laphijgma exigua, Heliothis armigera, ^c, in South Devon. — On August 24th last I left home to have nearly three weeks in South Devon, in company with my friend Mr. J. Jiiger, of London. Our special object was to take Leucania vitellina, L. albipuncta, and Laphygma exigua. A South Devon friend had suggested a locality which he thought would be likely to produce these species, though that particular bit of ground had never previously been sugared ; and during our stay he frequently joined us in our work. Unfortunately the season was a late one, and the best work was done after I left on September 12th. Mr. Jager remained acme days after me, and our friend continued to sugar into the early days of October. Of the three species only L. albipuncta seemed to be out at the time of our arrival, and of it I took one the first time I sugared, on August 25th. One night the following week, the only nigiit during my stay in which the atmospheric conditions were really satisfactory, I took five, but it was tlie sole occasion on which more than odd specimens occurred to us. L. exigua I did not take until the end of our second week, but a few days after I left Mr. Jiiger captured as many as five one evening ; and still later it occurred even more freely to our friend. L. vitellina did not turn up at all during my stay, but Mr. Jager was fortunate enough to take it a few days later, and from that time to the first week in October a fair number were captured, mostly in fine condition, and one of them " as red as the red form of albipuncta." Thanks to the generosity of my friend, a nice representative set of it, as well as of L. exigua, now grace my own cabinet. L. vitellina comes early to sugar, almost as soon as dusk comes on ; it is very skittish, and requires careful boxing. Our experience with L. exigua was altogether contrary to Mr. Woodforde's ('■/. Barrett's British Moths, vol. v, p. 274). With us it also came early, and was practically over by 9 o'clock ; and it only came in numbers on calm, dark, warm nights, being scarcely seen during strong wind, or late, the latter being the condition in wliich Mr. Woodforde took it. But, unlike L. vitellina, when once on the sugar there is no further trouble with it, as it sits perfectly quiet, and will not be frightened off. It deposits its eggs freely, and Mr. Jager, our friend, and myself, all now have larvse feeding from the captured moths. During this time, too, a few fine Heliothis armigera occurred, and probably it has not often happened to one collector to take L. vitellina, L. albipuncta, L. exigua, and H. armigera on one — and the first — " round " of his sugar, as occurred to our friend on September 16th ! To proceed to more ordinary species, Colias Edusa was abundant everywhere on the many miles of coast we explored, and any number might have been taken ; a few of its variety, Helice, occurred with it, but of C. Hyale we never saw a specimen, though we con- stantly kept a sharp look out for it. The other butterflies included a single late Argynnis Paphia, Vanessa lo, Atalanta, and cardui, in plenty ; and Lyccena agestis, alexis, argiolus, and Adonis in smaller numbers. Macroglossa stellatarum flew about flowers, but was scarce ; CalUgenia miniata and Lithosia caniola occurred, but the latter, although it had been unusually common in the district, was then practically over. The same remark applies to Leucania putrescens, though it turned up still in fine condition at ray sugar on August 25th. Stilbia anojyiala was plentiful in one spot, and of it quite a number of females were taken at sugar, but singularly not a single male appeared at the sweets, though on the wing common enough. One of the most abundant Noctuoe was certainly Caradrina am'iigua, which continued, and in good condition, all through our visit. A fine form of Noctua neglecta was fairly

\2 [January,

common ; and a single large female Aplecta occulta was taken. Bryophila glandifera was still not uncommon on walls, and had previously been very plentiful and vari- able. Other Noctu(B included Hydrxcia nictitans, Heliophohus popularis (very dark), Miana furuncida, Agrotis puta, segetum, and saucia, all in fine variety, A. suffasa, TryvhcBna fimbria, Noctua glareosa, N. rubi, Cosmia diffinis, C. affinis, Folia chi, P. JlavociTicta, Epunda lichenea, E. lutulenta, and Plusia festucce. The numbers of second brood specimens of Acronycta rumicis, Mamestra hrassicae, Hadena nle- racea, &c., were, to a northerner, a striking feature. A single Thyatira batis occurred on September 8th, probably also a second brood specimen. Of Geometnv, one of the most noticeable, from its abundance, was Acidalia promutata : it occurred commonly on walls wherever we went, and as we sat in our sitting room with open windows, after we came in at night, was constantly about our large lamp, and in greater plenty than any other species. Melanippe yaliata nearly equalled it in numbers, followed by Eubolia bipunctaria and Anaitis plagiata. Other species were Acidalia subscri- ceaia, Aspilates citraria, Eupithecia centaureata, E. pumilata (plentiful at sugar), Melanippe rivata, Phibalapterya lijnata, &c. Before our arrival several Anticlea sinuata had been taken, surely making a new locality (if not county) for this local species. The smaller moths included Spilodes sticticalis, Scopxda ferrugalis, in abundance, Scoparia angustea, Phycis carbonariella, Crambus geniciilellus, &c. A good variety of the genus Depressaria also came to the sugar, among which AlstroB- meriella, rotundella, and Douglasella were noticed.

Some time was devoted to other Orders, and among the dragon-flies, the in- teresting ^schna mixta was plentiful in one spot of marshy ground, having a wide stream running through it. But although Mr. Jiiger and myself spent a good por- tion of one fine morning over it, and when we frequently saw four or five at one time, neither of us managed to catch one, nor did we ever see one settle. The only one secured, a fine specimen, was taken by a boy and brought to us. On the same ground Sympeirum sirinlatum was abundant, with a few Inchnura elegans. Odd specimens of one or two other species were seen on the wing, but their identity is doubtful. Of PloAiipennia and Trichop>tey a, Chrysopa flavifrons, C. vulgaris, C. aspersx, Limnophilus affinis, and L. lunatus were all common at sugar; by which means also the following five species of Orthoptera were attracted. Forficula auri- cularia in pi-ofusion as usual ; Leptophyes functatissima, common ; Locusta viridis- sima, fairly so ; Meconema varimn and Ectobia Panzeri, several of each ; Stenobothrus hicolor and S. parallelus were both abundant ; and Xiphidium dorsale was not un- common in the marsh previously referred to. Of Diptera, a pair of the fine Asilus crabroniformis were captured.— Geo. T. Poreitt, Crosland Hall, near Huddersfield : November 10th, 1900.

Lepidoptera in Anglesea. — I spent my holiday this year about two miles from Holyhead. During my stay, June 2l8t to July 10th, the weather was most incle- ment ; I cannot imagine a worse three weeks for the time of the year. It rained nearly every day, accompanied by a stiff S.W. breeze ; so the following list is by no means indicative of the resources of the locality. The night flyers were all taken at white campion, which was very abundant. I did no sugaring, for if there had been anything but stone walls to sugar, I am sure 1 should never have kept my lamp alight.

ifloi.] 13

The following is a list of insects taken : — Lyccena Alexis (common everywhere), L. ^gon (very common in one locality), Chcerocampa porcellus (common), Sesia pJiila.nthiformis (locally plentiful), Dianthcecia capsincola and D. conspersa (buff forms), Caradrina morpheus, C. cuhicularis, Chariclea umbra, Hadena dentina, Cucul- lia umhratica (in swarms), Mawesira albicolon, Hecatera serena, Agrotis porphyrea, Noctua plecta, Melanippe galiata, Emmelesia decnlorata (large and strongly marked), EuhoUa, palumharia, Pseudoterpna pruinata {cytisaria), Acidalia promutaia, A. scutulata, Eupithecia venosata and E. nanata, Anaitis plagiata, Ennychia cingulata, Platyptilia ochrodactylus, Pempelia palumhella, HomcBosoma nebulella, and Phycis subornatella (very common). — KiCHABD Feeek, Church Street, Rugeley : Nov. 1900.

Autumnal notes from Seaton, Devon. — About the third decade of October, I began to take steps for recording the latest dates on which certain species of insects could be found here this season. The following are some of the results of my observations : —

October 25th. — Epinephile Janira, 1 <? , seen on the sea shore at Seaton Hole ; also the last of Pieris rapoe.

November 1st. — Macroglossa stellatarum ; 2nd, Chrysophanus Pldceas and Steno- pteryx hybridalis ; 6th, Sympetrum, striolatum ; 9th, Colias Edusa, rav. Helice, in prime condition : all near the sea shore. 13tli, saw a Vanessa lo flying in the village of Seaton at noon ; another was brought to me from a beetroot bed on the 14th, which was rather torpid in the morning, but flew away afterwards. 15th, a newly emerged $ of C. Edusa was drying its wings near a clump of Lotus corniculatus on the cliff, about 11 a.m. ; I secured the pupal slough, which was within an inch or two of the fly. The imago was brightly coloured, and continued to haunt the environs of its birthplace, with another individual of the same sex, until the fore- noon of the 19th inst. Then came a frost, and they were seen no more. 18th, the last day of V. Atalanta on ivy-bloom, at Seaton Hole ; a week later, Vespa vulgaris, 5 , was there still— doubtless from a well sheltered nest; for the inmates of another community in an open situation at the foot of the cliffs, retired from business quite ten days earlier — A. E. Eaton, Woodlands, Seaton, Devon: November 26th, 1900.

P.S. — 7. Atalanta was seen again yesterday. — A. E. E. : November 2Sth, 1900.

An unrecorded example of Cloantha perspicillaris from the New Forest. — I have a specimen of Cloantha perspicillaris taken in a garden in the New Forest in 1873 by Lady Florence Herbert, sister of Lord Pembroke ; it has not hitherto been recorded. — C. W. Dale, Glanvilles Wootton : November, 1900.

Netu differentia of Agrotis tritici and nigricans. — In consequence of diverse opinions as to the species of an insect which belongs to me, and which, from pre- sumably melanic influences, is quite black, without any mark on the fore-wings, I was led to make a minute examination, in order to satisfy myself as to its identity, it being admitted one of the above two species.

The only things distinguishable are the stigmata (which ai-e the same dull black as the rest of the wing, and without outline) ; they are, however, enclosed in a black velvety wedge-shaped sti-euk, the base of which is beyond the reniform, and

14 [January,

its sharp point extends into the angle formed by the median and subcostal nervures, enveloping both stigmata, rendering them conspicuous, and is almost identical with the streak enclosing the stigmata of agaihina.

The stigmata in nigricans are in contact with two quadrate black spots, the one nearest the base being between the first transverse line and the orbicular, and the other a rhomboidal black spot between the orbicular and reniform stigmata. There is not anything in the nature of a streak or a point. As the pointed streak is constant in the ordinary forms of tritici, there is no doubt that my melanic specimen belongs to that species, but there is not any other feature observable by which it can be identified. — Ben. Blaydes Thompson, 6, Benson Road, Forest Hill, S.E. : November, 1900.

Macrogaster arundinis in Norfolk. — I well remember the interest which this species — perhaps the most singular and pronounced type of fen insect — excited in my mind when I first began to turn attention to fen collecting, and the delight with which I secured my first specimens at Wicken, in June, 1873. One of these was a $ , and laid me eleven eggs, which Mr. Barrett turned out for me at Ranworth, inserting each separately at the axil of a leaf of reed. Nothing more was seen of them, till in August, 1878, Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher took two specimens on the very spot where these were turned out. Naturally we concluded that these were de- scendants of the ova turned out (by the way, the larva is said to take from two to three years to feed up ; in the former case living through the winter and appearing in June, and in the latter — far more rarely — pupating in the second summer, and coming out in August, so that these might conceivably be a second generation from our ova. I give this statement on the authority of the late T. Brown, of Cam- bridge, but I know of no reason to doubt it). The spot has been repeatedly worked since, occasionally in June, and constantly in August, but no more M. arun- dinis have been seen.

What, then, was my surprise at taking a single specimen this year (August) in the Hickling Fens ! It seems inconceivable that the brood introduced at Ranworth should have remained invisible there for 20 years, and yet sufiiciently plentiful not only to keep up the stock, but to extend its borders to so far remote a spot, leaving no traces between.

Of course, till we have fresh details of collecting in the Hickling district the whole must remain as an unsolved problem, but it certainly looks as if somewhere in that locality there existed a colony of this very interesting species. It is very strongly attracted by light, and a little persistent work through the district from June to August would soon give us some data by which to settle the question.

It is curious that both these Norfolk captures were in August ; whereas in Wicken not one out of twenty would be taken in that month : the time being from the beginning of June to the first week of July.- — F. D. Wheelee, Paragon House School, Norwich : October, 1900.

[In the Ent. Record, x, p. 231 (1898), Mr. Percy C. Reid, of Kelvedon, notices the capture of three specimens of M. arundinis at light, on August Uth, at " a very considerable distance from Ranworth." — Eds.]

1901.] 15

Scottish Aculeates. — I am glad Mr. Malloch has called attention (Nov., 1900, p. 264) to Mr. Peter Cameron's Clydesdale record of Vespa arbor ea, Smith (now re- garded as identical with Vespa aa-s^rjaea, Panzer), of which I was not previously aware. Mr. Cameron, I find, has also recoi'ded Nomada flavoguttata from two localities in Inverness-shire, namely, Q-len Shiel and Kingussie (Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasgow, ii, p. 294, and iii, p. 90), and I regret to see I have stupidly put Crahro chrysostomus into the first part of my note (p. 265), instead of the second (for I was well aware of Mr. Service's record in his Dumfries list), so that my records of these two species also are not the first for Scotland. I am now able, however, to add to my list Salius parvtdus, Dhlb., from Aberfoyle. Mr. Saunders' remarks (pp. 266-7) on Sutherlandsbire examples of Passaloecus monilicornis have led me to re-submit to him my supposed P. gracilis (which has, as he pointed out when he first saw it, tlie labrum black, but the prothoracic tubercles white), and he now considers it a variety of P. monilicornis. — William Evans, 38, Morningside Park, Edinburgh : November 9th, 1900.

Spathitis exaratus, L., parasitic on Anobium domesticum, Fourc. — Some six years ago, when I was in Armagh, I found that Anobium domesticum had attacked the suppoi-ting pillar of a large rosewood table that stood in my drawing room. I applied carbolic acid to the burrows of the beetles, and the attack seemed to cease. Last year Mrs. Johnson brought me a Braconid, and asked me if it would be attacking the table, as tlie burrows were showing afresh, and she had caught this insect running about on the pillar. My first impression was that the Braconid was there by accident, but tlie appearance of others proved the reverse. We cap- tured some, and I put them by, intending to make enquiries, but forgot all about them till Mrs. Johnson brought me more specimens last month which she had caught in the same place, viz., on the pillar of the table. I was convinced then that they were attacking the Anobium, and not knowing anything about the tribe sent them to Mr. E. Saunders, who very kindly forwarded them to Mr. Claude Morley, to whom I am indebted for the determination of the species. As the creature was doing BO good a* work I did not interfere further than to take the few specimens referred to. It seems to enter the burrows of the Anobinm, but whether it attacks the beetle or its larva of course I had no means of determining, as the table is quite too valuable to excavate ; however, there are lots of Anobium, so perhaps I may get an opportunity with some less valuable wood. — W. F. Johnson, Acton Glebe, Poyntzpass : October 13th, 1900.

Astatus stigma, Panz., and other Aculeate Hymenoptera, Sfc, on the Lincoln- shire coast. — On June 30th last I spent a couple of hours in collecting Hymenoptera and Diptera on the coast at Skegness ; the exact spot being a small expanse of sandy ground, partly overgrown with bushes of sea-buckthorn {Hippopha'e rham- noides) and maritime grasses, with a few tufts of bird's-foot trefoil {Lotus cornicu- latus), &c., and situated immediately behind the aand-hills a few yards north of the pier. Here the ground literally swarmed with Pompilus plumbeus, Fab., accompanied by a few P. gibbus. Fab. ; and of rare species I took a fine male of Astatus stigma, Panz., and two specimens of Tachytes unicolor, Panz. Flying about their burrows, and visiting the flowers of the bird's-foot trefoil, were numbers of Megachile

10 (January,

circumcincta, Lop. ; their parasite, CaeUoxyn simplex, Nyl., was also fairly common. Among otiier species taken were Tachytes pectinipes, Linn., Oxybelus iiniglumis, Linn., Crahro Wesmaeli, V. de Lind., and C. peltarius, Schreb., Andrena nigrocenea, Kirb., &c.

A subsequent visit to the same spot on July 18th yielded Pompilus rufipes, Linn., Prosopis communis, Nyl., and P. brevicornis, Nyl., Sphecodes subquadratus, Sm., Halictus rubicundus, Christ, and H. morio, Fab., Andrena albicrus, Kirb., and A. nana, Kirb.

Among the Diptera taken may be mentioned Fhilonicus albiceps, Stratiomys chameleon, NemoteJus tdiginosus, and Chloromyia formosa. The beautiful silvery Thereva annulata was abundant all over the sand-hills.

My best thanks are due to the Rev. A. Thornley, who examined all my speci- mens, and is responsible for the idenlifications.— J. W. Caer, University College, Nottingham : November 5th, 1900.

Andrena Hattorfiana, Fab., and Nomada armata, H.-Schff., near Oxford. — On June 19th last my friend Mr. W. Holland gave me a Nomada which he had found clinging to a flower of the Bugloss {Echium vulgare) the previous evening near Tubney, Berks, on the Wantage Road, which lies about seven miles west of the city, and which we identified as Nomada armata (subsequently confirmed by Mr. Ed. Saunders). This notable capture made me long to visit the locality on the first opportunity, feeling certaiii that if N. armata was there, Andrena Hattorfiana would be also. So that it was with no small amount of pleasure that I started on July 8th to look for both species, in which I am glad to say I was in no way disappointed, for no sooner had I arrived on the ground than N. armata was netted, and then directly after A. Hattorfiana also ; patient work for several hours resulted in a very fine series of the sexes of both species. A. Hattorfiana was taken flying persistently to the flowers of the small white clover (Trifollum repens), with an occasional visifc to a small yellow composite {Crepis virens), though the peculiar colour of the pollen on two or three $ s point to their having gathered it from Knaiitia arvensis, as it was exactly like that being collected from that plant by several ? s captured on August I2th, near Dawlish, S. Devon. It has peculiarities not common to the genus, in that when first alighting on a flower it holds its abdomen almost vertically, showing conspicuously the bright golden hairs on the apical segments, which gives it a very singular appearance ; and in its site for nidification it did not choose the bare spots, but simply burrowed amongst the herbage in a more or less solitary way, and was not gregarious, like labialis, humilis, and others of the genus. Two specimens of the red variety of the ? were taken, and several cJs also show traces of the same colour at the apices of the first and second abdominal segments.

N. armata, though not so abundant as its host, was not at all rare, frequenting the same flowers and place, but seemed far more " skittish " than is usual with most species of Nomada, flying off with great rapidity on the least alarm. It varied but little in colour, and only a trifle in size.

A further visit to the same spot a week after (July 15th) only resulted in four A. Hattorfiana and one N. armata being taken, and this after several hours' search, so that one is inclined to think that both species were almost over, a result no doubt hastened by the hot and brilliant weather prevailing at the time. — A. H. Hamm, 22, Southfield Road, Oxford : November, 1900.

1001.] I^y

Rare Aculeate Hymenoptera at Hailing, Kent. — Daring the past season, ac- companied by my friend Mr. H. Lamb, I had a few hours' collecting on tiie Chalk Downs at Upper Hailing. This locality, which was new to us, is situated about seven wiles north-west of Maidstone, and four and a half miles south-west of Rochester, proved to be rich in rare Aculeates

On our first visit, June 5th, we took Crahro Uturatux, Panz., ? , flying about a wooden fence ; Sphecodes spinulostcs, v. Hag., ? , off some rough ground on the hill side; Osmia leucolemana, Kirb., O. aurulenta, Panz, Nomada ochrostoma, Kirb. ; Andrena proxima, Kirb., a not uncommon species in several localities on the chalk hills near Maidstone, occurred on hawthorn blossom and wood spurge ; No- mada fiavoguttata, Kirb., was in company with it on the spurge ; Ceratiyia cyanea. Fab., (7 and ? , on the Burnet rose, and in August I saw a ? in the head of a thistle, but failed to secure it ; Andrena chrysosceles, Kirb., occurred on the hedge parsley ; Osmia bicolor, Schrk., ? , Halictus IfBvigatus, Kirb., ? , were fairly abundant on white beam blossom, and the $ of the latter species on ragwort in the autumn.

In August a single specimen each of Pompilus {Evagethes) bieofor, Lep., ? ,and Salius obtusiventris, Sehiodte, ? ; Andrena denticulata, Kirb., in fair numbers, to- gether with a few specimens of Nomada alternata, Kirb., and N. solidaginis, Panz., were obtained off ragwort ; Prosopis dilatata, Kirb., ? , from the head of a musk thistle ; several males of Cilissa melanura, Nyl., were taken, flying close to the ground amongst the plants of a large patch of Bartsia odontites, and some females early in September, whilst collecting pollen from its blossoms, C. leporina, Panz., occurred in a lucerne field ; C. hcemorrhoidalis. Fab., on harebells, and Sphecodes pvncticeps. Thorns., on corn camomiles ; Halictus quadricinctus , Fab., was plentiful on knapweed ; H. xantkopus, Kirb., on the flowers of the hoary ragwort.

I was also fortunate enough to take a <? of Halictus maculatus, Smith ; this is, I believe, the first record of the capture of the <? in Britain. Mr. E. Saunders was kind enough to confirm my determination of this species. — Herbert Elgar, Upper Frant Road, Maidstone : December, 1900.

Bembex rostrata, Linn., in Jersey. — Can any reader of this Magazine tell me if this fine fossoi'ial Aculeate has ever been recorded from the Channel Islands ? I have a specimen, with oi'iginal label still attached, which I captured in Jersey in August, 1873. I do not mean to suggest that the occurrence of the species in the Channel Islands entitles it to a place on the British list. — William Evans, 38, Morningside Park, Edinburgh : November 9th, 1900.

Blacus armatulus, Ruthe, near Ipswich. — Referring to my friend Mr. Beau- mont's record of Blacus armatulus, new to Britain, in Kent in 1900,1 may mention that it is probably a common species in dead bracken and other refuse in our woods during the winter. Two or three specimens of B. armatulus, Ruthe, occurred to me in such a situation in Bentley Woods near here in December, 1898, together with the common B. {Oanychorus) ruficornis, Nees. — Claude Morley, Ipswich: December, 1900.

18 [.Tjimary,

Uarpalus anxius from the Oxford District. — Mr. Claude Morley, in his inter- esting note, "A quarter of an hour on the Breck " (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1900, p. 288), speaks of Harpalus anxius as never taken inland in Britain except at Lakenheath Warren, Suffolk. It is, therefore, worth while to place on record the fact that this species is abundant on a sandy common near Oxford. In the same place also occur Crypticus quisquilius and Cteniopus sulphureux, both generally looked upon as ex- clusively coast species. Microzonm tibiale, and the genus Calathus, usually es- pecially abundant on the coast, are also very plentiful in the same locality. — W. Holland, Hope Department, University Museum, Oxford : December 4th, 1900.

