80 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



Attelabiis curculionoides, L., was frequently taken, always on oak. A 

 nice series of Rhynchites cnpreHH, L., was beaten from mountain-ash in 

 Barron Wood, thus verifying Heysham's record. R. itncinatns, Thorns., 

 and Di'poraus ine(/acephalns, Germ., were taken in several localities. 

 The best Apimi to be taken was cerdo, Thorns., an imperfect specimen, 

 by sweeping. The pretty Polydnisus chnjsomela, 01., I found rather 

 sparingly under clods on Skinburness Marsh, with Tanymecus palliatns, 

 F., and Phytobins i-tiibercnlatiis, F. Pisaotles pi)ii, L., was common 

 on the under-surface of recently-felled young Scotch firs. Poophayus 

 sisymbrii, F., was swept in a marshy place, the rarer P. nastiirtii, 

 Germ., occurring once. Hylesinns crenatns, F., was taken in its 

 burrows in ash, a single H. i-ittatim, F., being captured on the wing. — 

 Frank H. Day, 6, Currock Terrace, Carlisle. January, 1902. 



.SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Teratological Lepidoptera. — -I have an example of Anthrocera 

 pnrpitralis taken wild, in which the right primary wing is remarkably 

 shortened and widened ; also an example of Venusia cambrica with 

 an oddly-shaped left secondary. In neither is there any crumpling or 

 want of extension of the wing membrane. — F. C. Woodforde, F.E.S., 

 Market Drayton. December Idth, 1901. 



I have a ^ Tepkroda coumnaria in which the wings on one side 

 are shorter and smaller generally than those on the other. — (Major) 

 R. B. Robertson, Southborne Road, Boscombe. January 3rd, 1902. 



The season for Asteroscopus sphin.c was very short last autumn 

 and the number of specimens taken at light much below the average, 

 and no ? . The only example calling for notice was a <? with one 

 antenna (perfectly formed) about two-thirds the length of the other, 

 this being the second specimen only with a similar peculiarity that 1 

 have taken, among the several hundreds that have passed through mv 

 hands since 1892.— E. F. C. Studd, M.A., F.E.S., Oxton. Exeter. 

 January 2.2nd, 1902. 



It seems to me that misshapen wings with the normal markings 

 accurate in position are due to some injury sustained by the larva. 

 Some years ago when breeding I)asyra)iipa rubiyinea, I accidentally 

 injured a larva very much on one side so that the vessels ruptured and 

 exuded freely. Though I thought it impossible that the larva would 

 live I continued feeding it, and shortly the injury was repaired and the 

 larva pupated, producing in due course an imago which has the fore- 

 wing on the one side partially amputated, at the anal angle and the 

 margin somewhat sinuated, hut with the markings normal. When 

 breeding other lepidoptera, I have frequently come across similar 

 abnormalities, e.y., I have two examples of Anyerona prunaria ab. 

 sordiata and one of Spilosoma Inbricipeda in my cabinet thus misshapen, 

 and I attribute them to injuries caused to the larva when changing 

 food in a hurry and with many to look after. Though most of the 

 forms maiV be thus accounted for, it seems to me probable that an} 

 Internal deviation from the normal, causinglocalised imperfect nutrition, 

 may account for others — possibly those where the difference is only one of 

 size, like Mr. Woodforde's }'enusia cambrica. — W. S. Riding, M.D., 

 Buckerell Lodge, Honiton. December SOth, 1901. 



