CURRENT NOTES. 47 



somewhat differing conditions. . . . The answering flash of the 

 female does not occur immediately after the flash of the male, but at 

 a period — apparently approximately constant for all females of this 

 species — of about three to four seconds after the flash of the male. 

 This slight delay occurs in every normal case of mating observed with 

 this species, P. pyralh." " To test this matter further, and to see if 

 the females were sensitive to light in the field, as had been observed 

 in the laboratory, a number of safety matches were ignited at irregular 

 intervals above an area of a field where there were known to be 

 a number of females of P. pyralis, the match, during the flare of the 

 chemical ' head ' being swung in an arc in imitation of the dipping 

 flight and flash of the male P. pyralia, and being extinguished as soon 

 as the head burned out. In each instance the Jiash of the match ivaa 

 followed, within two to five seconds, by the flashes of females of P. pyralis 

 in the surroundiny yrass and weeds. . . . By the use of a small 

 electric bulb connected to a battery and push-button, a few feet away, 

 it was found quite as easy to deceive the male P. pyralis." 



Tn the same number of this magazine is an article by Henry 

 H. Lyman of Montreal, entitled " Notes on the North American species 

 of Grapta {Polyyonia) in the British Museum." It appears that Mr. 

 Lyman brought over with him " authentic specimens of nearly all the 

 known species," and in the article he criticises practically each specimen 

 in the national collection showing that this group of difficult species 

 is in an almost hopeless tangle. Let us hope that some attempt will 

 be made to accept the results of the work of such a specialist. 

 Unfortunately the results of modern investigation are often ignored 

 absolutely by the museum authorities. Only within the last few days 

 the case of the genus Ilydroccia was brought to our notice. In the 

 last volume of the Cataloyue of the Noctuidae now being issued by the 

 Trustees the results of the valuable and convincing work of the Rev. 

 C. R. N. Burrows and Mr. F. N. Pierce is discarded, and 

 Hydroecia nictitans is the only species recognised, although these 

 gentlemen offered to place the whole of the evidence of the distinctness 

 of H. lucens, H. palndis, and H. crinanensis at the disposal of the 

 author. It is a pity these results are not included, as in a work 

 of world-wide circulation one does expect to find the latest facts 

 brought out by new lines of investigation. 



OCIE TIE S 



Entomological Society of London. — November 15th, 1911. — The 

 Rev. Samuel Proudfoot, 6, Lyme Grove, Altrincham, Cheshire, was 

 elected a Fellow. A New Zealand Weevil.— Commander Walker 

 exhibited three specimens of PhaedropJnlns o'connori, Broun, a large 

 and handsome weevil from Mount Quoin, Kaitoke, New Zealand. A 

 RARE ToRTRix. — Commauder Walker also exhibited a specimen of the 

 rare Tortrix, Phalonia [Iviipoecilia) implicitana, Wocke, taken by Mr. 

 H. G. Champion at Shoreham, Sussex, August, 1911. A New British 

 Ant. — Mr. W. C. Crawley exhibited a J and a ^ of Leptothora.r 

 tnherntn, Fabr., subspecies corf/mZ/.s, Schenk, new to Britain, found with 

 two larvie in an empty beech-nut at Pangbourne, Berks, April 24th, 

 1904. A Coccinellid and Mimosa Gum. — Mr. N. S. Sennett exhibited 



