SCrENTIFIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 119 



the abdomen. I have recently been watching the deposition of ova by 

 Tephro.sia bistortata. In her case, the covering is one of" silk. It is 

 contained in a pouch at the extremity of the abdomen, between the 

 upper part and sides of the vaginal sheath and the abdominal walls. 

 The silk is packed in dense, wavy bundles, about 2mm. in length, and 

 under 1 inch power, closely resembles locks of wavy flaxen hair. It 

 seems to be extruded just outside the vaginal sheath, partly by the 

 working of the ovipositor, which pushes the silk forwards and arranges 

 it around the ova with its very flexible terminal tube. This is used 

 like a finger, and apparently partly entangles the silk by means of 

 short, stiff' hairs (most abundant on the two chitinous rods and their 

 branches), which point backwards at an acute angle ; and possibly by 

 the few longer ones, eight of which are terminal. The inner distal 

 tube can be protruded as much as 4mm. at least from the sheathing 

 proximal one, and the whole ovipositor seems capable of protrusion 

 outside the body to as much as 7mm. or 8mm. The continuity of the 

 silk is difficult to trace, both in situ and around the ova ; but I could 

 not find pieces much more than 2mm. in length, nor any much shorter. 

 How the silk comes to be deposited in the extremity of the abdomen 

 of the imago, must be an interesting matter for future investigation. 

 — W. S. Riding, B.A., M.D., F.E.S., Buckerell, E. Devon. March 

 nth, 1897. 



URRENT NOTES. 



Monsieur L. Dupont (3, Rue de I'Orangerie, Le Havre), has sent 

 us a most interesting article on the affinities existing between the 

 North American and European fauna. There is one on the same 

 subject in British Noct., vol. iv., pp. xv.-xx. Another, by Prof. 

 Grote, will appear in due course in the Proc. of the South London 

 Ent. Sac. 



Monsieur A. Suchetet, Chateau d'Antiville, par Breaute (Seine-Infe- 

 rieure), asks entomologists to supply him with magazine references 

 (and details of specimens) of hybrid lepidoptera for a work on which 

 he is engaged. 



Mr. Newstead records, from the Royal Gardens, Kew, as additions 

 to the British fauna, the Coccids, Aspidiotus cydoniae, Comstock, on 

 the trunk of the large sugar-palm [Arcmja saccharifera), from the 

 Malay Archipelago ; Diaspis cahjptroidcs, Costa, on several species of 

 Cacti ; Coccus tomentosus, Lam., on Opaentia ful<jida, recently imported 

 from Arizona. 



Mr. J. H. Fowler records that, in 1896, near Ringwood, Ennjdia 

 cribnim appeared on June 1st, when he took 41 ; on June 2nd, 52, 

 " time to give friends a warning, so wrote to two or three, who put in 

 their appearance in due course. The first day we averaged about 25 

 each ; but upon comparing notes, of course, each stated it to be much 

 less. Very few collectors like showing their captures, or giving num- 

 bers, when a good insect is discussed. On June 5th, E. cribruia 

 nearly over, saw four only " {Entom.). Roughly, about 300 specimens 

 in four days. Was the insect " nearly over " or " nearly extermi- 

 nated " for the season? We also admire Mr. Fowler's estimate of the 

 collectors' veracity. 



Mr. Bankes refers the unique specimen of Tinea cochylidella , Sta., 



