274 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



beginning of October and the latter in July. — W. Pordey ; 

 132, Dover Road, Folkestone. 



British Hymenoptera, — Among other less common 

 Hyuienoplera, 1 have taken here this year, Myrniicisa 

 Latreiliii, female and male, and one male of Sleiiamvia 

 Wesiivoodii, — E. Capron, M.D., Shere, near Guildford, 

 October 15, 1878. 



LiBELLULiDiE IN LoNDON. — During the first week in last 

 Sejjlember I observed on more than one occasion several 

 dragon-flies sporting in the sunshine about raid-day, in 

 Oxford Street. — R. T. Gibbons; Ceciltyne House, Caven- 

 dish Road, Brondesbury, N.W. 



Parasite of Sphinx ligustri. — I have this summer bred 

 three fine specimens of Troyns lutorius from three pupae of 

 Sphinx ligustri. The metamorphosis took place within the 

 doomed pupa. On examining the pupa^ after the parasites 

 had emerged I found each of them about half-filled with 

 thick creamy-looking matter, but no indication of a parasitic 

 pupa-case. — G. C. Bignell; Stonehouse, Plymouth, No- 

 vember 6, 1878. 



Further Notes on Acrida viridissima. — Whilst staying 

 by the sea last August, at Pendower Castle, on the east coast 

 of Cornwall, I had ample opportunity of watching the habits 

 of this species of Orthoptera, which abounded everywhere in 

 the neighbourhood. I could not, however, discover satis- 

 factorily what they do in the daytime, but I think the males 

 spend it in a semi-dormant condition, whilst the females ai'e 

 engaged in procuring food. Such, at least, was the case with 

 a pair 1 kept alive for some time. As the night closes in, the 

 males crawl up the stalks of thistles, &c., taking their position 

 generally with their heads downwards, preparatory to their 

 nocturnal concert. Then the music begins, and all the 

 hedges and fields for a mile round seem really to "burst" 

 with the noise, causing the trees to almost tremble with the 

 echo cast upon them from the surrounding hills. After 

 sugaring, the sound used to be ringing in my ears for 

 hours. This peculiar noise is produced by rubbing together 

 two hard spots at the base of the elytra, and is in- 

 tensely shrill and piercing. They are very bold whilst thus 

 engaged, allowing one to get hold of the bu.sh in which they 

 are situated, dodging round the stalk if threatened by the 

 hand. I have no knowledge of the female making any sound 

 at all. When caught these insects are very ferocious, and 

 will bite one's hand with vigour. So angry, indeed, was one 



