316 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



wasted at Birthwaite Wood and in the woods on the Lan- 

 cashire side of Windermere Lake on the 26th of this month. 

 —C. S. Gregsnn ; July 30, 1869. 



Crymodes exiilis in Scotland. — A correspondent informs 

 me that Dr. White has taken this insect in Scotland. The 

 number of specimens and the locality not given. — E. N. 



Phylloxera coccinea, an Insect infesting the Oak. — 1 have 

 observed the oak-leaves about Leominster this year to be 

 infested and gieatly disfigured by a minute winged insect, 

 which I had not noticed until the present year. Having 

 sent to Mr. Walker a supply of the eggs, larvae, pupse and 

 perfect insects, he has, with his usual courtesy, handed me 

 the following note : — " The insect in question is Phylloxera 

 coccinea (see Zool. S.S. 1333). I have observed it for many 

 years in Middlesex and Essex, but am not aware that any 

 one else has noticed it in England. I do not think it is so 

 exhausting to the leaves as the oak-spangles, which are much 

 more numerous and more general. It occurs here and there 

 near London, but rarely in great abundance. The leaves 

 infested by it have spots like those caused by the oak- 

 spangles. In August and in September it may be seen 

 sitting in the centre of a cluster of eggs, which are arranged 

 transversely in four concentric circles, and the outer circle is 

 composed of about fi)rty eggs. The second generation is 

 soon hatched, and at ihe end of autumn tiie insect passes 

 away from the withering leaves without any indication of llie 

 continuance of its existence during the winter. The ovi- 

 position and the hatching of the eggs continue through 

 August. I have not observed the winged female laying eggs. 

 The winged form appears in August. The eggs are devoured 

 by a little white larva, perhaps that of an Agromyza? and by 

 another little larva which has a black head and short legs, 

 and is half a line in length. Sometimes a large Syrphus- 

 larva consumes all the eggs round the mother Phylloxera. 

 A fourth kind of larva occurs with the Phylloxeras, but I have 

 not observed it to attack them : it is more active than the 

 others, and has somewhat the appearance of a Dorthesia or 

 of a Coccus, being covered with white laminae which extend 

 beyond it on each side. Fonscolombe mentions that the 

 Phylloxera is devoured by a larva covered with white down, 

 and is that of a Scymnus (Coccinella ))ygu)a;a ? Olic.y — 

 Id. 



