1903.] 171 



were white poplars, and the wliitc portions of their bark harmonized wonderfully 

 with the marbled white wings of the moths, yet this woidd seem to be iiisiiflicient 

 to alter the habits of a genus ; or else to argue an acuteness of perecjition hardly 

 to be expected in a moth. — Id. 



Affrotis Asliwortliii at Penmaenni((.wr. — 1 spent the last week of Aj)ril this year 

 at Penmaenmawr, North Wales, when I found a few VMVisoi Ag rolls Ashioorf/iii, 

 mostly nearly full grown, on the mountains; and with them, but in smaller num- 

 bers, those of Agrotis lucernea. On the streams Philopotamus montamis was 

 already well out, but besides it and Nemottra Megevi I noticed little else. — Geo. T. 

 PoKRiTT, Edgerton, lluddersfiold : May )hlst, 19U3. 



A sugar trap for Lepidoptera. — With reference to Dr. G. B. Longstaff's in- 

 teresting note under the above heading {atife pp. 124-5), I would mention, in 

 further proof of his concluding remark as to the subject clearly deserving more 

 attention, that one of the only two specimens of Catocala electa ever captured in 

 Britain was taken in a " sugar trap " by myself on September 12th, 1892, as recorded 

 in Ent. Mo. Mag., ser. 2, vol. iv, pp. 61—5. 1 tliere gave particulars as to the con- 

 struction of the trap in which it was ensnared, and added that the only examples, 

 two in number, of Catocala nupta that I had ever taken in this district were among 

 the other victims secured therein. Although the trap in question, being designed 

 to catch wasps and flies only, answers its purpose admirably, it would not be satis- 

 factory for Lepidoptera, because of the great difficulty of getting the insects out of 

 it when they have found their way inside. As regards Dr. Longstaff's wish for the 

 explanation of the different behaviour of certain species of butterflies under similar 

 conditions, I fear that this will ever be beyond " mortal ken," and that we must be 

 content to wonderingly acknowledge the fact, of which numerous instances may be 

 observed every day, that in all groups of animal life the various species frequently 

 show marked differences from one another in some, or all, of their tastes and habits. 

 — Eustace R. Bankes, Norden, Corfe Castle : April 'SOtk, 1903. 



Mr. W. W. Froggatt on the larval habits of Ngmphes and Psychopsis. — In a 

 batch of separata kindly sent me by Mr. W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., Government 

 Entomologist for New South Wales, is one entitled " Notes on Australian Neuro- 

 ptera and their life-histories " (Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1902) that especially 

 interests me, inasmuch as it contains, so far as I know, the first indications of the 

 larviB and their habits in the peculiar genera Nymphes and Psychopsis. 



Of Nymphes myrmeleonoides we read (p. 365) that " Larvae were obtained at 

 Armidale about the end of November, hiding amongst rubbish or clinging to over- 

 turned logs, so well coated witli bits of dirt that only the front of tlie head and 

 mandibles were exposed ; until disturbed they remained perfectly motionless, but 

 moved quickly when touched. In captivity they took no food, and after remaining 

 for three weeks in a jar three of them pupated, forming typical rounded parchment- 

 like pupal cases. From the situation in which they were found they would probably 

 feed upon wood ants." From the detailed description that follows the larvae would 

 appear to be more akin to those of the Ascalaphidre than to those of the Myrme- 

 leonidce, and also in habits. They are very strikingly Hemerobiid. 



