186 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



to be parasitical on other insects. Is this the case ? — JV. A. 

 Forbes : 35, South Castle Street, Edinburgh, June 17, 1874. 



[The insects are returned named, with the exception of the 

 little black ichneumon with exuded ovipositor, which I must 

 decline ; I have never professed to name ichneumons. The 

 little bees, of the genus Halictus, positively swarm on all 

 garden-flowers at this time of year. The pretty fly. No. 5, is 

 a gall-maker, not a parasite; the long ovipositor is for the 

 purpose of penetrating the rind of the twig, in which it 

 deposits its eggs: from this peculiar structure the insect has 

 been named Stylata. — Edward Neivinan.] 



Acronycta Alniin the New Forest. — On returning yesterday 

 with a friend from a New Forest expedition, between Broken- 

 hurst and Lyndhurst, our attention was suddenly attracted by 

 the brilliant yellow and rich dark blue colours of this sjjlendid 

 and unmistakable caterpillar, at rest, in a slightly curved 

 position, on some old palings. — W. Borrer,ju)i. ; Cowfoldy 

 Horshaniy Sussex, July 25, 1874. 



Extracts from the Proceedings of the Entomological Society 

 of London, May Ath and June \st, 1874. 



Sir Sidney Smith Saunders, C.M.G., President, in the chair. 



Supposed Albino Solenobia. — Mr. W. C. Boyd exhibited 

 specimens of Solenobia inconspicuella, taken in St. Leonard's 

 Forest, and amongst them a specimen, taken at the same 

 time, of a remarkably pale colour, which might possibly be 

 an albino variety, but had a very different appearance from 

 the ordinary form. 



Brachycentrus subnubilus. — Mr. Boyd also exhibited some 

 leaves of the common comfrey (Symphytum ofiicinale), 

 gathered at Cheshunt, the under sides of which were found 

 to be completely covered with specimens of Brachycentrus 

 subnubilus. There appeared to be some hundreds of speci- 

 mens closely packed together, and they were all dead, or in 

 a moribund state, when found. All were said to be males, 

 but on close examination a single female specimen was 

 discovered amongst them. No explanation could be given as 

 to the object of their congregating together. Mr. Stainton 

 remarked that there were many such instances of a habit of con- 

 gregating amongst insects, which were equally unaccountable, 

 and as an instance he mentioned a lact known to all breeders 



