BRITISH NEUROPTERA IN 1916. 87 



BRITISH NEUROPTEEA IN 1916. 

 By W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. 



During the course of 1916 a considerable number of notes on 

 the British neuroptera came to hand from various sources. 

 Perhaps they contain little of special importance, as most of them 

 have reference only to date and place of occurrence; but since 

 the times and distribution of these insects in Britain are two of 

 the points on which information is desired, the records obtained 

 are, as a matter of fact, extremely useful. Any entomologist 

 who assists with such records in this and other less known orders 

 of insects is really doing necessary work in connection with the 

 science to which he is devoted. 



Alder-flies. — Personally I first captured examples of Sialis in 

 the New Forest on April 30th, which can scarcely be looked upon as 

 an early date for so warm a month ; but I perhaps missed seeing 

 them previously. S. lutaria, Linn., is usually the earlier of the 

 two British species of Sialis ; but Mr. E. South met with it as 

 well as the darker and much less common S. fuliginosa, Pict., 

 from the 1st to the 14th of June in the New Forest. 



Snake-flies. — On April 27th, Mr. G. T. Lyle bred a nice 

 female Raphidia notata, Fabr. This he gave to me, and 

 thoughtfully accompanied it by the cast larval and pupal skins. 

 Our knowledge of the life-history of Raphidia is gradually being 

 completed, and neuropterists have to thank Mr. Lyle for helping 

 considerably towards elucidating it. From June lst-14th, Mr. 

 South took several of the same species in the New Forest. 

 These were chiefly beaten from fir-bianches. From the beginning 

 of June and onwards to the 14th he also took several examples of 

 the much smaller R. mactdicoUis, Steph., in the Forest, in this 

 case beating them usually from hawthorn blossoms. One was 

 sent to him by Mr. G. Gulliver about July 24th — a late date 

 for the species, I should say, in the south of England. 



Brown Laoe-wings. — In the New Forest several specimens 

 of Osmylus chrysops, Linn., were taken from June lst-14th at 

 Hurst Hill and near the Victoria Tile-yard (South) ; two nice 

 examples were also secured on June 12th at Avonwater between 

 Holmsley and Sway (L. Balcomb). One specimen of Sisyra 

 fuscata, Fabr., was taken in the New Forest between the 1st and 

 14th of June (South). Of the genus Hemerubius, Linn., a 

 number of species have been noted : H. micans, Oliv., one, 

 June 8th-14th, New Forest (South) ; one, August 20th, Hurst 

 Hill (W. J. L.) ; H. nitidalus, Fabr., one, June l8t-14th. New 

 Forest (South), and one sent to him by G. Gulliver about 

 July 8th; H. hmmdi, Linn., two, June 8th-14th, New Forest 

 (South) ; H. subiiebulosus, Steph., one, June 8th-14th, New 

 JPorest (South) ; H. stigma, taken on the wing at Esher Common, 



