90 THE entomologist's recokd. 



from — devil's bit scabious. This spring, for the first time, I found a 

 colony feeding in a natural state on honeysuckle, from one to three 

 feet above the ground ; but I do not think the ova Avere laid on this 

 plant, as there was abundance of scabious in the place. As regards 

 pupation, they select various places whereon to accomplish this, the 

 favourite being on the undersides of dead oak leaves, with which their 

 haunts are freely strewn. They are suspended and well protected 

 from the weather. I occasionally find pupjB suspended from stems of 

 grass, reed, bilberry, and other low-growing plants, and sometimes a 

 few blades of grass are drawn together at the top, and the pupa hangs 

 in the centre of the tent-like construction thus formed. I cannot 

 remember ever having found a pupa on the food-plant. — F. H. Day, 

 6, Currock Terrace, Carlisle. ,hine, 1896. 



Breeding Bkephos pakthenias. — In answer to Mr. Brady's inquiry, 

 I am aware of no difficulty in breeding this species if one point is 

 attended to. Both this species and ]>. notlia must be provided with rotten 

 wood, cork, or some similar substance into which to burrow for pupa- 

 tion. So far as my experience goes, the larvae invariably perish 

 miserably rather than adopt any other expedient. Though I made 

 this discovery for myself, it has long been known to our more expe- 

 rienced lepidopterists. — T. A. Chapman, M.D., F.E.S., Hereford. 

 June, 1896. 



URRENT NOTES. 



Has the " wizard of stagnation " laid his hand upon the Lancashire 

 and Cheshire Entomological and the Birmingham Entomological 

 Societies ? These societies used to do good work, but they have 

 recently sunk into obscurity. An amiable weakness may keep the 

 same officers in power too long, even after they have signified a wish 

 to resign. AVe had an example of a tendency to decadence in a 

 London society not long since, but new rules were made, so that every 

 member of the governing body should retire in rotation. The spirit of 

 this rule is at present strangely set aside by an ingenious manipulation 

 of the office of Vice-President. No ill result, however, is evident, at 

 present, although, for some six or seven years, certain members never 

 have retired. We trust that some of the younger members of the 

 dormant societies will waken up the powers (?) that be. 



Mr. Prout informs us that he intends to undertake a thorough in- 

 vestigation of the genus Oporahia, as we suggested ; and he asks us to 

 appeal to entomologists on his behalf for information bearing upon the 

 subject. 



Professor T. D. A. Cockerell, Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.A., 

 proposes founding "a new Biological Station, and health and holiday 

 resort for scientific persons " in New Mexico. "When he went to New 

 Mexico, three years ago, he was sufiering from phthisis, and his 

 experience has led him to form the highest opinion of the value of 

 the climate for persons in the earlier stages of the disease. He states 

 that " the abundance of ncAV and interesting forms of life, especially 

 among the insects, is remarkable," and that " many interesting 

 general problems, such as those of the life-zones, can also be studied 

 in New Mexico with great advantage." 



