1873. 113 



Three species of Tenthredinidte new to Britain. — Now that a disposition is 



shewn to take up the study of our saw-flies in earnest, the niimber of additions to 



our recorded species will, for a time, no doubt seem inexhaustible. I have long 



determined several species that have not been brought forward ; and now announce 



three of them, all taken some years since by Dr. Sharp in Scotland. 



Blennocampa pusilla, (Klug) Hartig, Blattw., p. 267 ; Thomson, Hym. Scand., pt. i, 



p. 220. — One of the smallest saw-flies, distinguished {inter alia) from the allied 



species by the tips of the femora and the whole of the tibiae and tarsi being pale 



yellow. Taken by Dr. Sharp at Dairy in Ayrshire. Said by Hartig to frequent 



alders. 



Jloplocampa rutilicornis, Klug, Blattwespen, ii, p. 102 ; Hartig, Blattw., p. 278 ; 



Thomson, I. c. — Possibly the very smallest of all the European saw-flies. Well 



described by the authors cited. Also taken by Dr. Sharp, and probably at 



Dairy. Frequents sloe, according to Hartig. 



Taxonus coxalis (Klug, MS.), Hartig, Blattw., p. 293.— One of the red-bordered 



species, the band occupying segments 4 and 5 of the abdomen. 

 Possibly I might add T. sticticiis, Klug, which has segments 6 to 8 red : a specimen 

 from Dorking agrees entirely with the description, excepting that the pterostigma 

 is entirely fuscous, whereas in sticticus one half should be white. Some of the 

 red-bordered species may perhaps be mere varieties, depending only upon indi- 

 vidual extensions of the band. 



My foot-note to Mr. Cameron's communication respecting Faecilosoma pulverata 

 at p. 69 (August) should be cancelled. It was based upon mental confusion of two 

 very different insects. — E. McLachlan, Lewisham : September, 1873. 



Notes on the larva, Sfc, of Charaxes Jasitis. — I was fortunate enough in the 

 course of last winter and sprmg, spent at Mentone on the shores of the Mediter- 

 ranean, to find the larva of this species in some abundance, and trust that the 

 following notes on its habits may prove of interest. 



The larvaj were found on either slope of one of the numerous valleys which 

 intersect the lower parts of the splendid amphitheatre of hills surrounding Men- 

 tone. These slopes ai-e covered with a scrub consisting, for the most part, of Myrtle, 

 Arbutus, and Lentiscus. Having by chance discovered a small individual on an 

 Arbutus shrub, I was induced to search further, when I found the larvae to be by no 

 means uncommon. They were easily discovered, in spite of their colour approxi- 

 mating closely to that of their food plant, as they remained always on the upper surface 

 of the leaf on the silken carpet to be after mentioned, which also greatly assists their 

 detection. The Arbutus shrubs were generally of small growth, although in some 

 places they attained to nine or ten feet ; the stunted plants I found, howe\er, to be 

 the most productive, especially when isolated. On only three occasions did I find 

 more than one larva on a bush, viz. — on two of these occasions two, and on the other 

 no less than five. The larvoe had hibernated, being all found during the month 

 of January, and were about half grown, with the exception of three which did not 

 exceed half an inch in length. 



A very good description of the caterpillar will be found in MM. Duponchel and 



