1G4 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



what are, from the markings, a striking, deep red variety of S. urticana. They 

 are somewhat smaller than the other specimens in ray series, the ground 

 colour very red, the markings appear darker and more distinct. I think it 

 advisable to put this local form on record and should be pleased to hear if 

 such a form is found in any other locality. Are the moorland forms any- 

 thing like this? — J. W. Tutt ; Westcombe Park. 



Nepticula minusculeixa. — During 1887 I found a number of mines 

 in the pear leaves. A few motlis came out in 1888, and this year six more 

 have now emerged. I may add 1 could not find a single mine last season. 

 No doubt very few moths came out last year, owing to the wet and cold 

 weather; and possibly the rest remained over for more favourable times, as 

 indicated by my specimens. — J. B. Hodgkinson ; Ashton-on-llibble, April 6. 



PsTCHODA coxspiciLLATA IN New Zkaland. — Doubtless some of 

 ycur readers who make the Diptera their especial study, will be able to 

 throw some light on the following fragmentary observations made during 

 last winter, on the natural histoiy of the above insect. On JulySOlhl 

 noticed a large number of Psyclwda conspicillata in a cage containing larvai 

 of Agrotis nullifera. I concluded that they had resulted from a large 

 assemblage of small dipterous larvre, observed on one of the blades of 

 the speurgrass about a month previously. From the uniform size of these 

 larvae, and the fact that I had not observed them before, I supposed that 

 they had eaten their way out of one of the A. nuWfera larvae, but did not 

 notice any remains of llie larva. I distinctly recollect, however, that tlie 

 dipterous kuva3 were in one mass when first seen, as if they had all 

 emerged together, but that they afterwards dispersed and buried themselves. 

 On July 31st I examined some of the earth in the cage, and discovered 

 several minute dipterous pupae, which I isolated in a glass-topped box. 

 These pupae emerged as P. conspicillata on August 8th, at which time the 

 flies were to be seen in great numbers about the houses in Wellington, in 

 the bush and in fact almost everywheie. Hence I feel sure that the 

 insect cannot habitually be a parasite of Agrotis nullifera, as the compara- 

 tive rarity of that insect forbiiis it, although the above evidence seems to 

 indicate such to be the case. Where, therefore, does Psgchoda conspicillata 

 generally spend its larval state ? — G. V. Hudson ; Wellington, New 

 Zealand, March 19, 1889. 



The Cold Summer of 1888, and Double-bkooded Moths. — My 

 experience this season hitherto does not coincide with that of your corres- 

 pondent (Entom. 140). Selenia bilunaria has been common in this neigh- 

 bourhood. 1 have also seen numbers of Tephrosia crqniscularia. Many of 

 the single-brooded Lepidoptera, whose larvte must have experienced some 

 of the cold of last summer, have been abundant, as Ticniocampa pulveru- 

 lenta, T. gothica, and T. stabilis. I have, however, certainly expected the 

 same results as your correspondent, lor in one locality, namely, in Glouces- 

 tershire, on the Cotswolds, a frost occurred on one night in July. This 

 must have killed many larvae, I should imagine, unless their instinct fore- 

 warned them of the approaching cold, and they concealed themselves. No 

 doubt in exposed districts and situations they mostly suftered. — T. B. 

 Jeffekys ; Clevedon. [It would be interesting to actually know whether 

 summer frosts do kill lepidopterous larviB. Those species which hybernate 

 as larvie are none the worse for being frozen hard and stiff for weeks ; but 



