NOTES ON THE JAPANESE SPECIES OF SILPHA. 7 



of Daucus carota; very subject to Ichneumons. — A. hadiana. Netted in 

 July ; but I failed again to breed it, although P. lappella came out in its 

 usual abundance. — A. CBneana. Bred from two localities in the county of 

 Essex, and no doubt occurs in many places if well looked for. 



Conchylis smeathmanniana. A single female emerged June Uth, the 

 sole results from fifty or more larvae. I afterwards found it swarming, 

 August Oth, over ^-1. cotula. 



I found no rare species amongst the Crambi ; but may just mention 

 Platytes cerussellus, Cramhus jjciscuellus, C. peiiellus, and vars. ; and one 

 female of Mr. Tutt's new species, C. contaminellus, taken at Shoeburyness, 

 August 8th. Many eggs were laid, and the larvae are now apparently 

 hybernatiug in silken tubes, mixed with sand, &c., at the grass roots. 



Homceosoma simiella. Fairly common. — H. nimhella. Amongst An- 

 theinis cotula, in the flower-heads of which plant the larvte were feeding. — 

 H. hbuBvella. Two bred from tliistle-heads gathered September, 1886. 



Cri/]itoblabcs bistriga. Larvte common in one place on oak, October fith 

 and 7th. 



Rhodoplur.a formosa. Larvae very common on elm in September and 

 October (beginning). — R. advenella. Only one larva found this year. 



177, Major Road, Stratford New Town, E., November 16, 1887. 



NOTES ON THE JAPANESE SPECIES OF SILPHA. 

 By George Lewis, F.L.S, 



Three of the eleven species in my collection ajipear to be 

 new, viz., one species similar to S. 'i-punctuta, Linn., and two 

 others somewhat similar to S. thoracica of the same author. Of 

 the others, five are known as European, and four of these are 

 common in England. Although eleven species may seem at first 

 to be a few for Japan, I think the list is likely to be found fairly 

 complete, as the conditions of life which are favourable there to 

 saprophagous insects are limited. The crows and tlie foxes, and 

 after them the ants, are very effective scavengers ; and it is only 

 on the coasts and in the populous districts that the pabulum 

 necessary for the larvse and imagos is sufficient, and where the 

 species occur they for the most part congregate together, and 

 easily fall into the hands of the collector. The peculiar species 

 in Japan are, however, forest species, and pupate under bark, 

 and new discoveries may be made eventually of species with 

 similar propensities. 



