72 ; March, 



attacks o£ animal parasites. Out of 51 larvae obtained in May and 

 June, and reared with proper precautions, 22, or 43 % were infested 

 with Hymenopterous or Dipterous parasites. [Similar facts are 

 recorded by Poulton with reference to the " nauseous larva" of Pieris 

 hrassiccd, Col. An., p. 182.] 



Plateau therefore concludes that Abraxas grossulariata does not 

 disregard means of concealment, that it is protected by no special 

 nauseous flavour, and that it is readily attacked under suitable con- 

 ditions by certain Vertehrata, AracJinida, Adephaga and insect parasites, 

 though not by indigenous birds, reptiles or some amphibia. In his 

 own words, " the results of this research go to prove that, in the case 

 of Abraxas, conspicuous coloration does not possess the warning 

 significance which has been attributed to it, and naturalists will do 

 well to apply further experimental tests to other cases in which this 

 explanation has met with a too facile acceptance." 



The original paper should be studied in detail by those persons 

 interested in the subject of warning coloration. 



48, Wimpole Street, W. : 

 Januari/, 1895. 



Pre-occupied Generic Names in the Lepidoptera. — Perhaps I may be permitted 

 to mention that, so far as British genera are concerned, all tliose mistaken applica- 

 tions of generic names mentioned bv Lord Walsingham {ante p. 40), and a large 

 number of others to whieh he does not refer, will be found corrected, to the best of 

 my understanding and judgment, in my work now passing through the press. Some 

 of the remainder I have also corrected elsewhere. But with regard to pairs of names, 

 such as Eupselia and Eupsilia, Pandemis and Pandemos, I cannot admit that they 

 are to be regarded as instances of duplicate use. Generic names are now, for the 

 sake of accuracy and clearness, treated as combinations of letters without meanings, 

 and accordingly exempted from orthographical emendation ; hence a difference of a 

 single letter must be held to constitute a distinct name. In cases where a slightly 

 corrected form has become thoroughly established, and there is no possible chance of 

 confusion — as in Gracilaria, Cosmopteryx, Micropteryx, where the original forms 

 are wrongly spelt Gracillaria, Cosmopterix, Micropterix — I see no reason why those 

 who prefer the orthographically correct form should not continue to use it ; but such 

 cases are very few. — E. Meyrice, Elmswood, Marlborough : February 6th, 1895. 



Notes on a mass of Cocoons of ApJiomia sociella, L. — By the courtesy of Mr, 

 W. P. Blackburne-Maze, of Shaw House, Newbury, I received the other day a well 

 executed photograph of the latter portion of the life-history of this species, showing 

 especially its method of pupation ; and as I have had no previous opportunity of 

 examining such a specimen, Mr. Maze has been good enough to forwai'd the mass of 

 cocoons, together with details of great interest, which he allows me to publish. 



