98 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



and two by myself: these also were poor comparalively ; but 

 the species is such a large one that any comparison with D. 

 conspersa is out of the question, and its colours so distinct 

 and its markings so absolutely unlike it that how the idea of 

 the possibility of their being identical got abroad 1 cannot 

 conceive : it is true that since then I have taken a specimen 

 scarcely larger than D. conspersa, and so worn that it might 

 be supposed to be like any other species of its size and in 

 the same worn condition, but that is all that can be said 

 about it. It seems to me that none but poor worn specimens 

 have reached London ; but I am sure you will be pleased to 

 hear that by perseverance, even though late for it, I have 

 succeeded in capturing five good specimens, an account of 

 which I will send you for publication. When I say they are 

 like small Atriplicis with the green of it replaced by rich 

 chocolate-brown, the whole insect woolly, and the scales so 

 fugitive that it is almost impossible to set it Vvithout injury, 

 you will have a tolerable idea of its size and the difficulty of 

 getting good specimens. If you can conceive a specimen of 

 M. Oxyacanthae with brown distinct chocolate markings 

 instead of green, then you see Barrettii as it should be. — 

 C. S. Gregson ; Howlh, Ireland, June 21, 1868. 



Singular Occurrence with a Larva of Liparis monacha. — 

 On the 14th of the present month, at Darenth Wood, Kent, I 

 picked off the trunk of a young oak tree a nearly full-grown 

 larva of Liparis monacha, and on the following moming I 

 placed it, with another 1 had feeding, in a white glazed jar 

 (commonly used for jams), and two days afterwards, while 

 cleaning out my larvse-jar, as I usually do, and taking this 

 one in its turn, I was surprised to find this larva in a very 

 violent state of commotion, and reduced to about a third of 

 its size, and still more surprised to find two wire-worms, or 

 they might be termed cotton-worms, alive -at the bottom of 

 the jar, and alongside the monacha larva, so curled that they 

 occupied but a small space, and doubtless, from appearance, 

 had not long been ejected. Their colour was of a yellowish 

 white, and quite plain. On arriving at home the same day I 

 found both worms dead and stiff, and the larva with but little 

 symptoms of life left, I put the dead worms into cold water, 

 which caused them to relax and uncurl very quickly, and to 

 come out quite straight. I took a carpenter's foot-rule, and 



