50 SELECTED NOTES FKOM 



American Potato-Beetle, Doryphora decem-punetata (PI. VIII., 

 Fig. 2). — Shall be glad to learn the ideas of our readers as to the 

 probability of this beetle becoming naturalised in Britain. How 

 is it that we have not heard of it before ? By the side of my 

 drawing will be seen a cross, giving the dimensions of the beetle 

 when living ; when dead, the head and thorax are bent down 

 unless properly set, so that a badly set dead specimen does not 

 look quite so long as a living one. 



Edward Lovett. 



Aphrophora spumaria, Cuckoo-Spit (PI. V., Figs. 4-10). — The 

 Aphrophora is an Hemipterous insect, included in the sub-order 

 Homoptera ; it is the common Cuckoo-Spit, or Frog-Hopper. 

 The larval, pupal, and perfect states are all alike except as to size 

 and the presence of wings, which are only found in the imago. 

 Casts of the larva and pupa, may always be procured in abund- 

 ance by removing the frothy secretion so commonly seen in our 

 gardens, and are interesting as showing the completeness and 

 neatness with which the change of skin is made. 



Daniel Moore. 



Foraminifera to Mount in Balsam.— The plan I adopt to get 

 rid of the air in Foraminifera is to boil them in dilute potash for a 

 few moments, afterwards in pure water, and then thoroughly dry 

 them. Now, put them into a test-tube with spirit of turpentine, 

 and boil for a few minutes over a spirit-lamp. When wanted for 

 mounting, place a drop of balsam on a slip, take up a small quan- 

 tity of the shells on the point of a penknife or a homoeopathic 

 spoon, and immediately place in the balsam ; then put on the 

 cover-glass, but do not use any pressure. They require baking in 

 a slow oven for some time to thoroughly harden the balsam. 



John Carpenter. 



Haltica fuscipes (PL VIIL, Fig. i) is a small beetle, resembling 

 the farmer's pest, the " Turnip Flea," so called on account of its 

 habits. In September (1875) I found a quantity of H. fuscipes 

 on the leaves and flowers of some hollyhock plants here, whose 

 appearance was completely spoiled, the leaves being riddled with 

 small holes, the work, I presume, of these beetles whose jaws 

 seem well adapted for the destructive work. I have not yet suc- 

 ceeded in finding the larvae, but probably they are hatched from 

 eggs laid on the under-side of the leaves, the young caterpillars 



