Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/62

1228 Larva of Acronycta Alni. — Having observed a communication in 'The Zoologist' (Zool. 1140), respecting the larva of Acronycta Alni, I beg to offer you the following observations. In August, 1843, a fine larva of this moth being given to me, I imme- diately placed it in my breeding-box ; the next morning it had disappeared, and I saw no more of it until June 8th, 1844, when I had the finest and most beautifully marked male specimen I ever saw. This individual had not formed a cocoon of dried leaves, but had penetrated more than an inch into the loose soil contained in the box, and there formed its cell. This year I again found three of these beautiful larvce, the first on August 17th, crawling on an old gate-post beneath an oak-tree ; I gave it a variety of food, but it refused to eat, and in a few days I had the mortification to find various sized maggots in place of my larvae, of which the skin was laid open without the slightest vestige of inside remaining. The evening before these destroyers made their appearance, the larva was moving about quite lively. The fact of caterpillars retaining the powers of locomotion, &c. as in this case, after the whole, or nearly so, of the muscular portions have been consumed is truly wonderful. The other two speci- mens were found on August 27th and September 4th, both on the ground. They were supplied with many kinds of leaves, including ash and birch, but they both refused, and after shedding the whole of their curious spines, apparently from some disease, both died. — John R. Hawley ; Hall Gate, Doncaster.

Larvæ of Odontopera bidentata. — The number of larvae of Odontopera bidentata which have made their appearance here this autumn has been quite unprecedented. The wet and chilly weather, so injurious in its effects on some larvae, seems to have been rather favourable to these. When returning from mothing last night, I counted no less than twenty-four by the light of the lamp, upon a jasmine-bush in front of the house ; their appearance being very singular, hanging by their pro-legs from the twigs in all directions. They are not to be seen during the day, — concealing themselves in the Avithered leaves next the wall ; their colour is very variable, some being ferrugi- nous brown, some nearly black, while others are cream-coloured with delicate chequered markings. — R.F. Logan ; Hawthorn Brae, Duddingston, near Edinburgh, September 10th, 1845.

Capture of Peroneæ or Buttons at Hainault Forest. — It has long been the practice of entomologists at the close of the season to take a journey of nearly a hundred miles to the New Forest in Hampshire, that being the most celebrated locality for the cap- ture of this most interesting genus of insects : it now appears that nearly all the species may be taken within twelve miles of London. The following were taken in Hainault Forest by Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Hindley, and myself : — P. cristana, P. albo- flammana, P. albovittana, P. subvittana, P. Desfontainiana, P. fulvovittana, P. semiuslana, P. brunnea, P. spadiceana, P. striana, P. subcristalana, P. unicolorana (Desv.), P. Chantana, P. profanana. — H.J. Harding, 1, York Street, Church Street, Shoreditch.

Pseudotomia atromargana and strobilella. — These insects which have hitherto been recorded as two species are but the sexes of one. My brothers and I captured a large number of them in Hyde Park, in May last, several amongst them in copuld. I think the larvae feed under the bark of the oak-trees, as a great number of small dark pupa cases were found protruding from the bark of the trees at the same time the moths were captured. — Henry Longley; 1, Eaton Place, North Row, Park Street, Grosvenor Square.