Lathridius Bergrothi, Reitt.,and other beetles in a herbarium. — I have received from Prof. Carr, M.A., a number of small beetles taken from a dried specimen of Burdock {Arctium) in the herbarium of the University College, Nottingham. They consisted largely of Corticaria fulva. Com., a few Cartodere filum, Aube, with Enicmus minutu.i and half a dozen examples of a pretty Lathridius, which Mr. Champion kindly informs me is L. Bergrothi, Reitt. I have learnt that the speei- men of Arctium was of English origin, but no doubt the beetle is an introduced species, derived from some of the dried foreign plants in the same herbarium. -- Alfred Thornlet, South Leverton Vicarage, Lincoln : December 5(h, 1900.

[Father M. J. Belon, of Lyons, who has been kind enough to examine one of Mr. Thornley's specimens of L. Bergrothi, tells me that it has been found at St. Petersburg and various other places in Russia, and also in Finland, Denmark, Germany (Dresden and Hamburg), Austria, Silesia, and France (Dept. of Calvados). The insect was not described till 1880, and it seems probable that it is gradually spreading on the continent, after the manner of Coninomus nodifer (Westw.), as has been rioted by Ganglbauer. It is recorded (Rev. d'Ent., xvi, p. 174) as having been found in mould and in faggots. In general appearance L. Bergrothi is not unlike Enicmus tran.<: versus (Oliv.), from which it differs in its larger size, and in the sharply carinate alternate interstices of the disc of the elytra (there are three prominent carinse on each elytron, and the suture also is raised), the margins of the latter being also conspicuously explanate towards the base. — G. C. C.J.

Larinus scolymi, Oliv., at Colchester. — Amongst a number of Coleoptera sent me for names by Mr. Harwood, of Colchester, there is a specimen of this conspicuous South-European species. The insect must, of course, have been imported in some way to the locality where it was found, possibly with plants of Cynara svolymus or C. cardunculus, which are much cultivated in gardens. Mr. Harwood's account of its capture is as follows : " I had been collecting Aculeate Hymenoptera near the railway at Colchester one afternoon in June last, and as it came over dull I gathered a handful of the flowers of Knautia arvensis and took them home in my net, which I hung up on the umbrella-stand on arrival. Next morning, when going out again, I took down the net and found the Larinus crawling on it! As I could not make the insect out, I went off again to examine the scabious flowers carefully, and to sweep the embankment, but found no more of the beetle. There is a junction for Clacton and Walton at the place mentioned, and it was on the southern slope of the branch line embankment where I gathered the flowers to take home." L. scolymi

i»oi.j 19

is twice the size of oui* L. carlince, Oliv., and has a shoi'ter, flatter, and very much stouter rostrum ; this latter has o;i the upper-side an anteriorly abbreviated median carina and two less distinct divergent carinee extending forwards from the median one on each side towards the base, and on the under-side it is clothed with lon^ hairs. M. Bedel (Faune Col. Bassin Seine, Rhynch., p. 88) records the capture of an example at Paris, in July, 1876, upon a flower of Cynara cardunculus (a spiny plant allied to the artichoke, C. scolymus), from Algeria, transplanted to the Botanical G-arden of the Museum. I have taken the insect myself in the south of Spain, at Algeciras, whence Mr. Walker has also sent me specimens. — GI-. C. Champion, Horaell, "Woking : December Qth, 1900.

»i

Classification of the Ichneumon Flies of the Super-Family Ichneu- MONOIDEA. [Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xxiii (1900), pp. 1—220.] By William H.

ASHMEAD.

Under the above title we have a really concise and workable diagnosis of the families and genera of a huge mass of the neglected insects. Little or nothing is, generally speaking, at present known in this country of its parasitic flies, and it will come as a revelation to the majority that, while we have relied upon out-of-date works for our superficial platitudes, with the occasional break of a llaliday, a Mar- shall, or a Bridgman, progress is elsewhere being made at no inconsiderable rate in this section. As the author remarks, from 109 genera, known to Burmeister in 1835, we of to-day have to cope with 1140, most of them stable and many still further sub-divisible. This work of Mr. Ashmead is what has so long been needed — a coalition of the superficial Gravenhorstian method with that more truly scientific, though less applicable, of Forstcr, the recently re-awakened interest in which has been voiced by Thomson. Though we are at issue regarding the systematic position of the Xoridoid Hybophancs, and a few such minor points, the main conspectus is wonderfully clear, and there is no residue of doubt that the present is a work destined to advance the natural classification and general study of our friendly parasites more than any publislied for many a long day. — Claude Moeley.

The Structure and Life-History of the Harlequin Fly (Chirono- Mus) : by L. C. Miall, F.R.S., and A. R. Hammond, F.L.S. 8vo, pp. 304, with a plate and 130 illustrations in the text. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press ; London, Edinburgh, and New York, Henry Frowde ; 1900.

This book is a Monograph in the widest sense of the " Blood Worm " Chiro- nomus. But it goes far beyond that. There may be, no doubt are, some points in which the subject chosen for the title of the book differs from anything else : on the other hand, there are multitudes of species that have very much in common, therefore the work is a Monograph within a Monograph, and as such will prove of very great service. The results of the mass of microscopic work undertaken in the preparation of the book are detailed in a very clear manner, and there is a capital bibliography. The ensemble is much after the same style as Prof. Miall's and Mr. Denny's " Cock- roach." It is quite possible that Prof. Huxley's " Crayfish " gave the impulse that has resulted in books like these ; in any case it has had many imitators.

20 [January,

dDbituarn.

Pare Armand David, C.M.Z.8., died at Paris on November 10th, 1900. He was bora at Espelctte, in the Basses Pyrenees, in 1826, and having been educated for the priesthood, entered the Society of Lazaristcs in 1848. In 1860 he was sent as a Missionary to China. Passionately devoted to Natural History, he proved himself probably the most notable of a class (the French Missionaries) that have done so much towards furthering a knowledge of natural science in remote regions, and in China in particular. He made three separate journeys to China, and tlie region probably most explored by him is that somewhat debatable ground known as Chinese Thibet ; but wherever ho went his discoveries were remarkable in all branches of Natural History, and he enriched the Museum at the Jardin des Plantes in a most marked manner. He published a good many papers on various scientific subjects ; our own Zoological Society made him a Corresponding Member for his services in Zoology. For many years lie had resided at the head-quarters of his religious society at Paris, and died there. But not long ago he paid a scientific visit to Syria. We understand that shortly before his death he gave his private collec- tion of insects to M. Rene Oberthiir, who estimates that there are more than 100,000 specimens of Coleoptera alone, mainly from China.

Baron Blichel Edmond de Selys- Longchampx, Hon. F.E.S. — With great regret we announce the death of this veteran entomologist at Liege on December 11th, in his 88th year. Further particulars hereafter.

Birmingham Entomological Society : October I5th, 1900. — Mr. G. T. Betuune-Bakek, President, in the Chair.

A letter was read from Mr. C. A. E. Rodgers mentioning the occurrence of Cofias Edusa on the golf links at Handsworth, about four miles from the centre of Birmingham. Mr. Thos. Clarke exhibited a number of butterflies mostly taken in Yorksliire forty years ago ; they were in excellent preservation. Mr. Bradley, Ht/menopteru taken at West Runton, Norfolk, in August last, Tiphia femorata, Mellinus sahulosus, idimesa equestris, and Astata boops. Mr. F. A. Jackson, the following Coleoptera : Noiiophilus A-punctatus, Bembidium monticola, Tachypus flavipes, all from Tonbridge ; Phyllohrotica •i-viaculata, from Bradgate, Leicester- shire ; Crioceris asparagi, from Loughborough, Leicestershire ; Apoderus coryli, from Haywood, near Birmingham ; Balaninus venosus, from Buddon Wood, Leicestershire, &c. Mr. H. Willoughby Ellis, the following Hemiptera- Heteroptera from Stroud district : ^lia acuminata, Mlioides infiexus, Pentatoma verbasci (which occurred in hundreds), Dasyeoris hirticornis, Stenocephalus agilis, and Nabis rugosus; also from the Knowle district — Anthocoris nemorum, Monanthia cardui, Sco/opostethus contractus, Acanthosoma griseum, &c ; also a number of Co- leoptera from various places, including — Auoplodera sexguttata, New Forest, 1898 ; Acanthocinus cedilis, Walsall, 1900 ; Lariuus carlince, Stroud, June, 1900 ; Corym- bites ceiieus, Dovedale ; Cteniopus sulphureus, near Cromer j Melasis buprestoides,

1901] 21

Knowle ; Bryaxis juncorum, Knowle, &c. ; also Sesia asiliformis from Knowle, July, 1898, and S. culiciformis, also from Knowlo, May, 1898. Mr. A. H. Martineau, Hytnenoptera, including — Crabro 4i- maculatus, from Coleshill ; Chrysis viridula, Jj., and Chelostoma campanularum, Kirby, from Solihull ; also Heematopota pluvialis, S , from Coleshill, and Platycnemis pennipes, S and ? , from Bridgnorth. Mr. G. W. Wynn, Xanthia oitrago, Xylophasia scolopacina, Cymatophora duplaris, and Gonophora derasa, all from Haywood, Warwickshire, this year. — Colbkan J. Wainweight, Hon. Sec.

The South London Entomological and Natural History Society: October 25th, 1900.— Mr. W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S., President, in the Chair.

Mr. Kirkaldy, Worple Road, Wimbledon, was elected a Member.

Mr. MacArthur exhibited specimens of Leucania vitellina from Shoreham ; an example of Amphipyra tragopogonis, with pale marginal blotches on the fore-wings ; and a specimen of Thyvielicus thaumas of a pale straw colour. Mr. Lucas, a speci- men of the cockroach, Rhyparobia maderce taken in a desk in Covent Garden Market. Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, a photograph of a hollyhock plant, as an example of the ravages of the larvse of Pyrameis cardai at Raton, in New Mexico. Mr. West, a series of a local Homopteron, Acocephalux bifanciatux, t&kvn at Blackheath. Mr. R. Adkin, a scries of the plain and banded forms of Acidalia aversata, bred in September from ora deposited by a banded female taken at Lewisham in July, and contributed notes on their history and variation ; together with living larvae of Caradrina ambigua. Mr. Mera, specimens of Colias Edusa and v. Helice, with in- termediate varieties ; very pale specimens of C. Hyale ; and a specimen of Sme- rinthus populi, with the basal area of the hind-wings suffused with yellow instead of dull red.

November 8th, 1900. — The President in the Chair.

The Annual Exhibition of Varieties was held on this evening, and was a most successful and interesting meeting.

Mr. B. Adkin, a bred Eugenia polychloros, with a very pale ground colour ; a Triphcena fimbria, having the black band on the hind-wings extending along the inner margin ; and examples of Catocala promis-sa, with paler upper wings, and hind-wings with narrow and straight median band. Mr. Winkley, Catocala nupfa, var. coerulescens, taken in August, 1892. Mr. R. Adkin, varieties of Argynnis Aglaia, (1) with basal two-thirds black except a yellow discoidal spot, on the under- side the silver spots were reduced to two on each hind-wing ; (2) with greenish blotch on both left wings, similar to those frequently found in A. Paphia ; (3) with black spots on the central portion of the under-side run together into irregular bands ; (4) two unusually dark females, one liaving an unpigmented patch on both left wings ; also a long series of Melanippe galiata, showing extreme variation in the width and intensity of the band. Mr. Urwick, a graduated series of variations of Abraxas ulmata, from smoke coloured to almost white ; a hermaphrodite var. of Argynnis Paphia, having the right wings male var. Valezina, and the left wing& ordinary male type, except a few dark splashes ; a suffused var. of the same species ; several vars. of Lithosia quadra, showing variation in depth of colour and absence

22 [Januar}',

ot spots ; a sagittate variety of Epinephilc hyperanfhus ; grey forms of the same species ; a richly banded form of Ephyra pendularia, and sixteen very striking varieties of Chelonia plantaginis, showing a complete gradation between the extreme form with pure white ground colour and black markings to a much intensified form of var. hospiia, being an inbred series. Mr. Nevinson, Malacosoma castrensis, showing extreme variation ; a liglit form of Lasiocampa trifolii ; light and dark forms of Cosmotriche potatoria ; Arctia Caja, with radiated black markings on hind wings ; hybrids Pygcera curtula and P. pigra ; light and dark Heliothis peltigera ; a banded form of Zonosoma Unearia ; and extreme light and dark forms of Melon- ippe fluctuata. Mr. F. M. B. Carr, an example of Diloba ccerulsocephala, in which the 8 mark is represented by two small pale spots ; a Coremia propugnata (desig- nata), with a very narrow, brown, transverse band, and one without a trace of the flame colour ; and a male Malacosoma neustria, with scarcely any sign of the pale transverse lines. Mr. Hy. J. Turner, a series of CaUimorpha ifera, taken in August at Dawlish, showing a complete gradation in colour between the rich red of the type, through the terra cotta form to the brilliant yellow form var. lutescens ; and a very long and varied series of PryopTiila muralis {glandifera) from the same place, remarkable in all the forms being dark, many of a rich yellow-brown coloration, most with black markings conspicuous, and in all the hind-wings were dark, and in some very dark. Mr. Adkin and Mr. Colthrup, series of the latter species from Eastbourne and Folkestone respectively, to compare with them. Mr. Lucas, a series of nine Lihellula quadrimaculaia, showing a complete gradation between the type and an extreme example of the var prcenubila. Mr. Chittenden, a large number of varieties taken or bred mostly from Kent, including — Bupalus piniaria, right side female, left side male coloration ; dark brown Drepana falcula ; red, dark and light forms of Tceniorampa gracilis ; dark and light forms of Pachetra leuvophcea ; Phigalia pedaria, dark vars. ; Hybernia marginaria, intermediate forms and var. fuscata ; and extreme light and dark forms of Cidaria immanata, ApJecta prasina, Xylophasia monoglypha, &c. Dr. Chapman, a number of specimens of several European species of the genus Erebia, to show that the most well-marked forms tend to have black spots with a white pupil in each marginal cell, set in a bright brown band, which may invade a considerable area of the wing, while at the other extreme the dark ground colour may cover the whole wing to the exclusion of all the spots. Mr. J. P. Barrett, to show variation in size, (1) Colias Hyale, one 2J inches, anotiier Ij inches in expanse ; (2) Ennomos alniaria, one 2^ inches, another 1| inches in expanse ; a pure yellow var. of Aspilates citraria, without lines ; and a specimen of the spring brood of Agrotis putris. Mr. H. Moore, forms of J'apilio Machaoyi from Grrecce, India, the Amur, and Japan (var. Uippocrates) ; and a series of P. Xuthus from China and Japan. Mr. A. Harrison, long and varied series of Xanthia aurago, Miselia oxyacanthcB, with v. capucina, and Scopelosoma satellitia, taken at sugar near Chingford in October. Mr. Main, two Colias Edusa, v. Helice, bred from ova laid by a female Helice, taken at Hanwell. Mr. Mera, dark varieties of Abraxas grossulariata ; and a CcBiionympha pamphila with left hind-wing on the under-side with the colour of the upper-wing. Rev. J. Tarbat, very dark Hibernia defoliaria, small and varied Tanagra atrata ; and bred Slauropuxfagi from spring ova. Mr. Kemp, Epinephele hyperanthus, (1) with apical ocelli wanting, (2) a bleached variety ; and a similar variety of E. tithonus. Mr. Nicholson,

1901.] 23

Catocala xpoiixa, with left uppor-winfr entirely suffused with umber-brown ; Pararge egeria, a bred specimen thinly scaled with obscure markings ; Pierh ra/;®, with an indistinct spot on the disc of the hind-wings ; Mamestra brassicee, of a uniform shining leaden-grey colour ; and a series of 31elanippe Jlucfuata, including var. con- tovata, and several banded and resembling M. sociata. Mr. Cole, Catocala nupta, Tar. carulescens, taken on sugar at Brondesbury ; and a var. of C. Si/ale, with a broad elongated splash of black on the under-side of the fore-wings. Mr. Kirkaldy long series of various species of Waterbugs, especially Notonecta glauca, and var. maculata, to show colour variation, and how unreliable it is as a specific character. Mr. Kaye, a specimen of Papilio Machaon, with the submarginal band of tlie fore- wings intet-nally edged with a broad black band, and with the discoidal spot enlarged into a blotch uniting with the band ; and a specimen of Hydrocampa stagnalis, with several of the transverse markings much dininished or obsolete. Mr. Buckstone, Poli/ommatus Icarus, female with blue right upper wing, and a specimen smaller than Cupido minima. Mr. Newman, Smeriiithus ocellatus variety ; dark forms of Eugoniafuscantaria; and a red form of Noctua neglecta. Mr. Brooks, bred Ache- ronlia Atropos, with a very pale variety, and one with very broad and dark markings ; a Pgrameis Atalanta, with a pale border on one hind-wing ; a black fringed Spilosoma radiata ; a very varied series of 3Ielanippe ha.itata ; and living pupae of the first named, which he distributed to the members. — Hy. J. TUBNEE, Hon. See.

Entomological Society of London: November 7th, 1900. — Mr. 0-. H. Verrall, President, in the Chair.

Dr. John Cotton, of 126, Prescot Road, St. Helen's ; Mr. Q-eorge H. Howes, of Spey Street, Invercargill, New Zealand ; the Hon. F. M. Mackwood, M.I.C., of Colombo, (-eylon ; Mr. William J. Rainbow, of the Australian Museum, Sydney ; and Mr. Percy Charles Reid, of Feering Bury, Kelvedon, Essex ; were elected Fellows of the Society.

Mr. G-eorge S. Saunders exhibited specimens, from Devonshire, of Pieris rapcB and Plu.iia gamma caught by the proboscis in flowers of Araujia albens, Don, a climbing plant of the natural Order AsclepiadacecB ; and explained the nature of the mechanism by which the insects were entrapped by the flowers ; also specimens of the " bedeguar " gall formed apparently on the '• hips," or fruit, of Rosa canina, the formation of the galls on the hips being considered unusual. Mr. Gahan re- marked that the capture of insects by Araujia albens had recently been investigated in France by MM. Marchand and Bonjour, whose account appeared in the" Bulletin de la >oo. des Sciences Nat. de I'Ouest de la France," for 1899. These authors con- cluded that insects were captured only by immature flowers, the anther-wings in the cleft between which the proboscis of the insect is caught being at that time stiff and resistant ; but when the flowers are ripe the anther-wings become less rigid, and do not offer sufficient resistance to the withdrawal of the proboscis, which carries with it the pollinia ready to be transferred to the stigma of the next flower visited by the insect. Mr. Tutt, for the Rev. Mr. Burrows, a large series of Epiinda lutulenta from Mucking, in Essex, and made remarks upon several interesting variations in- cluded in the series. Mr. W. J. Kaye, Hydrocampa stagnalis, var., with examples of the typical form for comparison ; the variety differed in having the basal line

24 [January,

nearly obsolete, and in other points. Mr. F. Merrifield, a variety of Argynnix Dia taken with a few examples of the ordinary form at Ilanz, in the Vorder Rhein valley early in September last, when what was, he believed, a third brood of this species was abutidant. Canon Fowler, a specimen of Orochares angustatus, Ericha., a Staphylinid beetle new to the British list, taken at Leverstock Green, Herts., by Mr. Albert PifEard. The Rev. F. D. Morice mentioned as a fact of some interest, that in a nest of Formica sanguinea at Weybridge, in which he found males and workers of that species, he found also males and females as well as workers of the &\tk\e-a.^\t, Formica fusca, an experience somewhat different to that of Huber and Darwin, who stated that workers only of the slave species were found in the nests of sanguinea. The Secretary read " Some notes on variations of Zeritis Thysbe, Linn.," communicated by Mr. H. L. L. Feltham, of Cape Town, and exhibited one female and two male specimens of one of the rare forms referred to in the paper. This form was originally noticed by Mr. Trimen as an " aberi-ation." Mr. Feltham suc- ceeded in taking several specimens on the summit of the mountains overlooking Minzenberg ; he requested that the specimens exhibited should be placed in the British Museum collection. — C. J. Gadan, Hon. Sec,

TRICHOPTERA, NEUROPTERA-PLANIPENNIA, ODONATA,

AND RHOPALOCERA

COLLECTED IN NORWAY IN THE SUMMER OF 1900.

BT KENNETH J. MORTON, F.E.S.

The perusal of Dr. Chapman's interesting record of his journey in Norway during the summer of 1898 (Ent. Mo. Mag., 2nd ser., vol. X, pp. 20 — 28) resuscitated an old wish to see something of the insect fauna and the flora of Scandinavia, and I determined to visit that country the following summer. It was, however, too late in the season before I could arrange to get away, and it was therefore con- sidered advisable to postpone the visit for another year, perhaps not a misfortune, if there is anything in the theory of the biennial appearance of Erehia EmhJa, which amongst other things I desired to see in its own particular haunts.

The route mapped out was a well known one. The drawbacks to this course are obvious, the possible finds or discoveries being neces- sarily reduced ; but one has the advantage of the experience of those who have gone before ; and I would here express my thanks to Dr. Chapman, who gave me some valuable hints, enabling me to save both time and trouble. On the journey 1 was accompanied by my wife, and her net and quick eye contributed largely to the results, especially in Lepidoptera.

We reached Christiansand early in the morning of June 17th, and wc saw Norway for the first time under the most brilliant sunshine.

1901.] 25

The rocky heights behind the town form an excellent hunting ground. There are several small lakes there about 'which a species of Cordulia was sporting as early as 7 — 8 a.m. As the day wore on many butter- flies were seen, including Aporia cratcegi, Argynnis Selene, A. Eupliro- syne, Melitcea Athalia, Pararge Hiera, P. Megtsra, Lyccena ^gon, and others.

We did not begin to collect in earnest until we arrived at Sae- terstoen late in the afternoon of June 18th. At this place, like Dr. Chapman and his friends, we were accommodated by Herr and Fru "Wattne at Maarud, and we were introduced to Norwegian country life under very pleasant and comfortable auspices. We had also perfect weather here, and as it had been dry during the previous two or three weeks, the traversing of the bogs was comparatively easy. We had been warned to look out for mosquitos : we experienced less trouble from these insects than we had anticipated, although towards the end of our stay at 8aetertsoen they certainly became more irrita- ting, and the big Tabanided also increased in numbers. On the Dovrefjeld mosquitos were rather troublesome, and Heematopota plu- vialis at Molde, but on the whole we did not sufter more than one usually does in the Scottish Highlands from the last named species and the hosts of Ceratopogon. As far as I am personally concerned, I still give the palm to these minute pests for their power to torment and make one thoroughly uncomfortable.

