NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 95 
atmosphere and occasionally watered as the weather becomes warm. I once 
quoted the authority of a friend, in these pages, for saying that the larve 
sometimes fed on aspen ; but this was afterwards explained to be spoken of 
N. dict@a, so I here retract the error. Birch, as far as I know, is the only 
food.—(Rey.) B. Suira; Marlow, March 1, 1892. 
Revaxine Exortc Leprpoprura.—I should be much obliged for 
information as to the best method of relaxing Exotic Lepidoptera. I am 
supposing that they have been received in papers, and never set at all. Of 
course if they have been set, and the style is not approved, it is compara- 
tively easy to remedy it. My modus operandi hitherto has been this: I 
fill a vegetable dish with sand, which I damp, and on this place the butter- 
flies, sometimes making little furrows in the sand, in which I squeeze the 
bodies, with the idea that this damps and relaxes more effectually the 
muscles at the base of the wings. At other times I simply put the insects 
flat on the sand. I then cover the dish with the lid, and leave them. 
But I cannot say the proceeding is satisfactory, as, even after two or three 
days, such small species as the Catagrammas are seldom in a thoroughly 
relaxed condition, and the setting is a matter of much difficulty, often 
resulting in slit wings. Necessarily the time taken in relaxing an insect 
would vary with the size, and with the robustness of wing. What is con- 
sidered a proper average time for the process? I suppose the specimens 
can be so entirely relaxed as to be set with no greater trouble than freshly- 
killed insects. I shall be grateful for a few directions from those expe- 
rienced, instructing me as to the proper plan of effecting this.—JoszPH 
ANDERSON, JUN.; Chichester. 
QUERY RESPECTING GNats. — Can anyone kindly inform me of the 
best means of protecting oneself in the field against gnats, or the most 
effectual means of reducing the swelling and irritation resulting from 
their bites ?—W. Hewett; 12, Howard Street, York. 
CLearwines In NortH StTarrorDsHIrE.— Mr. Woodforde last year 
bred three Sesia sphegiformis from alder and birch shoots, and many S. 
bembeciformis from sallow shoots. The shoots were brought to him by the 
woodcutters, with the larve inthem. He also took asecond S. culiciformis, 
the first having been taken by him the previous year, when it was a record 
for this district. The only other Clearwings that we have so far taken in 
N. Staffordshire are Macroglossa bombyliformis, the common S. tipuliformis 
and S. apiformis.—( Rev.) ‘’. W. Datrry; Madeley Vicarage, Staffordshire. 
Nore on Suecar. — During the months of September, October and 
November sugar failed to attract even the commonest species, forming a 
remarkable contrast to the months of June, July and August, during which 
Noctuze were most abundant at sugar.—W. Hewerv. 
Nores on [rattan RuopaLocera.—On Sept. 12th, 1891, whilst picking 
the splendid Hibiscus roseus at Lago Massaccinccoli, near Viareggio, I found 
Polyommatus dispar var. rutilus (Wer.) abundant, and it appeared in good 
condition until Oct. lst. Lycena telicanus (Hb.), very common at Bagni 
di Lucca, in dry torrent-beds, on flowers of Hpilobium dodonai; it is 
common also here. Satyrus statilinus (O.), numerous at Bagi di Lucca, 
Viareggio, and at Massa. Charawes jasius (L.), at the mouth of the River 
Magra on Oct. 5th. Lycena cyllarus (Rott.), in gorges at Carrara,— Frank 
B, Norris; Massa, Carrara. 
