190 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Continent. It has all the appearance of an Abdera, but may be 

 distinguished by its long spurs, and from any genus in this 

 group by their unequal development, those on the interme- 

 diate tibite being the longest. The only species, A. fuscula, is 

 of a unicolorous brown, with pale pubescence. Two speci- 

 mens were recently taken by Mr. Brewer, one of which 

 passed into the hands of Mr. Janson, and the other is in the 

 British Museum. These specimens were named Hallomenus 

 fnscus, GylL, from a comparison with two specimens of Dr. 

 Power's, which are, I believe, the only authority for the 

 insect: these two he has kindly allowed me to examine; 

 both are unquestionably identical with my own, and, as I 

 conceive, with the Anisoxya fuscula, III. — G. R. Crotch ; 

 University Library, Catnbridge. 



121. Mildness of the Temperature at Torquay. — The fol- 

 lowing two or three facts offer a curious illustration of the 

 extremely mild temperature of this place. Through the kind- 

 ness of friends last summer I received eggs of the following 

 species :-7— Petasia cassinea, Ptilophora plumigera, and Xan- 

 thia aurago. On casually examining the box containing the 

 first-named, tlia last iveek in January, I was amazed to 

 find two larva? crawling about. Never dreaming of their 

 hatching so soon, I had, up to this time, very foolishly kept 

 them in a warm room. They, in company with the others, 

 were then immediately transferred to the coldest place 1 

 could find. But it was no use : hatch they would. I need 

 scarcely say that, at this early period of the year, there was 

 not the slightest chance of procuring any elm, which, when 

 at large, I have found to be their favourite food. Being, 

 however, extremely anxious to rear the insect, I tried Various 

 things. First, I offered them \vAZ.e\-Jlowers : no use. Then 

 I bruised the buds ; but they would not touch them. A little 

 later on I gave them flowers of wych-elm, and then lilac ; 

 but with the like result. During this time fourteen out of 

 eighteen perished. At length I hit upon the following plan : 

 — I procured catkins of sallow, then about the size of a pea, 

 and split them in two lengthwise. I had at last discovered 

 the right thing. The remaining four took kindly to this 

 food, and one of them is now (March 20th) nearly half full- 

 fed ! I am still obliged to feed them on the catkins, as there 

 are no leaves yet. It is rather troublesome work, as they 



