1872,] 13 



having the sides of the thorax more evidently contracted in front, and the upper 

 surface more closely (the interstices of the elytra especially more finely) punctured, 

 and very evenly pubescent. — Gr. C. Champion, 274, Walworth Eoad, S. : May, 1872. 



Note on the occurrence of Chalcididons larvcR in the imago of Ci/nips. — Last 

 summer, a correspondent sent me a mass of succulent root galls, on opening a few of 

 which, I found inside the large apterous Ci/nips in the perfect state. 



In a spirit of carelessness and indifference, I placed the remainder in a pill-box, 

 and did not examine them until recently, when I found all the Cynlps dead, some out 

 of the cells, and some remaining in them. With some of the latter, whose remains 

 were rather mutilated, was, in each case, a Chalcididous larva, still alive, but in a 

 dying condition, from the dry state in which the insects had been kept. These had 

 evidently fed within the Cynips after its arrival at the perfect state ;- but all Chalci- 

 didous larvae previously found by me associated with Cynips, have left their hosts 

 whilst the latter were still in the larval condition. — T. Algernon Chapman, Here- 

 ford : April, 1872. 



Note on the hahit of Acanthosoma griseum. — I had again the pleasure of watch- 

 ing the proceedings of the materfamilias of this species last summer, and now send 

 some dates to assist Hemipterists proper in looking for a similar sight. 



On June 4th, 1871, I noticed a female A. griseum on my birch tree ; she re- 

 mained near the same part of the tree till the 6th, on which day I found her laying 

 eggs ; over these she brooded without moving till the 29th, when the yovmg bugs 

 were hatched ; on July 9th they moulted, and, on the 13th, began to move off their 

 native leaf ; I now sent them to Mr. Douglas — but the same ill luck which attended 

 the brood of 1870 pursued this second family also. — J. Hellins, Exeter : May 3rd!, 

 1872. 



Thrips soiling framed engravings. — While recently staying at a quiet old- 

 fashioned inn nestling among the pleasant Surrey hills, I amused myself by in- 

 specting the motley array of engravings on the walls of the parlour, and, to my 

 astonishment, found that these rural treasures of art were speckled all over with 

 countless numbers of a black Thrips, which had got between the paper and the 

 glass, and had perished there in every imaginable posture, a discoloured spot 

 surrounding each individual. I cast my eyes about for other traces of this visita- 

 tion, but failed to detect any. In size, this Thrips varied between two and thi'ee 

 millimetres in length, but I believe only one species was represented. I regret to 

 be unable to give its trivial name, but my colleagues will understand that, like a 

 bishop " in partibus," I abstained from making known my vocation ; and, therefore, 

 did not like to ask to have one of the frames taken to pieces to obtain specimens. 



In the " Stettiner ent. Zeitung," 1870, p. 325 et spq., Herr Cornelius has 

 given several instances of this kind as occurring in Germany (Bonn, Grevenbroicli, 

 Dortmund). His description of the insects would well apply to those I saw. 

 According to his statement, the insect stands near Thrips longipennis, Brm., 

 and is the same as the one met with in swarms late in summer, and annoying to 

 man by tickling fa<'es and hands, &c. The author explains their appearance in 

 pictures by their habitually seeking shelter for the night in country houses, and 

 their endeavour to stow themselves away at the end of the better season. There 



