SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 71 



the var. /lobsoiii, possessing iBueoiis pitchy or brown-black elytra, the 

 thorax at most being smooth and brassy. Recoi'ded by Canon Fowlor 

 from Manchester in abundance (Stephens), Crohanihurst, Surrey, and 

 Honington (Power). — Richard S. Baonali., F.E.S., The Groves, 

 Winlaton-on-Tyne. JavKari/ dtli, 1905. 



Ij^ClENTlFlC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Proportion of sexes in Pieris brassic^. — From the 50 larvte of 

 this species I found at Selborne in September, 1908 (see Knt. lice., 

 vol. XV., p. 292), 24 perfect msects resulted, thirteen of which were 

 males and eleven females. This result is quite in harmony with those 

 obtained by Standfuss, who found the males to exceed the females by 

 5 per cent, (see Hut. liec, vol. xvi., p. 818). I may, perhaps, also 

 mention that one of the males has a black discoidal spot on the upper- 

 side of each forewmg. being the aberration nii^ronotata of Jachontoti'. — 

 (Rkv.) G. 11. Raynor, M.A., Hazeleigh Rectory, Maldon. February 

 \th, 1905. 



Proportion of sexes in Lepidoptera reared from the eog. — In 

 various broods of lepidoptei-a reared from the egg, the following data 

 may prove interesting : — 



Malacosoina caKtroisis, 1899, i'S cT s, 48 is; 1900, 21 c^ s, 28 ? s 

 Eunomof quercinaria, 1895, 46 tf s, 60 2s; 1896, 13, 3 <? s, 10, 4 ? s ; 



1897, 2?s 



Selenia tetraluiunia, 1894, 4 <? s, 2 ? s; 1895, 4, 50, c? s ; 9, 88, 4 ? s 



Am})hidu.s!/s .■<traturia, 1895. 13 <f s, 7 ? s : 1896, 58 c? s, 64 ? s 



A>n2)hidasi/s betiilaria, year (?), 118 j s, 114 ? s. . 



Sijntomix phetjea, 1900, 19 <? s, 23 ? s 



Spilosoiita luhricipeda var. zatima, 1900, 75 (J s, 74 ? s ; 66 (f s, 80 ? s ; 



year (?), 20 <^ s, 30 ? s 



S. urticae, 1899, 52 j s, 84 ? s; 1900, 122 rf s, 132 ? s 



S. meiidica, 1900, H <! s, 9 i S 



Lymanttin nwnacha, 1894, 18 J b, 19 ? s; 1895, 47 c? s, 64 ? s ; 1896, 4 <f s, 



7 ? s ; 1897, 6<^s;8?s 



Taaiiiofdmpd nniinla, 1900, 158 j , 140 ? s 

 Taetnoriuniiii stalrilis. 18%, 9 cf s, 10 ? s ; 5 cf s, 5 ? s . . 

 T. populi, isy.i, C. :f s, 11 ? s 



Cucullia umhraticu, 1899, 10 cT s, 17 ? s 



./.ri/Zi</ y;(/?/i.s 1899, 50 cfs, 47 ? s 



Orrhodia caiciiiii, year (?), 89 (^ s, 43 ? s. . 

 Peridroiiui suiuui, year (?), 69 <^ , 78 ? s . . 

 Demas conjli , 1896, 10 d' s, 12 <? s 



Total = 1146, 1178 



That is, 49 per cent. S S'. 51 per cent. $ s. — A. W. Bacot, F.E.S., 

 liow House, 154, Lower Clapton Road, N.E. hrbniari/ 12th, 1905. 



The econo.my of Tasmanian Psycuids. — A reply from Mr. 

 Littler. — 1 have just seen a copy of the Hntoinoloifiat's Ileconl for 

 September, 1908, which contains a criticism of a note of mine on 

 h!)iti)iiieta iiitiiibilis in the J-hitoiiiolot/ist for August, 1908. I never, unless 

 my attention has been directed to an error, read any of my published 

 notes or articles. On turning up the l-'ntDinnldijist 1 found to iny 

 surprise the note containing statements contrary to my belief. The 

 portion taken exception to (and rightly so) in your magazine does not 

 express my opinion but that of Prof. McCoy. The note is incorrect 



