ii84 TEtE ENfOMOtiOGISt. 



(fairly good), and one or two worn-out Melanargia galatea. I also saw a 

 couple of very dilapidated Limenitis sibylla, and a few worn specimens of 

 Argynuis adippe turned up. A. pophla was pretty common, but in very 

 bad condition. I can fully corroborate Mr. Blaber's statement as to the 

 failure of sugar : the only insect which came to my sugar was a specimen 

 of Catocala promissa, which I unfortunately failed to secure. I may add 

 that I took several male and two female specimens of Selidosema ericetaria 

 [pliimaria), but they (like most of the other Lepidoptera which I saw) were 

 not in good condition. — Henry A. Hill; 132, Haverstock Hill, Loudon, 

 N.W., Oct. 3, 1889. 



Fungus parasitic on Insects. — My son writes from Paraparaumu, 

 New Zealand (North Island), under date March 16th, 1889, as follows : — 

 "I have obtained a veritable entomological curiosity for you from the 

 mountain ranges on the west coast of this island, facing Cook Straits. It 

 consists of a dark olive-green caterpillar, about three inches long, which, 

 when full-fed, drops or descends from the trees, ostensibly to enter the 

 ground for the purpose of pupation, but which process seems to be arrested 

 by some unknown or mysterious cause, and instead of becoming a pupa, a 

 twig-like plant, sometimes forked, about four or five inches in length, 

 grows, apparently indifferently, either from its head or tail. The Maories 

 pointed the caterpillars out to me, and informed me that they had received 

 £1 for a pair a short time ago from a gentleman who was returning to 

 Europe, and wanted them as a curiosity." No doubt the plant-like 

 appendage to this larva is of fungoid origin. — Geo. J. Grapes ; Berkeley 

 Villa, Charlwood Road, Putney, Sept. 13, 1889. 



[Mr. Grapes has been good enough to send for examination the speci- 

 mens described by his son. They prove to be a well-known fungus, 

 Torrubia robertsii, which attacks certain larvae in New Zealand. We have 

 some of the allied fungi of small size in this country. In the ' Entomo- 

 logist ' for June, 1878 (vol. xi. 121) the British species is figured, and is 

 accompanied by an interesting article by Dr. Buchanan White, who 

 mentions the species sent by Mr, Grapes. — J. T. C] 



Cecidomyia lychnidis (Heyd.). — 1 have met with the larvae of a Cecid 

 during the autumn months frequenting the upper flower-knops and capsules 

 of the Lychnis dioica. I may remark that the stigmatous flowers of the 

 Lychnis were affected by the larvae, which were in fair quantity. Kaltenbach 

 speaks of the larva as occurring at Frankfort-on-the-Maine in similar woolly, 

 deformed knops, and says that the gnats appeai'ed in July. With me they 

 did not emerge till September. Like so many of our Cecid larvae, they 

 are of a pale yellowish red when matured. The gnat is yellow. The wings 

 are sparingly covered with dark pile, and show the characteristic nervures. 

 I bred fully a dozen, both males and females. — Peter Inchbald; Grosvenor 

 Terrace, Hornsea, Oct. 11, 1889. 



Cantharis vesicatoria at Wimborne. — I caught a perfect specimen 

 of Cantharis vesicatoria upon an oak-leaf last June; it is about the size of 

 an ordinary male " Spanish fly." Is this a rare beetle in England ? — I. H. 

 Fowler; Grove Road, Wimborne, Oct. 1, 1889. 



Information Wanted. — Will any readers of the * Entomologist ' 

 kindly give me particulars as to the geographical range in Britain of the 



