114 The Irish Naturalist. 



Mr. Wright (to whom my best thanks are due for the above list) 

 remarks that the species are such as would be likely to occur in almost 

 any gathering at moderate depths around our coast. 



A list of the worms, ascidians, &c, as determined by Mr. Darbishire 

 and Prof. Herdman, is not at present available. The Holothurian Synapta 

 inlmrens was taken, and the gephyrean Phascolosoma vulgarc in the deeper 

 water.— R. Li^oyd Prarger. 



INSECTS. 



Early appearance of Butterflies. — The present season promises 

 to be an early one. I caught a very fresh specimen of Lyccena argiolus, a 

 female, on the 26th of March, and on the 8th of this month (April), I saw 

 a specimen of Pararge egeria in my garden. The Azure Blue is very 

 common here in the woods of Curraghmore. One brood only has been 

 observed, viz., in the spring — though I have often searched for it 

 during the summer months. On looking over my note book I find that 

 the above-mentioned dates are the earliest that I have observed these 

 butterflies. — Wieriam W. FeEmyng, Coolfin, Portlaw, Co. Waterford. 



Coleoptera at Bray. — On one of the fine days towards the end of 

 March I collected for a few hours on Bray Head ; many of the common 

 Coleoptera were taken as well as a few local species, the latter perhaps 

 worth recording. On the Head Notiophilus aqaatictis was common, darting 

 about at roots of heath ; from under stones and in moss I obtained 

 examples of Bradycellus harpalimis, Byrrhus pilttla, Orthoccetes setiger (pre- 

 viously recorded from Portmarnock); by searching the trunks of fir trees 

 about the foot of the hill, three good species of Coccinellidae were secured, 

 Anaitis ocellata (the variety with white surrounding the spots), Adalia 

 obliterate,, and a nice form of Mysia oblongogitttata. On the heath Lochmaa 

 suturalis and Cetit/wrrhynchtcs erica: occurred commonly ; and last but not 

 least Phlaophthorns rhododactylits, an interesting beetle living in the dead 

 stems of furze and broom ; it is apparently widely distributed over Eng- 

 land and part of Scotland, but I can find no previous record from 

 Ireland. — J. N. Harbert, Dublin. 



Stridulatfon of Corixa. — I have been asked to write an account of 

 the stridulation of a Corixa I had in my possession for a short while. 

 It was brought in a bottle of water from some distance in the country, 

 but as I had had many of the same genus before, I took no particular 

 notice of it. For two days after its arrival, however, I was worried by a 

 sound, which I thought was produced by a cricket, but I could not 

 locate it. On the third day I traced it to the vicinity of the jar, but had 

 not the faintest idea that a water-insect was capable of making such a 

 sound. The next day I caught the note distinctly as proceeding from 

 the insect ; at once I removed it to a clearer jar and began to watch it. I 

 found that the sound was made by the rapid vibration, the clapping 

 together, in fact, of two appendages, ivory-white like the smaller legs, 

 that came into view between them while in use and then disappeared 

 again. There were two different notes, one rather rare, but which when 

 used preceded the more common one, was like the twittering of a bird 

 and was produced by an upward rather than a lateral motion of the 

 organs. The other, the principal note, was like the cry of the grass- 

 hopper I have heard abroad ; it was very acute and shrill. I could hear 

 it through much louder noises and through my own voice when reading 

 aloud. It sang at intervals during the day, but regularly in the evening for 

 hours ; if the light were let in on it suddenly it stopped until the curtain 

 was dropped again. This continued for eight or ten days when the 

 creature died. — M. Thompson, Cork. 



[This observation is of very considerable interest, as Mr. E. Saunders, 



