234 [March, 



lived in tlie interior of tlic berry. But as there were also brown-spotted bemcs, 

 which did not contain larv39, we found it safest and most convenient to gather a 

 number without any special investigation. The conjecture that the larvae would 

 remain in the berries throughout the winter has not been confirmed ; they quit the 

 berries and spin an elongate silken cocoon on the surface of the ground, in wliich 

 they remain unchanged. Hence the pupa state is not assumed till the winter is 

 over. The larvae appear to be very numerous in proportion to the number of the 

 perfect insects which we generally see, but probably many of them perish during 

 the winter. 



In the Prater, at Vienna, the perfect insects were abundant at the beginning 

 of August on the Alnus incana, Ivhich is there so plentiful ; in what multitudes 

 must the larvae occur there in Autumn ! It also occurs on Al/nus glutinosa, since 

 the imago is found on that tree in localities where there is no Alnus incana. — 

 Professor Zeller, Meseritz, February 2nd, 1868. 



A yelloiu-handed variety of Sesia culiciformis. — Noticing the interesting account 

 of the capture of varieties of Sesia cidiciformis in recent numbers of the Magazine, 

 I have thought it might be worth while recording that I was myself fortunate 

 enough to capture one with a broad yellow band. It was sunning itself on a large 

 newly-cut birch stump. On the day after, Mr. Chas. Linton captured his example 

 (I was with him at the time). I should be happy to show mine to any gentlemen 

 who are interested in varieties. — James Bryant, 63, Old Broad Street, E.G., Jan. 

 \U\ 1868. 



Macroglossa stellatarum at the end of November. — A very good specimen of 

 Macroglossa stellatarum was sent me from Southsea on the 27th November. I am 

 told it had been seen for a day or two before, flying about in the garden, and had 

 eventually flown in at a window. Is not this very late ? The weather was very cold 

 and frosty, but fine. — L. M. S. Pasley, Admiralty House, Portsmouth, December 

 26tn, 1867. 



Sc'i&t^iir. 



CoLEOPTERA Hesperidum, by T. V. WoUaston, M.A., F.L.S. ; London, J. Van 

 Voorst, 1867. — This httle volume is indispensable to all who possess the former 

 works by its distinguished author on the Madeiran aud Canarian Coleoptera, as it 

 concludes the three groups of Sub-African Atlantic Islands, by treating of the Cape 

 Verde Archipelago. The general conclusion to be arrived at from its perusal is, as 

 suggested by Mr. Wollaston, that what that gentleman has termed the " Atlantic 

 type " is still preserved in the Cape Verde Islands, though so enormously distant 

 from, and more Southernly than, the Madeiran aud Canary groups. This conclusion, 

 with other considerations, proclaims (according to the author, and apparently with 

 great reason) that all these islands are the unsubmerged portions of 

 a vast province, different from the African continent. Three salt-marsh and sandy 

 islands of the Cape do Verde group remain yet to be investigated, but from the 

 six others examiued by Mr. Wollaston 278 species only have resulted, of which the 



