126 t^^y- 



which grow down the back as thick and close as velvet pile was quite sufficient. 

 These adhere to the flesh with the readiness of finest splinters. They remove theni- 

 sclves from the larva's coat as though they were balanced like so many miniature 

 arrows in hollow cases. 



The manufacture of the cocoons is a very clever piece of art. The first 

 covering consists of web ; the second consists of a glutinous secretion — probably the 

 web itself in a liquid state — which they smear over the first; and the final coat is 

 web again. The hairs of the larva are also mixed with the outer covering, and in 

 consequence I am unable to handle the cocoons very much without endui'ing a cer- 

 tain amount of irritation. 



192, Devonshire Road, 



Forest Hill, S.E. : 

 March, 1901. 



Application for British Stratiomyidce, Sfc. — In this Magazine for Sept., 1897, 

 I made a request that I might be assisted in examining freshly caught specimens of 

 FJatypezcB. The result was astonishing, as fine series of little known species were 

 sent to me from various sources, and I was consequently enabled to clear up many 

 very complicated cases of synonymy, not only for Britain but also for Europe. 



I am now working at a second volume of my " British Flies," which would be 

 Vol. V of the " Scheme." This Vol. is entitled " Stratiomyidce to Cyrtidm " in my 

 Introductory Notice. I want to see British specimens of afl species which appeared 

 in italics in my " List of British Diptera " for these families ; I should also like to 

 see any specimens of Oxycera (except O. pulohella and O. trilineata), and any spe- 

 cimens of Odontomyia (except O. ornata, 0. tigrina, and O. viridula). Sargus 

 fiavipes is at present a jumble, and I specially want to see the male of a species 

 which occurs in the Forest of Dean. Any Xylophagida. will be welcome. Hcema- 

 topota italica should be looked for in the neij^hbourhood of Leigh and Southend in 

 Essex. I should be glad to examine any of the uncommon species of Tabanus, and 

 I especially want to see good series of any species of Therevidce (except T. annulata 

 and D. anilis), but they must be in most perfect condition as to their pubescence. 

 In a similar way I want to see series of the '' Paniscus " group of the genus Anthrax, 

 but the greatest care should be taken that the pubescence is not injured. Specimens 

 of Scenopinus are welcome, and I should be glad to receive authentic localities for 

 all species which will be included in the volume. — G. H. Verrall, Sussex Lodge, 

 Newmarket : A])ril, 1901. 



Selenia bilnnaria, Esp. (= illunaria, lib.), apparently not double brooded in 

 Scotland. — In the recent account of this moth in Mr. Barrett's " Lepidoptera of 

 the British Islands," no i-eference is made to the fact, alluded to many years ago by 

 the late Dr. Buchanan White, that so far as is known the species is only single 

 brooded in North Britain. Buchanan White's remark (Scot. Nat., vol. iii, p. 275) 

 is as follows : — "A second brood . . . occurs in England and elsewhere, but in 

 Scotland it is of very rare occurrence, at least in the north, if it happens at all." 

 As far as my own experience goes — and it coincides with that of other entomologist 



