J^^ [January, 



thickening at the end, which end reaches farther distad than in Westwood's figure ; 

 the post-discal veins do not reach the margin ; the prolongation of the costal vein 

 along the margin stops short a very little distance beyond the tip of the third vein, 

 just before the apex, so that there is no vestige of an ambient vein along the pos- 

 terior margin (this character is not delineated in Westwood's figure). 



The specimen seems to be a male. Length, 5—6 mm. 



Mr. Hudson has the following notice about the occurrence of 

 this species : — " An extraordinary and very rare species, occurring 

 among tvhite rata {3Ietroside7'os scandens) blossoms in February, At 

 present I have only taken three specimens, viz., two in Wellington 

 and one in Nelson." 



Heidelberg : October, 1895. 



Useful Trap for Insects. — I must explain that what is here called " a trap " was 

 never originally intended for the purpose of catching insects ; but as it has proved 

 very effective, I mention it for the benefit of collectors who may have access to 

 similar structures. It consists of a small glass covered way, with a pent roof, about 

 tliree feet long, quite open to the garden, and connecting the potting shed with a 

 greenhouse. When once inside insects seldom make their way out again, and are 

 easily pill-boxed whilst buzzing against or crawling upon the glass. In this way I 

 have during the past season picked out the following Diptera from a host of com- 

 moner species, and those marked with an asterisk were only taken in the trap. 



*Chrysonotu<t bipunctatus (5 $ ), * Sargus Jlainpes or cuprarius (3), S. infuscatus, 

 * Beris clavipes (1), Chrysops ccecutiens, Chrysopilus auratus, Laphria marginata 

 (I), besides two taken in garden and six in the Forest, Leptis lineola (1), Rhampho- 

 myia iiariabilis, Empis trlgramma, E. lutea, *Orthoneura nobilis (1), Chilosia flaoi- 

 mana, C. srutellata, Melanostoma hyalinatum (2 S and ?)> *Didea fasciata (1), 

 Syrphus tricinctus*Xantliogramma citrofasciatum {\),Baccha elongata (8) , Eristalis 

 intricarius, Merodon equestris (7), *Criorrhina berberina (2), Xylota sylvarum, 

 *SpiIomyia speciosa (1), Chrysotoxum octomaculatum (2), C.festivum (1), and C. 

 bicinctum, Conops quadrifasciatus, C. cerilfonnis, *Stevenia maculata (1), *Lissa 

 loxocerina, Acidia cognata, Tephritis parietina, Palloptera umbellatarum, and 

 Toxoneura muliehris, besides sundry DolichopodidcB, TaehinidcB, AntAomyidee, &c., 

 not yet identified. As regards other insects, Hynienoptera came next in point of 

 numbers, followed by Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, &c. — F. C. Adams, Fern 

 Cottage, Lyndhurst : November, 1895. 



Xanthia ocellaris in Surrey. — I captured two specimens of this insect in the 

 neighbourhood of Richmond, Surrey, in September last. The first was taken on the 

 15th, and has various dark markings at the centre and base of the fore-wings, which, 

 in the second specimen, are replaced by merely a dark shade ; this latter was found 

 on the 21st, is generally lighter in colour, and has the white markings more promi- 

 nent.— Wilfred A. Cope, 30, Crescent Koad, Bromley, Kent: JSov. 22ud, 1895. 