To Dr. Chapman's account of the Saeterstoen district there is little to add from the Lepidopterist's point of view. Curiosity led us out on the evening of the 18th long after butterfly hours, and we succeeded in disturbing from its roosting place in a spruce our first example of lEreiia JEmhla. Subsequently we found this species and Chionohas Jutta in great force, but we were of course just rather late to get either in perfect condition. Day after day we came across fresh species, until at last we had secured all those named by Dr. Chapman, excepting P. amphidamas (which, I now fear, was overlooked) and P. comma, taking in addition, P. hrassiccB, A. Lathonia, Aglaia, and E. hyperanthus. Lycaena Amanda and P. Sippotlioe were the glory of some of Herr Wattne's uncut meadows, and it was a pretty sight to see the latter beautj' sitting towards evening with its flaming red wings outspread to the declining sun. Colzas Palceno was out earlier than Dr. Chapman's date, and we took it in splendid condition.

On the borders of the " great moor " (where, by the waj% Betula nana grows, a fact not mentioned by Dr. Chapman) we found Syrich' thus centaurecd pretty frequent ; here also we took a few worn A. Freija, and, towards the end of our stay, a fresh little series of C. tiplion.

26 [January,

Perhaps, on the whole, Saeterstoen is more an ideal locality for Lepidoptera than for Neuropiera and Trichoptera. By going further afield a series of lakes might have been included in our area, but it ■was inconvenient to visit them. As it was, we worked only one small lake ; for the rest we had the great river Glommen and its backwaters, one or two small brooks, and several ponds and marshes of diverse character. Considering the swampy nature of the district, there was not a superabundance of open standing water.

Some of the ponds in the woods were quite charming, being filled with Calla palusfris, whose beautiful spathes were fully open. Over the water flitted hosts of two red -bodied species of Leucorrhinia and other dragon-flies. One day when working at one of these forest ponds, two eagles circling overhead helped to confirm the delightful feeling that although so near the accessories of civilization, we were where wild Nature still holds a place.

The Corduline Dragon-flies were a feature in the insect life of Saeterstoen ; examples very constantly being seen flying along the railway, or high over the trees in the wood, usually difficult to secure in these circumstances. These, I take it, were either females, or males recently emerged. The males of G. cenea were abundant about the backwaters and the lake, while the males of 8. metallica were frequent at other standing waters. *S^. arctica I could not find at home, a stray female being the only one seen.

Agrion was well represented in number, but chiefly A. liastulatmn. Another small species not recognised at the time proves to be an in- teresting northern species, A. concinnum.

The conditions of Trichopterous life in the Glommen puzzled me a good deal. At British rivers in the month of June the burst of life is enormous ; on the Glommen for the first few days I could find absolutely no TricJioptera, nothing but a Chloroperla in numbers and a species of the Epliemeridae. Later Trichoptera did appear, but not in large numbers. I can only conclude that the Glommen is a cold, late river. On the Clyde Limnophilus fuscicornis occurs at the end of May, while the same species seemed to be just appearing on the Glommen towards the end of June.

Leaving Saeterstoen on June 2Sth we proceeded to the Dovre- fjeld by way of Lake Mjosen and the Gudbraudsdal. Between Lillestrom and Eidsvold we saw from the railway plenty of Oalopteryx virgo, and between Lillehammer and Otta, the present terminus of the railway, what appeared to be Pariuissius Apollo in abundance. Neither of these insects was seen elsewhere. At Braendhaugen Lycoena

1901.1 27

Pheretes was first observed. At this place we were overtaken by a spell of cold weather, which remained with us all the time we were on the Dovrefjeld, and did much no doubt to minimize the results of our collecting.

Keaching Domaas on June 30th we remained there till July 2nd. On our way from Braendhaugen we had seen little on account of the rain. At Domaas we found we had got quite into the Alpine country, Silene acaulis growing freely along the river side. Gentiana nivalis was also observed, together with many other interesting plants already seen lower down. Lyccena Pheretes was the butterfly of the waste ground near the river ; it was in the greatest abundance, and both sexes were in lovely condition.

We proceeded to Fokstuen on July 2nd. As the road ascends the pines give place to birch, then the birch becomes mixed with Betula nana. When the plateau is attained a few miles from Pokstuen the eye has before it a treeless waste of tundra-like barrenness. About the pine limit Erehia Ir/ppona appeared ; this proved to be the com- monest butterfly at Fokstuen, and it ranged to a considerable height above the station. Ghionohas Noma flew on the dry stony slopes of Blaahoe just above the hotel, but it was in poor condition, the wings seldom ragged (because the weather had been fine), but often practi- cally scaleless. It also visited a swampy grassy slope, a favourite haunt of Argynnis Pales, of which half a dozen perfect examples were here taken. S. centaurece^ A. Euphrosyne, L. Pheretes, and L. optilete, were the only other butterflies taken at Fokstuen, excepting A. Freija,oi which two examples in better condition than the Saeters- toen ones were seen. On the whole I was disappointed with the numbers of butterflies here, but no doubt the cold weather was partly to blame for this.

Certainly the most noteworthy insect of the Fokstuen region was jEschna ccerulea. It was everywhere amongst the openings in the birch thickets on the lower slopes of Blaahoe. The days were very cold, usually bright with sunshine in the earlier part but with a bitter wind, which seemed to increase in intensity as the day went on, the sky usually becoming more or less overcast. In the bright sunshine the Dragon-flies flew about rather freely, but later they became sluggish. They eagerly sought the places most exposed to the sun, and particu- larly loved to rest on the chalky-white bark of the birches, as many as three having been seen so resting close together on one trunk, and in one such case an example was taken with the fingers. Along with ^. ccerulea, but much rarer, was Somatochlora alpestris.

28 [Jaiuuii-y, 1901

A number of interesting boreal Trichoptera were taken on the Dovrefjeld, especially at tbe lakes, which are a feature of the Fokstuen locality. These insects will be more fully referred to in the lists which follow. The running waters produced no Caddis-flies at Foks- tuen excepting Apatania. Nymphs of Rliyacophila were found in the Fogsaa. On the whole I believe we were too early for most of the Dovrefjeld Trichoptera, certainly so as regards the species attached to streams.

Principally owing to the continued cold, we returned to Domaas on July 6th. Here we found Erehin ligea out, and Argynnis Aglaia in abundance, but curiously enough A. Niohe, which Mr. Champion took here in profusion in 1889, was either remarkably scarce or I failed to find the right locality for it. An addition to my list of Odonata was made by the capture of ^schna grandis.

On July 9th we started homewards by way of the Romsdal. We had little opportunity of collecting on the way. A large fritillary, likely A. Aglaia, was common, and so was P. Maera. At Fladmark one of the blues was in numbers, even eclipsing those of L. Fheretes at Domaas.

We remained two days at Molde, where the weather became once more fine and warm. Butterflies and Dragon-flies were fairly abun- dant, but no additional species of either was taken. The streams were now producing their quota of insect life, and Bhyacophila nubila, the Scandinavian representative of our common dorsalis, was taken, along with several other interesting Trichopiera.

From Molde we sailed direct to England.

Lists of the Trichoptera, Neuroptera-Planipennia , Odonata, and Rhopalocera taken, follow.

TRICHOPTERA.

JS^euronm ruficrus, Scop., common at Saeterstoen. — N. lapponica, Hagen, one

g at Saeterstoen, where the species was probably just coming out at the time we left.

Phryganea striata, Linn., taken in great abundance at the lake near Saeterstoen,

also frequent at Fokstuen and observed at Christiansand.- — P. obsoleta, McL., taken

at Domaas, and common at the lakes near Fokstuen.

Agrypnia picta, KoL, came out slowly at Saeterstoen, where two $ and one ? were taken ; a long series could have been secured at Molde, but they were past their best as regards condition. — A. Pagetana, Curt., a curious form, no doubt Mr. McLachlan's var. hyperborea, was found at the Fokstuen lakes ; it has both pairs of wings somewhat lanceolate, quite different from the type ; the only J taken mea- sures in expanse 20 mm., while the females range from 18 to 24 mm.

Grammotaulius signatipennis, McL., one newly emerged example of this inter- esting species at Fokstuen.

February, 1901.] 29

Limnophilus subcentralis, Brauer, one ? at Saeterstocn. — L. marmoratus, Curt., one (J at Saeterstoen. — L. stigma, Curt., one at Saeterstoen and a few at Uoinaaa. — L. pantodapus (Wlgr.), McL., five examples, all from the same pond, at Fokstuen ; one or two approaching the typical form, the others pertaining to hyalinatus. — L. picturatns, McL., half a dozen ? at Saeterstoen, varying much in the deptli of markings. — L. centralis, Curt., a few examples from Christiaiisand, Saeterstoen and 'MolAc. — L. griseus, Linn., a few at Saeterstoen. — L. scalenus, Wlgr., two newly developed males at Domaas, taken along with Fhacopteryx brevipennis. — L. de- spectus. Walker, a short series from Saeterstoen.— iy. extricatus, McL., one <J at Saeterstoen. — L. trimaculatus, Zett., rather common at the Fokstuen lakes. — L. fuscicornis, Rambur, frequent near the Glommen at the end of June, and taken also on the Dovrefjeld.

Phacopteryx brevipennis, Curt. — This interesting species, so little known in Britain, occurred near Domaas at a shallow pond about the level of the river; the pond was overgrown with Myriophyllum, Potaviogeton and Caltha, and the sluggish little insect's favourite position was on the stems or leaves of the last named plant, only a few being beaten from pine trees.

Asynarchus fusorius (Wlgr.), McL., two S and one ? at Fokstuen; in the $ the lower tooth of the inferior appendages is hardly appreciably longer than the upper tooth, and as regards this point the two individuals differ amongst themselvea ; I think little stress can be laid on this character. — A. contumax, McL., was rather common about the smaller collections of water at Fokstuen ; it was in fact the most conspicuous representative of the Limnophilida:, and it is rather remarkable that it did not figure apparently in the collections made in the locality by Siebke and Schoyen. — A. ccenosus. Curt., one (J at Saeterstoen.

Stenophylax alpestris, Kol., two freshly emerged ? at Christiansand. Micropterna lateralis, Steph., one <J at Molde. EccUsopteryx guttulata, Pictet, one (} one $ at Domaas.

Apatania. — Examples of this genns were taken at Braendhaugen, Domaas and Fokstuen ; indeed, at Fokstuen they were common. Probably at least two species are represented, but unfortunately there are no males, and in the meantime I hesi- tate to give any names.

Sericostoma personatum, Spence, one ? at Molde. Brachycentrus subnubilus. Curt., one ? at the GHommen.

Bercea pullata, Curt., one ? at Domaas.— .B. articularis, Pict., one ? at Sae- terstoen is referred to tliis species with a little doubt.

BercBodes minuta, L., common at a forest brook near Saeterstoen. Molanna palpata, McL., common at the Fokstuen lakes.

Molannodes Zelleri, McL., with the last and also common ; some of the ex- amples are of the form Steini.

Leptocerus nigra -nervosus, Retz.,one ? at the Glommen. — L. perplexus, McL., a few examples ( (? and ? ) of this species taken at the Grlommen near Saeterstoen ; unfortunately they were mistaken for annulicornis, and therefore not very zealously sought after.

Agraylea multipitnctata. Curt., common at one spot on the banks of a large backwater of the G-lommcn at Saeterstoen. — A. cognatella, McL., one (J , which I consider to belong undoubtedly to this species, taken at the lake at Lesjeverk, just at the Station.

30 iFcbnuiry,

Oxyetldra cci.v/«//.s', (-'iirt., at, LcsjiU'i-rk, uih] iii'iii- Moldc. — O. di.sfhicfeUd, Mch., four males al a lalic amongsL Mie liills a few miles from Moldo ; the discovery uf tliis species, previously known only from Finland, is not tlie least interesting result of collecting in Norway. — 0. Frici, Klap., one J (and perhaps also one ?) from the Glommcn ; I also regard the finding of tliis species in Norway as an interesting addition to our knowledge of its distribution.

Ilydropst/che guttata, Pict.?, one ? from the Glommen.

Philojjotamus moniamis, Don., on the Mesna at Lillelianmier, and at Molde.

Neuredipus himaculata, Linn., appeared on the Glommen towards the end of our stay at Saetcrstoeu.

Polycentrojnisjlavomaculattis, Sict., at Lillchammer and Molde.

Iloloceiitrojitis duhius, Ramb., at Christiansand, and swarming at the lake near Saeterstoen. — II. picicornis, Steph., what I consider three well marked forms were taken ; the examples from Domaas arc most typical, dusky with reddish-yellow spots, wliilo those from Fokstuen are altogether paler, both in ground colour and in the golden pubescence ; from Saeterstoen the examples are nearly uniformly dark golden, almost as in auratus, to which species tliey may really belong.

Cyrnus Jlavidus, McL., typical examples, or nearly so, from Saeterstoen ; one cj and one ? from Lesjeverk belong to the pallid northern form, which should almost have a distinctive name ; this is I believe confused with C. crenaticornis , a very pretty insect, and absolutely distinct by the whitish elongate-oval spots in membrane of the areas and apical cellules.

Lype iihcEopa, Steph., on the Glommen.

Rhyacophila nuhUa, Zett., near Molde.

Olossosoma vernale, Curt., a few $ examples from Braendhaugen are referred to this species with a little doubt ; it is rather remarkable that no Scandinavian species of this genus was known to Wallengren.

PLANIPENNIA.

This group was very Avell represented, at least iu iudividiials. The abundance of Chri/sopa 2Jorla in the woods, especially at ISaeterstoen, was to me marvellous, and some of the Hemerohii were also rather common, notably H. pini at Saeterstoen and M. nervosus on the Dovrefjeld.

Panorpa germanica, L., at Saeterstoen, but less common than the next. — F. communis, Linn., frequent at Saeterstoen, found also at Domaas ; Mr. MeLachlan informs me these come near vulgaris, ImhofE, the markings not quite so black ; all were of this form, the ordinary communis being absent.

Mhaphidia xanthostigma, Schum., single specimens of this were frequently found in the net at Saeterstoen ; it also occurred at Domaas.

Sisyrafuscata, F., common at Saeterstoen.

Sialis lutaria, L., at Saeterstoen and Fokstuen.

Ilemerobius nervosus, F., at Saeterstoen, Domaas, and especially common amongst birches at Fokstuen. — II. suhnebvlosus, Ste))h., one ? at Saeterstoen. — //. 3forfu)n McL., half a dozen in the pine forest between Domaas and Fokstuen, one near Ihc limit of that tree ; as it was not observed at all at Fokstuen, it is in all probability

1901.] 31

confined to the pine zone. — H. marginatus, Steph., one ? at Molde. — II. humuli, L., one ? at Sacterstoen. — //. stigma, Steph., one example at Doniaas.— //. pini, Stcph., a long series from Saeterstoon, also taken at Domaas. — II. nitidulus, F., common around Domaas. — H. inconspicuus, McL., found occasionally at Domaas and Soeterstoen.

Micromus aphidivorns, Schrk., one $ at Sacterstoen.

Chrysopa perla, Linn., swarming in the woods at Sacterstoen, also common at Domaas. — C ventralis, Curt., one immature example at Chvistiansand. — C. phyllo- chroma, Wesmael, a few at Saetei'stoen. — C. flava, Scop., one immature ? from Christiansand probably belongs to this species.

ODONATA.

Leucorrhinia dubia, Vand., common at Saeterstoen, and also taken at Molde. — L. rubicuiida, L., commoner than the last at Saeterstoen.

Sympetrum striolatum, Charp., one recently developed ? at Christiansand.

Libellula quadrimaculata, L., Christiansand, Saetersteon and Molde.

Cordulia cBnea, L. — No doubt this was the species seen at Christiansand early in the morning flying round one of the lakes, where later in the day it could not be found ; two ? were taken in the pine woods close by ; it flew in numbers about the large backwater of the Glommen at Saeterstoen, and was also common at the lake near the same place.

Somatochlora metallica, Vand., not uncommon near Saeterstoen, a single ? taken flying along the railway ; the males were usually found flying over the open water surface, but never at the larger waters, which were usurped by cenea ; expan- sion of brooks, larger peat holes, and similar collections of water, were the favoured haunts of metallica. S. alpestris, Selys, three $ at Fokstueu. — IS. arctica, Zett., one ? at Saeterstoen.

Oomphus vulgatissimus, Linn., a single $ taken flying along the railway by Hcrr Wattne on the day prior to our leaving Saeterstoen.

yEschna grandis, L., one or two at Domaas. — ^E. ccerulea, Strom, a few beauti- fully coloured examples at Saeterstoen ; in the only one caught there the blue is I think more extensive than in any other examples I have seen ; at Fokstuen the species was very common ; I cannot say with certainty that it occurs at Molde, but I believe I saw it there. — M. juncea, L., a few at Saeterstoen (perhaps too early), much commoner at Molde.

Pyrrhosoma nymphula, Sulz., Christiansand.

Agrion hastulatum, Charp., common at Saeterstoen, taken also at Domaas and Molde. — A. concinnum, Johanson, five (J and one ? of this most interesting little Agrion taken at Saeterstoen ; first known from Sweden and Finland, it was sub- sequently found in Siberia.

Enallagma cyathigerAm, Charp., not very common, but noticed at Christiansand and Molde.

Lestes Dryas, Kby., just appearing at Saeterstoen.

In addition to the foregoing a Large number of Perlidce in formalin was brought homo. T propose to deal with these insects specially at another time.

D 2

32 [February,

RHOPALOCERA.

PapUiu Machaon, Linn., not uncommon about Saeterstoen, but past its best. Aporia cratmgi, Linn., Christiansand ; common at Saetorstoen. Pierls brassiccB, Linn., frequent at Saeterstoen. — P. napi, Linn., frequent at Saeterstoen.

■ Anthocaris cardamines, Linn., common at Saeterstoen.

Leucophasia sinapis, Linn., most abundant at Saeterstoen ; seen also m the Romsdal and at Molde.

Colias PafcB)w, Linn., fairlj abundant at Saeterstoen, and I believe seen elsewhere.

Rhodocera rhatani, Linn., two worn examples at Saeterstoen. Thecla rubi, Liini., swarming near Saeterstoen, but in poor condition. Polyommatus Ilippothoe, Linn., common at Saeterstoen ; taken also at J^omaas and Fladmark. — P. Phla:as, Linn., Saeterstoen and Fladmark.

Ltfccbna J£gun, W. V., in many localities. I left Norway with the impression that this is one of the most abundant butterflies, but it is just possible I may have confused it with Argus ; all the examples brought home arc apparently yEgon. — L. optilete, Knock, a species which we overlooked, witli the result that we only brought home odd examples from Saeterstoen, Domaas and Pokstuen. — L. Pheretes, Hiibn., extremely common at Domaas, rare at Fokstuen, taken also at Braendhaugen. — L. Icaru,<i, Rott., common and very fine at Saeterstoen. — L. amanda, Schneid., not at all uncommon at Saeterstoen. — L. argiolus, Linn., much worn, but many specimens flying about tlie woods at Saeterstoen. — L. semiargus, Rott., common in several localities. — L. Cgllarus, Rott., a few rather worn examples near Saeterstoen.

Vanessa c-album, urticce and Antiopa, Linn., all seen at Saeterstoen in hibernated examples, the first being the most frequent.

Alelitcea Athalia, Rott., Christiansand ; very common at Saeterstoen, and spa- ringly in the forest between Domaas and Fokstuen.

Argynnis Aphirape, Hiibn., var. Ossianns, Hbst., this species was most abundant at Saeterstoen ; it frequented the opener localities of Chionobas Jutta, and also the quite open moor. — A. Selene, Schiff., found in many localities commonly, but not at Fokstuen. — A. Euphrosyne, Linn., found almost everywhere, including Fokstuen. — A. Pales, Schiff., not very common, a few in beautiful condition at Fokstuen ; it occurred also above Domaas and not far from Molde. — A. Freija, Thunb., a few ragged examples at Saeterstoen, and one or two in better condition at Fokstuen. — A. Lathonia, Linn., one or two flying along the railway at Saeterstoen. — A. Aglaia, Linn., Saeterstoen, Domaas, the Romsdal and Molde ; rather common. — A. Niohe, Linn., scarce at Domaas.

Erebia lappona, Esp., common at Fokstuen. — E. ligea, Linn., common and in fine condition at Domaas ; one fresh specimen near Molde. — E. Emhlu, Thunb., common at Saeterstoen.

Chionobas Jutta, Hiibn., also common at Saeterstoen. — C. Noma, Thunb., not scarce at Fokstuen, but almost utterly useless as specimens.

Pararge Mara, Linn., a good many seen in the Romsdal and at Molde. — P. Hiera, Fabr., common at Saeterstoen. — /'. Megmra, Linn., iit Christiansand. — P. 2Egeria, Linn., a worn example at Saeterstoen.

1901.] 33

Ccenunympha Pamphilu.t, Linn., common at many places, but. not seen on the liiglioi- Dovrefiold.— C. Tlphon, Rott.,at Saotcrstoon, on the great moor principally.

Si/richlhun ceiitaiireoi, Ramb., a fair series taken at Saetcrstoen ; worn examples from Domaas and Fokstuen appear also to belong to this species. — "S. malvm, Linn., Saetcrstoen, common.

Nissoniades Tages, Linn., Saeterstoen and Christiansand.

Hesiperin si/Ivamis, Esp., Saetcrstoen, common.

13, Blackford Road, Edinburgh : Octoher Lit, 1000.

A LIST OF THE T0RTRICID7E AND TINFANA OF THE PARISH OF BONHILL, DUMBARTONSHIRE.

BY J. R. MALLOCn.

During the past four years T have been collecting Micros in this district, and herewith submit the result of my efforts towards the compilation of a list for the locality. I confined myself to the Parish of Bonhill, situate at the southern extremity of Loch Lomond, and consisting of a matter of about twelve square miles of ground, a great portion of which is moorland and hill country. The highest elevation is about 1000 feet. Among the more notable species are M. 2)(ihtsfrana, P. ruhigiiiosnna, and A. Smeathmanniana in the TortrieidcE, and T. imella, D. inarginepunctella, L. Incteella, A. GoedarteUa, var. literella, and G. cethiops. The Nepticulce. have, T am son-y to say, been rather ne- glected, but the LitliocolletidcB have been pretty well wrought out. The nomenclature followed in that portion of this group, including L. sorbi, is that of Mr. Eustace Bankes' recent monograph (L. concomi- tella and its nearest allies, Ent. Mo. Mag., 2nd ser., vol. x, No. 118 — 120, 1899). There is still a possibility of adding largely to this list, more especially in the Tineina,\)Vit taking into consideration the small space of ground covered, it is a fairly good show for the " small fry." There is just the possibility that I may be able to continue my collect- ing for another season on this ground, and if I manage to do so, I shall, if I find any additional species, record them at the end of the season. If I am prevented from pursuing the study of this group here, I hope that the publication of this list will prompt others to supplement my efforts with their own.

