66 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



capsules of Stellar'm holostea. I have somewhere read or heard 

 that some continental entomologist bred it from that plant. — 

 J. tl. Threlfall; Ashton, Preston, February, 1887. 



Larv^ of Myelois ceratoni^. — In October last a friend of 

 mine had a sack of rice-cones, in which many reddish larvse were 

 feeding, which produced about fifty fine Myelois ceratonice during 

 November and December last. — W. Thompson ; 183, Stantonbury, 

 Stoney Stratford, Bucks, February 7, 1887. 



Favourable Nights for Sugaring. — I have frequently 

 noticed, particularly last October, that moths come freely to sugar 

 during great gales of wind blowing south-west. On such stormy 

 evenings (sometimes accomj)anied with heavy rain) I have 

 ventured out, and been most successful. Though not at all a 

 comfortable or an easy experiment, I recommend entomologists 

 to try " sugaring " in a gale of wind. The following are a few 

 captures on stormy nights only : — Agriopis aprilina (several), 

 Xylina socia {petrificata), Anchocelis lunosa, A. lltura, Scopelosoma 

 satellitia, Miselia oxyacanthcB, and many other common species. 

 On my return from town, October 8th, I took a male specimen of 

 Heliothis armigera at sugar, which is ray second capture of this 

 species ; the first in 1878 ; but I know of no other from this 

 district.— J. M. Adye ; Somerford Grange, Christchurch. 



Preserving Insects. — Between three and four years ago, in 

 spite of a good supply of camphor which was always kept in my 

 boxes, I lost some hundreds of specimens of insects through the 

 attacks of those horrid pests, the mites, finding on some of the 

 boards little else but a heap of dust, where a sliort time before no 

 traces of mites were to be seen. With regard to Mr. Dannatt's 

 note (Entom. 43), I feel great pleasure in giving the particulars 

 he asks concerning the use of corrosive sublimate, which may 

 prove welcome to others of your readers at the same time. 

 There are two ingredients only,— twelve grains of powdered 

 corrosive sublimate dissolved in two ounces of methylated spirits 

 of wine, or forty-eight grains dissolved in half a pint of the 

 spirit. This will be found the exact strength for the purpose of 

 preserving specimens. With regard to the use of the poison, 

 pour the mixture into a shallow basin, or any vessel of this 

 description ; then take the insect, which must be quite dry, by 

 the pin with a pair of forceps, and hold it completely sub- 



