14 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



have had opportunities of observing will be aware that all of the 

 genus LyccEiia found on the chalk are also found at times on 

 some of the limestone formations. In this district, as an 

 instance, we find Lyccena minima here and there on the mountain 

 limestone, and it is well known to be abundant on the chalk. 

 Lyccena avion, Newman states as being on the chalk in Wilts ; 

 and it is well known that one of its chief habitats was the 

 Cotswold Hills, on the oolite, until the species was nearly ex- 

 terminated in some places. So also with Lyccena bellargus of 

 the present, and Lyccena seiniargus of the past ; both being found 

 on the chalk and limestone. I suppose where the food-plant 

 elects to grow there ma}' probably be found the insect which 

 feeds thereon. No doubt the Lyccsnce were at one time more 

 abundant on the limestone, but as a rule these districts have 

 been much more cultivated, — one does not find the beautiful 

 stretch of downs of the chalk districts. — T. B. Jefferys ; 

 Clevedon, December 5, 1887. 



The Ovipositing of Sphingid.e. — Do not the hawk-moths 

 generally lay their eggs while on the wing ? I have seen 

 Smerinthus jwpuli do so; also in 1886 I watched Macroglossa 

 fiiciformis so doing. That was the only specimen of M. fuciformis I 

 have seen here, though I have watched both tbe flowers of 

 rhododendron and common bugle for it; but it must be plentiful, 

 as I took numbers of the larvse of all sizes in 1887. I also found 

 three ova, two of which I reared to the pupa state. On the other 

 hand, there are generally some il/. homhyliformis to be seen at the 

 flowers of lousewort in a certain field early in June ; but I have 

 never been able to find the larva. I watched one female, as I 

 thought, ovipositing; but, though I collected and carefully 

 searched the leaves of all the scabious plants round the spot, I 

 could find nothing. Unfortunately the field is always made into 

 hay, or I should have a better chance of finding them when 

 full-grown. — C. A. Sladen ; Burghclere, Newbury. 



Sattjrnia pavonia cocoon with two openings. — It may be 

 of interest to entomologists to hear that the cocoon of S. pavonia 

 having two exits, which was exhibited by Mr. Tutt at a meeting 

 of the South London Entomological Society (Entom. xx. 833), 

 is not unique. I have a similar specimen of S. pavonia cocoon 

 with two exits, which was spun by one of six larvae found in the 