TORTRICIDiE.

Tortrix xylosteana, Linn., common and well distributed. /•os««a, Linn., very

common everywhere. heparana, Schiff., not uncommon, very dark. — riheana,

Hb., common and very variable. unifasciana, Dup., occurs on privet, Bonhill

34 [February,

Road, Ladytoii, &c., searco. vibuniiiiKt, lib , ubuiulaiit on Levenside Moor.

/;aZ/ea«rt, lib., occurs along tho Fortli and Clyde Kailway Enibankiucut, Jamestown, not common. viridana, L., the most abundant species of the genus. mini- strata, L., very common in some portions of the district, but more local than most

of the foregoing, Crofthugen, Bonhill, nnd Lerst^ Road; dark variety scarce.

Forsterana, Hb., scarce, one specimen at 'rullielu'wan, Alexandria.

Amphisa Gerningana, Sch., common on Lcvenside Moor, very variable.

prodromana, Hb., very common on Levenside Moor in April.

Peronea sponsana, Hb., common and generally distributed, Seldom well

marked. mixtana^'Rh., gs not uncommon in tlu> fall of the year, 9 s commonly

in March, April, and May, Levenside Moor. Schallcriana, L., not uncommon,

Crofthugen, Quarry Wood, &c. coniparafia, Hh., common, Crofthugen, Noble-

ston, Quarry Woods, &c. perplexana. Bar., occurs frequently at Crofthugen,

Bonhill. comariana, Zell., Levenside Moor. variegana, Sch., very common

throughout the district, dark leaden variety not uncommon. ferruffana, Tr., not

uncommon, Crofthugen, in the autumn and also in the spring (hibernated).

caledoniana, St., very abundant on Lcvenside Moor. Logiana, Sch., scarce,

Crofthugen. aspersana, Hb., common, Quarry Wood and Levenside Moor.

Rhacodia caudana, Hb., common among sallows, dark variety scarce ; var. ochracea, St., not uncommon, Crofthugen, Nobleston, &c.

Teras contaminana, Hb., common and very variable, generally distributed.

Dictyopteryx L(rJiin(;iana,L.,sca,vce, Quarry Woods and Levenside. Hnlmi-

ana, L., scarce, Levenside. Bergmanniana, L., not uncommon, Nobleston,

Napierston, &c.

Argyrotoza Conwayana, Fb., common, Dumbarton Road, Levenside, and Croft- hugen.

Ptycholoma Lecheana, Li., common on oak, seldom met with in the perfi'ct state, but the larvae are easily found.

Penthina corticana, Hb., scarce, Levenside and Crofthugen. betuletana,

Haw., common on birch, Tullichewan, Levenside, &c. xororcniana, Zett., scarce,

Levenside. pruniana, Hb., not uncommon, generally distributed. variegana,

Hb., very common, met with everywhere in hawtliorn hedges.

lledya dealbana, Frol., scarce, Grallangad.

Spilonota trimacu/ana, Haw., Crofthugen and Dumbarton Road.

Pardia tripunctana, Fb., abundant among roses, generally distributed.

Sericoris cespitana, Hb., Levenside, scarce. urticana, Hb., not uncommon,

generally distributed. laeunana, Dup., Nobleston, Anchencarrocli, Crofthu- gen, &c., not uncommon.

Mixodia Schulziana, Fb., very common on Levenside IVfoor. palustrana,

Zell., scarce, Levenside Woods.

Orthotania antiquana, Hb., scarce, Dillichip.

Cnephasia politana, Haw., common on Levenside Moor, bright varieties.

musculana, Hb., common, vei'y variable.

Sciaphila suhjectana, Gn., not uncommon, Levenside, Crofthugen, Tulliche- wan, &c. virgaureana, Fr., met with almost everywhere, very dark. patcu-

1001.] 35

ana, lib., scarco, LeviMisido Woods. octomacidana, Haw., common along the

Forth and Clydo Railway, may be found coninioiily resting on paUngs.

Capua faciUaceana, Hb., scarce, Loch Loniondside.

Clepsis ruxticnua, Leveiisidc Moor and Noblcston, not uncommon on marshy parts.

Bactra lanceolana, Hb., abundant in inarsby parts, varies from unicolorous dark brown to white.

Phoxopteri/x unguicella, L., Carman Hill, and Levenside Moor. myrtiUana,

Fr., Levenside Moor, not uncommon.- Luiidann, Fb., connnon on Forth and

Clyde Railway, near Jamestown, and on Levenside. Mitterhaeheriana, Sch., scarce,

Q.uarry Woods.

Qrapholitha ramella, L., very common on birch ; var. Pa i/kul liana, common

and generally distributed. nisella, Clcrck, not uncommon in Crofthugcn Wood.

cineraria, Haw., scarce, Levenside. nigromaculana, Haw., not uncommon

and generally distributed, on ragwort. suhocelluna, Don., very common every- where on sallows. trimaculana, Don., abundant on elm, Dumbarton Road and

Crofthugen.^ Penkleriana, Fisch., everywhere common on hazel. ncBvana, Hb.,

not uncommon on holly, Crofthugen, Levenside, &c. geminnna, St., common

among " blaeberry," Levenside Moor and Croftliugen.

Phlceodes tetraquetrana, Haw., not uncommon, Levenside, Gallangad, and Crofthugen. immundana, Fisch., Gallangad and Crofthugen.

Hypermecia augustana, Hb., common and generally distributed, on sallow. In 1898 I bred a specimen of this species, vvhicli when it emerged possessed but three wings, showing no signs of the left hind-wing.

Batodes anyustiorana, Haw., scarce, usually taken at rest on walls, Dillichip.

Pcedisca bilunana, Haw., not common, Crofthugen. rubiginosana, H.-S.,

scarce, Quarry Wood and Levenside Moor. corticana, Hb., abundant everywhere.

ophthalmicana, Hb., common on poplars, Crofthugen. occultana, Dough,

very common among pine woods, Levenside Moor. Solandriana, L., not common,

Crofthugen. sordidana, Hb., very common, Crofthugen, Levenside, &c.

Ephippiphora similana, Hb., not uncommon, Crofthugen, Quarry Woods, &c.

c«V*/ana, ZcU., Forth and Clydo Railway, near Jamestown. PJlugiana,JIaw.,

very common on Levenside Moor, &c., larva common in stems of thistles. Brun-

nichiana, Frol., very common near Jamestown, Levenside, &c. inopiana, Haw.

scarce, Jamestown. trigeminana, St., scarce, Quarry Wood.

Coccyx spJendidulana, Gn., scarce, Crofthugen. argyranu, common, Croft- hugen. tcEdella, Clerck, common among firs, Levenside Moor, &c. nanana,

Tr., not uncommon, Levenside Moor, along with teedella. vacciniana, Fisch.,

Levenside Moor.

Pamplusia mercuriana, Hb., very common on moorlands.

Retinia pinioorana, Zell., common in j)ine woods. resinella, L., scarco,

Levenside.

Carpocapsa siplendana, Hb., one specimen, Alexandria. pnmonella, L., not

uncommon, about gardens.

30 [February,

Stigmotiota coniferana, Ratzb., not iineommon in pine woods, Cvoftlutgen and

Levcnsido Moor. perlepidana. Haw., abundant along the embankments of the

Forth and Clyde Railway near Jamestown. roseticolana, Zell., scarce, Quarry

Wood.

Dicrorampha Petiverella, L., very comniou on the F. and C. Railway near

Jamestown, flies readily in the afternoon. plumhana, Scop., Levenside Moor, flies

in the sunshine. herbosann, Bar., very common, Crofthugen, Levenside, &c.,

flies principally in the evening, may be seen swarming along the hedgerows.

Pyrodes Rhediella, Clerck, scarce. Hue G-len.

Catoptria ulicetana, Haw., very abundant on furze. cana, Haw., common,

Levenside, Woodside, &c.

Trycheris nurana, Fb., common on Heracleum flowers, flies in the sunshine, but may be taken at rest on dull days, or in the evening on the flower heads.

Simaethis oxyacanthella, L., very abundant everywhere.

Eupoecilia nana, Haw., common, Quarry Wood. atricapitana, St., scarce,

Q.uarry Wood. maculosana, Haw., scarce, Crofthugen and Quarry Wood.

angustana, Hb., abundant on moorlands. cilieJla, Hb., not uncommon on the

railway banks near Jamestown.

Xanthosetia hamana, L., scarce, Quarry Wood.

Argyrolepia Hartmanniana, Clerck, scarce, Levenside Moor. badiana, Hb.,

scarce, Levenside. cnicana, Dbl., not uncommon, Crofthugen, Levenside, &c.

Conchylis Smeathmanniana, Fb., scarce, Q.uarry Wood. straminea, Haw., very

common and generally distributed.

Aphelia osseana. Scop., not uncommon in marshy parts, Levenside, &c.

Tortricodes hyemana, Hb., common, Cameron and Tullichewan.

{To he continued).

THE GENERIC NOMENCLATURE OF THE NOCTUA POPULARIS OF FABRICIUS.

BY LOUIS B. PROUT, F.E.S.

Mr. McLachlan pointed out a few years ago (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxii, p. 175) that the name Neuronia, Hb., wliich is applied to the above species in many of our lists, was pre-occupied, and therefore untenable, and that another generic name would be required. Mr. Barrett, however (Brit. Lep., iv, pp. 133, 266), while avoiding the use of the pre-occupied name, has also succeeded in avoiding the necessity of a new one, having applied Heliophohus, Boisd., to popnlaris and cespitis, and UlocJilcena, Led., of which the type is hirta, to hispidus. This is satisfactory in so far that it corrects Lederer's erroneous re- striction of Heliophohus to hispidus, and for some time I hoped it might prove to be perfectly sound on the historical method of type-

1901.] 37

fixation; for Stephens (Syst. Cat., ii, p. H2 : III. Haust., ii, p. 189) restricts the TIcliophuhus of Boisduval to popularis and leucopluea, removing snponaricd to Hndena, and Westwood, in 1840, specifies 2)opularis as the type. But some valuable notes on the exact dates of publication of Du))onchers Hist. Nat. Lep., have been kindly placed at my service by Mr. C. Davies Sherborn, F.Z.S.,and these show posi- tively that Duponchel's List of Noctuid types (Tom. vii, Pt. 2, pp. 71, 72, March 21st, 1829) appeared prior to Stephens' work (June 1st, 1829), and that therefore we must look to him and not to Stephens for the first restriction of the genus ; and inasmuch as he selects saponaricB for the type, Stephens and Westwood must be ruled " out of order," and Neuria, Gn. (with type saponariw), must sink as a synonym before Heliophobus.

The question which remains is whether popularis be really con- generic with cespitis, Fab., with which Mr. Barrett unites it; if so, the correct generic name is either Tholera, Hb. (Verz., p. 214), a mixed genus, which by Stephens' first use (List Brit. Anim., p. 68, 1850) would become restricted to the type cespitis, or, rather, Charceas, Steph. [111. Haust., ii, p. 108 (1829)], to which Westwood in 1840 assigns the same type, cespitis. But if, as I half fear, the two species in question should prove to be not congeneric, I believe the introduction of a new generic name for popularis will be unavoidable ; at any rate, a very thorough investigation of the literature has failed to reveal any existing one which could possibly be applied to it.

Note. —Perhaps as I have mentioned Charaas, Steph., I ought to add that its application to graminis, L., is utterly erroneous ; only four years after the foundation of the genus Curtis erected the monotypical Cerapteryx ioY graminis, ViwA in 1850 Stephens himself accepted this as a restriction of his Charcsas.

246, Richmond Road, N.E. : November Hth, 1900.

ON A SPANISH BEMBIDIUM (Suhgen. TESTEDIOLUM). BY D. SUARP, M.A., M.D., F.B.S.

The species of Bemhidium allied to B. glaciate are of considerable interest, ovAing to the fact that, in consequence of their peculiar habitat, they are in certain districts completely segregated ; so that the individuals of one such segregated area never mix with those from another. These insects dwell about the edges of melting snow-fields, and are only to be found where such snow-fields occur every year, and

38 [Pebru:iry,

are of (ixtciit sufricicnt to ensure that the\' do not disappear until the warm season is well advanced, hi such places these Bemhidiiom may be found in great profusion ; but I have never heard of a single ex- ample being found away from the natural habitat, or at an elevation of less than GOOO feet.

Although these insects are abundant in their native haunts they are not very well represented in collections, and considerable difference of opinion has been expressed as to the number of species, their characters and synonymy. The last edition of Reitter's Catalogue admits five species, two only of which are supposed to occur in Western Continental Europe ; the others are from the Caucasus, Turkey and Corsica. The species from the last locality is known I believe only by a single example in the late M. Reiche's collection. As regards the two species of Central Europe, B. glaciale and B. pyrenceum, much difference of opinion has prevailed. Ganglbauer admits them as valid. I have never found B. (jJnciale, but B. pyrenceum I have come across in several localities, viz., 8avoy (Albertville), East Pyrenees (Canigou), the Cantabrian Mountains (Reynosa and Picos d'Europa). Notwithstanding this rather wide distribution, T think all the individuals from the localities mentioned are one species ; tliough as T have preserved but a small number of specimens my opinion is not a very strong one.

B. pyrenceum is recorded by Grraells (Mem. Com. mapa geol. Espaila, 1855, Zool., p. 32) as occurring in Central and Southern Spain, " Pirineos orientales, Cataluiia alta y Andalucia, Granada."

I found specimens on the edges of the large snow-field on the Pico de Peiialara in the Sierra Guadarrama ; and also on an alpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of about 10,000 feet. These specimens show well marked differences from the more northern insects, and I think should be separated. The Andalusian examples are the most distinct ; the specimens from the Guadarrama apj)roach- ing distinctly to those from the Cantabrian mountains.

AVe may assume the Sierra Nevada form to be B. monfanum, Rambur. It is 4 — 4| mm. long, of depressed form, with the thorax very much narrowed behind, and the basal constricted portion longer than in any of the other forms ; the elytral punctuation is finer, and almost entirely obliterated at the sides and apex ; the antenna? are more slender than they are in the allied forms. Rambur described B. mofitanum from a single individual found, " dans les montagnes de la Sierra Nevada." His description is very poor, and would not lead one to refer it to an ally of B. ylncinlc, though it contains nothing incompatible with the insect I am discussing. It is placed in the

1001.] 39

recent catalogues as a syiiouyui of B. pyrenodum, so that the name may l)e applied to the Sierra Nevada species without giving rise to any con- fusion. Kambur collected I believe in the same spot as that in which the specimens before me were found, viz., near the top of the great valley in the Alpujarras, leading up from Lanjaron to the high ridge in propinquity to the summit of Mu]ha9en.

The individuals from the snow-fields of the Sierra Guadarrama certainly approach considerably to the Cantabrian form. In size and general appearance they resemble B. viontanum, but the thorax has the basal constricted portion less elongate. This form may bear the name of B. carpetnnum. Although I think it probable that if speci- mens were captured in large numbers all the forms, including B. glnciale, would be found to be connected ; yet, as the great majority of specimens can apparently be separated, it is well to have distinct names for the forms.

Cambridge : October 16th, 1900.

CHRYSOPA DORS ALTS, Bttem., A SPECIES NEW TO BRITAIN.

BY ROBERT McLACHLAN, F.R.S., &c.

Amongst some Neuroptera collected by Mr. Beaumont in 1900 I find a very good example of this rather striking species, taken at Oxshott, Surrey, on July 7th. It is a fir-frequenting insect, widely spread over Europe, extending to Scandinavia, but possibly nowhere very common. Personally I have met with it only in Belgium and Switzerland, in single examples.

Ch. dorsaJis is much like Ch. peria, L., and is liable to be confounded there- with. It is of the same form, with much black on the body, and the neuration very nuich mixed with black. Ch. perla can always be distinguished by the distinct blue-gveon colour of the pale parts, very conspicuous on the wing. In Ch. dorsalis the body colour is yellowish-green rather than blue-green, and there is a very broad unbroken black margin on either side of the pronotum ; in perla this margin is more or less broken up by the pale ground : the sub-costa in the anterioa-wings is black in dorsalis, at any rate in its basal half; it is green in perla : the costal area in the anterior wings is much narrower in dorsalis : and as a structural character of great importance the tarsal claws are simple in dorsalis (as in phyllochroma, Wesm., &c.), and much dilated at the base in perla : there are also differences in the markings of the head, &c., but the characters above-noticed will suffice to se- parate the two. A variety in which the femora are more or less piceous has received the name of pini (Brauer).

Mr. Beaumont has generously allowed me to retain the specimen_ Although many insects of comparatively feeble flight are liable to appear " sporadically " in an unaccountable manner, I think it more likely that Gh. dorsalis has been overlooked, on account of its re- semblance to perla, by the few^ entomologists who attend to these insects.

Lewisham, London : Dec. 2^rd, 1900.

40 [Februaiy,

ON THE NEW NOMENCLATURE OF HIE FAMILY CECIDOMYIM, ADOPTED BY MR. RUIJSAAMEN AND OTHERS.

BY BARON C. K. v. d. OSTEN SACKEN, Hon. F.E.S.

During my studies on Cecidomyidce in the United States, I have had occasion to become acquainted with the history of their classifica- tion, and when Dr. Karsch, in his Inaugural Dissertation (Revision der Gallmilcken, Miinster, 1S77), made an attempt to change the at that time existing nomenclature, in virtue (as he thought) of the p7'inciple of priority, I was fully prepared to interpose my objection in my Cat. N. A. Dipt., 2d ed., 1878, p. 215, where I said, " that the general adoption of these changes does not seem at all desirable." Dr. Karsch's principal innovation consisted in assuming that Meigen's original Cecidomyia (IHig. Mag., 1803) should be considered as a sy- nonym of Diplosis, Loew (1850), because the species adopted by Meigen as type in 1808 (Tipula pini, Deg.) was a Diplosis (Karsch, /. c, p. 11).

Mr. E. H. Eiibsaamen, a colleague of Dr. Karsch in the Berlin Museum, adopted this view in his paper. Die Gallmiicken des Konigl. Mus., &c., in Berlin (Berl. Ent. Z., 1892), and introduced other inno- vations, the ultimate result of which was that, contrai'y to the general rule of nomenclature, the generic name of Cecidomyia. was dropped, and other genera substituted for it : Oliyofrophus, Latr., Itho2)nlocera, n. g., Dichelomyia, n. g., &c. (/. c., p. 320).

To Mr. Eiibsaamen belongs the undoubted merit of having in- troduced an improved method of the scientific study of the Cecidomyidce^ and of developing it since with remarkable diligence. It would have appeared invidious on my part to interfere with his success by pub- lishing at that time a criticism of his nomenclature, and I have preferred therefore to inform him privately of my disagreement with him. As he did not accept my opinion, I see no reason why I should (after an interval of eight years) withhold it any longer from the public.

The first steps, both of Meigen and Latreille, in defining the concept of Cecidomyia, were merely tentative. In " Tlliger's Magazin" (1803) Meigen founded this genus upon De Geer's figure of his Tipula pini. The short definition is taken from this figure : " Antenna? por- rect, bent upwards, knotty, bristly (knotig, borstig) ; 24-jointed in the male, 12-jointcd in the female." The same definition is found in Meigen's " Klassification," &c. (ISOi). Meigen had never seen the insect, and, as late as lsl8, in his System. Beschr., i, p. 99, he mentions

1901.] 41

it among the species unknown to him. In the KLissification (iSO-t), pp. 38 — 39, Meigen explicitly avows his limited knowledge of the genus, and says about the diagnosis : " Whether all the species partake of these characters 1 cannot tell ; the number of the antennal joints seems to be variable. In general this genus requires more study yet." Under such circumstances MM. Karsch and Riibsaamen had no reason to assume, as they did, that Meigen, in adopting his original definition of Gecidomyia, intended to make it permanent, and thus unwittingly forestalled the concept of Diplosits, Loew ! Meigen would certainly have protested against such an assumption, and would have referred to his principal work, in which he again acknowledges his uncertainty about the number of the joints of the antennae. In his Syst. Beschr., i, p. 93, the diagnosis says : " Antenna) porrect, mam/ -jointed, joints separated ;" the detailed characterization which follows adds : " The number of joints is difficult to determine, because they are very easily damaged in captivity. I have generally found 24 in the male and only 12 in the female ; Cec. ribesii (^ has 12-joiuted antenna)."

In presence of such positive statements about the uncertainty of Meigen in the matter of the number of the joints of the antennae, the expression of Mr. Kiibsaamen, that Meigen had become unfaithful to himself {''' wei\ Meigen sich selbst spater untreu wurde ") is not well chosen ! (Comp. Berl. E. Z., 1892, p. 325, line 14 from top).

The first mention of Gecidomyia in Latreille's publications occurs in the Dictioun., &c., of Deterville, 1st ed., vol. xxiv, 1804, p. 107, and in the Hist. Nat. des Crust, et des Ins., vol. xiv, 1805, p. 292. The defini- tion is the same in both publications : " Anteunes filiformes a articles presque egaux, globuleux, velus ; trompe saillante ; ailes couchees horizoutalement sur le corps. Tijo. pini, Deg." The new genus Oli- gotrophus is introduced at the same time ; its definition is as follows : " Trompe point saillante, antennes moniliformes, tete transversale ; je rapporte a ce genre la Tipule des galles du Genevrier de De Geer, vi, tab. 25, f. 7, 8." That the definitions of both genera were based merely upon De Geer's figures is evident. Winnertz's (Stett. Ent. Z., 1854, p. 324) supposition, that Latreille knew De Geer's jiiniperina in nature seems to me very improbable.

In Latreille's first matured work on Diptera, the Genera, &c., vol. iv, p. 252 (1809), he gave up his Oligotrophns and introduced the genus Gecidomyia, as follows : —

Gen. (533. — Gecidomyia, Latr., lllig. — Tipula, De Geer. — Oligo- trophus, Latr. — Ghirononius, Fabricii.

The Cec/(/o«2yiV?, Latr., lllig., means here of course, Latreille, Meigen

42 [Febmaiy,

in Illigcr'H l\[;iga.zin (1808). Upon this follows a descriptive notice of the characters of tlie imago, a few words about the larvjc, pupa? and galls, aud a list of the species previously described. The number of joints of the antennse is stated thus: — " illorum rumiero pro sexu vario " (12 in feminis, 24 in masculis, Meigeu), which proves that Latreille, in this case, relied on Meigen's " Klassification " (1804).

