THE ENTOMOLOGIST. ) VASE 
that of the caterpillars of Anticlea sinuata, of which above 
fifty specimens have been taken by different people following 
my directions. Having had a couple of caterpillars given me 
by Mr. Browne, of Cambridge, and having subsequently swept 
three more from Galium verum, I watched them carefuilly, 
and found that they never touched the flowers of the plant, 
but fed entirely on the young seed-vessels and their stalk, as 
soon as the flower was off. I have had three in my sweeping- 
net at once from Galium verum in this condition. Why is it 
that A. sulphuralis, A. rubricata and A. sinuata are almost 
confined to the sandy districts in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk 
and Norfolk, their food-plants being of far more general 
occurrence? I conjecture, in answer to this question, that 
these larve are all feeble, and cannot enter the ground where 
the soil is hard or stiff; hence their selection of a sandy 
locality. Has the larva of L. grisearia ever been found in a 
wild state on Erysimum cheiranthoides? J have seen and 
taken many on Sisymbrium Sophia.—[{Hev.| A. H. Wratis- 
law; School Hall, Bury St. Edmunds, August 31, 1871. 
Polia nigrocincta.—During the past week I have had the 
pleasure of taking two fine specimens of this insect from my 
breeding-box.—R. Kay; Bury, August 19, 1871. 
Butalis cicadella at Weybridge.—On Saturday, the Ist of 
July, I caught, I may say accidentally, an example of this 
exceedingly rare British species, on the heath, near Wey- 
bridge Station. 1 believe specimens have been taken by 
Mr. 8S. Stevens, but I know not the locality. The original 
individual was taken at Brandon, in Suffolk, many years 
since, by Mr. Dunning.—A. M‘Lachlan; Lewisham, July 
10, 1871.—E. M. M. 
Acentropus niveus._-I have this season discovered a spot 
for this small, local, and peculiar insect. Strange to say 
I had not observed it before, though it is not uncommon on 
several parts of the river. Has this season been an 
exceptional one for it in its usual haunts? Its flight is one 
of the most peculiar with which I am acquainted, as it never 
seems to leave the surface of the water, but swiftly flutters its 
tiny wings, and, in the dusk of evening, looks almost as if it 
was swimming about here and there. At such times it is 
only to be got with a water-net; but in the day-time it will 
be found settled on the under side of leaves, &c., close to the 
