196 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. , 



by no means an easy task to find out the centre of fluffy thoraces like 

 Biston hirtaria, Notodonta (Peridea) trepida, the Bombycidae, and such- 

 like, the difficulty being often increased by the bluntness of the black 

 entomological pins with which manufacturers are so good as to supply 

 us, the pin sliding off the hard and slippery thorax into the softer part 

 of juncture with the abdomen. It is certain that the badly made, 

 blunt pins are the cause of much bad pinning. Grease, I am sure, is 

 greatly increased by the use of camphor. For some years I have 

 discarded it, substituting naphthaline, and my specimens have been 

 much freer from the unsightly nuisance in consequence. — Joseph 

 Anderson, Chichester. 



The Economy of certain Diptera. — Macquartla affinis, Macq., has 

 been bred by Mr. Keys, of Plymouth, from the larvae of Chrysomela 

 varians. Heteroneura albhnana, Mg., I have bred more than once from 

 little red pupae found in rotten wood. Scatopse albitarsis, Zett., can be 

 bred in numbers from the pith of burdock stems. Ceratopocjon 

 nimipennis, Mg., can be bred in numbers from the pith of teazel stems. 

 Tephritis plantaffinis, Hal., is certainly attached to Aster tripoliiun, on 

 which it occurs in numbers. — C. W. Dale ; Glanvilles Wootton, 

 April 14th, 1894. 



Pyrameis gonerilla killed by Flycatchers. — While collecting, on 

 the 5th of the present month, in Mr. Bullock's garden near Ashburton, 

 I witnessed an event in bird and butterfly life new to me. A large 

 plant of the introduced Veronica andersoni, in full flower, growing on 

 the lawn, was a great attraction to numerous insects, especially 

 Diptera and Lepidoptera. On the flowers were several P. gonerilla, 

 whose bright colours and graceful motions are always a " thing of 

 beauty" to me. A pair of native flycatchers (Rhipidara Jiabillifera), 

 attracted by the numerous insects, hovered about the bush, occa- 

 sionally settling among the foliage, and darting out to capture some 

 of the insects as they came to the flowers. We had remained about 

 the bush, netting and bottling Diptera nearly an hour, before we 

 observed the fantails dart at (jonerilla. Previous to their doing so, we 

 noticed them capturing Diptera, and ineffectually pursuing a pale- 

 coloured species of Mamestra of semi-diurnal habits. The first 

 attempt to capture gonerilla was unsuccessful. Both butterfly and 

 bird darted swiftly over and around the high bush, and once passed 

 close to my face. I distinctly heard the repeated snapping of the 

 minute bill of the fantail during the chase. After a few minutes' 

 respite and excited twitter among the branches, the fantail darted at 

 a second butterfly. The latter seemed to blunder against the flower, 

 and, unfortunately, was captured by the bird. At the moment of 

 capture I struck lightly at the bird with my net, and the butterfly 

 fluttered down through the foliage and I secured it. On examination 

 i discovered its abdomen to be burst, and its intestines slightly 

 protruding. Entomologists may say, perhaps, that there is nothing 

 remarkable about the occurrence. However, after many years' study 

 in the field of bird and insect life in New Zealand, I can only say 

 that I have not previously seen the graceful little fantails attacking 

 such large insects ; nor have I ever previously seen them on the open 



