238 . [October, 



Hcemonia appcndiculata, Panz., and other water-hcetles near Oxford. — Last 

 month my friend Mr. Joseph Collins, of the Oxford University Museum, kindly 

 called my attention to the occurrence of Orectochilus villosus in plenty in an 

 affluent of the Cherwell near Kidlington, some five miles north of Oxford. On 

 August 26th, whilst woi-king here for this and other water-beetles, I was greatly 

 pleased to find a specimen of the very rare Hxmonia ap2)endiculata in my net. 

 Several subseqiient visits by Mr. Collins and myself have produced a very few 

 fiu'ther specimens ; indeed, I may say that each one I have taken has entailed 

 at least two hours of hard work with the water-net, while wading knee-deep in 

 cold (but fortunately clean) water over a roiigh stony bottom ; though it is 

 possible that earlier in the season the beetle may be obtained with less laboxir. 

 All have been found within a limited space on Potamogeton pcctinatus, which is 

 here associated with a thin bright green, ribbon-like Alga, growing in a some- 

 what rapid current. Apart from the last-named circmnstance, the habits of 

 H. a'ppendiculata are precisely like those of its congener, H. curtisi, which loves 

 stagnant water ; and its power of clinging to any object Avith its largely de- 

 veloped tarsal claws is at least as great as in the latter species. Orectochilus 

 was fovind in abundance, hiding among the moss, &c., growing on the stonework 

 of a small weir, often several inches above Avater-level ; and when disturbed, 

 gyrating away on the surface of the stream with a velocity almost too great 

 for the eye to follow {cf. Ent. Mo Mag., vol. v, p. 59). In the stream itself, 

 Brychius elevatus, Haliplus ohliquus and fliiviatilis, Deronectes de^yressus fvery 

 variable), Platamhus maculatus (a veiy handsome clearly-marked form, charac- 

 teristic of the Oxford district), and Bagous tempestivus (also in moss), occurred 

 more or less plentifully, with occasional specimens of Agabus 2Mludosus, Ilyhius 

 fenestratus, Hydrsena riparia, Limnius tuherculatus, &c. 



There are two local examples of Hxmonia appendicnlata in the Hope- 

 Westwood collection in the Oxford University Museum ; these were taken on 

 water-weeds in the Isis opposite Binsey by Dr. W. Hatchett Jackson as long 

 ago as Jvily, 1872. — Jambs J. Walkee, Oxford: September 17th, 1910. 



Cryptamorpha dcsjardinsi, Guer., in Glasgow. — On March 23rd, 1905, 1 foimd 

 a specimen of this species in a house in Glasgow, where it had no doubt been 

 brought in with bananas. The insect was laid aside at the time, and it is only 

 recently I became aware of its identity through the kindness of Commander 

 J. J. Walker. — Anderson Fekgusson, 99, Clarence Drive, Hyndland, Glasgow : 

 Septcmhcr I'lth, 1910. 



Smerinthus occllatus, L. — a tragedy ! — While walking home on Jime 2Gth 

 1905, after spending part of the evening, which was sidtry and calm, with an 

 overcast sky, in collecting Lepidoptera near here, I noticed, at 9.15 p.m. (late 

 dusk), a swarthy form, looking as though it might be that of a large hawk- 

 moth, fly rapidly past me, from behind, towards a farm pond, which lay just 

 ahead beside the road. On reaching the pond, I spent a few minutes watching 

 the gyrations of the supposed moth, which was flying round and round over the 

 water, and frequently lowering itself sufficiently to touch it at about the same 



