1900.] 161 



containing the coveted fluid. When engaged sucking the fluid the insects became 

 so absorbingly interested (if I may so express it) that I was able to pick theni 

 off the plants and box them quietly. Although these /cA»e?<Hiows are comparatively 

 common during the summer on the flowers of many species of both indigenous 

 and introduced plants, they are generally of very active habits, and are not easily 

 seized between the finger and thumb. Both species are well figured by Hudson in 

 his " Manual of N. Z. Entomology," who also states that their larvae are parasitic on 

 several species of native Noctuce and St/rphns ortus, the latter being the host of ;S. 

 varipes. In calm weather I frequently see these insects searching vigorously among 

 the low vegetation throughout the summer for Noctuce larvae wherein to deposit their 

 eggs. I observed that these insects, after regaling themselves on the secretion from 

 the glands, generally crept up the stem and concealed themselves in the large un- 

 expanded flowers, where they remained motionless. Are these plants known to be 

 thus attractive to any species of Hymeiwpfera or other insects in other countries? — 

 W. W. Smith, Ashburton, N. Z. : April 2iid, 1900. 



On the oviposition of Raiiafra linearis. — Some time ago I found several speci- 

 mens of Ranatra linearis, Linn, (one pair in cop.). Last week I had the pleasure 

 of observing the female engaged in ovipositing in a floating leaf of Alisma, the edges 

 of which were tightly grasped by the 2nd and 3rd legs, while the Ist were held close 

 together high up in a line with the body, which slanted down from the head at about 

 an angle of 30 degrees, the head being an inch above the leaf. The ovipositor was 

 extruded, and the tip pressed by a downward and forward movement into the leaf, 

 until forced through, when it was partially withdrawn, opened, and an egg placed 

 in the hole ; the long lateral filaments sprung open as the ovipositor was withdrawn, 

 moved along about a quarter of an inch, and the process of boring the hole repeated, 

 the long respiratory tubes resting in the fork of the last laid, which was pressed 

 home un(il the tip of the egg was just level with the surface of the leaf. The eggs 

 are also laid in half decayed stems of Alisma, and sometimes, though not so fre- 

 quently, in healthy green stems. I have several times bred Prestwichia aquatiea 

 (Lubbock), from eggs of Ranatra. 



From the same ponds — near Epping Forest— I obtained a number of beautiful 

 nymphs of the local dragon-fly, ILrythromma najas, which has been emerging during 

 the past week, June 2nd to 9th.— Feed. Enock, 13, Tufnell Park Road, N. : June, 

 1900. 



Agelastica alni, Linn., at Deal. — Stimulated by a perusal of Mr. J. J. Walker's 

 very interesting paper on the Sandhill Coleoptera of Deal in the last and current 

 numbers of this Magazine, Mr. E. C. Bedwell and I decided to pay an early visit to 

 the locality, in the hope of meeting with some of the rarer species mentioned 

 therein. We accordingly went down on May 6th, on which occasion the weather 

 was fine and warm, and the result of the journey amply justified our expectations : 

 our " bottle " including such things as Harpalus servus, Lixus hicolor (scarce), and 

 Saprinus metallicus. In traversing the narrow streets of the town to get to the 

 sandhills, I was fortunate enough to find, crawling or lying on the pathways, four 

 specimens of Agelastica alni, Linn., and Mr. Bedwell subsequently took one at the 

 edge of a sandpit amongst the sandhills, and one in a street on our return in the 

 evening. 



