NOTES ON COLLECTING. l55 



species at either place. Unfortunately I did not recognise K. neoiidas 

 — I thought it was merely a race of E. ai'thinps. I am glad to know 

 the confusion of the species was not confined to myself. On looking 

 over my captures, I find 1 took 11 H. ncorulas and 8 I'J. aetldops, the 

 latter are mostly in poor condition ; it was evidently nearly over, but 

 K. ncoridas was apparently just emerging. In neither locality did I 

 observe K. ncoridua flying over bushes, but I have seen K. (tctldojis do 

 it at Tonncrre (Yonne), where the road was bounded on cither side by 

 thick woods. When Kane says E. neoridaa *' occurs at a greater alti- 

 tude than K. aetldops,'" perhaps he means it does not descend to so 

 low an altitude as E. aethiups. — H.-vkuy Moore, 12, Lower Road, 

 Rothcrhithe. Maij 23r(/, 1898. 



Early Colkopteka. — I was surprised to find IJcnihidiuin testaceum 

 out the other day, with B. piiiictidatuiii and r/dloitt/tus fidvipcs. Two 

 specimens of llejitaulacus testuduiariiis occurred, and Ualiphis conjinis 

 rather plentiful, with //. fidrm and //. flavirollis, in other years very 

 rare ; also one specimen of Uhaiitus bistiiatm, all near Llandafl". I 

 took a pair of Scaplddiuni ■i-macidatum, in rotten wood, with Sino- 

 dendion ci/liiidriciiiii, at Castell Coch. — B. Tomlin, F.E.S., Llandaff. 

 Mai/ Idtfi, 1898. 



Rearing and Pairing ov Tephrosia bistortata. — 1 find no 

 difficulty in pairing this species in confinement, placing the insects I 

 wish to i)air in a small cardboard box with a muslin top. The insects, 

 as a rule, are found after emergence resting flat on the sides or top 

 of the breeding-cage ; I do not force them, but allow them to come 

 out in a cool room. 1 also })lace in tlie cage a piece of moistened 

 ])lottiug-pai)er, re-moistening it as required, as I tiudthe wings of insects 

 cx))aud better if this is done. AVith this treatment the males remain 

 alive for a week at least, and the females some days longer. — W. S. 

 Riding, M.D., F.E.S. May 21st, 1898. 



dfURRENT NOTES. 



We have again to welcome another of Mr. Luff's local lists, this 

 time. The Insects of Aid erne I/, The list comprises all orders, and is 

 excellently annotated throughout by the author. 



On Tuesday, May Brd, an interesting paper was read before tho 

 City of London Ent. Nat. Hist. Society, on " The Coloration of 

 Beetles," which was treated by the author, Mr. H. Heasler, in the 

 paper, under four headings : (1) The physical causes of beetle colour. 

 (2) The importance of colour in showing the past history of a group. 

 (8) The importance to the beetle of the physical laws which govern 

 metallic colours. (1) The importance of protective coloration to the 

 individual insect. Under the first heading were shown the main causes 

 of beetle coloration due to interference, dispersion and absorption of 

 light waves. Under the second heading it was shown how it is possible, 

 by the careful study of the colours of beetles, to obtain an insight into 

 the past history of a group, and the Staphi/linidne were taken as illus- 

 trating this interesting side of the question in a very marked manner. 

 Under the third heading, the protective importance of the varying 

 appearance of metallic colour was shown as affording a double protec- 

 tion, not only from birds, which look down on their prey, but also 

 from lizards and other insectivorous animals, which look at their prey 



