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NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Eremobia ochroleuca at Sugar. — As I do not think this species 

 usually turns up at sugar, it may be worth while recording that I took 

 a specimen here on a sugared elm trunk on Aug. 25th last. Although 

 I distinctly saw it sipping the sugar, it was apparently not quite at its 

 ease, as no sooner did I turn my lantern on it that it fell down among 

 the grass beneath. I succeeded, however, in boxing it, and found it 

 to be in very good condition. I have taken this species for nearly 

 thirty years, but never previously at sugar. My friend Mr. E. A. 

 Fitch informs me that he has taken it at sugar also this year, two 

 specimens. It is a much rarer species in this neighbourhood than it 

 was some few years ago. — (Rev.) Gilbert H. Raynor ; Hazeleigh 

 Rectory, Maldon, Esses, August 30th, 1898. 



The Larva of Ctenucha venosa. — On the Experimental Station 

 Farm, MesillaPark, New Mexico, July 26th, I found a couple of larvae 

 feeding on the grass. In general appearance they reminded me of 

 those of Ryphantria. They were about 19 mm. long, pale ochrey 

 yellow, with moderately long barbed white hairs springing in bundles 

 from colourless tubercles. Subdorsal and lateral pale lemon yellow 

 stripes, narrowly and irregularly edged with pink. Head sordid yellow, 

 shiny. Stigmata brown. Thoracic legs bright yellowish brown. One 

 pupated in some corner of the breeding cage, the other spun a thin 

 cocoon on the inflorescence of the grass. The moths emerged Aug. 

 5th and 6th, and proved to be Ctenucha (Philaros) venosa (Walk.), which 

 ranges from New Mexico and Texas to Venezuela, according to 

 Neumoegen and Dyar. The species was first identified for me by Dr. 

 Dyar, from specimens found in Fillmore Canon, Organ Mountains, 

 N. M. The larva has not been described, so far as I can learn. — 

 T. D. A. Cockerell, Aug. 6th, 1898. 



Protective Resemblance. — All those collectors of Lepidoptera 

 who have been able to work much in the field cannot fail to have 

 noticed the beautiful and remarkable protective resemblance which 

 some species bear to their surroundings ; and there can be no doubt 

 that they possess an inherited and instinctive knowledge of this as- 

 similation, and select such places as a protection against their natural 

 enemies. Man is an unnatural and unknown enemy, but even he, 

 unless a keen and practised observer, will fail to notice them even 

 when within a few feet of him, so beautiful is often the protective 

 resemblance. What wonderful instances of this are Cucullia wmbratica 

 when resting on posts or palings ; Pulia chi on rocks, appearing 

 like a spot of grey lichen ; Acronycta psi on the trunk of oak or 

 ash ; and many others that will be remembered. The following 

 three apparently special instances of this protective resemblance, 

 which have come under my notice during the last few seasons, 

 may be worthy of record. On one occasion when passing across 

 some hill land in Wales, where gorse occurred here and there, some 

 of which had been scorched by burning, and only the stems with 

 some of the foliage singed remained, having in parts a reddish brown 

 appearance, — here I found a specimen, with wings closed, of Arctia 



ENTOM. — OCT. 1898. Z 