This passage of Latreille (1809) became the starting ]joint of the generic concept, Cecidomi/ia, Meigen-Latueille, which, with the im- provement in its definition introduced by Meigen in his principal work of 1818, has prevailed in Dipterology up to the time when Rondani and Loew began to subdivide the genus. This essential fact has been entirely overlooked by MM. Karsch and Riibsaaraen, or, at least, their nomenclature is in entire disagreement with it. (Meigen, in his work of 1818, had introduced in the definition the very useful character, " first joint of the tarsi very short ").

Rondani has maintained this concept, and, in his very first work on Cecidomyia (Memoria Seconda, &c., 1840, p. 12), in the enumera- tion of the genera, we find : Grenus V, Cecidomyia, Meigen-Latkeille, after which Rondani goes on with his own subdivisions. Mr. Rlib- saamen has not noticed this passage, and has misinterpreted Rondani (in his paper of 1892, p. 324, at bottom), when he praises him for having acted with perfect correctness, and for having shown respect to Meigen's memory (" pietatvoll gehandelt") in restoring the genus Cecidomyia in the original oneaning of Meigen, that is, as having 24 anteunal joints in the male and 12 in the female, and being therefore a Diplosis in the sense of Loew. (The quotation from Loew's Progr., 1850, p. 20, adduced by Riibsaamen in the same place, p. 325, at top, is correct as far only as it refers to Cecidomyia, Kond., sensu stricto, in his Mem., 2^'^, pp. 13 — 15 [1840], and not to Genus V, Cccydomyia, Meig., Latr., on p. 12 of the same paper).

Thus far I have shown that Mr. Riibsaamen's new nomenclature has been based upon an entire misunderstanding of Meigen's, La- treille's and Rondani's publications on the subject.

In regard to Rondani especially, it is difiicult to understand how Mr. Rubsaamen has not perceived in that author's papers on Cecidomyia there is not a single allusion to the concept of the principal genus which he attributes to him. On the contrary, in the Stirpis Cecido- myidarum r/enera revisa (Atti, &c., di Milano, vol. ii, 1861), published eleven years after Loew's Monograph of 1850, the genera Cecidomyia and Diplosis are characterized as usual (on p. 12) : Cecidomyia, under F is mentioned as having the same number of antenual joints in both

1901.] 43

sexes ; and Diplosis, iiiuler FF, as having half the luunber of joints in the female : " feuiinfi nuinero circiter duplo miuori articulis inascu- lorum." I have searched in vain for auy reference to Meigeu's KlassificatioD (1804) iii Eondaui'a works, and I am inclined to believe that he never possessed, nor consulted, that now rather rare volume.*

It is so many years since I have given up the study of Cecidomi/lcE, that it would be impossible for me to propose now any improvement in the present nomenclature of the Family. I would only venture to suggest that the concept Cecydomyia, Meigen-Latreille, in its main features, was a very natural and useful generic concept, and should have been preserved, es{)ecially in view of the mnemonic requirements of classification. On this subject, and on the mischief of unneces- sarily multiplying genera, I have expressed my opinion in the Berl. Eut. Z., 1895, p. 160, at bottom, where I have said, "The true end of classification is an easier survey of affinities, a temporary aid to memory. In space and time all divisions become convergent and finally coufiuent." What I would propose now would be to restore, as far as possible, the original concept of Cecidomyiu of Meigen and Latrcille, and to consider tlie very numerous new genera, since formed at its expense, as subgenera.

MM. Karsch and Eiibsaamen have done so much useful work since their beginnings, that 1 hope they will not take in bad part the publication of a criticism which I have kept in petto for thirty years. Heidolbcrg : January, 1901.

ABEEDEENSHIRE DIPTERA. BY TUE REV. E. N. BLOOMPIELD, M.A., F.E.S.

Mr. J. Mearns, of Aberdeen, has kindly sent me for confirmation or determination the greater part of his collection of Dq)tera ; among them are some very interesting species, I therefore now give a selection from them.

In the "Scottish Naturalist " for July, 1883, there is a good list by Mr. W. Armston Vice, M.B., of JDiptera taken by himself in the north of Scotland, principally near Aberdeen, and also a few taken by Mr. Vcrrall in 1870 near Aberdeen, and at Braemar.

Most of Mr. Mearns' species are the same as are contained in this list, but there are a good number of additions, some very common

* The bookseller Hoepli, in Milan, pnvohasod Rondani'.s library after his death, and I then acquired .several works which belonged to it, among others the complete collection of Rondani's liand-copieK of his own publications. Of this collection I liave made a present to the Italian Entomological Society in Florence. I do not reniember noticing Meigon's Klassification (1S04) in Hoepli's Catalogue at that time.

44 [February,

.specicH, and otliors of considerable! interest. The very connnon species, such as Ilomalomi/ia cauicular/s, &c., are not now included, and those species which are already recorded near Aberdeen in Mr. Vice's list I have marked *.

All the following species were met with at no great distance from Aberdeen, the neighbourhood of Banchory, which is about 25 miles to the west, being the most distant.

LiMNOBiD^. — Symplecta punctipennis, Mg., Banchory ; Phalacrocera repli- cata, Jj , White Stripes, near Aberdeen.

TiPULiDJS. — *Dolichopeza sylvlcola, Curt., Banchory : Tipiila Dianw, Mg., White Stripes; this species and P. replicata were several times bred.

TABANIDJ2. — Chrysops relictus, Mg., Locli Skene ; Then'oplectes ? sohtitialis, Mg., Banchory ; a very variable series, perhaps not all the same species. Taba- iius cordiger, W., and Atylotus ftilvns, Mg., Banchory. LEPTID.3E. — * Sympheromyia crassicornis, Pz.

SYKPHlD.ffi. — Paragus tibialis, Fin., and Chilosia sparscf, Lw., Banchory; PyrophcBna ocymi, F., Muchals, Kincardine, Stain ; Didea intermedia, Lw., *Syr- phus punctulatus, Ver., iS. compositarum, Ver., and S. grossularia, Mg., all near Banchory, <S'. topiarius, Mg., Invercannie, near Banchory ; the specimen of this very rare species is now in the collection of the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art; S. annulipes, Zett., S. trici)ictu/i and 6'. albostriatus, Fin., Banchory; *ArctophiIa mussitans, F., Countess Wells and Hazelhead ; Eristalis sepul- chralis, L., Aberdeen Links ; *E. rupium, F., Loch Skene and Banchory ; Uelophilvs trivittatus, F., and H. hybn'dus, Lw., Aberdeen Links ; *II. lineatus, F., Bishop's Loch ; Xylota Jiorum, F., near Aberdeen ; Merodou equestris, F. ; *Chryxofoxum arcuatum, L., Banchory.

CoNOPics;. — Conops ceriiformis, Mg., Invercannie ; this specimen is now in tbe Edinburgh Museum collection ; Sicus ferrugineus, L., Invercannie.

TACIIINID.S:. — *EcMnomyia grossa, L.

MusciDiE. — Caliiphora groenlandica, Zctt., Aberdeen Links, not uncommon.

Antuomtid.*;. — Limnophora compuncta, W., and Drymeia hamata, Fin., Loc. Skene.

C0BDYLUEID.E. — Hydromyza Falleni, Schin., Hazelhead, and SScatophaga villipes, Zett.

SciOMYZiD^. — Dryomyza anilis. Fin. ; *D. Jiaveola, F. ; Tetanocera ferrii- ginea, Fin. ; T. robusta, Lw., Braes of Don ; 1\ reticulata, L., Hazelhead.

Oktalid^. — PteropcectriufrondescenticB, L., Invercannie.

Tbypetid^. — Trypeta onotrophes, Lw., Urophora solstitialis, L., and Tephritis miliaria, near Banchory.

Loncu^IDjE. — Palloptera uinbcUatarum, F., and P. arcuata, Fin., Invercannie.

Opomyzid^. — Balioptera combinata, L., Invercannie.

Several of the above species have not, I think, been hitherto re- corded from Scotland, as for instance, Tahanus cordiger, W., of which a specimen is in the Edinbni\gh Museuu) collection.

Guestling Rectory, Hastings : December, 19U0.

1901.] 45

Cerastis ligida, Esp., at Poyntzpass, Ireland. — When the ivy came into blossom in October last I began to look out for moths, but finding not many at the ivy I tried sugaring some trees down my avenue, and by this means obtained some extra specimens. Among my captures, both at ivy and at sugar, was a Cerastis, which at first I tliought to be vaccinii, L., but becoming doubtful I referred the specimens to Mr. Barrett, who kindly examined them for me, and then it appeared that I had captured C. ligula as well as C. vaccinii. This capture is of interest as lifjula does not appear to be at all common in Ireland. Moths of any kind wei'e far from plentiful, and only on one night were there more than half a dozen to be captured.

Besides C. ligitla I took a single specimen of Agrotis saucia, Hiib., on November 1st at sugar ; Scopelosoma sateLlitia, L., at ivy and sugar, three forms, viz., with reniform stigma white, orange, almost obliterated being the same colour as the rest of the wing ; Calocampa exoleta, L., a good many at sugar ; Hhnera pennaria, L., several flying at ivy. I did not notice any of them settled on the blossoms, but perhaps I did not give them time. The ivy grows on the gable of my house, and I place a ladder against the wall and then mount with net and lantern, moving the ladder as I require. It is curious that though there was ivy in blossom in the hedges of my garden, yet there were no moths about it at all. I noticed also that I got most moths about ten feet from the ground.— W. F. Johnson, Acton Q-lebe, Poyntzpass : December 1th, 1900.

He-appearance of Gelechia malvella in the London district. — It afforded me great pleasure to find this insect in fair numbers in my garden last July, as hitherto diligent search, both for larva and imago, had proved fruitless.

Stainton, in " Insecta Britannica " (vol. iii, p. 106), refers to the moth as " a common species in gardens," and in the " Manual " (vol. ii, p. 330) adds, " a pest in the larva state." This, no doubt, was perfectly accurate when these works were written, but in recent years the species has become greatly restricted in its distribu- tion, owing to the hollyhock, which was formerly found in most gardens, having gone out of favour by reason of its being attacked and killed by the well-known disease. My good fortune in taking this moth is most likely due to my neighbours having the last two or three years gone in extensively for Althcea. I had hoped to obtain a supply of larvae in the autumn, but the plants were cut down and burned befoi'e an oppor- tunity occurred to bespeak the seed heads. — B. A. Bower, Eltham Road, Lee, Kent: January 12th, 1901.

Spilodes sticticalis in North-West Kent. — The occurrence of this species in this part of Kent is, I think, worthy of notice, as I can find no published account of its capture in it. There is a rumour that at some remote time it was found in the lucttiosa field by Darenth Wood, but confirmation is not forthcoming. My captures, which number four, were late ones, being made from August 29th to September 6th, 1900, and over the country lying between Halstead and Wilmington. — Id.

Anticlea sinuata in Devon. — '^it\\ reference to Mr. George T. Porritt's interesting notice in last month's Ent. Mo. Mag. of captures in South Devon, and his quei'y as to whether the occurrence of this species is not new to the county, I

E

46 [February,

bog to stij' tliat some years ago, between 18G5 — 9, I think, when I was in TI.M.S. " Britannia," at Dartmouth, I took this nioth upon two occasions and in widelv different localities — once near Slapton and again near Buckfastleigh.--GuuvASE P. Mathew, Dovercom-t, Essex : January Uh, 1901.

Wharfedale Trichoptera, lIJ'c. — During a week's visit to Grrassington-in-Wharf- dale — a lovely district reached by a nine to ten miles' drive from Skipton- -from June lltl) to 18tli last, I secured on the River Wharfc Odontocerum a/bicorne, Agapetus comatus and Qlossosoma vernale, three species of Trichoptera hitherto unrecorded for Yorkshire. Of tiiesc, A. comatus occurred in profusion in trees along the riverside ; but the other two appeared to be much rarer. Two other interesting species which also occurred iji great abundance were EccUsopteryr guttulata and Lasiocephala basali.i, the former at dusk flying in almost a continuous stream up from the river over Grassington Bridge, whilst in the daytime almost every tap of the beating stick brought out L. basalis in plenty from the bushes on many parts of the river side. Among numerous other species also occurred Drusus annulatus, Scricostoma personatum, Leptocerus nigro-nervosus, L. annnlicornis, Tinodes moeneri, and Polycentropnx flavomuculatus in greater or smaller numbers. In the beautiful Grass Wood, which rises from the bank of the river, the following Lepidoptera were noted: — Venusia cambricaria, Venilia maculata (common), Melanthia albicillata (common), Cgmatophora duplaris, EnnycMa octumaculata, and numerous other species.— Gkorgk T. Poeeitt, Crosland Hall, near Hudders- field : January Zrd, 1901.

JEschna mixta, Latr., at Appledore, Kent. — Two ^ and one $ of J?, mixta were taken by Mr. Beaumont at Appledore, near Ashford, on August 22nd and 23rd and September lUtli, respectively, 1900. This species has been so widespread, and often common in the South of England this year, as to induce one to think that immigration may have had something to do with its appearance. The other Odonata taken by Mr. Beaumont iii the same locality arc unimportant, but are here enumerated for the sake of local data. They are: — Sympetrum striolatum, Chp., 8. sanguineum, Miill., Mschna cyanea, Midi., Ischnura elegans, V. d. L., and Lestes spunsa, Hansm. — R. McLachlan, Lewisham, London : December 23rd, 1900.

Ccecilius atricornis, M'Lach., at Appledore, Kent.— Of this semi-aquatic Psocid Mr. Beaumont found two examples, both apparently males and slightly immature, on September 8th last. The life-history of this species would probably prove interesting, for it frequently occurs in localities which for part ot the year, at any rate, juust be under water. — Id.

Micromus aphidivorus, Schrk. {aitgulatus, tSteph.), at Oxshott. — Mr. Beaumont captured a fine example of this at Oxshott on October 12th, 1900, which seems a late date. Although widespread in this country the species seems to almost always occur singly. There may be some doubt about the application of the name " aphi- divorus." It was Ilagen who first introduced it as applied to this species {cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., ii, p. 59). But later on (Proc. Bos. Soc. N. H., xxiii, p. 281) he say.s that after a careful examination of Schrank's description he is "convinced that 11.

1001.] 47

aphidivorus is not this species," and he uses the specific name atigulatus, Steph., which is the next ohlcst. Here, tlien, is a diU^mnia. I have not studied the subject, and in continuing to use "aphidivorus" I do so without prejudice, and if I were writing a new inonon;raph of the Brit. Planipennia it is quite possible I should use " angulatics," whicli is certain, according tci the type specimen. — Id.

Mantis re/ iff iosa, L., naturalised in the State of New York. — Bulletin 185 of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (November, 1900) consists of an account hy Prof. Slingerland of the discovery of M. religiosa in considerable numbers near Kochestcr, N.Y. When first discovered in 1899 it was thought to be identical with some species indigenous in the southern States. But as time went on doubts arose, and it was eventually submitted to Mr. Scudder, who traced its identity with the European insect. The species seems quite at home and stands the winter of the State of New York. No one knows exactly how it came there, but the district is a great nursery centre and imports large quantities of plants from Europe, especially from France, so it was probably introduced in that way. As the insect is considered highly beneficial, it is suggested that steps be taken to preserve it, and especially to discourage its capture and destruction hy children. — Eds.

The pale variety of Bomhus Smithianus, White, in Scotland. — Referring to Mr. E. Saunders's instructive article on this boo in this Magazine for 189G (pp. 275- 277), I find that the variety having the hairs on the under-side of the body, and on the legs pale yellow instead of black, is quite a common insect in Scotland, and is the Bombus which has hitherto stood in Scottish collections and lists under the successive specific names of senilis, cognatus, and veniistus. I have compared males taken by myself near Kingussie (Inverness-shire), Aberfoyle (S.W. Perthshire), and Elvanfoot (Lanarkshire), and also specimens from the Perth district, Dumbarton- shire, and Kirkcudbrightshire, kindly sent mc by Messrs. Eodger, Malloch, and Service, with males of typical Smithianus from Shetland, and find them to all appearance identical, which Mr. Saunders, who has been good enough to examine several of them for me, says they undoubtedly are. Besides these males I have females and workers from the same and other localities, which I cannot but regard as belonging to the same form, though the absence of any known structural differ- ence between $ and ? of Smithianus and those of venustiis precludes, in the mean- time, absolute certainty of identification. Specimens clearly, I think, of this form from Scotland were referred by Smith to his senilis (afterwards venustus), for we read in the first edition of his "Catalogue" (p. 215), "Females (of .senilis) from Perthshire are exceedingly bright in colouring," and $ and ? from Moray were so named by him for Dr. Gordon (Scot. Nat., 1887, p. 177). There is no evidence, however, that he ever examined a J . Had he done so the similarity of the "arma- ture " to that of Smithianus is not likely to have escaped his notice. Venustus, as now restricted, seems to be a more southern insect, and the question arises, does it occur in Scotland ? Only the capture of a (J can settle the point conclusively. Now that this pale race of Smithianus is likely to be much in evidence, some dis- tinctive name for it {B. Smithianus, var., or racu, pallidus, say) would be a decided convenience. That the names .lenilis and cognatus are out of court has been clearly explained to me by Mr. Saunders — William Evans, 38, Morningsido Park, Edin- burgh : January H)th, 1901.

E 2

48 [February,

Scottish Aculeates. — With reference to Mr. A. A. Dalglisli'a interesting records of Aculeate Uymenoptera in tlie West of Scotland, published in the January number of tliis Magazine {ante p. 7), I would point out that Odynerus spiiu/ies, L., and HaJictus tumulorum, L., arc both in Mr. T. M. McGregor's list of Perth- shire Aculeate.i, published a number of years ago in the "Transactions of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science " (see vol. i, pp. 72, 105). The first-named species had even then, however, been ten years on the Scottish list from Banffshire (Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc, Aberdeen, 1878, p. 47). In the Forth district I have taken H. tumulorum in abundance at Dunbar and Longniddry. A record by Mr. Saunders of Pompilus unguicularis, Thorns., from Golspie, appeared in this Magazine for November last. — Id. : January 1th, 1901.

Chrysis Ruddii, Shuck., in Scotland. — In June, 1893, I secured an example of this Chrysid near Aviemore (Inverness-shire), and have since taken others at Kinghorn and Inverkeithing (Fife), and Dunbar (East Lothian) ; identification confirmed by Rev. F. D. Morice. I have not seen any previous record of the species from Scotland. — Id.

Bemhex rostrata, L., in Jer.^ey. — In answer to Mr. W. Evans' enquiry if Bembex rostrata has ever been recorded from the Channel Islands, I may say that I have never taken it in Guernsey, but the name occurs in a list of Jersey insects in the collection of Mr. Piquet, named by the late Francis Walker, Esq., F.L.S., in 1860. This list was published in Ansted and Latham's " Channel Islands" (2nd Edit., 1865).— W. A. Luff, Mount Pleasant, Guernsey ; January, 1901.

Diptera and NomadcB at HnUctus burrows. — On June 4th I visited a colony of Halictus nitidiuseulus in the river bank at Bittoii, and caught seven of the little bees as they entered or quitted the burrows. Three of these proved to be females of the Halictus, and four were Nomada furva 9 . A number of grey flics were also flying around the burrows, occasionally entering for a short distance, and on several occasions I noticed that they backed into the hole "tail first." Whether this was for oviposition I cannot tell, but it seemed like it. The Eev. E. N. Bloomfield very kindly sent these flies to Mr. Verrall, who pronovmces them to be Phorbia albescens and Phorbia impudica. The Aculeate.'! were kindly determined for me by Mr. E. Saunders.

When I visited the same colony on a previous occasion in August I found that a large proportion of the Halicti were stylopized. These industrious little bees seem much persecuted. — H. J. Chaebonniee, Redland, Bristol ; January, 1901.

Further Note on the habits of Orochares angustatus, Er. — Apropos of Canon Fowler's notice of the occurrence of an example of this insect in Britain (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxvi, p. 286), the following note will interest British Colcoptcrists : — Dr. H. Krauss and Dr. K. Poneckc (Wien. out. Zeit., 1900, p. 239) record the capture of number of specimens at Marburg in December, 1899, in " frozen human excre- ment."— G. C. Champion, Ilorsell, Woking : January dtk, 1901.

1901.] 49

Myrmus mii-iformis near Bade. — Mr. E. Saunders, in his work on the ITemip- tera, says he has no western locality for Myrmus mirt/ormis, Fall. It may be of some interest to record that I captured a pair, S and ? , both with the undeveloped form of the elytra, the S with (he interrupted central black stripe on the abdomen, which was absent in the ? , on July 3rd, 1896, near Bude, Cornwall. — G. C. Big- NELL, Saltash : December I8tk, 1900.

©bitiutrn.

Philip Crowhy, F.L.S., .j-e.,died at his residence, Waddon House, Croydon, on December 20th, aged 63. He came of a Quaker family, long engaged in the brew- ing industry, and was born at Alton, in Hants, on August 28th, 1837. He was educated privately, and soon became a partner in the well-known brewing establishments at Alton and Croydon. Mr. Crowley took a very warm interest in all subjects connected with Natural History, and was a generous patron in such connections. As an entomologist he was known as the possessor of one of the finest collections of exotie butterflies, and he published a few short papers on the subject, but literary work was not congenial to him. He also had a magnificent collection of birds' eggs, and, in fact, of several other departments of natural objects. He was a Fellow of the Linnean, Zoological, and Entomological Societies, and did much to furtlier the interests of the Croydon Microscopical Club. He also devoted much time and money to horticultural pursuits, and at the time of his death was Treasurer of the Eoyal Horticultural Society, and Master (for the second year) of the Gardeners' Company. He was also Chairman of the Fruit Committee of the R.H.S. His somewhat sudden death came as a surprise to many friends, and in many respects it will be difficult to fill the various honorary — but laborious — posts he held. Mr. Crowley had been long a widower and leaves no family.

Lord Dormer, F.Z.S., F.E.S.— John Baptiste Joseph Dormer (12th Baron Dormer), of Grove Park, Warwick, died suddenly at Tewkesbvjry when on a visit on December 22nd last. He was born on May 22nd, 1830, and for many years was in the Army (Captain Grenadier Guards, &c.), serving in the Crimea and India. He came of an old Roman Catholic family, and many of the preceding Barons were also military men. The title was created in 1615, but for several years was practically in abeyance on account of religious diiBculties. The late Baron had a strong taste for entomology and formed a collection of CicindelidcB. He travelled much, and outside his speciality his captures were given to friends, the late H. W. Bates benefiting amongst others. He joined the Zoological Society of London in 1882, and the Entomological in 1886. He occasionally attended the meetings of the latter Society, but was retiring and known to only few. He leaves no family, and is succeeded in the title by a nephew.

