loS The Irish Nat^iralist. [April, 



already existing confusion in also quoting a somewhat incorrect 

 description of the variety Bocagei. Mr. Taylor states that when adult it 

 "is totally white, except the locomotor disc which is black." The 

 description of this variety appeared in the Nova Acta (vol. Ivi., 1S91, p. 346), 

 and is as follows (an absolutely literal translation is impossible) : — " Var. 

 Bocagei is whitish on the back and blackish brown towards the sole, which 

 is rather dark, the colour of the locomotor field being distinctly separated. 

 In larger animals collected in summer the back is lighter — light far down 

 towards the sole, which is still darker." 



R F. SCHARFF. 



Science and Art Museum, Dublin. 



INSECTS. 



Late Wasps' Nests. 



One of the nests referred to by Mr. Moffat (p. 47 of this volume) was in 



"full blast" on Christmas Day — at least 15 wasps entering per minute 



and about as man)' leaving. Eveiy mild winter here a few nests work 



away into January — some feebly, others strong-^but I do not remember 



seeing any after loth of that month. The}' usually seem to expire 



suddenl}' on the first heav}' frost or rain after Christmas. 



R. M. Barrixgton. 

 Enniskerry. 



Beetle Records from Co. Wicklow. 



In connection with Mr. Johnson's note on Otiorrhynchus aw-opiinctahis, 

 in the Irish Naturalist (p. 72 above), it may be of interest to record that I 

 took a specimen of this insect in last July, at Ballybrood, Co. Wicklow. 

 I have not seen any previous record from Wicklow. I should be glad if 

 an}' reader of the Irish Naturalist could inform me as to the occurrence, 

 in the Dublin and Wicklow districts, of Sinodendron cylindricum. In 

 1S95 I took a male specimen in a piece of decayed wood, at Dollymount, 

 Co. Dublin. Since that date I have not met with another specimen until 

 July last, when I captured a female of the same species in the Powers- 

 court demesne, Co. Wicklow. The insect was, strange to say, flying, 

 and pitched on my coat. 



James S. Starkky. 

 Rathmines. 



[Mr. Starkey's discovery of 0. auropunctatus from Co. Wicklow is of 

 great interest, as this beetle had not been found hitherto south of 

 Dublin. S. cylitidricuni is on record from Bray. — EdS.] 



FISHES. 



Sharks In Killala Bay.— A Correction. 



The Sharks I recorded (p. 48 of this volume) have been, I see, named 

 Sclache maxima by the editors This is an error, the species I intended to 

 record being the Blue Shark (Cfl!;r>^rt,7a^^/<zwrw.r). I now find that I also 

 have given the species a wrong name, being misled by the description I 

 received. Meeting Captain Kirk wood a short time ago I got from him 



