138 THE entomologist's record. 



allowed the larva to escape, with a view of gaining some knowledge of 

 the habit of the larva at this stage of existence. After reaching the 

 ground the larva crawled 4ft. in a north-easterly direction, and arrived 

 at what appeared to be a suitable spot to go down to earth, viz., in 

 loose soil adjoining a wooden fence, the only objection to it being that 

 the fence faced south-west. This, however, did not seem a favourable 

 location to the larva, which retraced its steps in a westerly direction 

 for about -ift. Then it travelled 9 ft. in a north-westerly direction, 15ft. 

 due west along a gravel path, and finally crawled another 27ft. in a 

 north-westerly direction before arriving at the favoured spot for going 

 down, which was under a rose bush. It met with some slight difficulty 

 in going under, but persevered, and disappeared. It will be noticed 

 that the larva had travelled a distance of 59ft. altogether, and the time 

 occupied by it in doing so was 50 minutes. — A. Russell, Southend, 

 near Catford. 



©URRENT NOTES. 



The dictum of Mr. Verrall, as set forth in the Ent. Mo. Mar/., that the 

 first and second pairs of legs are included in the term " anterior " and 

 the second and third pairs in the term " posterior," is one that must 

 not pass unchallenged, and whatever dipterists may do lepidopterists 

 are not likely to follow their lead in this matter. Uniformity is one of the 

 most necessary elements of natural science, and homologous structures 

 and organs must, sooner or later, bear corresponding names (or at any 

 rate not misleading ones) ; anterior and posterior are comparative terms 

 and the forelegs of insects are anterior, the hindlegs are posterior, and 

 the middle pair of legs are middle, i.e., neither anterior nor posterior. 

 The terms anterior and posterior applied to three pairs of legs (and to 

 include all of them) appears to be a scientific absurdity ; the proper 

 names of the legs of insects are prothoracic, mesothoracic, and meta- 

 thoracic, abbreviated in ordinary work to first, second and third pairs. 

 Any usage of the term anterior and posterior for the middle pair is 

 surely not science, nor has it any meaning as English. 



A really good handbook of the butterflies of the Alps of central 

 Europe with full notes on the distribution of local forms, as well as 

 the species, is a great desideratum. Mr. Wheeler, with a personal and 

 perhaps an unequalled knowledge of the Swiss butterflies, proposes to 

 produce such a book on the butterflies of Switzerland. In his article 

 published in the current number of this magazine he asks for help in 

 the matter of localities. No doubt Dr. Steck will be able to suggest 

 native lepidopterists who will supply Mr. Wheeler with lists for 

 districts outside his own hunting-grounds, and probably someone at 

 home could search the back volumes of the Ent. Mo. Mat/., the E)it. 

 liecord, the Entoinolof/ist, &c., for the many lists of captures published 

 during the last 35 years in these magazines. Would it not be well 

 for a work of this description to take a geographical area rather than 

 a political one ? 



At the meeting of the Entomological Society of London, March 

 6th, 1901, Mr. H. J. Elwes moved " that a committee be appointed 

 to consider the question of uniformity in nomenclature for the 

 guidance of specialists contributing to the Victoria County Histories." 

 After discussion, a resolution was carried that the appointment of a 

 committee should be undertaken by the council of the society. All 

 this is very interesting and one will await with some ir^terest the selec- 



