NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 117 



never heard of it being taken so early. I also picked up some 

 larvffi of Bomhijx ruhi, which I think is also exceptionally early 

 for it to be on the move. — Nicholas Cooke ; Gorsey Hey, 

 Liscard, February 18, 1882. 



Description of the larva of Galleria cerella. — The 

 eggs of this species are deposited in July and August on old 

 honeycomb in deserted or unused bee-hives. The young larvse 

 when hatched feed on the comb until autumn, by which time 

 they are full-grown. They then spin very tough oval cocoons, 

 which are embedded in the honeycomb, and in that remain with- 

 out changing to pupge through the winter, even until the following 

 May or June, when the change takes place. Tlie full-grown larva 

 is nearly an inch long, and rather stout. Body rounded above, 

 rather flattened ventrally. Head narrower than the 2nd segment ; 

 it lias the lobes rounded, and is, as is also the large frontal plate, 

 slightly polished. Skin soft and rather wrinkled. The ground 

 colour is uniforml}^ a pale dingy brown, appearing darker at the 

 segmental divisions ; this appearance caused by the over-lapping 

 of the folds. Head bright sienna- brown ; the frontal plate also 

 sienna-brown, but divided in its centre, and also edged in front, 

 with yellowish. Spiracles very minute, dark brown. Ventral 

 surface and prolegs uniformly of a pale yellowish grej^ ; the legs 

 tipped with brown. There are no other noticeable markings. 

 Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher sent me a good supply of these larvae from 

 the New Forest in the autumn of 1880, from which last year, in 

 July and August, I bred a fine and variable (both as to colour and 

 size) series of imagos. — Geo. T. Porkitt ; Highroyd House, 

 Huddersfield, April 4, 1882. 



The Paucity of Neuropterists. — In his interesting article 

 in the February number of the 'Entomologist' on the " Linnean 

 Order Neuroptera" Mr. King starts with a question as to the 

 paucity of students in this and other orders, which, in a more 

 or less varied form and referring to others of the "neglected 

 orders," has, if I mistake not, been repeatedly asked, but to which 

 I cannot recall having ever seen any attempt at a reply. In 

 venturing to give my own impressions on the subject, perhaps it 

 may be well to premise that my aim in so doing is not by any 

 means to throw cold water on the laudable endeavour being made 

 to enlist more workers in this department of Entomology. On the 

 contrary, I wish to try and help to bring into the light some of the 



