214 I February, 



the Editor. There can be no doubt that it refers to Anosia Plexippu.i, the migratory 

 butterQy of which so many occurrences on our shores have lately been recorded. — 



Eds.] 



Parasites on the genus Coleophora. — I have bred the following Ilymenoptera 

 from larvsB of the above genus — Limneria volubiUs, Holm., from C. alhicosta ; L. 

 Elisha, Bridgman, from C. flavaginella, Lienig ; and Tetrastichus eudemus. Walk., 

 from C. trifolii, Curt.— C. W. Dale, Glanville's Wootton : December 20th, 1886. 



Query respecting Aporia crattegi. — Is this butterfly still found in the south- 

 eastern counties of England, as it is almost the only one of which I do not see 

 captures recorded in the Magazines ? — Id. : December ZOth, 1886. 



[We have no reason to doubt that this butterfly still occurs in its usual numbers 

 in the district between Heme Bay and Canterbury. We shall be glad of information 

 if such be not the case. — Eds.] 



On the flight and pairing of Hepialus sylvinus and lupalinus. — I was fortunate 

 enough this year to witness the manner in which R. sylvinus pairs, and, though the 

 observation is a solitary one, I think it conclusive that the female attracts the male, 

 and feel sure future observations will confirm this. I had sugared some posts on 

 the railway side, and was wandering about in the twilight, looking for nothing in 

 particular, when my attention was drawn to a large moth fluttering in a peculiar 

 manner on a stem of grass : it seemed as though it were trying to escape from some- 

 thing that held it fast ; thinking some large spider, or other predaceous creature, had 

 hold of it, I lit my lantern, and then saw it was sitting on the stem vibrating its 

 wings with such rapidity that I could not possibly see what the species was. I 

 watched it closely, and presently a small moth, unheeding the glare of my lantern, 

 flew to it. I needed to be very quick to secure it before they paired. The vibratory 

 motion of the wings of the sitting moth ceased as soon as the other touched it, and 

 I saw it was an extra large female sylvinus. For nearly ten minutes she remaii:ed 

 motionless, then after a preliminary flutter or two, the motion of the wings recom- 

 menced, and presently another male flew up : this time they were too quick for me, 

 and the pairing was accomplished. Following up the clue afforded by Mr. Barrett's 

 observation, I have no hesitation in concluding, though my olfactory nerves were 

 not sensitive enough to detect the scent, there in the open air, that an attractive 

 odour was emanating from the female which the vibratory motion of her wings was 

 assisting to disseminate. Sylviims is easily taken in cop., sitting after dark on the 

 herbage. To confirm the above observation, they should be looked for before dark, 

 for the female evidently never stirs from the place where she emerges. 



I have never seen H. velleda pair, but a correspondent informs me that he has 

 seen a female, when newly emerged, dragging her long abdomen along the surface of 

 the ground, seeking some stem on which to hang till her wings expanded, but even 

 then attended by a number of males. This would seem to be attraction of the 

 ordinary kind, but as the species is generally very abundant where it occurs, it 

 might not be diflicult to watch the whole process. 



The males of H. lupulinus fly just above the top of the herbage. Their flight 

 is swift, but very erratic, and quite different to that of any other of the genus. Like 



