44 THE entomologist's record. 



southern coleopterists, but it is nevertheless a fact, and this may be due 

 to the limited season of its occurrence. On referring to my notes, I 

 find it recorded, on June 19th, 1884, also in the year 1885 fon August 

 18th), two specimens captured at Eainham, Essex, and I well 

 remember the occasion ; the insects appeared like two sparks of fire 

 dashing about among the Aster tripoliuvi. Since that date I have 

 taken as many as I required. In September, 1889, or thereabout, I 

 took Mr. Cripps down, and enabled him to get his series, and later, 

 Mr. Heasler also. In company with the latter gentleman, some 

 twenty or thirty specimens were captured, and the beetle has since 

 been taken by Mr. Heasler, at Barking Reach, and at various spots 

 from that locality, down to Rainham. It has also been taken on the 

 opposite banks of the Thames, in quantity, by Mr. West (Greenwich), 

 who informed me that he considered it common. Mr. Newbery 

 captured four specimens in flood refuse at Plumstead, on June 26th, 

 1895, and Mr. Heasler has likewise taken it in the same locality. The 

 latest capture was made during the second week in August of the 

 present year, by myself, at Rainham. This specimen was decidedly 

 immature, the lunules being quite indistinct. Knowing Mr. 

 Donisthorpe's capabilities in maturing beetles, I sent it to him alive, 

 with the result that he recently returned it in splendid condition, the 

 lunar patches standing out bqldly. With regard to the rarity or 

 otherwise of i?. /M)i«iM)», there is no doubt of its being a common 

 beetle when once found, and I consider the best time for searching 

 its locality is from middle *of August to middle of September. 

 Wherever Aster tripoJium is growing, that will be the likeliest place to 

 find B. luimtum, as it has always, in my experience, been found 

 associated with that plant. 



:^OTES ON LIFE-HISTORIES, LARYiE, &c. 



Note on the egg extrusion of H. eurcata (elutata). — The 

 extruded ovipositor of H. fur rata, with contained egg, is covered 

 with many projecting hairs on the membranous sac, which terminates 

 it. This sac is yellow in colour, and is covered with the same fine poly- 

 gonal reticulation with which the pearly-white partly extruded Qg^ is 

 covered. The depression (on what is the upper surface of the egg 

 when laid) is to the right hand side whilst still in the ovipositor. The 

 egg, therefore, is extruded sideways, as it were, Avhen compared with 

 its normal position as laid. [Observation made on August 8th, 

 when setting the specimen at Lanslebourg.] 



Descriptions of Eggs of Lepidoptera. — The following notes 

 were made from eggs laid by moths captured at Aix-les-Bains, from 

 July 26th-28th. The descriptions were made with a two-thirds lens 

 used as a hand glass : — 



Acidalia ruhricata.—\]&\xQl\y laid in heaps, sometimes, however, 

 singly ; a few of the latter lengthwise, but some on end. Those laid 

 in heaps upright, in contact with each other, and the micropyle 

 upwards. The egg is long, the length : breadth : : 2 : 1, somewhat 

 cylindrical in shape, but broader at the micropylar end, narrowing 

 towards the end opposite the micropyle. The eggs are bright green 

 when first laid, changing to greenish-yellow with purple lines, which 



