280 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



H. Douglas Smart : A. Z. Ward, 4th London General Hospital, 

 S.E. 5, October 13th, 1917. 



Note on Egg-laying of Tortrix pronubana. — This species 

 lays its eggs in flat patches on the upper surface of the euonymus 

 leaf. I recently watched an unpaired $ laying on glass. She stood 

 over the patch already laid, waving lier abdomen from side to side 

 rhythmically and slowly. The abdominal segments were extended 

 and retracted as the extremity felt its way backwards and forwards 

 along the edge of the patch. The orifice was dilated, but no external 

 ovipositor was brought into use, being of course unnecessary. The 

 eggs appeared at the orifice at intervals of one to two minutes, as 

 bright green, flaccid spheres. At the moment of laying each egg was 

 pushed under the edge of the patch and moulded into position under 

 the still flaccid side of a previously laid egg. As the egg finally left 

 the passage it was accompanied by a gush of bright green liquid. 

 This liquid rapidly sets, though that covering each row of eggs remains 

 sufficiently soft for the introduction of the next row. The final 

 result is a roughly circular patch of eggs, each row overlapping the 

 next further from the centre, the whole covered by a green varnish. 

 The varnish is much thicker in recently laid masses than in older 

 ones exposed to the weather, suggesting that it may be more or less 

 dissolved by rain. The old egg-masses very easily become detached 

 from the leaves, but retain their connection with each other and 

 hatch out in due course. — H. Douglas Smart i Escrick Park, York. 



AcRONYCTA ALNi IN OXFORDSHIRE. — It may be of interest to record 

 the capture of a single specimen of the larva of Acronycta aim near 

 Milton in Oxfordshire during the last week of August, as I do not 

 think this sj)ecies is of regular occurrence in that locality. Its proper 

 food plant is, of course, Alder, but this specimen w'as resting exposed 

 on a hawthorn bush to which it had probably wandered in search of its 

 rightful food which grew at some distance from the spot. Its bright 

 warning coloration attracted my attention from a considerable 

 distance. — Courtenay Lodge; Sutton Courtenay, near Abingdon, 

 Berks. 



Polygonia c-album in Shropshire. — Polijgonia c-album has 

 been plentiful in this part of Shropshire of late. Since about 1887, 

 when I first remember seeing the species commonly, I have seen one 

 or two specimens most years, though never taken or allowed any 

 specimen to be taken in my garden ; but this year, after one or two 

 on July 16th and 22nd, I saw no more of it until September 4th, from 

 which date the numbers increased daily on rotting plums, and on 9th 

 and 10th eight were seen at one time ; since then the weather cooled 

 down and became changeable and I saw few until last week, when 

 three or four re-appeared on Saturday and four yesterday. To-day at 

 least seven were here, as I counted that number at one time, amid 

 numerous Pyrameis atalanta, on rotten plums, Vanessa io and A. 

 nrticce, equally common, stick to the flowers. One of the specimens 

 — a very light dull-coloured variety — has become very worn, but the 

 others look bright and fresh still. A male and female were taken by 

 ix friend of mine near Shrewsbury on September 29th. I don't 



