301 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Orthoptera at Sugar. — Referring to Mr. W. J. Lucas's note 

 (Entom. Oct. 1900, p. 266), I can add that during a collecting expedi- 

 tion to South Devon at the end of August and the early part of 

 September last, Orthoptera were frequent visitors to my "sugar." No 

 less than five species occurred, of which, next to Forjicula auncularia, 

 the most plentiful species was Leptophyes punctatissiuia, of which I saw 

 as many as half a dozen or more on one evening ; and very striking 

 they appeared sipping the sweets among, and as greedily as, the Lepi- 

 doptera. Next in point of numbers came the fine Locnsta viridissi»ui, 

 followed in smaller numbers by Meconema varia and Kctobia panzeri, 

 of both of which there were at least several. The genus Stenobothnis 

 was evidently not attracted, as, although -S'. bicolor abounded every- 

 where, I never saw one actually on the sugar. Xiphiduun dorsale was 

 not uncommon on marshy ground, and it probably would have been 

 attracted if "sugar" had been used in its immediate vicinity, which 

 it was not. — Geo. T. Porritt ; Crosland Hall, near Huddersfield, 

 Oct. 5th, 1900. 



Variety of Forficula auricularia. — Mr. F. B. Jennings has shown 

 me a variety of F. auricularia which he took from under bark on an 

 old hawthorn at Box Hill on August 5th last. It is small and very 

 dark, almost as dark as A. annuiipes. In the type the body is chestnut, 

 the elytra paler, and the legs yellow. This one is almost unicolorous, 

 the tint being a very dark brown-black. — W. J. Lucas; Oct. 15th, 1900. 



Flatoides, a Remarkable Instance of Protective Coloration. 

 [Rhynchota.] — In 1895 Brongniart called attention to a series of 

 Flatoides dealbatiis in the Paris Museum, from Madagascar,"^' as a re- 

 markable instance of protective coloration. Among the more recent 

 additions to the exponents of mimicry and protective resemblance 

 arranged by Mr. Waterhouse in the Central Hall of the British Museum 

 (Natural History) are some specimens of the above-mentioned species 

 in situ. The harmony of these Fulgorids with their environment — 

 lichens and mosses on the bark of certain trees — is admirable, and 

 specially noteworthy are the apparent differences in the sculpturing of 

 the elytra of various individuals — some quite smooth, others very 

 rough, almost tuberculated — differences really due (as Mr. Waterhouse 

 pointed out to the writer) to an optical illusion. This interesting 

 genus occurs in Madagascar, New Guinea, and probably the greater 

 portion of the Oriental Region. — G. W. Kirkaldy. 



Monograph of the Membracid.e. — Messrs. Lovell Reeve I'c Co. 

 have in preparation a monograph of the Membracidce, a remarkable 

 group of Homopterous insects which have not received the attention 

 their peculiar and diverse forms deserve. The author is Mr. George 

 Bowdler Buckton, F.R.S., F.L.S., who will be glad to hear, through 

 the publishers, from entomologists and others who have specimens 

 which they have reason to believe are as yet unknown to science. 



''•'■ "Notesur les Homopteres du genre Flatoides, Guerin " (Bull. Mus. 

 Paris, No. 3, pp. 1-4 [? sep.j). 



