THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 159 



if well bniisecl, I have always found them sufficient for the 

 purpose. The moths I took here on ivy at the end of Octo- 

 ber were stiipified under a minute. (4). There is certainly a 

 little trouble in collecting and bruising fresh laurel-leaves, 

 but surel}' that is of small moment. (5). " The advantages," 

 &c. The alleged advantages are: — (1). That each box con- 

 tains only one moth, and therefore they cannot rub against 

 each other. But they can, and often do, rub against the box 

 itself, as is admitted. I believe that many a.polislied thorax 

 which meets the expectant gaze of the collector on the fol- 

 lowing morning, if left alive (which is Mr. Todd's second 

 recommendation), is due to 2i x>ns seal which takes place 

 during the night. (2). This, if correct, would, I at once 

 grant, be an unanswerable objection. But it is an error. If 

 a moth be killed by laurel-leaves, there will certainly be no 

 eggs; but if only stupified, and afterwards put into a box, it 

 will, if so " dispoged," lay its eggs just as readily after as 

 before the operation. Let me here add one valuable use of 

 the tin box, which I did not refer to in my first communica- 

 tion. Most collectors have probably experienced consider- 

 able difliculty in safely killing bred insects, especially Geo- 

 metrae. I mean supposing them to be killed with oxalic acid, 

 and not chloroform or ammonia. Of course an insect, to be 

 killed with oxalic or prussic acid, must first be pinned. This 

 is a very difficult operation to be performed successfully on 

 a delicate Geometra, if not first stupified. This is done so 

 admirably by means of the tin box that I should keep one or 

 two of them for this purpose alone. I have thus answered, 

 to the best of my ability, Mr. Todd's observations, which 

 are, I think, very much to the purpose. I feel 1 cannot but 

 admit that pill-boxes have many advantages, but I cannot 

 get over the " knocking about." Some insects do knock 

 about, more, I imagine, than the advocates of the pill-box 

 are willing to allow. What about the male Borabyces ? And, 

 further, who shall say how many insects, unknown to us, get 

 the cilia injured, or the wings slightly rubbed, while in the 

 durance vile of a pill-box .? — \_Rev.^ J. Greene ; 4, Cary Pa- 

 rade, Torquay, January 7, 18G5. 



99. Note on Dicrannra vinula. — As T can boast of a 

 pretty extensive acquaintance with this moth of historic 

 celebrity, I may venture to offer a few remarks upon its 

 habits and changes, supplementary to those at page 149 of 



