NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 295 



having been lately taken in England ; but Stephens mentions it 

 as having been abundant at Southend ; and this, as being a mari- 

 time locality, agrees perhaps with the locality from which I always 

 receive it, viz., the shores of the Solvvay Firth, near Dumfries. It 

 seems never to be found away from the sea, and in general form 

 and appearance is so like P. cochlearice that it might be open to 

 question whether it is not merely a race of this insect modified by 

 a maritime life and different food. The first three species of 

 Phceclon (if we perhaps partially except P. tumidulum, which is 

 found on many different plants) apparently feed on cruciferous 

 plants of various kinds ; it would, however, appear that Phcedon 

 concinnum cannot possibly obtain such food. I wrote to Mr. W. 

 Lennon, of Dumfries, who has been most kind in supplying me 

 with specimens of this species, and asked him if he could tell me 

 anything about it, and I cannot do better than quote his letter : — 

 " I am sorry," he says, " that I cannot say with certainty what 

 really is the food-plant of Phceclon concinnum. I find them all 

 along the Solway for about ten miles, and I always find them on 

 the fine, short, green pastoral grass, peculiar to the salt-marsh ; 

 in short there are no other plants about, except here and there 

 patches of the sea-pink. As a rule, I never find them beyond the 

 I'ange of the salt water." Mr. Lennon goes on to say that 

 although he has kept them alive with a sod of this grass for four 

 months he has never noticed them feeding. The evidence as to 

 its food-plant is therefore entirely negative. 



A good deal more might perhaps be said on this group, but I 

 hope that what has been said may help to simplify matters, and 

 not make a confusion, which is as great as an^^ I have ever come 

 across in entomological nomenclature, — a " confusion worse con- 

 founded." I am quite aware that much I have said may be open 

 to criticism, and shall be only too glad if any one else will throw 

 a little more light upon the subject. 



Lincoln, November 16, 1881. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES, CAPTURES, &c. 



CoLiAs Edusa at Maldon. — On September 2Gth I caught a 

 fresh female Colias Edusa, which was flying very weakly about 

 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a few minutes only after a very heavy 



