136 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Larva of Acronycta Alni near Wolverhampton. — I found 

 a larva of Acronycta Alni near here on July 28th. It was on 

 the decayed trunk of an alder-bush in a hedge. It was 

 apparently descending to spin up. I took it home, and on 

 the 27th it had spun up inside a small piece of rotten willow 

 wood. It was of a velvety black colour, with an oblong 

 yellow patch on the back of each segment, and from each 

 segment long spines issued, clubbed and flattened at the end, 

 somewhat like a butterfly's antennae. — W. A. Shoolbred,ju?i. ; 

 Tet/enliall Wood, Compton, Wolverhampton, July 28, 1868. 



Dinnlhoecla conspersa in Ireland. — I have been fortunate 

 in capturing D. conspersa this season : Mr. Birchall says it 

 is the darkest specimen he ever saw. — {Mrs.) F. I. Baltersby ; 

 Cromhj)!, Ralhoivcn, Westmeaih, August 7, 1868. 



Coccinella variabilis : how do the black spots acquire 

 their colour? — I have lately observed that the two-spotted 

 ladybird, when fresh turned from the chrysalis, has the elytra 

 of a pale yellow, with no appearance whatever of the black 

 spots, while the wings are unfolded and stretched out behind 

 the insect. No doubt the same thing takes place with the 

 other species. Query, in what state does the pigment forming 

 the spots exist in the elytra, so as to be invisible till exposure 

 to light has made it become black ? Suppose it should be 

 found to consist of nitrate of silver ! I dare say you have 

 observed that the insects of this genus have a strong smell, 

 like opium when bruised. Many years ago, when a maker of 

 morphia, I endeavoured to extract some from them, but could 

 not detect the slightest trace of it; and yet in an old Italian 

 work I find that a bruised ladybird is said to be a cure for 

 the toothache. — George Waring ; Shirehampton, Bristol, 

 July 31, 1868. 



Are Bees injurious to Fruit ? — We have had a great many 

 gooseberries in our garden at Durham destroyed by the bees 

 feeding on the inside of the berries, and leaving the empty 

 skins hanging on the bushes, in the same way that wasps do. 

 I have watched them feeding often. I think it must be on 

 account of the dry weather. — Fred. Raine ; Stilton House, 

 Helmsley, August 20, 1868. 



[I have observed the same thing to a very injurious extent 

 at Leominster, in Herefordshire, and believe it is very far 

 from being an uncommon occurrence. — E. Netanian.] 



