192 ' t-'^^y- 



Charybdis ; for the larvae of Philcenus spumarius, never uncommon, although still 

 in their infantile state, are novp present in unusual numbers on almost every plant 

 in the garden, revelling in their native froth, or "cuckoo-spit," as it is called, 

 especially on chrysanthemiams and phloxes, curling up and preventing the develop- 

 ment of the terminal leaves. Many years ago, Prof. Westvpood wrote an article on 

 this subject in the " Q-ardeners' Chronicle." I have taken eight or ten of the 

 wretches out of the top of a shoot, and have thus given the plants a chance of 

 recovery from paralysis. 



In the cases above-mentioned, in which there was no human intervention (as 

 well as in others similar), we may observe that Nature, of her own proper motion, 

 by her " skyey influences," or other mode of operation (it may be beyond our ken), 

 restores the equilibrium of her living forces, which is continually disturbed by man's 

 action in cultivating plants or crops for his own purposes ; and thus she keeps her 

 system in order. — J. W. Douglas, 153, Lewisham Eoad, S.E. : June 2nd, 1892. 



Orthezia urticce, Linn., male. — By the kind intervention of Mr. Bignell, I have 

 received a male of this wonderful Coccid, with its fine long tail of silky filaments 

 quite perfect, which was taken by Major John N. Still, of Seaton, Devon, who 

 obligingly sends the following particulars. " I saw the insect on the 25th May, in 

 the valley of the Axe, flying at mid-day in hot sunshine. I boxed it off Symphytum 

 officinale growing in a wet ditch." I have frequently found the female at several 

 places, always on Stellaria holostea ; Signoret says that he has found the species at 

 different places in France, on several kinds of plants, but never on nettles, as the 

 name indicates. Westwood's figure of the $ , under the name of Dorthesia chara- 

 cias, Latr., on the frontispiece of his " Introduction to the Modem Classification of 

 Insects," is an excellent illustration, in which the peculiar character of the caudal 

 fascicle is well shown. I have never had the good fortune to capture the male, which 

 seems to be rarely seen anywhere, the reason being, probably, that, like other Coccids, 

 it does not long survive after mating. The contrast of colour (to say nothing of that 

 of form and size, as well as between apterous and winged) in the respective sexes, is 

 very remarkable : the ? being of a pure, sugar-like, white, the J of a greyish-black. 

 It is a representation among hexapods of " the lady wedded to the Moor " — Desde- 

 mona to Othello. — Id. 



Coleoptera in the Hastings district in 1891.— The following are the best of the 

 species taken by me here last year. Harpalus servus and Amara rufocincta sparingly 

 on the Camber sandhills. *Harpalus tardus singly, at roots of grass in sandy 

 places. LymncBum nigropiceum, a few specimens only, on Pett beach. Hydroporus 

 latus occurred again in plenty at Gruestling, and in the ditches at Kye. Ochthebius 

 bicolon, margipallens, marinus, and cBratus, were common, while exaratus occurred 

 singly. 



Among the Staphylinidce I found Mycetoporus Reyi, roots of grass in sandy 

 places ; clavicornis in rotten wood and under an old faggot stack ; and a single 

 specimen of nanus by sweeping near Rye. Actobius signaticornis was not rare, by 

 the side of brackish ditches, in company with Limnichus pygmceus, Trog. bilineatus, 

 corticinus, and elongatulus. After a ten years' interval, a second specimen of Stenus 

 Guynemeri turned up at Fairlight in wet moss. On one occasion Bledius opacus 