John Henry Leech, B.A., F.L.S., cSfc, died prematurely at his residence, Hurdcott House, near Salisbury, on December 29th, 1900, in his 39th year. He was the eldest son of the late John Leech, Esq., of Gorse Hall, Duckinfield, Cheshire, and after having completed his preliminary education was sent to Cambridge, where he graduated in due course. He may be said to have devoted his life to entomology.

50 [February,

In 188(5 lie published an illustrated work on the British PyralidcB, which, however, did not meet witli universal approbation. He travelled much ; firstly, we think, to the Amazons, then to tlie Canaries, and he made two or three long journeys to the East, commencing with Cashmere in 1887, and subsequently to China, Japan, and Corea, making huge collections. He also sent out intelligent collectors to China Japan, and Northern India, and thus further increased his stores of Eastern Le- ■pidoptera, &c. The greater part of these collections he worked out with the assistance of Mr. South, and the volume of the " Transactions of the Entomological Society of London " for 1900 owes its unusual bulk mainly to two large instalments of his catalogue of the Heterocera of Northern China, Japan, and Corea. In 1890 he ac- quired the " Entomologist " and the services of Mr. South as editor, with a long advisory committee, intending to devote it mainly to the description of the new spe- cies collected by himself and others in the East. The speedy abandonment of this idea and the events that followed are now matters of history. That Mr. Leech, during his short life, did much to further the cause of entomology is not to be denied, yet one cannot help regretting that he did not do more. Latterly he had been in bad health, lie leaves a widow and two young children to mourn his loss.

^ofictie.'j.

BiRMiNGnAM Entomoxooical Society : iWnvwJer 19^A, 1900.— Mr. R. C, Bradlbt in the Chair.

Mr. Dixon, of 149, Edmund Street, Birmingham, was elected a Member of the Society.

Mr. H. Willoughby Ellis showed Melanoma ccnewm from Cannock Chase ; Crinceris aspa.rngi, from Bromsgrove (wlicre it occurred in thousands) ; Sirtodendron cylindricurn, from Knowle ; Byturus snnihiici, from Haywood ; Sifonef' ramhrinis, from Knowle ; also a few Lefidnfifio from Knowle. Mr. G. W. Wynn, a number of Lepidvptei-a taken at sugar in his garden at Hampton-in-Arden this year. He sugared regularly all the summer and found July the best month. Triphmna javthina was especiallj' abundant, often five or sis being found on a single patch of sugar ; also T. interjccfn occurred in two examples, and amongst other things were XyJophasia svhhistris, X. liejiatica, Caradriva rnorpJicus, C. ahines, 0. cuhicularis, Agrntis nigricans, A . tritici, A . corticea , Noctua urn brosa , Xanthia gilvago, Tetliea sublu.ia (one), Coamin nffiriin (common), Catocala ntipta (one). Mania mnura, etc. Mr. A. H. Martineau, the following Hymenoptera, all taken at Solihull this year : — Cralm clai'ipcs, C. tibialis, Trypoxylon clavicornis, and Stigmvs SoJshyi. Mr. R. C. Bradley, a number of insects of various orders collected during a four days' trip to the Stroud district of the Cotswolds at Whitsuntide this year. Amongst others were the following Diptera : — Isopngnn hrevirostris , Platystoma. seminationis, Xanthogramma ornata, Trixa oistroidea, and Hyalomyza pusilla : and Hymeiioptera. as follows : — Andrena cingulata, Osynia xav thorn elan a., 0. hiculor, 0. cmrulesccns, and 0. auridenta ; Nomada fiavoguttata, N. lateralis, etc. Mr. Colbran Wainwright showed his collection of the families Ortalidce and Trypetidw, including several interesting species taken this year : Trypeta cornutu, T. tussilaginis, and Tephritis bardancc ; long series from West Runton, Norfolk, where all thi-ee species

1901.] 51

were very abundant, Urcllia clutn and stellnta, Tcphritis tessMata, Ensina sonchi, Rivellin sywjenesiw, Spilograjjh.a altcrnata, &c., all tVoni West Runton, T. tesscllata being absent from Mr. Verrall's list, and U. eluta only in italics ; Cernxys crasxipennis, and Platystoma gerninationis, nice series of each from near Stroud, Gloucester, &c., &c. — Colbkan J. Wainwkight, Hon. Sec.

Lancasuikk and Cheshire Entomological Society : December ivih, 1900. — Mr. E. J. Burgess Sopp, Vice-President, in the Chair.

Dr. Herbert Dobie, of Chester, contributed a paper entitled " Two and a half Years' Observations of the Maaro-Lepidoptera at the Chester Electric Lights," which was read bj the Secretary. In it Dr. Dobio states tliat he has been able to add to the local list some sixteen species not hitherto recorded for Chester. This he attri- butes almost entirely to the attraction of the electric light, as several keenly enthusiastic entomologists have lived in Chester and have never had the good fortune even to see any of these species until this light came into use. The species are: — Sphinx ligustri, Zeuzera cvscidi (four), Litlio.^ia quadra, Drepana kamula, Agrutis luniijera, Tethea retiisa, Cosmia affiinis, Phurodesma bajularia, Cheimatobia horeala

Coremia fluviata, Eupithecia .'' Hypena crassaliv, Pyralis glaucinalis, Acenh-opus

niveus, and Ephestia splendidella. Amongst the oc(!asional captures were Acronycta alni, Neuria. saponariw, Hydrmcia petasitis, and Eurymene dolobraria. The paper was partly devoted to an endeavour to solve the problem of the appearance of females only of Hepialus kumuli and Fidonia piniaria at the lights. The point was afterwards discussed by Messrs. Pierce, Freeman, Webster, and Wilding. Dr. Cotton proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. Dobie, which was seconded by Mr. Wilding and carried unanimously. The following exhibits were made : — Triyonugenius globulum, by E. J. Burgess Sopp. Carabus arvensis, Bembidium Clarki,and Corym- betes quercus, by Mr. R. Wilding. A splendid series of Agrotis Ashworthii reared from the egg in eight weeks, by Mr. R. Tait. Species of the genus Dianthcecia, showing geographical variation, by Mr. F. N. Pierce. Astata stigma from North Walea, Oxybeluamucronatus, Ceropalcs maculatus,Ccrceris arenaria, Crabru cribrarius Sapyga 5-punctata, and Psammophila hirsuta, by Mr. Willoughby Gardner. Le- pidoptcra, Coleoptera, and Ncurnptera from Delamere Forest, by Dr. Cotton. Lepidoptern,^ including a fine black form of A', polyodon, taken in Liverpool by Rev. T. B. Eddrup. Varieties of Abraxas yrossulariata, the two best being (A) a specimen having the blackish markings almost covering the insect, very little white, and no trace of yellow, and (B) a specimen with ground colour yellow instead of white, by Mr. Tipping. — Frederick Birch, Hon. Sec.

Entomological Society of London: December bth, 1900. — Mr. G. H. Verrall, President, in the Chair.

Mr. Jacoby exhibited specimens of Hypocephalus arniatus from Bahia and Chrysomela salishuriensis, a new species, from Maslionaland. Mr. Bower, a speci- men of Spilosoma niontumim, an Asiatic species, bred from a larva found at the beginning of September, 1897, feeding on birch on a moor near Paisley. The larva hibernated and spun a cocoon the following spring, not feeding after hibernation.

52 [February,

Motli bred June 2iid, 1898. The larva wsis given to Mr. Wm. Smith, of Paisley, by a friend who found it on a moor used by the Glasgow Corporation for rubbish, the supposition being that an ovum or larva had been introduced with the refuse matter. Mr. McLachlan, a female of a Dragon-fly of the genus Tetracanthagyna from North Borneo, similar to T. vittata, McLach., but with a very broad ante- apical fascia on the wings, and with some asymmetrical markings. He said there might be a question as to the specific identity or otherwise of the insect. And there was also the question as to whether the insect described by Mr. C. 0. Water- house as Gynacantha plagiata in the " Transactions " for 1878 was specifically the same. Mr. Waterhouse was of opinion that the species was distinct. Mr. R. Adkin, two aberrant male specimens of Argyiinls Aglaia. In one of them the basal two-thirds of all the wings were almost completely covered with black, and broad black streaks crossed the remaining third of the wings to the outer margin, follow- ing the venation. In the other specimen the peculiarity consisted in the presence of a greenish-white blotch on each of the wings on the left side, similar in character to the pale blotches not infrequently observed in A. PapMa. Both specimens were taken near Brighton in July last, where the species was unusually abundant Papers were communicated on " Observations on some species of Orina, a genus of vivi- parous and ovo-viviparous beetles, by Mr. Gr. C. Champion and Dr. T. A. Chapman," reported by Dr. T. A. Chapman : " Illustrations of the sixth male ventral segment in seventeen Osniia species of the adunca group, with a note on the synonymy of three species, and descriptions of five which appear to be new," by the E,ev. F. D. Morice, M.A. : and an Obituary notice of the late Dr. Otto Staudinger, by Mr. H. J. Elwes, F.R.S. — C. J. Gahan and H. Rowland-Brown, Hon. Sees.

January 16th, 1901. — The Sixty-eighth Annual Meeting. — Mr. G. II. VekrALL, President, in the Chair.

After an abstract of the Treasurer's accounts, showing a large balance in the Society's favour, had been read by one of the Auditors, the Secretary read the Report of the Council. It was then announced that the following had been elected Oflicers and Council for the Session 1901 — 1902. President, the Rev. Canon Fowler, M.A., F.L.S. ; Treasurer, Mr. Robert McLachlan, F.R.S. ; Secretaries, Mr. Herbert Qoss, F.L.S., and Mr. H. Rowland-Brown, M.A. ; Librarian, Mr. George C. Champion, F.Z.S.; and as other Members of Council, Professor T. Hudson Beare, F.R.S.E., and Messrs. R. Adkin, Charles G. Barrett, William L. Distant, II. St. J. Donisthorpc, F.Z.S., Charles J. Gahan, M.A., Robert W. Lloyd, Edward Saunders, F.L.S. , G. II. Verrall, and Colbran J. Wainwright.

The President referred to the losses Entomology had sustained during the past Session by the deaths of the Baron de Selys-Longchamps, Mr. W. B. Spence, Mr. Blateh, Major George Cockle, Mr. Philip Crowley, Lord Dormer, Mr. J. H. Leech, Dr. W. H. Lowe, Professor Joseph Mik, Professor Emile Blanchard, Dr. Staudinger, and other entomologists. He then delivered an address. A vote of thanks to the President was proposed by Canon Fowler, seconded by Colonel Swinhoe,and carried. A vote of thanks to the Treasurer, Secretaries and Librarian was proposed by Mr. C. G. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Donisthorpc, and carried. The oflicers re])lied. — H. Goss and H. Rowland-Bkown, IIoh. Secretaries.

1901.] 53

OBSERVATIONS ON SPHECODES. BY THE REV. F. D. MOEICE, M.A., F.E.S.

That a couuection of some kind — whether or not it be that of "parasite" and "host" — exists between almost every species of Sphecodes and some one or more particular species of their near relations, the Halicti, can hardly, I think, be doubted by any one who has collected the two genera for any considerable time. Mr. R. C. L. Perkins long ago published two very interesting papers on this subject in the Ent. Mo. Mag. (May, 1887, and Feb., 1889) which, as Mr. E. Saunders says in his " Hi/menoptera Aculeata, &c." (1896), seem to go a long way towards proving the parasitism of Sphecodes. That view, of course, had been put forward long before, but was strenuously resisted by the late Frederick Smith, in his day the chief British authority on such subjects. I cannot but think, however, that Mr. Smith was a little biassed by his interest in the then recent discovery that Prosopis had been unjustly accused of parasitism, which predisposed him to believe that the charge against Sphecodes was equally unjust. On the Continent, as here, authorities have differed on the subject : several eminent French entomologists adopt the parasitism theory ; but Friese (Apidce Europcsce) does not include Sphecodes among his "■ Schmarotzerhienen''' and in the catalogues of v. Dalla Torre and Friese it heads the list of the industrious genera or " Sammelbienen."

I think it must be owned that nothing like proof positive that Sphecodes is parasitic on HnUctus has yet been produced. No one, that is to say, has reared a Sphecodes from a cell known to have been constructed and provisioned by a Ralictus. But then, the style of nidification adopted by Halictus makes it almost impossible to experi- ment upon its cells with a view to obtaining such evidence. Suppose a cell, resembling the little plain hollow shell of mud constructed by a Halictus, to be dug up successfully from the depths of a bank, to be kept through the summer, and to produce a Sphecodes in the autumn, how after all could we be sure that it had been made and provisioned by a Halictus and not by a Sphecodes f Even if the cell were found in close proximity to others occupied by Halicti, how could it be proved positively that this juxtaposition was not accidental ? Perhaps, then, it would hardly be reasonable to require of the believers in the parasitism of Sphecodes a proof of this kind. And yet, in the absence of such proof, it would seem impossible for their view to advance beyond the state of a more or less probable hypothesis. ,

54 [February,

Personally, I shall not shrink from saying that, hypothesis or no, I am very much inclined to believe that it is true. The evidence for it is, no doubt, wholly circumstantial and inferential, but taken all together it appears to me very strong.

First, of course, there is the obvious argument from structure and general appearance. The " facies " of Sphecodes is, beyond all doubt, suggestive at least of parasitism.

Then there is an argument from analogy, vt'hich might carry little weight if it stood alone, but which, as corroborating other arguments, is worth consideration. As a rule, an Aculeate genus known to be parasitic appears from its structure to be a kind of offshoot from some industrious genus, often that which it chiefly infests. Nomnda is a disputed case, but Mr. Saunders has shown that its structure is in some minute points accordant with that of Andrenci. Stelis and Anthidium^ however, Ccelioxys and Megachile, Melectn and Antho- pliora^ are all clear cases in which the parasite stands close to the industrious genus in nearly all points of structure, except in the pollinigerous apparatus. Supposing Sphecodes to be a parasitic off- shoot of the Halictus stock, its structure is precisely that which the above analogy would lead us to expect.

Thirdly, there is the argument from the ordinary behaviour and demeanour of the $ $ Sphecodes, which is unmistakeably that of parasites. They visit but do not toil among the flowers ; they are seldom seen even apparently at work on excavation ; they are never found taking sole possession of an unoccupied place with a colony of their own; but, almost wherever Halicti swarm, Sphecodes may be seen dogging their movements, and sneaking about their burrows with the same sort of vigilant and cautious activity which is so noticeable in {e.g.) the Chrysids. They seem to be always reconnoitring an enemy's position. They are "slim," mobile, inquisitive, restless, concentrating their attention upon no visible operations of their own, while indus- trious bees seem wholly absorbed in their own labours, and heedless of the occupations of others.

Fourthly, we have yet another argument, resting on the con- current appearance — much too regular to be accidental — of particular species of Sphecodes in and about the nesting places of particular species of Halictus. It is true that the evidence as to these associa- tions is somewhat perplexed at present, and, in fact, it seems likely that few, if any, Sphecodes are wholly and solely attached to any one particular host. But that as a rule Sphecodes of one species abound in or are absent from particular localities, according as particular

1901.] 55

species of HaJictus abound there or otherwise, seems to me quite unquestionable. Several such cases are mentioned in Mr. Perkins's paper, and my own experience and that of others (I may venture, I think, to name Mr. Saunders among these) is in the main quite in accordance with his. Perhaps lists of such associations between species of the two genera drawn up by observers living in different parts of the country might differ slightly. Here, for instance, near Woking, I am sure that iS. Jongulus is associated with H. minufissimns, and nearly sure that S. puncticeps goes with H. villosulus, which are cases not mentioned by Mr. Perkins, and may be confined to this or certain definite districts. Everywhere S.pilifrons and H. leiicozonius, S. similis and H. quadrinotatus, S. reticulatus and H. p7'asinus, seem to occur together or to be alike absent. The ubiquitous 6'. (/ibhits, S. siibquadratus, and S. affinis probably attach themselves to a variety of species, but the special host of gihbus according to all accounts is H. rubicundus, and I have in all localities found S. affinis in company with S. nitidiusculus, though Mr. Perkins considers that its first choice is rather H. tumulorum. Mr. Perkins has found S. spinulosus with H. xanthopus, and Mr. Sladen has taken the two species in the saoie place though not at the same time ; but I have never met with the latter species, and on the one occasion when I found spinulosus abundantly it could not, I think, have been so associated. To this point I will return presently.

So far we have only dealt with the probable parasitism of Sphecodes on Halictus ; but there is at least one case in which a Spkecodes has been almost proved to be parasitic on an Andrena. The observations of Mr. F. W. L. Sladen and of Mr. Saunders recorded in Ent. Mo. Mag. xxxiii, p. 256, and xxxiv, p. 213, make it practically certain that 8. rubicundus is an inquiline to A. labialis. This is a very interesting case, because 8. rubicmidus differs from almost all our species in that the two sexes of each year's brood appear before and not after the hot season, so that the $ has no need to hibernate before ovipositing. They are ready to lay their eggs about June or July, just the time when the cells made by hibernating Halicti con- tain not food, but full fed young, and are closed and probably unassailable by the Sphecodes. Accordingly it seems that (S^. rubi- cundus is absolutely driven to have recourse to some genus with an economy more like its own, and such a genus it finds in Andrena. The one other British species of Sphecodes which appears (both sexes) about June is the rare 8. spinulosus, and I am strongly of opinion that the many $ ? of this species which I found this summer at

56 ' [February, 1901.

Swimage were similarly attached to a lar^e colony, then in full activity of Andrena fulvicrus. I hardly think H. xanthopus could have been their host on this occasion ; certainly not a single specimen of the species was to be seen, and I could scarcely have overlooked so remarkable an insect, had it been there in suflBcient quantities to enter- tain the Sphecodes.

But more than this, from a long series of observations made by me this spring 1 am strongly inclined to think that even hibernating species of Sphecodes occasionally attach themselves not to HaJictus but to Andrena. There seems no reason why they should not do so ; the food stored by a spring Andrena and a Halictus is derived from the same sources and probably very similar, and supposing a young Sphecodes to be reared in an Andrena' sceW it could chose its own time for emergence, and might appear in the autumn, whether the Andrena had an autumn brood or not. In the particular case in question the Andrena was double-brooded. The case was as follows : —

A. fulvicrus is very abundant in this neighbourhood, and I have paid repeated visits to large colonies of it — one freshly formed this year in a new sand cutting — in hopes of finding its parasite, Nomada fiicatu, which I have taken abroad in the spring, though in England it seems to be an autumn species only. However, in none of all the colonies I visited could I find a single Nomada, except one specimen (evidently there by accident) of N. fiavoguttata. But I noticed, over and over again, various species of Sphecodes, especially gibbics, sub- quadratus and similis, dodging about the Andrena burrows, and some- times actually entering and remaining in them for some little time. Once or twice I saw a Sphecodes pop into a hole and suddenly pop out again, followed by the Andrena's head and shoulders, the latter dis- appearing again when the intruder was gone. On another occasion, when the owner of the ground was with me looking at this little scene, wp s?-v an Andrena issue from a hole and fly away, and shortly afterwards saw another bee enter the same hole and remain there for a considerable time. Then it came out and we netted it. It was a Sphecodes gibbus $.

I do not say that all this proves even occasional inquilinism of Sphecodes on Andrena. The visits of the former to the holes of the latter may have had some other reason, but they certainly took place, and were too frequent, I think, to be due to pure accident, as when the other day I saw a Cercerts ornata $ making furious dashes at a hole, out of which presently came a Cerceris arenaria $ , whereupon the ornata went in with an air of possession, and the arenaria flew

March, 1901.1 57

quietly ;iwj\y. Here, no doubt, one insect liad 8iui[)ly got into another's hole by mistake: and again 1 have seen a Crabru uitcrruptus ? go into the hole of an Osmia, but come out immediately, although the owner was not at home. The mere fact, then, of an insect being seen to issue from the hole of another does not necessarily prove any biological connection between the two. But if the phenouienon occurs repeatedly it will (in Dogberry's phrase) "go hard to be thought" that there is such a connection. And I can say positively that in the case 1 have described above, the phenomenon occurred not once or twice, but repeatedly throughout the whole period of observation.

What the object of these constant visits of the SpJiecodes to the Andrena burrows was, is another question. I saw them enter the burrows, but I did not see them, and could not have seen them — even if they did so — enter the actual cells far below the surface of the ground in which the Andrena store their pollen and lay their eggs. I suppose it is conceivable that they may have made cells of their own among but apart from those of the Andrena, as certain small ants are said to tunnel on their own account between the chambers occupied by a larcer species, or as rats and mice make their own houses in the walls of ours. But I see no reason for preferring this or any other hypothesis to the more simple one— that they are ordinary inquiliues ovipositing in the cells of their hosts and taking advantage of the stores accumulated there. Some day, perhaps, the ''X rays" will enable us to watch their actual proceedings after entering an Andrena burrow, but till then it is to be feared we shall have to rest content with hypotheses which may or may not be true. And I must say that the hypothesis which seems best to explain all that I have read or seen of the habits of Spliecodes, is that of its parasitism, usually on Ilalichis, but sometimes also on Andrena.

\

Since writing the above I have become acquainted with two remarkable papers by M. Ferton on the parasitism of Spliecodes (Bull. Soc. Ent. Fr., 1898, Eev. Scient., 1890). According to his observations the parasite not merely infests the burrows of Halictus, but engages in deadly battles with certain females of the latter, who are postea (he says) as sentinels to defend not their own cells only, but those of the entire colony (!), against the attacks of these marauders. Such an organization for common defence implies, as he points out, that Halictus is not only an industrious, but to some extent a social genus — contradicting, it need hardly be said, the opinions hitherto generally held on the subject.

58 [March,

Duels to the death between parasite and lioist have been rceorded in the ease of Psi/Z/j/nis and Bunibus. But, as a rule, parasitic bees do not seem to employ open violence towards their victims, nor do the latter show any pronounced hostility to the parasites. They seem, if not friendly, at least indifferent to their presence. I must confess that I have never myself seen anything like the assaults and battles described by M. Ferton, and I should have thought that in such a contest between a Hnlicfus and a Sphecodes the odds were rather in favour of the Halictus, whereas it seems that in all M. Kerton's observa- tions, whenever there was a fight to a finish, the Halictus was killed by the Sphecodes. 8til] I do not venture nor desire to dispute M. Ferton's statements, though I must own that I feel a certain reluc- tance to believe that the phenomena he describes can be normal — they are so completely at variance with the impressions T have derived from my own observation of the habits of the two genera in this country and elsewhere.

