112 [May, 



in finding- about a dozen each of what there can be little doubt is this long 

 undescribed larva. They were found by digging up the crown of the plant, 

 when short tunnels two or three inches long were visible, either twisting about 

 the crown or descending into the fleshy roots ; these tunnels were more or less 

 filled with fine wet frass, and mixed with this, so as to be rather hard to make 

 oiTt, was a flimsy light-coloured cocoon fitting tightly to the larva, which was 

 indistinctly visible throvigh it. It seems probable that the eggs are laid in early 

 Jvily at the base of the leaves, and that the young larvas burrow their way down 

 into the roots, becoming full fed in the autumn or early winter, hibei-nating in 

 the cocoon as a larva, as none that we observed appeared to be feeding. I sent 

 about half the larvae that I got to Dr. Chapman, hoping that he would give a 

 detailed description ; iinfortunately he is on the Continent, so that this will 

 have to wait until later ; meanwhile Mr. Corder took a rough description as 

 follows, thoiigh it must be remembered that owing to the larvae having probably 

 been spun up for some time, the colours AV'ill not be as bright as when feeding. 

 •' Length about f inch, broadest in front, segments of body tapering somewhat 

 towards anal extremity ; head smaller than 2nd segment, pale brown, mouth 

 parts darker ; body pale whitish beneath and in interstices of segments on back, 

 otherwise the dorsal surface is of a yellowish-red ; a few fine scattered hairs 

 visible (but difficult to make out with a pocket lens), plate on second segment 

 pale yellow ; legs and claspers concolorous with under-side ; spiracles showing 

 as minute brown dots." 



We shall now have to wait until the emergence of the imago for absolute 

 proof of its identity ; there is no doubt in our minds, however, but that it can 

 only be this species. — J. Gardner, Laurel Lodge, Hartby, West Hartlepool : 

 Ajyril 17th, 1911. 



On the hibernation of Scotosia dubitata, Linn. — A very interesting note on 

 a hibernating habit of Scotosia dubitata, by Mr. J. W. Carter, of Bradford, ap- 

 pears in the current number of the " Naturalist." Mr. Carter records that Mr. 

 Cuthbert Hastings (well known in West Yorkshire as a cave explorer), has 

 several times met with this insect in caves, but on January 22nd last, in a cave 

 in Wharf edale, he found it in exceptionally large niunbers, no fewer than 150 

 to 200 specimens being observed at rest on the roof and sides of the cave. 

 About a dozen of them were secured and taken to Mr. Carter, who reports that 

 about a third of them were males, and the remainder females, the latter es- 

 pecially being still in excellent condition. The fact of males being among 

 them confirms Dr. T. A. Chapman's experience that the species pairs in the 

 spring, as against the statement of the late Edward Newman (Natural History 

 of British Moths) that the females hibernate and deposit their eggs in the 

 spring, the males being destroyed by the early frost. Mr. Carter's note is ac- 

 companied by two illustrations of the insects in situ, from photographs taken 

 by flashlight by Mr. Hastings.— G. T. Porritt, Huddersfield : April 6th, 1911. 



Ehaphidia cognata, Ramb.,in West Suffolk — In recording the capture of a 

 Rhaphidia cognata in Foxley Wood, Norfolk, by Mr. H. J. Thouless, the late 

 Mr. McLachlan (Ent. Mo. Mag., xxxvi, 1900, p. 263) mentioned that although 



