310 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
seem to be ready on the spot to fasten on the seed-leaves, 
and thus devour the plants before they have any trme to 
acquire size and strength to resist the attack. It is probable 
that much rain in the spring would greatly retard the progress 
of the beetle; but, then, no farmer desires a wet spring. I 
have not, of course, worked out the life-history of this little 
pest, as I have done that of its congener the turnip-fly 
or turnip-flea; but I do not doubt the larve will be found 
abundantly on the older plants in June; but as yet it is 
unknown. In the meantime I will invite attention to this 
little beetle by describing its colours: —The antennz 
are dull-red, slightly darker towards the extremity; the 
head is red, and the eyes black; the thorax is exactly 
of the same red colour as the head, and so are the legs; 
but the body is nearly black, and the wing-cases are 
dark metallic-green and brilliantly polished. This beetle 
is the Chrysomela fuscicornis of Linneus, described at 
p- 595 of the second volume of the ‘Systema Nature’ 
(thirteenth edition), and the Haltica fuscicornis of Stephens. 
The Linnean name of fuscicornis must be adopted, although 
the beetle has become better known under De Geer’s name of 
rufipes, which has been adopted by Panzer on the Continent, 
and by Marshall, Donovan and Samouelle in this country. 
Labia minor flying.—1. At five o’clock this afternoon I 
noticed something which may interest you. Whilst I was in 
our small garden I saw, what I imagined to be, a Tinea fly 
up from a lavender bush and raise itself about three feet in 
the air. I immediately stepped after it: it continued its flight 
at about the same height for about twelve or fifteen feet, when 
1 knocked it down with my open hand into the path, and I 
was surprised to find it not a moth at all, but what I take to 
be an earwig. I send you the specimen to examine, and say 
whether Iam right. 2. I should be glad if you would give 
me the title of any good work on Diptera and Hymenoptera. 
—Frederick Enock ; 48, Tollington Road, Holloway, May 
5, 1871. 
[1. The little insect is Labia minor: it is well known 
as a flying insect; it is allied to the common earwig, 
but is not identical. 2. Walker’s ‘Insecta Britannica, Dip- 
tera,’ in three volumes, with descriptions of the species and 
figures of the genera, is the only work with which I am 