Brunswick, Woking :

November Ith, 1900.

NOTES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. PART I. RHOPALOCERA.

15 T II EE BEET G O S S, F. L. S.

With the exception of the Macro-Lepidoptera and a few species of Micro-ZiepidoTptera, Goleoiptera, and Hipnenoptera., the insects of Northamptonshire appear to be entirely unknown. Probably, tlie chief reason for the comparative neglect of this County by Entomolo- gists is that its natural conditions are far less varied than those of some other Midland Counties, and many of the Southern , Eastern, Western, and Northern Counties. An Inland County without any important ranges of hills or mountains, and no extensive tracts of moor or fen-land would not be expected to produce a great variety of species. Apart from the still remaining fragments of the ancient forests of Salcey, Whittlebury, and Rockingham, and its other numerous and extensive woods, amounting, in the whole, to over 28,000 acres, Northamptonshire consists mainly of arable and pasture land, — chiefly the latter, which absorbs about three-fifths of the entire acreage of the County.

Between sixty and thirty-five years ago Northamptonshire was well worked for the Macro-Lepidoptera by Archdeacon Bree, The Eevd. Hamlet Clark, The Vn^sA. W. VV'hall, Mr. Sturgess, and the late

1901.] 59

Mr. Frederick Bond ; and within the last thirty-five year« many local species of Liqndoptera have been observed and collected in the Connty by the writer, by Mr. AV. Hull, Mr. H. F. Tomalin, Mr. W. Edwards, Mr. Thomas H. Briggs, Mr. Frank Bouskcll, Mr. G. Claridge Druce, Mr. W. J. Kaye, The Honble. Charles Hothschild, Mr. Eustace Wallis, and especially by Captain J. A. W. Vipan.

The Rhopolocera are still well represented, though Aporia cratcegi, Lyccena arion, and Lyccena acis have apparently been extinct for some years, and the present occurrence of Leucophasia sinapis and Melitcea artemis seems to require confirmation. Including the five last named, no less than fifty-three species of butterflies have been taken in the County, or three more than in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight !

In addition to the commoner species of general distribution throughout the United Kingdom, the following more or less local species have been found in the County.

Leucophasia sinapis, L., was formerly abundant in Whittlebury Forest, and it has also been reported by Mr. Eustace Wallis from Geddington Chase. It was also formerly taken in Plane Woods, Preston Deanery, Sywell Wood, Tardley Chase, and also by the late Mr. Frederick Bond and the Eevd. Hamlet Clark near Towcester and elsewhere, but I understand that no specimens have been seen of late years.

Pieris cratcegi, L., formerly occurred near Peterborough, also in Barnwell Wold, and between Thurning on the borders of the County and Gidding Magna, in Huntingdonshire, but it seems to have been extinct for some years past, as it has been in most other English and Welsh Counties. I looked for it in vain between Thurning and Gid- ding Magna more than thirty years ago.

Colias edusa, Fb., and C. hyaJe, L. — The former of these, with the var. helice, is generally distributed throughout the County, and was common in 1878, 1S92, and 1900. The latter species has also been taken occasionally throughout the County, and was not uncom- mon in 1900.

Argynnis paphia, L., A. adippe, L., and A. aglaia, L., are com- monly distributed throughout the forests and woods of the County, and the first named is sometimes abundant.

Argynnis lathonia, L., has been recorded from the County, but I have not heard of any recent captures.

Argynnis euphrosyne, L., and A. selene, Schiff. — The former of these occurs commonly in most of the woods. The latter is more local, but has been recorded from Waddenham and Towcester.

60 [March,

MvJlUca (irfciiih* I'b., wns I'oniierly foiiiid cumuioiily at Aldwiuklc, near AVacMcuIiiiui, aiul also near Towcester. Mr. Wallis reeolleets it as formerly ofcurriii<j; near Barnwell, and Messrs. Hull and Tomalinf also record it from Barnwell and Polebrooke, but it does not appear to Lave been observed for some years past.

Vanessa c-alhuin, L., whieh is so abundant in favourable seasons in certain AVest Midland Counties, and otter parts of the AVest and North of England, and in AV^alcs, occurs in this County rather spar- ingly. The writer has taken it near Oundle, and reports of its capture have also been received from AVaddenham, Towcester, Yardley Chase, Syw^ell AVood, Lilford, Barnwell AVokl, Northampton, and elsewhere. Mr. AV^. Edwards has recorded it as frequent near Lilford on ivy bloom itt the end of September.

Vanessa poli/cJiJoros,Ij. , h pretty generally distributed through- out the County, and has been taken at Towcester, Barnwell, Ged- dington Chase, AV^eekly Hall AVood, and elsewhere.

Vanessa antiopa, L. — A specimen of this rare species was seen at Thurning by The Kevd. W. Whall about thirty-five years ago. Two others are recorded from Northampton, and one from Welling- borough. Mr. G. Claridge Druce saw, and nearly captured, one at Pottersbury in 1875, and Mr. Wallis informs me that a specimen has been taken near Kettering.

Limenitis sihylla, L,, appears to be scarce in the County, but the late Mr. Bond recorded its capture near AA'^addenham. Messrs. Hull and Tomalin mention .Sywell AVood and Lilford as localities for it, and Mr. G. Claridge Druce informs me that he saw it last summer near Brackley.

Apatura iris, L., occurs in most of the great oak woods in the neighbourhood of Kettering, in AVeekly Hall AVood and Geddington Chase ; also in AVhittlebury Forest, Salcey Forest, Sywell AA'ood, Tardley Chase, and elsewhere, both in the North and South of the County. In some seasons it is plentiful in certain woods.

Thecla nili, L., and T. querciis, L., are generally distributed throughout the County, and the latter is common in most of the oak woods.

Thecla iv-album, Knoch. — This local species is pretty generally

* Mditwa cinxla, L., is, included by Messrs. Hull .and Tomalin in their list of the Lepidopttra of Nortliainpton.sliiie, published in volume 11 of the Journal of the Northamptonshire Natural History Society, ISM' : and Stainton mentions Peterborough as a locality for this species in volume I of his Manual. I think the reported occurrence of this species in the County must Vie due to an error. — II. G.

t See Journal of Northamptonshire Nat. Hist. Hoc, 1882, above referred to.

1901 ] 61

distributed throughout the County, and is, in some seasons, common in certain localities, such as ISywell AVood, Yardle_y Chase, and 8alcey Forest.

Thecia 2)runi^ I;., the most local and interesting species of tbo genus Thccla is, in some seasons, abundant in woods near Kettering and other places in the County, but, with the exception of a few localities in North Buckinghamshire, and in Huntingdonshire, and in other neighbouring Counties, it is unknown elsewhere in the United Kingdom. According to my experience, it is fond of settling on the ilowers of the Privet {L'ujmtrum vidgare) and the Wayfaring Tree (Fiburnum lantana). Mr. Kaj'^e says it is also partial to the flowers of Valerian.

Thecia betulcB, L,, is also common in some seasons in many places in the County, more especially in the larval state.

LycoBna avion, L.,* was formerly plentiful in rough pastures adjoining Barnwell Wold, but it disappeared nearly forty years ago, after the exceptionally wet summer of 1860, and is apparently extinct in the County. As is w^ell know^n, it still occurs, somewhat sparingly, in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, and is in some seasons abundant in a few places in Devon and Cornwall.

Lyccena acis, L., formerly occurred in many places in the County, and ISywell AVood is given as a locality by Messrs. Hull and Tomalin.

Nemeohius lucina, L., occurs near Towcester, and in Barnwell AVold, and I have found it commonly in many of the woods of the County.

Hesperia pajiiscios, !Fb., sometimes occurs commonly in many woods in the neighbourhood of Rockingham and Kettering, also in Whittlebury Forest, Yardley Chase, and in other woods throughout the County. It is, however, extremely local, and I have found it abundantly in one wood, and entirely absent from an adjoining one. It also occurs in a few woods in Huntingdonshire, Rutlandshire, and Lincolnshire, and has been reported from certain localities in Suffolk, but it is probably nowhere so plentiful as in this County.

Pampliila comma, I;., has been recorded from Barnwell AVold by Mr. T. H. Briggs, and from the same locality by Messrs. Hull and Tomalin.

* Mr. W. Edwards, in bis Notes in the .Journal of tho Northamptonshire Natural History Society, No. 47, September, l,s;il, says :— " This rare and local butterfly was formerly plentiful in Barnwell Wold on wild heathy land, where the wild thyme was abundant. Some years back the whole was burjit u]), destroying the fond-plant, and r.ow not a vestige of wild thyme is left."— H. G.

62 [March,

Nurtliiini[)t(»iiHhire has never been ovcrwcn-ked, even by Lepido- pterist.s, and the disappearance o£ Aporia cratcegi from the County, simultaneously with its disappearance from Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Monmouthshire, and other Enp;lish and Welsh Counties, seems to show that its extinction throughout the United Kingdom was due to natural causes. Lyccena avion was extremely local in the County, and it may possibly have been so reduced in numbers by the burning of portions of its localities, and the consequent destruction of its food plant, as to render its survival, after an exceptionally cold and wet summer, almost impossible. At any rate, I am inclined to think that its sudden disappearance was rather due to the cause mentioned than over-collecting. Leiicophasia sinapis seems also to have dis- appeared, or to be so rare as to render its present existence in the County very doubtful ; and, as no recent records of the occurrence of Melitcca artemis are known, it seems possible that this species also may have become extinct* in the County, as it apparently has in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, and in many of its former localities in Sussex.

The Avenue, Surbiton Hill : December, 1900.

ACANTRO PSYCHE OP AC ELL A: INSTINCT ALTERED WHEN

PARASITISED.

BY T. A. CITAPMAN, M.D., F.Z.S , &c.

1 am able to add another instance to the several recorded in which the instinct of a Lepidopterous larva is much altered when it suffers from the attacks of internal parasites, usually Ichneumons. These cases are for the most part of two kinds, the one consists of a caterpillar being induced to suppose itself mature when it is not, and to make a cocoon in the interests of the parasite, which is mature. The other is a variation in the normal method of constructing the cocoon again in the interests of the parasite. This instance, in the case of A. opacclla, belongs to the latter class.

When ready to pupate the ^J opacella lengthens its tube and closes it with a dome shaped end, which readily opens out and forms a portion of the tube. This portion grasps the pupa in its protrusion and holds it firmly whilst the moth emerges, but it spins no silk within the sac. The $ larva fills the end of the sac with an abundant network of silk that completely fills the sac round the anterior end of

* It still (locurs to rny knowledge in several localities in Hampshire, Gloucestershiro, and Ciunbeilaud. — H. G.

1900.] 63

the pupa aud up to the mouth ot" the sac. This has, however, an arraDgetnent that permits the ? moth easily to traverse its axis, though its elasticity closes the I'outc up again when she leaves it.

I do not know whether the parasitised specimen is a ^^ or $ , but the silk spun by the larva agrees with the normal spinning of neither (^ nor 5 . In the specimen, as T now see it. the pu|)al case o£ this Dipteron (some Tachinid) is in much the position occn])ied by the head of the ? pupa of opacella, lyi"g ill a mesh of loose silk, but this silk does not continue forward to the month of the sac, but im- mediately in front of" the Dipterous pupa, at a distance of 7 — 8 ram. from the mouth of the sac, forms a smooth transverse diaphragm. Through this diaphragm the Dipteron has emerged through a trans- verse slit, made not by the Dipteron rupturing the silk, but obviously by a weak line having been spun in just the right position by the opacella larva. The Dipteron did not expand its wings, and with this added difficulty to that involving the naming of many Tachinids, one has to be satisfied by recognising that it is undoubtedly a Tachinid.

How does instinct in a case like this get changed in precisely the manner to suit the parasite ? This seems to be especially a difficult question here, since A. opacella is affected, so far as my experience goes, comparatively rarely by Dipterous parasites.

We must suppose that as a species (say opacella) alters its habits, so the parasite alters not only its own habits but the effects it pro- duces on its hosts, and natural selection will favour those parasites that produce effects useful to themselves. A Tachinid, for example, that made an opacella spin an unopenable cocoon could not thrive, but it would thrive in exact proportion to the suitability of the change opacella made in her cocoon to the requirements of the parasite. How the effect is produced is a very obscure matter, but it must be by some effect on the nervous system of the host, either mechanically, or by the production of some agent acting chemically.

vSome Psychids are freely attacked by Tachinids, and opacella may be so, though I have not met with it. If it really is not we must con- clude that this Tachinid has its haunt on some other species, or on Psychids generally, here to produce this desired effect on its host, and that the procedure, whatever it is, is effective on opaeeUa, though elaborated not in that species, but on some of its allies. Probably the Tachinids have grown up along with the Psychids and perfected and varied their procedure throughout the whole time the Psychids have been evolving. It is tolerably certain that a Tachinid strange to Psychids was not let loose on them a few years ago, and has already developed such curious interactions.

Botula, Rfigale : Jami<irii, r.)iil.

64 [March,

XAMES OF LEQS OF INSECTS. BY G. ir. VERRALL, V.-1'.E.S.

When will Entomologists of tbo preseut time correctl}' name the legs of intsects ?

All Enton)()logi«t8 know that insects have three pairs of legs, but after that (in at least Dipterology) they seem to be in a hopeless confusion.

The three pairs of legs are —

1. Front legs = Pedes antici.

2. Middle legs := Pedes medii.

3. Hind legs = Pedes postici.

For convenience there exist the combinations of—

.^ > Anterior legs = Pedes anteriores (excluding '''postici''').

2. "I

., > Posterior legs = Pedes posferiores (excluding " antici ").

Let it be clearly understood that there is only

ONE pair of front, middle or hind lecjs.

but that there are

TWO pairs of anterior or posterior lerjs.

The above definition of course applies to parts, such as femora,

tibiae, tarsi, &c.

Anterior does NOT mean front only.

Posterior does NOT mean hind only.

N.B. — American Journals please copy.

Sussex Lodge, N'ewmarket : Fehruari/, 1901.

THE COMPLETED HISTORY OF HARPALUS FROLICHII, Stuhm, AS A BRITISH INSECT.

BV CLAUDE MORLEY, F. E. S., &c.

It is with much regret that I now state my conviction that this line species must be looked upon as a thing of the past in Britain. I will not attempt to explain the inexplicable, for its disappearance is nothing less. First found in May, 1897, it was not positively deter- mined to be the above species by Mr. E. A. Newbery till February 24th, LS9S, nor jjublished as new to Britain till the following April.*

" Cj'., Eut. JIo. Mag., xxxiv, pp S4, S-i ; Coleopt. of Suffolk, pp. xi et 0.

1001.] 65

Fruui the middle of the next April it gradually increased in nuuibers, still within its extremely limited range, till the middle of June, and had practically disappeared by the end of the mouth. During July I took one or two Geodcphagous larva3 beneath stoues, thinking they possibly might appertain to this species, but I failed to rear them, and no better success attended two or three pairs of imagines previously brought home and surrounded with a natural pabulum with a view to obtaining ova. Towards the end of the mouth the beetle begau to emerge on the Plateau, one or two being still immature when found. 1 was away throughout August, and repeated diligent searchings in JSeptember were abortive. The only subsequent capture was that of a solitary specimen, a little removed from the headquarters, early in xlugust, 1899.* It has not occurred at all during the past season.

Mr. P. B. Mason and Mr. E. C. Bedwell have searched the spot for the species too late. Mr. E. A. Elliott is the only collector besides myself who has taken H. Frdlichii.f

The habits appear to vary in no way from those of other Harpali^ notably H. discoideus, with which the species was almost constantly found, though much less commonly. It is not gregarious, and the only occasion upon which 1 took more than two beneath a single shelter was under a large felled fir log, where were ten specimens. Subsequently it was found only beneath stones, usually small, more or less embedded in the sandy soil, into which these insects are wont to burrow beneath the stone and so further escape the sun's rays. The last specimen was the only one found exposed to the light of day. The majority were taken in dull, warm weather, with, perhaps, a tine rain falling, snugly ensconced just beneath the sides of the stone. Though the surrounding country was searched in apparently exactly- similar environments no trace of the insect was discernible, and no reason obtained for the total disappearance of what a couple of years ago seemed a fairly strong colony.

A mention of some of its associates may yet further illustrate the natural circumstances under which the species is found, and, first, I may say the Plateau is covered, where no bracken grows and

* On Juiic 0th, 1899, I visited the Plateati with Mr. Morley, and failed to discover a single specimen of this species, or of any other, in its old haunts. I noticed that the ground was thickly covered with sheep tracks, and that even the smallest stone had heen moved out of its bed. May not this have something to do with tlie disaxopearance of the insects? On no previous occasion had tliere been any trace of sheep on that part of the Plateau. — E. A Elliott.

+ Entire dduils or capiare : — 189V : May 4th, 0 examples, 4 by E. A E. ; 29th, 10 examples. 1898 : Aijril Ibth, 4 examples ; 28th, 15 examples, and several passed by ; May 6tli, 8 examples, and a dozen passed by ; 13th, 4 exaoiples ; June 4th, 9 examisles, 8 by E. A. E. ; atb, 9 examples by E. A. E. ; 18th, 8 examples, and several passed by ; 21st, only 4 examples seen ; 28th, 1 male onlj' ; July 29th, 2 examples, and .several immature passed ^^y . 1899 : Aug\ist 7th, 1 example walking in a ploughed field about luu yanls fmm I'latnau. Total, 8il spceiiiieiis taken, of which the sexes were very nearly ei^ually distrib\ited.

66 [March,

the sandy soil is not entirely bare, by a short growth consisting chiefly of Oniifhojms jyerpiisillns, Aira prcccox, with a few plants of Erodium cicutnrium and Erica ; later in the summer Bumex acctoselln, Filofjo minima, and TvifoUum arvense become evident, with Reseda Jiitea, sparingly, though there is no chalk stratum. The most abundant insects, though many are common, were Metahletus fuveola, Conostethus roseus, and Flar/iognathus saltitans.

In all ninety-two species of Coleoptera have been found within this circumscribed space, of which a few are common coast species, c.r/., Broscus cepliaJotes, CuJalhus fnscns and C. flavipes, Amura J'uha, rarely, and A. considaris, Cocciiiella W-punclata, Notoxus monoceros, RhiJoprdon r/eminrttiis, Sifonrs f/riseus, and others that are seen in all sand districts.*

Among the rarer kinds that have occurred to me beneath these stones arc Harpalus discoideus, H. consentanciis, Amnra continua, A. lunicollis and A. hifrons^ Platyderus rvJicoUis, Philonthus succicola, in carrion, Medon casfaneits (about the fourth British example), Hister 12-strintus, Olihrus pyguKBus, Pityophagusferrurjineus, in logs, Byrrhus dorsalis, Limonius cyJiudricus, Apioii loti, Gronops lunatus, and Mecinus circulatus. The pupae of Goccinella 1-punclata, W-punctata and 22- p>unctata are often abundant, conspicuously attached to the upper sui-face of the hot stones in the full glare of the sunshine towards the end of June.

Comparatively few Hemiptera have a])peared, e.g., JVysius thymi, Pci'ifrechus qeniculatus, Triphhps nigra, Bhyparochromiis cltiragra, and R. dilatatus, PJni/iorjnathus pnlicarius, Acocephalus liistrionicus, and, of course, Sfiroma jjteri'/is. Of Dipfera, Thereva nobiUtata, Conops Jlavipes have been noted, and Pulex leporis was one day common at the mouth of a rabbits' hole. Apterous Hymenoptera: Agrothereutes ahhreviator and Pezomachus pumilus, Mutilla rnfipes, Myrmica scabri- nodis, and Myrmosa melanocephala occur sparingly, with Saliiis parvultts and Anthophora pilipes, but I do uot think these Fossors and parasites would attack so well mailed and concealed a Coleopteron, and it is not until we more fully comprehend the effects of geologic and atmospheric influences upon the propagation of species and their strange migra- tions that we shall explain the rise and fall of Harpalus Frdlichii in Britain.

Ipswich : January, 1901.

* I may perhaps be allowed to here mention that the stridulating files of Gcotrupes ii/pltwus, which occurs sparingly on the Plateau, are situated on the elytra, and that the sound i.s pro- duced by friction of the abdomen upon these organs, as is the case in Cojiria and Ligyrus {c/., Gahan, Trans. Ent. Unc, 'lOOU, p. 448). The .striated cosie riiay, however, also resonate (/. c. 446), since 1 did not test this.

1901.] 67

ACULEATE I{Y31EN0PTEEA IN PERTHSHIRE. BY A. K. J. OAETKK.

In connection with the notes on Scottish Acidcatcs in Ent. Mo. Mag. for November, 1900, and January, 1901, perhaps the following note on species taken by me at Comrie, Perthshire, may be of interest. I collected there in 1898 during the first two weeks of July, and in 1900 from June 23rd to July 7th. In 1900 on most days the weather was unfavourable for collecting, being dull and wet, yet I found insects of all Orders much more abundant than in 1898, when I had not a single wet day. In the Aculeates, to which group I more especially confined my attention, I noticed only one exception to this, viz., Crahro cribrarius, Linn., which I took in numbers all over the district in 1898, while last year I only came across a single specimen.

During the two visits I took altogether nearly sixty species, the more noteworthy of which only are noticed here. Mr. Saunders has very kindly made or confirmed the determinations : —

Formica ru/a, Linn., ? , 1900 ; Leptothorax acervoriim, Fab., (? ? ^ , from a nest in the ground ; Tiphia minuta, v. de Lind., one $ , 1900 ; Agenia variegata, Linn., very abundant on walls, explorinji; crevices for spiders ; Ceropales maculafa, Fab., several in 1898 ; Halius parvulus, Dlilb., cJ ^ , 1898 and 1900 ; pusillus, Scliiodle, $ , 1900; Fompilus niger, Fab., common ; approximatus, Sm., $ , 1900 ; ^i6i«s, Fab., several $^s; spissus, Schiodtc, common; unguictilaris, Thorns., two ?, 1900; pectinipes, v. de Lind., ?, 1898. The species of Salius and Pompilus occurred freely along a road running by a wood. They were nesting in a sandy bank, and in the earth of a stone dyke. P. niger and s-pissus were especially common. A large brown spider abundant on the ground an)ong short vegetation seemed to be their prey. I found it in the nest of spissus with an egg attached to the left side of the abdomen. Passalcecus moni/icoriiis, Dbm., one ^ , July 4th, 1900 ; Pemphredon, Shuckardi, Moraw., common in garden ; lethifer, Shuck., one ? in same place ; Crabro palmipes, Linn., very comnvon all over the district on both visits ; dimidiatus. Fab., also common ; leucostomus, Linn., several, 1900, nesting in a gate post ; varius, Lep., <? , 1900 ; Wesmaeli, v. de Lind., several, 1898 and 1900 ; »a^M«, Linn., 1900, nesting in tree stumps, common; clavipeSjlumn., $,1898; T^espa norvegica, ¥ah., 1900 ; Odgneriis 2^"rietiin(s,Ij'mn., comuion, (ound with mud nest on walls ; pictus, Curt., $ , 19l;0 ; trimarginaliis, Zett., one S > June 28th, 1900.

