PRACTICAL HINTS. 173 



Hractical hints. 



The Month. — This is a very busy month indeed to the entomo- 

 logist. So much so that " practical " or any other " hints " will hardly 

 be read, but will be pushed on one side, to be overhauled at a more 

 convenient season, and with net in hand he sallies forth at an early 

 hour in the morning eager for the fray, returning at night tired but 

 only half satisfied with his diurnal sport, and although tired, after 

 having snatched a hasty meal, and charged his lantern and sugaring 

 tin, he starts off again to his nocturnal haunts. Larvaj at this time are 

 very little thought about, although both numerous and rare. The 

 delicate green larvas of PapUio machaon may be found in fens and 

 marshes feeding on wild caiTot and other Umbelliferous plants. This 

 is in all stages one of our most Ijeautif ul butterflies ; Gonopteri/x rhamni, 

 also, is feeding on the two buckthorns. Thecla hetulce, feeding on 

 sloe, may be beaten out, but is more readily found at night, at which 

 time it feeds, unlike most of the Bhopalocera, Petasia cassinea on elm 

 and nut, not common or easily seen. Most of the butterflies are on the 

 wing, and good " bags " may be made. The Sesia family are nearly 

 all out, but want careful looking for ; when one is caught, others may 

 be readily seen flitting about from place to place in the liright sunshine. 

 Stauropns fagi found at rest on tree trunks is a grand prize, more 

 especially if a J with plenty of fertile ova. If asked where to search 

 this month, the reply would l)e " everywhere." — J. P. Mutch. 



Hints. — (1). Look at the seed-heads of Silene during June and 

 July. Little round holes (sometimes with the frass projecting) will 

 frequently be seen. Collect all such heads and tie up in a linen bag. 

 Large numbers of Dianthoecke may he bred. 



(2). As soon as Clematis vitalha is in bloom, search for Inids 

 showing a small black hole. Collect such buds, tie them up in linen 

 bags, and you will get plenty of Enpithecia isogrammafa. 



(3). Look carefully in reed beds, for reeds showing the central leaf 

 yellow. Cut low down and place in water. You will breed Nonagria 

 geminipimcta. — J. W. Tutt. June, 1893. 



BURRENT NOTES. 



In the Ent. Mo. Mag., 1891, p. 244, Messrs. Douglas and Newstead 

 differentiated the Coccids, Lecanium hesperidam and L. laurt. Mr. Maskell, 

 in the May num])er of the same Mag., questions their distinctness, 

 and suggests that L. lauri will have to be merged into Z. hesperidum. 



We are aware that a large body of collectors of Lepidoptera do not 

 pretend to be scientists, and yet they make a number of useful 

 observations. There are a few who collect insects much in the same 

 manner, and probably for the same reason, that many residents of the 

 London slums catch birds. For the latter class Dr. Knaggs is writing 

 what apparently means to be a comprehensive article in The Entomologist. 

 Butterflies are to be caught with artificial decoys, consisting of butter- 

 flies' wings glued to springs. We expect to read next month of a net 

 to be pulled with a string from a distance, of a second string to work 

 the wings of the decoy, and a general parallel to other bird-catching 



