1905.] 139 



consequence of several good and rare species having been taken, which had not been 

 met witli for many seasons, including PecUvia rivoxa, L., Ctenojihora ornala, Mg., 

 Tahamis cordigei\ W., Atherix marginafa, P., A. crassipet, Mg., Eristalix cryp- 

 tarum, F., and Phortica varlegata, Scluir., but I regret to say only two of tliese 

 came to my net. From Mr. B. Piffard I obtained a specimen of E. cri/ptarum, 

 taken at the end of May, and several were taken later by Mr. Andrews, as reported 

 in the March number of this Magazine, but my own visits to the locality were un- 

 successful, the weather being unfavourable on each occasion Never having pre- 

 viously met with any of the genus Atherix, during twelve years' collecting, I was 

 surprised to find on July 13th a, "^ A. marginala in my garden, and later in the day 

 took a c7 at Brockenhurst Bridge, a much more likely place for it ; and on informing 

 Mr. Andrews of this he took up the running, which resulted in his finding the 

 species abundant on alders, &c., further up the stream. Quite at the end of Sep- 

 tember, and just before leaving Lyndhurst for the season, I found Phortica variegaia 

 swarming about a Co.s.^Ms-infected oak close to my cottage. The species was unknown 

 to me at the time, but recognising something new I netted a good many, which 

 were subsequently named by Col. Yerbury, who reminded me that this rather large 

 Drosophilid was recorded by Dr. Sharp as new to Britain, from specimens taken the 

 previous year also in the New Forest (see Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xxxix, p 248). Other 

 captures included Leptomorphus wnlJceri, Curt., Ceroplatus tipuloides, F., Chilosia 

 hergenstammi, Beck., Spkegina clunijjes, Flih, Xt/Iota florum, ¥., Chryaochlamiis 

 ruficornis, F., Limnophora litorea. Fin. (?), Azelia aterrima, -^'Ig., Lispe tentacula, 

 Deg., Hydromyza livens, F., Trichopalpvs fratemu-i, Mg., Scoliocentra villosa, Mg., 

 Acidia lychnidis, F., and another $ specimen of the still doubtful Palloptera. I 

 also obtained from Mr. Piffard two Oxycera trilineata, F. — Fkedk. C. Adams, 

 50, Ashley Gardens, S.W. : March 8th, 1905. 



Occurrence of Pulex cheojii", Rothsch., at Plymuuth. — It may possibly interest 

 your readers to know that Lieut. -Col. G. M. Giles, I. M.S., captured an example of 

 Pulex cheopis, mihi (Ent. ^^o. Mag., 1903, p. 85), on Mus decumanus at Plymouth, 

 on April 16th last. This is the flea usually associated with the spread of plague, 

 and it has not previously been recorded from the British Islands. — N. Chakles 

 Rothschild, 118, Piccadilly, W. : May Ath, 1905. 



Pulex cheopis, Rothschild, in England. — Wishing to obtain specimens of rat- 

 fleas to illustrate, in relation to their supposed connection witii the transmission of 

 plague, I had occasion to examine a number of rats {Mus decumanus) taken at 

 Plymouth, and amongst them came across a specimen of the above species. As this 

 flea is hitherto recorded as a pui-ely tropical form, I submitted the slide to the well 

 known authority on the subject, the Hon. N. C. Eothschild, who has been kind 

 enough to examine it and confirm the diagnosis. As a great naval port, Plyniouth 

 is in constant communication with all parts of the tropical world, through her war 

 ships, so that the importation, assuming it to be such, might easily be accounted 

 for, but on the other hand, this group of insect parasites has hitherto not received 

 the attention it deserves, and it seems possible that it may be merely a not very 

 common species, which has been overlooked. — G. M. Giles, I. M.S., Rtd., Byfield, 

 Mannamead : May Wth, 1905. 



