264 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



been given to one of my friends. The specimen seen last is 

 not so well marked as that previously reported (Entora. iv. 

 249), but is still a fair one. Whilst on this subject, may I 

 ask your readers to erase the word "its," Entom. iv. p. 250, 

 line 2 ? this little word quite destroys the meaning of the 

 sentence. And for " ocellana," p. 250, line 7, read " ocellea." 

 — C. S. Gregson ; Rose Bank, Stanley, Liverpool, April 12, 

 1869. 



Xylomiges conspicillaris. — I took a splendid specimen of 

 this rare moth from my breeding-cage yesterday. A friend of 

 mine had one emerge some three weeks since, but unfor- 

 tunately for him it was like the one recorded by the Rev. 

 Joseph Greene, a cripple. — Thomas Goodyear, Church Road, 

 Malvern Link. 



Lepidoptera in Epping Forest. — As early as February 

 2nd, P. unguicula put in an appearance for 1869. I have 

 since bred a series of them, from larvae beaten in September 

 last ; also several P. Hamula, D. Coryli, E. punctaria, tri- 

 linearia, pusaria, E. illustraria, &c. — James Bryant ; 63, Old 

 Broad Street, E.C. 



The large Wasps. — In the * Entomologist' for July, 1868, 

 I made an inquiry as to the sex of the large wasps which are 

 seen in the spring. Last year they were very abundant. The 

 Editor, in answer to my question, expressed an opinion, 

 though in rather doubtful terms, that they were females. I 

 received a note on the subject from Mr. Doubleday (who had 

 observed ray query), an extract of which, with his permission, 

 I give here, as I am sure it will be interesting to all readers 

 of the ' Entomologist.' Mr. Doubleday writes as follows : — 

 " No male hymenopterous insect that appears in the autumn 

 ever reappears in the spring: all the wasps seen in the 

 spring are impregnated females. The male of the common 

 wasp is slenderer than the workers, and has much longer 

 antennge : they do not appear till late in the autumn, and 

 are seldom seen in houses, and always die when cold weather 

 sets in. No male hymenopterous insect in the world slings." 

 — James Murton ; Silverdale, Lancaster, April 15, 1869. 



[I entirely agree with Mr. Doubleday as to male Hy- 

 menoptera not stinging : the same, so far as my experience 

 goes, holds good with Diptera : the males do not bite. — 

 Edward Newman.] 



