1899.1 95 



Xylopertha mntilafa, Walk., at Hot/lake. — During last OctobtM- I took a speci- 

 men of Xylopertha mutilata. Walk., from a seat on the Hoylake Promenade. The 

 beetle was quite new to me, and I am indebted to Mr. Champion for its identification 

 as well as for the information that it is a native of Sumatra and the East Indies. 

 It would probably be introduced in timber, much foreign wood being used in this 

 district fey building purposes and in the construction of the new sea front.— E. J. 

 Bttegess Sopp, Saxholme, Hoylake: Fehruary 20th, 1899. 



Lid of Diptera taken in the New Forest, with some remarks on the season 1898. — 

 In addition to the rarer species already reported in this Magazine, ray captures 

 during 1898 included : Platyvsa marginatu, Macrocera centralis, Lininolia bifasciata, 

 L. quadrinotata, Chrysonotus hipunctatus, ? , Sargus flavipes, Beris clavipes, B. vallata, 

 li. chalybeata, Actina tibialis, Xylophagus ater, Aty lotus fulvus, Tahanus bovinus, T. 

 autumnalis, Leptogaster cylindrica, Dioctria atricapilla, D. rufi/pes, D. Baumhiueri, 

 Philonicus albiceps, Epitriptus cingulatus, Dysmachus trigonus, Thereva nobilitata, 

 Hybos grossipes, Hemerodromia precatoria, Argyra diaphana, Chrysogaster splendens, 

 C. chalybeata, C. bicolor, Chilosia pulchripes, Cflavicornis, Melanostoma hyalinatum, 

 tj , Pyrophoena ocymi, P. rosarum, Plafychirus angvstatvs, Didea fasciata, Syrphus 

 umbellatarum, Xanthogramma ornatum, Myiolepta hdeola, Brachyopa bicolor, Volu- 

 cella injiata, Sericomyia lappona, Arctophila mussitans, Merodon equestris, Criorrhina 

 ranunculi (ruficaudaj, C. berberina, Xylota lenta, X. florum, Eumerus omatus, 

 Oncomyia atra, Ceromasia stabulans, Macqunrtia sp. ?, Ptilops chalybeata, Servillia 

 tirsina, S. lurida, Alophora hemiptera, Melanophora atra, Dexia rustica, Dinera 

 grisescens, Acanthiptera inanis, Pegomyia latitarsis, P. fulgens, Homalomyia Roscrii, 

 Cordylura pubera, C. albipes, Norellia spinimana, Amaurosoma fasciatum, Mg., and 

 Trichopalpus fratenius, Mg. (the two latter named for me by Mr. Austen), Neot- 

 tiophilum proBustura, Sciomyza cinerella, S. lata, Schin. (not in Verrall), Tetanocera 

 reticulata, Limnia marginata, L. rufifrons, Hcpedon sphegeus, Psila firnetaria, Chyliza 

 leptogaster, Loxocera albiseta, Lissa loxocerina, Acidia lychnidis, Trypeta onotrophes, 

 Sphenella marginata, Carphotricha pupiUata, Palloptera ustulata, Toxoneura mu- 

 liebris, Balioptera tripunctata, Ochthera mantis, Stegana coleoptrata, and Phora flava. 

 Mr. King also gave me three Oncodes gibbosus, which he took by beating; and I 

 obtained a nice series of Urophora cardid fi-om their galls which were kindly sent 

 to me by the Kev. E. N. Bloonifield. This is a fair list as regards number of species, 

 but unfortunately in too many cases represented only by one or two specimens. 

 Judging from my own experience, the commoner kinds of Diptera were not nearly 

 90 abundant in 1898 as in the two previous years ; but on the other hand, some of 

 the rarer species were more in evidence, which may be accounted for by their 

 having been more easily detected than when swarms of common insects were moving 

 about in every direction. The season opened with cold nights and bleak days, the 

 former continuing all through May and well into June, so what at one time looked 

 like being a very early spring was really a late one. Matters improved in June, and 

 no doubt the latter part of this and the following month were the best time of the 

 year for Diptera, but unfortunately I left Lyndhurst on July 9th. Both months were 

 fine and hot, and the same weather prevailed on my return in August, and continuing 

 right through September, everything became parched up, and all insect life v-^g 

 scarcer than usual. — Feedk. C. Adams, 50, Ashley Gardens, S.W. : Feb., 185'j^. 



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