284 THE entomologist's record. 



HOMOPTERA. 



James Edwards. The British species of the genus Cicadula. E.M.M., 



27-32. A useful paper, with a synopsis of the species. C. fiebcri 



n. sp. is described, and the following are added to the British list : 



C. opacipennis Leth. (Norfolk), C. piinctifrons Fall. (Woking), C. 



fasciifrons Stal. (Norfolk), and C. cyancc Boh. 



DiPTERA. 



Pulex gliris n. sp., C. W. Dale. Brit. Nat., 5. Found on dormice in 

 Dorsetshire. No description is given, and it may not be a valid 

 species. 



— T. D. A. C. 



.j^^j^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



The Retrospect of a Lepidopterist for 1890. — In commencing 

 a new year, it appears advisable to have a glance through last year's 

 work from an entomological point of view, and, in so doing, briefly 

 summarise the result of the year's work. The collectors of Lepidoptera, 

 who consider the season "good" or "bad," in direct proportion to 

 the number of specimens captured, and not at all in proportion to the 

 observations made, or problems worked out, will give varied opinions. 

 In several parts of Scotland and Ireland, the season was on the whole 

 an exceptionally good one, whilst, in other parts, the reverse has been 

 the case. The total absence of Noctu.e at sugar, except on very 

 exceptional occasions, has made the season in most parts of England a 

 bad one, but it is doubtful whether most species in the other groups 

 have not been as plentiful as usual, although the high winds and 

 occasional soaking rains in parts of June, July and August, made them 

 more than usually difficult to obtain ; and the Macro collector who, too 

 often perhaps thinks of nothing but making a " bag " of something, and 

 who is lost if ordinary methods of collecting fail him, had plenty to 

 grumble at. But those who worked hard made very good "bags," 

 and whilst northern collectors found Noctua sohrina, Apleda occulta, 

 Agrotis agat/iina, A. pyrophila, and many other good species more than 

 usually abundant, the southern ones found Agrotis iiinigera, A. 

 pyrophila, A. iuceniea, Heliophobus hispidus, etc., in more than usual 

 plenty ; and it is well to remember that when sugaring fences, trees, 

 etc., produced no results, the sugaring of flower-heads often paid 

 remarkably well. Among the Diurni, the overlooked Hespcria li?ieola 

 was turned up in great numbers, and proved itself, as had been 

 expected, one of our locally abundant species. Among the Sphingid^, 

 the breeding of hybrids of Sinerinthus ocellatns-popiiU was perhaps the 

 most noteworthy feature. The Sesiid.e produced one S. allantiforiiiis, 

 and a good lot of S. sp/iegiforinis, whilst S. philanthiformis, S. 

 chrysidiforinis and S. formiccpformis all turned up in more or less 

 abundance. Among the Lithosiid/E, the turning up of L. sericea 

 {jmlybdeola), and the abundance of Eulepia cribrum were perhaps the 

 two most noteworthy features, while among the Bombyces, the capture 

 of B. trifolii on the Lancashire coast appears to be the only fact worthy 

 of record. Of the NoTODONTiDyE, Dictanura bicuspis and Lobophora 

 carmelita alone appear noteworthy. Among the Nocture, the addition 



