42 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



for the first supply of larvae of this beautiful insect, and, 

 profiting by it, 1 went at the end of September to a hedge in 

 Kent, composed principally of dogwood, and collected a 

 large number, which were then nearly full-fed. The mined 

 leaves were placed on fine earth in a flower-pot, and covered 

 with a glass cylinder : as the larvae cut out their cases the 

 leaves were removed. The pot was kept exposed to the full 

 influence of the weather, till the emergence of the moths in 

 July, when I reared a large number. — William Machin ; 

 22, Argyle Road, Carlton Square, E., January 24, 1878. 



The British Hkmiptkra-Homoptera. — While agreeing 

 generally with what Dr. Power has said (Entom. xi. 2), 1 yet 

 take exception to his deterrent remark, that of the British 

 Homoptera " we have scarcely even a satisfactory catalogue, 

 much less description, of those which are known." All the 

 species of Cicadaria and PsyUina known up to 1876 to 

 inhabit Britain are included in the synonymic 'Catalogue of 

 British Hemiptera,' published by the Entomological Society 

 of London in that year ; and, except the oldest and well- 

 known species, all have been described in the ' Entomologist's 

 Monthly Magazine' and the 'Transactions of the Entomolo- 

 gical Society.' With respect to the Aphidina, Mr. Buckton's 

 'Monograph of the British Aphides,' published by the Ray 

 Society in 1876, is a good contribution to our knowledge; 

 and when this is completed all that will be wanting will be a 

 proper list and descriptions of the few British Coccina and 

 Pediculitia. There exist, therefore, abundant guides for 

 those who are disposed to leave the beaten track, and work 

 in a field that offers rich inducements to investigators. — 

 J. W. Douglas; 8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham, January 5, 

 1878. 



Blotched Holly-leaves. — T in no way exaggerate if I 

 say that quite fifty per cent, of the holly-leaves that came 

 under my notice last year were blotched by Phytouiyza 

 ohscurella, Fallen. 1 noticed this in many localities, boll) in 

 Essex and Middlesex. When these affected leaves were 

 used in church or room decorations they soon had a very 

 scorched and withered appearance. This year I have scarcely 

 seen a single holly-leaf tenanted by the Phytomyza. The 

 meteorological conditions were probably unfavourable for the 

 oviposition of the little dipteron, although they were so 

 favourable for the flowering and fruiting of its food-plant. 

 The fly emerges in May and June, a little later than the 