The Aniliopltila were not so well represented as the " wasps." I took, aaiongst others : —

Halictus suhfasciatiis, Nyl., common ; villosulus, Kirb. ; also Smeathmanellus , Kirb., abundant at their burrows and at yellow composites ; Andrena anal is, Panz., common; coitana, Kirb., also connnon ; /wca^a, Sm., 1900, (J , very abundant at flowers of llnlius ; nana, Kirb., 1900, common ; Nomada ohttisifrons, Nyl., 1898, at a bank with Andrena analis and coilaiia, but I did not see it enter the burrows of

68 [Marcli,

eitlier ; ntjicornis, Linn., several atRiibus; Jiacuijuttafa, Kirb., 1898 and 1900, both sexes ill coinpaiij with Aiulreua ininnf u/n, K^irb.; Boinbus lapponicus, Fab., 1898 aiul 1900.

I do not tliiuk that tliis ]i«t by any means exhausts the district, as all my time was not given to collecting, and several promising locali- ties I did not tr}'^ at all.

Sclville Cottage, Portobullo, Edinburgli : January, 1901.

IIYMENOPTERA ACULEATA OF SUFFOLK. 13Y THE llEV. J. II. HOCKING, M.A.., F.E.S.

. xlfter forty years of jn'etty continuous work in India and at home at Lcpidopfera, I have, during 1899 and 1900 been devoting my leisure time to collecting the Ilymenoptera and Dlptera of Suffolk.

During this time I have taken of Hi/nienoptcra AcuJenta 33 species of Fossores, 10 of Diploptera, and 96 of Aiithophila ; or 139 of the 2S2 species in the Suffolk list.

I am indebted for most kind help in naming the species to the llev. E. N. Bloomfield of Guestling, Mr. Harwood of Colchester, and to Mr. E. Saunders, who has finally identified all doubtful specimens.

Sphecodes riibicuiidiis, Halictus zoindits, II. breviceps, Nomada sexfasciata, and Andrena Hattorjiana are additions to the last Suffolk list as published iii 1899.

At present I have not touclied the Heterogyna.

The following is a list of the less common species which were all, e.\cept where otherwise stated, taken at Copdock, that is, within a radius of about three miles.

Fossores : Myrmosa melanocephala, F. Sapyga quinquepunctata , F. Pum- pilus rufipes, L. (Hellesley) ; P. spissus, Sehiodte ; P. chalybeaitis, SchiOdte (Hellesley). Sdlius fuscus, Linn. Agenia hircana, Fab. Ammophila sabulosa, Linn. Diodontus tristis, v. de Lind. Passaloecus corniger, Shuck. Gorytes mys- taceus, Linn. Nyssoii spinosus, Fab. Cerceris inter rupta, Panz. ; C. labiata, Fab. Crabro capitosus, Shuck. ; C. podagricus, r. de Lind. ; C. chrysostomus, Lep. ; C. interruptus, De Greer.

DiPLOPTEEA : all the Vespida: (excepting /'. rufa, Linn., V. anstriaca,T&\Yi., and V. norvegica, Fab.). Odynerus spinipea, Linn. ; 0. trifasciatus, Oliv. ; O. parietinus, Linn. ; O. gracilis, Bi'ullo ; O. siniiatus, Fab.

AnthophilA: Colleies picistigma, Thoius. Prosopis signata, Sra., P. confusa, Nyl. S]}hecodes dimidiatus, v. Hag.; (S. rnbicnndus, v. Hag. Halictus xanthopus, Kirb. ; H. zonulas, Sm. (Hellesley) ; R. minufun, Kirb. ; //. breviceps, E. Saund. Andrena Ifattorfiana, Fab. ; A. Crlil, Schr. ; A. cingulata, Fab. ; A. pilipes, Fab. (both sexes on I'eronica); A. bimaculata, Kirb. ; A. rosce \ai: spinigera, Kirb.; A.

I'.iui.] 09

nifida, Foiirc. ; A. angusfiur, Kii-b. ; A. fucala, Siii. ; A. iiigricej/s, Kirb. ; A. chn/so.iceies, Kivh. ; A. proxima, Kirh. ; A. dorsafa, Kirh. Ci/Usa leporiiia, VaMZ. Nomada sexfasciata, Panz. ; N. jacobaa, Panz. Epeolus productus. Thorns. Melecta annata, Panz. Cuetioxys quadridentata, Linn. ; C. rufescens, Lep. Me- gachile maritima, Kirb.; M.circumcincta,Lc\>.; 31. liffnlseca, Kirh. Anthidium manicatum, Linn. Stelis aterrima, Panz. Chelostoma florisomne, Linn. ; C. cam- panularnm, Kirh. Osmia pit icornia, Sm. Eucera lotifficornis, Linn. Anthophora retusa, Linn. ; A. furcata, Va,nz. All the species of Psithyrus. All the species o( JBomhus, excepting B. Smithianm, Jonellus, lapponicus, soroensis, and pomorum.

Copflock Rectory, Ipswich :

January 8th, 1901.

PESCRTPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF CRUNCECIA (TRICHOPTERA)

FROM AUSTRIA.

BY KENNETK J. MORTON, F.E.S.

The section of the Srricosfovmtido' to which this genus belonc^rg contains insects of highly specialized type, and the sexual dimorphism is usually marlvcd by strilving secondary characters. Mr. McLachlan, in his Mon. Rev. (p. 271) says: "The structure of the insects is especially liable to excessive modification, and generic limitation will possibly be found extremely vague unless a minute generic sub-divi- sion be eft'ected." As a matter of fact, at the time Mr. McLachlan wrote, each of the three European (in the restricted geographical sense) genera was Ivnown with certainty to contain but one species, and although Lepidosioma now stands with two species within its bounds, this is rather the result of toleration than conviction, as the two seem to be little more than forms of one species.

It was accordingly very interesting to find amongst some Triclioii- tera sent to me by Dr. Peter Kempny, of Gutenstein, Lower Austria, in 1898, two examples of what appeared to me to be a distinct new species of Gruncecia. The material, although in fairly good condition, I considered inadequate, and I urged Dr. Kempny to find more. In this, I am glad to say, he has been successful, and I now without hesitation proceed to describe the insect as

Ceuncecia Kempnyi, «. sp. Blackish, paler beneath. Antennoj nearly uniformly fuscous, traces of anniila- tion being as a rule scarcely perceptible ; basal joint with long dark brownish hairs. Head clothed with dai-k brownish hairs; warts brown, apparently arranged as in C. irrorata. Warts of the pronotum usually paler. Maxillary palpi of tlie $ not examined (they are either broken off or closely appressed in the examples

70

[March,

before me); those of tlie V darker tluiii the labial palpi, whieh are yellowish in both sexes. Legs testaceous, but partly fuscesceiit; eoxie fuseous. Anal parts yellowish.

Wings with the ncuration similar to that of C. irrorata ; iridescent; fore-wings with blackish pubescence ; long silky fringes of the hind-wings more greyish.

In the 3 the anal parts consist of a large broad dorsal plate, the posterior part of which is narrower than the basal, and the hind angles are each provided with two strong spines ; seen from above the breadth of the posterior part of the plate and

the position of the spines vary a little from the results of drying. From be- 2- neath this plate escapes the large down - turned penis, which, seen from above, seems to have two approximated piceous ridges which open in front, causing the apex to appear excised. The inferior appendages are large and prominent; view- ed from beneath they consist of a basal part which has towards its inner margin a more

strongly chitinized band, which seems to be turned abruptly outwards ; after nar- rowing slightly they turn outwards into a large foliaceous expansion, the hind margin of which is excised, and the outer portion of this expansion is in turn recurved towards the abdomen. From the inner angle, or lobe, of the excised hind margin, viewed from above, springs a long and strong spine directed outwards, and from the outer margin of (he foliaceous expansion arises a much smaller spine directed forwards.

The $ has the anal parts very much as in C. irrorata. Expanse of wings, IH — 13 mm.

Compared with C. irrornia this new species is an altogether much darker looking insect, and the golden pubescence of the former insect is entirely absent. The costal fringe seems also to be less dense than in irrorata, and so do the pubescence of the membrane and the hairs of the basal joint of the antennse, but the material is not in a condition so perfect as are the examples of irrorata used in com- parison.

As all the examples of Cruncccia in Mr. McLachlan's collection

1901.] 71

from uiiuiy localities in the more western parts of Europe are C. irrorafti, the distribntion of this new species will in all likelihood prove to be more or less oriental. But these insects are unobtrusive, and must often be passed over in districts where they are bound to

EXPLANATION OF FIQUEES.

1. Apex of abdomen from side.

2. Inferior appendages from beneath.

3. Apex of abdomen from above (moi'e enlarged).

13, Blackford Road, Edinburgh : December, 1900.

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIRS OF CICADID^ FROM THE BAHAMA ISLANDS.

BY W^ L. DISTANT, V.P.E.S.

Mr. J. L. Bonhote has given me five specimens, three (^ and two ? , of a Cicada he captured at Nassau, a species which requires description.

Cicada Boniiotei, sp. n.

(J . Body above dark fuscous, ochraceously pilose ; eyes, anterior margins— narrowly — and latei'al and posterior margins of pronotum, margins of two obconical basal spots to mesonotum, and the cruciform elevation brownish-ochraceous ; a transverse metanotal fascia, the lateral margins of the penultimate and the whole of the apical segment of the abdomen cretaceous-white ; a dark fuscous irregular suffusion on the lateral areas of the pronotal margins. Body beneath fuscous ; head sternum, and lateral margins of abdomen cretaceous-white ; rostrum, femora, and opercula ochraceous ; tibiaj olivaceous ; apical half of rostrum, apices of the tibia3 and tarsi, and basal inner margins of opercula, piceous.

Tegmina and wings pale hyaline, the venation olivaceous on basal half, but becoming fuscous towards apex; tegmina with the inner basal area and the transverse veins at bases of second and third apical areas, infuseated.

? . Body paler above where the cretaceous-white markings are absent, though present beneath.

The face is broadly tumid, centrally broadly sulcate, with the transverse stria- tions very strongly developed ; in the c? the opercula are triangular, their lateral margins very slightly convex, their inner margins oblique, tlieir apices subacute and reaching the second abdominal segment ; the pronotum has a broad transverse foveate impression at its anterior margin, and the usual incisures are profound.

Long., excl. tegm., (J and $ , 34 to 35 millim. Exp. tegm., 95 to 100 millini.

Hub. : Bahama Islands, Nassau {J. L. Bonhote).

Warlingham, Surrey :

January, 19ul.

IJ2 [March,

Aculeate Humenupterd in Norlh IValtn. — On July Jtli, IDOO, I again visited Criccieth, and during my stay thi'i-c was able to add the following insects to my list of captures, published on page 62, vol. xi, 1900 : — PompUus chalybeatus, Schiodte, Ceropales maculaius,Ya.h., Astata sti/jma, Panz., Diodontus minidus, Yfih., tristis, V. de Lind, Mlmesa bicolor. Fab., unicolor, v. de Lind, Gorytes tumidus, Panz., Cerceris arenaria, Linn., Crahro Wesmaeli, v. de Lind, cribrarius, Linn., Oxybelus mucronatus. Fab., Odi/nerus picttis, Curt., .limiaiits, Fab., Andrena nigriceps, Kirb., denticuhita, Kirb., Dasypoda hirtipes, Latr., Epeolus rujipes, Thorns., Ccelioxys riifescens, Lep., elongata, Lep., Stelis aterrima, Panz., Osmla xanthomelana, Kirb., fulviventris, Panz., Psithyrus rupestris, Fab., campestris Panz., quadricolor, Lep., Bombiis Smithianus, White, Jonellus, Kirb., soroensis. Fab., var. ?

Only ? s were taken of the rare O. xantkomelana, and these were worn, the hairs on the thorax being matted with clay in some cases, showing that they had been busy with their nests. The nests I could not find, though diligent search was made for them. The bees were only noticed on the flowers of Lotus cornicu- latus. Oxybelus mucronatus, and Andrena nigriceps looked very beautiful on the flowers of Eryngium maritimum, though the $ of the former were also taken on Euphorbia paralias. Bombus Smithianus was caught the day before I left, August 8th, and was most conspicuous on the flowers of E. maritimum. Most of the Aculentes mentioned in my former list were again seen, Osmia parietina being very scarce. It makes its colls in the small cavities of a stone that is occasionally used in the field walls. Fompilus approiimatus, Sm., occurred again in its old haunts near the sea, and Nomada Roberjeotiana was observed entering the burrows of Halictus rubicnndus, but their stay was short, possibly owing to the presence of the owners. — E. B. Nevimson, 3, Tedw^rth Square, Chelsea, S.W. : January, 1001.

Aculeate ffymenoptera in the New Forest. — On June 4th, 1900, I went to Lyndhurst for a few days and was pleased to capture some (?s of Andrena proximo, Kirb., on the flowers of the rhododendron, also amongst other Aculeafes, Pompilus spissus, Schiodte, Halictus prasinus, Sm., Andrena varians, Eossi, helvola, Linn., and Melecta lucluosa. Scop.

I am again indebted to the kindness of Mr. E. Saunders for confirming the identification of several in the above list. — In.

Observations on Sphecodes. — I was very much interested in the article by the Kev. F. D. Morice upon Sphecodes begun in the January number of this Magazine, as for a long time I have been struck by the apparent connection between Sphecodes and Andrena, suggesting parasitism on the part of the former. I cannot give any- thing more in the nature of proof, and have no definite notes to refer to upon most of my observations ; but one case which came under my notice seems worth quoting, as being an additional instance, and as supporting Mr. Morice's conclusions strongly. In Sutton Park, out on a bare part of the common, is a little colony of Andrena humilis. It is in rather an isolated spot, simply a few bare sandy places on a grassy slope, with no trees or bushes near, and not a bank in which one would naturally look for any Aculeates which might occur in the neighbourhood. On July

1001.] 73

3rcl, 1898, I visited this to obtain a series of Nomada fern(fjin(ifii, wliicli was rather eoiimuiu with its host, and while watching for these bees to ap])ear noticed several specimens of Sphecodes which were appearing from and disappearing into the holes in the same way as the Nomada. I captured half a dozen, which all proved to be <S'. pilifrons, and were all females. Of course they may have been boring there quite on their own account, and the association with the Andrence have been purely accidental ; but combined with Mr. Morice's observations, we may take it as strong circumstantial evidence that the Sphecodes were there in attendance upon the An- drence, either as parasites or as inquilines. I quote this case in particular, because of the decided isolation of the colony from other Aculeates. — Colbran J. Wain- WRIGHT, 2, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham : February 9tk, 1901.

Note on Piezodorns liturattis, Fab. — On May 16th, 1900, I was examining a gorse hedge for insects and found a great number of this Hemipteron disporting themselves in the sunshine. I was somewhat surprised to see the insect in May, as I found that Mr. Saunders, in his " Hemiptera-Heteroptcra," mentioned autumn as the time for its appearance. On my mentioning the matter to him Mr. Saunders kindly explained that he gave autumn as the most usual time of its appearance. I was curious, therefore, to see whether it would appear here in the autumn, and accordingly kept a careful watch on the place where I had observed it in May. My watch was i-ewarded, for on October 18th, on a line bright morning, I found the gorse again occupied by numbers of these insects, and extending my observations to other parts of my farm, I found them present in numbers on almost every furze bush I examined, and on this occasion I met with the larva also. I thought, of course, that I had seen the last of Fiezodorus, for a day or two afterwards I went back to the place and could not see one. However, on November 17th the sun was shining brightly on the southern side of the hedge, and there were the insects basking in the genial beams, and I again met with the larva. I should mention that though the south side of the hedge was bright and warm tlie other side was quite the reverse, for tliere was a keen north wind blowing. I have yet another appearance to record. This morning, December 6th, between 11 a.m. and 12 noon I was walking past the hedge and thought I would take a look for my insect friends, and sure enough there they were sitting in the snuggest and sunniest corners and getting as much of a sun-bath as they could.

It would seem from the above observations that this insect hibernates and comes out of its retreat on any sunny morning to bask in the sunshine. I noticed both forms of colour as mentioned by Mr. Saunders, viz., either all olive-green or else with hinder parts of pronotum and elytra purple. I also noticed that some had the under-side grey instead of green.

I shall now try to describe the hirva. Antennse, head, pronotum, and embryo elytra, black ; dorsal sui-face of abdomen brownish-black, with three raised trans- verse lines, jet black ; the interspaces red, these lines do not reach the sides ; the edges, that in the perfect insect would be the segments of the connexivum, are alternately blact and red ; under-side, fore-parts black ; ventral segments of abdo- men brownish-black, as above, and edges similarly coloured; legs black; the head, pronotum and embryo elytra, are rugose ; length, when full grown, 8 mm.

These larvoe ai"e very badly behaved in captivity, for all that I took, except one,

H

74 [March,

preferred to die rather than proceed to the perfect state, though I gave them everj comfort, not to say luxury. One, however, did proceed to the change. It was evidently on the point of doing so when I captured it, for it had got part way through the process in the box in my pocket while I was carrying it from the field. I killed it before it had completed the process, and it is a most curious looking object. The head, pronotum, and scutelluni are developed, and are olive-green, smooth, and sparingly punctured, while the rest of the creature remains in the pupal state.

The insect sits on the stems or thorns of the gorse, and if disturbed runs down the stem, or drops, and the thorns effectually prevent a rapid movement of the hand in pursuit. They harmonize well with the colour of the gorse, for I wanted to show them to my man, and until I put my insect forceps upon them he did not see them and told me that had I not pointed them out he would never have noticed them, and he is by no means unobservant.

I hope that in my attempt to describe the larva I have made myself clear, but I must ask indulgence for shortcomings as I do not profess to be an fait in the matter. — W. F. Johnson, Acton Grlebe, Poyntzpass : December ijth, 1900.

[Mr. Johnson writes to me on January 20th : " The insect has been about all through the winter up to the present date. Every day that there is a little sunshine it comes out of its retreat. Yesterday was bright, though there was snow on the ground, and there were the insects sitting on the gorse in sheltered corners in the sunshine." — E. S.]

Notes on Bipteru in the New Forest during 1900.— As regards weather and temperature the past season was almost a repetition of 1899, another cold lagging spring being followed by a very dry hot summer and autumn. I was at Lyndhurst from April 7th to 21st, when the sallows, rather later than usual, were in full bloom. The weather however being cold and boisterous few insects of any kind were about, Diptera being especially scarce, and one Criorrhina ruficauda, Deg., one iServiUia ursina, Mg., and two Chilosia grossa, Fin., were the best that fell to my net.

My next visit was from May ICth to June 1st, and although the weather was fine the nights continued cold and Diptera remarkable for their absence, my only captures worth mentioning being two Lasiopogon cinctus, F., two Pipunculus vittipes, Ztt., nine Didea fasciata, Mcq., and one Neottiophilum prceustuiii, Mg. Keturning again on June 28th I found matters had improved with the warmer weather, and common Diptera were fairly plentiful, though not in swarms as I have seen them a few years back. Of rarer species both Mallota eristaloides, Lw., and Callicera aenea, F., showed a falling off, only one out of two of the former and two of the latter being taken, and these were all I saw. Dioctria linearis, Fin., was abundant in Brick Kiln enclosure, as also a Pipunculus I take to be campestris, Ltr., whilst Myiolepta hiteola, Gmel., and Alophora hemiptera, F., were to be found on Portugal laurel and Umbellifcrse.

At Matley Passage, near the sandpit, Anthrax fenestrata. Fin., seemed to revel in the almost tropical heat, and I sccui'ed a nice lot, as well as a few Thereva annti- lata, F. Several excursions were also made into the adjoining bog, which at the

1901.1 75

time was almost dry, to sweep tlie yellow Asphodel {Nartheciiim ossifriri/um) for Paracrocera '/fobiihis. Pz., but without any tsuccess, and the heat being excessive I gave up further attempts. I was absent from the Forest during August, but September was a fine dry month, and a noticeable feature was the re-appearance in some numbers of Melanostoma ht/alinatuin* Fin., after being scarce since 1895. The result was twenty specimens, almost equally divided S ^''"'-1 ? , and I also took sixteen more of what was apparently a second brood of D. fasciata, Mcq.

Throughout the season I noticed more MycetophilidcB and other fungus-loving Diptera than usual, and amongst the former I took the following, of which, how- ever, in some cases I only give the generic names, being doubtful about my nomen- clature of the species being correct : Mycetophila, two, and Qlaphi/roptera, Scio- phila, Maerocera, five species of each genus ; also two Leptomorplius Walkerii, Curt., a rare fly I have not seen since 1895 ; one Platyura atrata, F. ; two P. fasciata, Latr., and seven Ceroplatus sesioides, Whlb.

Amongst the other flies referred to were ten Spilogaster idiginosa. Fin., and two Myeophaga fungorum,& species I have only taken once before in 1S92. 8. uliginosa turned up singly in 1895, 1897, and 1899, and once when sending a specimen for confirmation to the late Dr. Meade I remarked that althougli he called it common in his " Annotated List of Anthomyidse," I had not found it so at Lyndhurst, and in reply he wrote as follows : " >S. uliginosa is very variable and lofal, and I cannot think what the larvse feed upon. I used to live in a house quite in the centre of the town, and then found a considerable number of specimens (always) upon the windows. I have been sixteen years in my present house just outside the town, and have never seen a single specimen." My specimens also were taken upon windows, and although I have not yet proved the fact by breeding the larvae, I have very little doubt about their pabulum being rotten timber and the fungi associated with the same, as the basement of my cottage is badly afl^ected with what is called " dry rot." I also believe it is from the same source I obtain C. sesioides, as they are also found on the windows and walls of the same rooms, and have given instructions that next time any repairs are made the rotten wood is to be saved, and by placing some blocks of it in breeding cages hope to solve this question.

In addition to those already mentioned the following species were taken : one Ptychoptera lacustris, Mg. ; four Rhipidia maculaia, Mg. ; one Idioptera pulchella, Mg. ; one Dysmaclius trigonus, Mg. ; two Volucella inanis, L. ; one Prosena siberita, F. ; one Lispe tentaculata, Deg. ; fo