1807.] 119 



The pupa moderately stout ; the thorax rouncl, and projecting on the back ; the 

 head terminating in a sharp point ; the wing-cases long and well-developed, pro- 

 jecting below the abdomen. The colour of the back and body a very pale yellow- 

 green, and a pale yellowish stripe on each each side below the wing-cases on the 

 abdomen : on the under-side, beneath them, were three minute black dots, followed 

 by a stripe of dull dark red. The wing-cases were a rather deeper and yellower 

 green, which a few hours before the insect emerged became suffused with red. 

 In the centre of each wing was a minute black dot, and a row of five similar dots 

 near their lower borders. The point at the top of the head dark olive-green above, 

 sharply contrasted on the under-side with pale primrose-yellow, and both gradually 

 blending into the colours below. — Id. 



Note on Agrotis saucia. — On the 25th of May a large Nodua was brought me 

 which had been attracted by light the previous night. The markings were much 

 confused and rubbed, and it was only after much careful examination that, by the 

 aid of the invaluable " Manual," it was decided to be Agrotis saucia. It proved to 

 be a $ , and deposited eggs the following day, which hatched in about a fortnight. 

 The larvae fed well on Plantago lanceolata, passed into the pupal state during the 

 first week in August, and appeared as perfect insects during the last ten days. 



This differs much from the history given of the species in the Manual. It is 

 there stated that the moth appears in July, August, and September, and that the 

 larva feeds in November. 



Imagining that the insect hybernates in the perfect state, I have not attempted 

 to keep up the breed. — George J. Heakder, Powick, near Worcester, September 

 9tn, 1867. 



§n\cx't(l Information. 



The proposed Catalogue of British Insects. — It is pretty generally known that, 

 for some months past, the Entomological Society of London have had under con- 

 sideration the desirability of publishing a complete Catalogue of our insect-fauna. 

 Since the appearance of Stephens' Catalogue (1829), no attempt of this kind has 

 been made by scientific men, and the rapid strides in Entomology during the last 

 thirty years have rendered that work virtually obsolete, notwithstandingthe immense 

 amount of labour that its compilation must have cost the late J. P. Stephens ; — a 

 labour which, for the unassisted eff'orts of one man, looks Herculean. On this 

 matter being proposed to the Society, the Council appointed a Committee of 

 gentlemen, who were known to be working at certain groups, to consider, and 

 report upon, the best means of furthering the object in view, and the first step 

 taken by this Committee was to ask the assistance of specialists ; its requests were 

 promjitly acceded to. Thus the Catalogue may now be considered in preparation, 

 though we cannot even hazard a conjecture as to the probable time by which it 

 will be completed. We opine it must of necessity be published piecemeal, the 

 separate parts being united when the whole shall have been finished. Certain 

 orders (e. g. Lepidoptera and Coleoptera) could be done in a short time ; others (e. g. 

 Hymenoptera and Newoptera) are well worked up as far as some families are 

 concerned; others, again (e. g. Diptera), yet remain in a chaotic condition. The 



