NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 77 



— W. Hewett. [I have seen occasional specimens of Sirex gigas among 

 the fir woods at Sandburn, near York, where it doubtless breeds regularly, — 

 John T. Carrington.] 



Prionus coriarius in Epping Forest. — While taking a ramble iu 

 Epping Forest last October, I found a dead specimen of that rare beetle, 

 Prionus coriarius, near Dulsmead Hollow. I have never heard of it being 

 taken so near London but perhaps it may not be so rare near this great 

 metropolis as we suppose. — A. J. Field ; 43, Medina Road, Finsbury Park. 



Callicera ^nea. — One of the rarest and most beautiful of the larger 

 Syrphidse, were taken last summer in three very widely scattered 

 locahties, but only in single specimens. The first was taken by the Rev. 

 T. A. Marshall, at Cornworthy, near Totnes, July 26th ; the second, by 

 Mr. Albert Piffard, near Great Berkharapsted, Hertfordshire, August 6th ; 

 the third, by me at Guestling, near Hastings, August 2"2nd. All three 

 specimens were taken on the flowers of Umbelliferse. I believe this scarce 

 Dipteron has but once before been recorded as occurring in Britain ; 

 its threefold occurrence last summer is therefore of considerable interest. — 

 E. N. Bloomfield ; Guestling, Sussex, February, 1889. 



Preserving Pup-e of Insects. — Could any one please tell me the way 

 to preserve pupae of insects ? I wish to preserve some. I unsuccessfully tried 

 plunging. — Hugh Jackson ; 7, North Brink, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. 



Urtication by Hairs ok Insects. — If some of your readers who 

 have been •' stung "by the larvae or cocoon hairs of Lepidopterous larvae, 

 would kindly answer the following questions either by postcard or letter, I 

 should be much obliged, as I am endeavouring to obtain a little light on the 

 subject of urtication: — 1. By what insects "stung?" [a) By the larvee. 

 (h) By the cocoon hairs. 2. The part of the body affected? (a) The palm 

 of the hand, [b) Any other part. 3. The character and appearance of the 

 part, if any? 4. If perspiring when "stung?" 5. If the skin be thin and 

 sensitive to the attacks of insects? 6. Any other remarks? — K. FKEiiU ; 

 St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, W., February 7, 1889. 



High Flat-Setting. — Might I point out one more advantage in 

 setting insects a tolerable height on the pin, viz., the prevention of grease 

 infecting tlie paper or other specimens ? When insects are set iu the usual 

 English fashion, their bodies, or at least part of them, generally touch the 

 paper. If the insect greases it affects the paper, and even the cork, and 

 spreads rapidly throughout that portion of the drawer. Now with insects 

 set higher on the pin this is an utter impossibility, as no part of the insect 

 touches the drawer, or another insect, if one is careful not to let it do so. 

 The insect affected can thus grease as much as possible, without the fear 

 of it spoiling anything save itself. One need not go to extremes with 

 regard to tlie height of the insect on the pin ; surely there is some 

 medium between our low English setting and the very high Continental 

 method. Those who object to the high setting appear to think it must 

 mean an insect stuck on the top of a long Vienna pin, whereas one two- 

 thirds high on our ordinary English pin, is all that is required for all 

 practical purposes, and serves all the advantages we hold for high flat- 

 setting. — A. E. Hall; Norbury, Sheffield, December, 1888. 



ENTOM. — MARCH, 1889. I 



