THE 1-NTOMOLOGIST. 121 



ihe daytime, but, having spent four evenings searching in the 

 same place, I succeeded in taking tvvelve specimens. The 

 last I look on June 23i(l ; it was nuich worn in appearance. 

 I f'oinid them at rest on the long stems of a species of coarse 

 grass in exposed situations. The ground is rough and broken, 

 consisting chiefly of small quarries not in use. There is a 

 wood a short distance off. The extent of ground over which 

 they were found is about half an acre. — C.J. Watkins ; 

 Kilty s Mills, Paiiiswick, Gloucestershire, July 10, 1868. 



Smeriuthus ocellatus : is the Larm more than usudlly 

 common this year ? — I took six larva^, last week from a very 

 small ap[)le-espalier, planted only last year, the leaves of 

 which would scarcely have sufficed them till full-grown. On 

 Saturday 1 took fifty-one from three dwarf sallows. Perhaps 

 uiy question may elicit replies from other parts of the country. 

 (Rev.) P. H. Jenuin(js ; Lonqjield Rectory, Gravesend, July 

 13, 1868. 



Unusual Economy of Xyleutes Cossus. — I have lately 

 reared a goat-molh, the larva of which formed its cell in an 

 entirely different fashion from that generally attributed to its 

 species. It was brought to me on the 17th of April, having 

 been withdrawn from a cell formed of grains of earth and 

 silk, which had been dug up in the midst of an arable field. 

 I put it in a breeding-cage, and it soon burrowed again in 

 the earth. On June 28lh it emerged a perfect moth, though 

 somewhat smaller than usual, probably the result of the 

 annoyance to which its capture subjected it. is it possible 

 that being disturbed by the felling of the tree on which it 

 fed n)ay account for this departure from the general habits of 

 the larvae ? If Mr. W. E. Brennand succeed in rearing his 

 speciu)ens, perhaps he will favour us with an account of their 

 life-history. — [)Jiss) E. Newman; West- End House, Ux- 

 hridge, July, 1866. 



Dianthoecia conspersa as an Irish Species. — 1 was sur- 

 prised to see, by Mr. Ijirchall's note in the last number of the 

 ' Entomologist,' that this species, as Irish, was only known 

 from one reputed specimen : I thought it was well known 

 that it was taken by the late Mr. Weaver; I saw many spe- 

 cimens of his capturing in Ireland many years ago, and have 

 now four specimens in my cabinet of his taking at the same 

 time, or on the same trip, when he got H. Banksiana : they 



