238 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



hermaphrodite specimen of the common bhie (Polyommatus 

 Alexis), the left wings being female, while the right ones are 

 male; this is equally apparent on iDOth sides. Can you tell 

 me if this is a rave occurrence ? The specimen was taken in 

 a grassy lane in Horley, on the 1st of September, and is now 

 in the "cabinet of Mr. Murray Aston, of Hatchgate, Horley. 

 This gentleman has taken nearly thirty specimens of the 

 feathered gothic moth (Heliophobus popularis) at a lamp in 

 his hall. Can yon inform me of the food-plant of this species 

 in its larval state ? If I am not asking too much, will you tell 

 me how to make dragonflies keep their colour after death, and 

 where I can procure a work on this order of insects ? I may 

 add that Mr. Aston took all his Popularis during the last 

 week in August. 



[(1) Hemigynous, or half-female, specimens of Lycaena 

 Icarus (Alexis), are by no means uncommon. (2) The larva 

 of Heliophobus popularis feeds on grasses. I have said all I 

 know about this insect at p. 291 of ' British Moths,' where the 

 larva is described. (3) In order to preserve the colour in the 

 bodies of dragonflies, do not kill them until three or four 

 days after they are taken, when the body will be empty. 

 Having killed them with cyanide of potassium, slit the 

 abdomen open with a pair of small scissors, take out the 

 contents, and fill up the cavity with a piece of writing-paper, 

 rolled up in the same form as the body. — E, Newman.] 



Henry N.Ridley. — (Edemera caerulea. — E. Newman. 



H. Simmer. — I am unable to give an opinion as to the 

 name of the larva described. — E. Newman. 



G. A. Smallwood. — Variety of Cirrcedia xerampelina. — I 

 have this year bred a dark variety of this moth. The colour 

 of the dark central bar is spread over the whole wing, the 

 usual yellow being entirely absent, except on the edges of the 

 central bar, where it forms two conspicuous yellow lines, 

 reaching from the inner margin quite up to the costa. This 

 variety is very distinct and striking ; the more so as this insect 

 is so little liable to variation. 



[I was formerly inclined to consider this a distinct species; 

 but seeing that Guenee ('Noctuelites,' i. 402) considers it a 

 variety only, — a judgment in which my late friend Doubleday 

 entirely concurred, — I cannot presume to differ from such 

 authorities. — Edward Newman.] 



