207 



•wide and 2 lines long) was closed by the larva inclosed in it the latter end of the fol- 

 lowing week, by spinning a film of silk within it. 



P.S. Sept. 17. Since writing the above I was speaking yesterday to one of the 

 workmen about the bee above mentioned, when he told me that he saw a wasp or some- 

 thing like a wasp go in and come out again from the hole the preceding week. I took 

 out the piece of wood, and found the cell last alluded to deserted, and a hole in it large 

 enough for the bee to make its escape from the habitation of its youthful days. I must 

 take measures to prevent the escape of those remaining behind. — James Bladon ; Pont- 

 ypool, Sept. 17, 1841. 



105. Aphis of the Turnip. In July, 1837, 1 sent a short note to 'The Naturalist' 

 on the turnip-fly, about which there was then a good deal of discussion: I there men- 

 tioned three distinct insects which fed on and destroyed the turnips. Two of these, 

 the larvae of Athalia spinarura and Allica nemorum are mentioned by others, and de- 

 stroy chiefly the young plants ; but the third I have seen no notice of since then, al- 

 though it is probably more provokingly destructive (from its attacking the larger plants 

 which are usually considered safe) though more partial than either of the others. It 

 is an Aphis, I believe Brassicee ; it remains on the underside of the leaf, which turns 

 yellow. It was first mentioned to me by my friend Dr. Storer, of Nottingham, as hav- 

 ing occurred at Hawksworth in the same county a few years ago, in September. He 

 says " the rain did not affect them, owing to their being on the under side of the leaf. 

 He observed them one evening late in September in immense swarms in the air, near 

 his residence ; in such numbers indeed were they, that they might be taken in hand- 

 fuls from the windows, where some few ! of them settled." I had almost forgotten 

 the substance of that notice, when a short time ago I was talking to a very intelligent 

 farmer near Retford, in Nottinghamshire, on the turnip-fly, and I then asked him if 

 he ever remembered anything of the kiud ; to which he replied that he had good rea- 

 son to do so, as he had lost many acres of fine turnips by them : and he added that he 

 was by no means singular, as most of the farmers in that district had suffered in a si- 

 milar manner. He said it was a small green fly with long wings, like the blight on 

 rose-bushes, and remained on the under side of the leaf; evidently from this descrip- 

 tion an Aphis. Watering the plants did no good ; and he suggested dusting the un- 

 der parts with soot or lime ; the latter would, I should think, be most likely to prove 

 efficacious. In his district they appeared about 1835 or 6, about the time mentioned 

 by Dr. Storer. I should not have troubled you with this communication, but no no- 

 tice having been taken of it by any correspondent of ' The Naturalist,' and having 

 received an unexpected confirmation of the fact I had mentioned, I have thought it 

 better to lay the subject before your readers, as I am anxious for any information which 

 may lead to a better knowledge of its habits, or of the means best calculated to rid the 

 farmers of such a pest, for pest it is, although occuring only occasionally. — Beverley 

 R. Morris, A.B., M.D. ; York, September 17, 1841. 



106. Aphis of Alisma. Found in groups on young shoots of that plant in July and 

 August. The colour of the body is dark green, that of the legs slightly paler. — F. 

 Walker ; Grove Cottage, South'jate, September 17, 1841. 



107. Aphis of the Lettuce. On the roots of the lettuce, in July. — Id. 



108. Aphis of the Potato. On the flowers of the potato in July. The hairy leaves 

 are not infested by this insect. — Id. 



109. Musquito Cave, (extracted from Pagefs ' Travels in Hungary ^ ). Soon after 

 passing Babakay, the boatman pointed out to us a cavern, halfway up the mountain 



