190 [January, 



of opposition." The observation thus recorded was made on the precincts of what 

 was once the laird's estate at Whitehouse, on West Loch Tarbert, in Argyleshire ! 

 and in my note-book the entry runs thus : " 19th of August, 1876. A large, yellow! 

 belted hover-fly, depositing on the rotten stumps in the sunshine, it utters a plaintivtj 

 note every time it settles with the wings closed over the back, but when it alighti 

 with them expanded it is mute. There is a slight tremulous motion at the extremity 

 of the wings as it gives forth its note, which it does frequently, singing to itself ai 

 it were, as it sits. Sericomyia borealis and Criorhina oxyacanthce, another large 

 dipteron which mimics the carder-bee, are equally fond of the ragwort- and knap 

 weed-heads." That the fly in question was the female, I am assured by the presence 

 of a short ovipositor, that in one of my specimens shows a desiccated bunch o 

 minute ova protruding ; and that it was engaged in oviposition, its actions led me tci 

 infer. The economy of this group is, as is known, very various. — A. H. Swintoitj 

 Binfield House, Guildford : December 2nd, 1881. 



Sericomyia " singing " while at rest. — I have just read Mr. Bloomfield's note! 

 on Sericomyia borealis, and hasten to offer my mite of corroborative testimony tc 

 what he has published. 



One day during the past autumn I went with a small party for a walk on Dartj 

 moor, near Okehampton ; after some miles of rough tramp up and down several tors] 

 as the afternoon was drawing on, we found ourselves on a heap of stones on the tojj 

 of Cawsand, and were glad to rest there awhile ; before long, a piping sound was I 

 audible, and one of the party said the wind was whistling; but to this explanation 

 I demurred, having some recollection of having heard the noise before, so, looking I 

 round, I soon saw several large flies resting on the stones, and was presently able tcj 

 convince my friend that the sound came from them : the next thing was to try tcj 

 capture one, but they were so watchful, that it was with great difficulty I managed l 

 to stun one with my felt hat, when I pill-boxed it, and brought it home for Mr I 

 Parfitt ; from him I learn that it is a Sericomyia, and, probably, the species mentioned! 

 by Mr. Bloomfield. 



The first time these flies caught my attention was more than thirty-five yeartl 

 ago, when I was spending a holiday on Dartmoor, and I have since seen and heardl 

 them from time to time, but — of course, in the usual way — let them alone, for some] 

 Dipterist to look after. 



How they make the noise, I cannot tell, but it is quite certain that they make it 

 while resting on the stones. — J. Hellins, The Close, Exeter: 3rd December, 1881. 



The " Revue ColeopUrologique" — The approaching publication of yet another 

 monthly entomological journal is announced for February 1st, under the above title,' 

 devoted to bibliography, descriptions of new species, synonymy, &c, concerning 

 Coleoptera only. The prospectus is issued by Mom. Constant Yanden Branden, o; 

 69, Rue de la Madeleine, Bruxelles. — Eds. 



©Irihtarm 



John Gray died at his residence, Claygate, Esher, on November 27th last, at 

 the age of 69. He was, we believe, originally a manufacturer at Bolton, but he 

 retired from business many years ago, and devoted himself to yachting expeditions 

 in connection with entomology and natural history generally. He published very 



