THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 63 



completely destroyed on these slopes, and little scraps of 

 dried grass are flying all over the place ; it is evident that 

 the grub eats the roots of the grass, which then dies. This 

 is not the worst, for something, and I suppose it must be 

 these grubs, attracts hosts of those pests of the gardener — 

 starlings and sparrows, which are a perfect plague: my 

 gardener's son is popping away at them all day. Can you 

 send us a remedy for the grubs ? we will do our best to defeat 

 the birds. 1 do not take the ' Entomologist ;' but a friend 

 has told me you understand the subject, and will reply. — 

 X. Y. Z.; Raaboii. 



The grubs sent are the larvae of a small leaf-eating beetle, 

 familiarly known in Wales as the coch-y-bonddu : its 

 scientific name is Phyllopertha horlicola. It by no means 

 confines its mischievous doings to banks and slopes, but 

 works unseen in meadows and lawns. Starlings and sparrows 

 are especially fond of tliese grubs, and devour enormous 

 numbers. If you and your gardener will leave the grubs to the 

 tender mercies of the birds, you will find them settle matters 

 among themselves, and both will disappear simultaneously. 

 A similar communication has reached me from Scotland, and 

 a similar reply has been sent to the 'Field' newspaper, and 

 was published in that journal on the 17th of February. 



Vanessa UriiccB and V. lo in February. — I may inform 

 Mr. J. Potts, of Doncaster, and numerous other corre- 

 spondents on the same subject, that I do not consider it 

 anything unusual for hybernated specimens of these insects 

 to make their appearance in February ; but the following 

 notice is more remarkable. 



Pier is Rapm in February. — I have received a specimen of 

 this insect from Herefordshire, and another from Hampshire, 

 both early in February, without doubt vernal specimens. 



Division of Rows of Insects in Drawers. — Could you kindly 

 let me know if the drawers in a cabinet are divided with 

 wood, or the labels merely, as I have never seen a right 

 cabinet, and have no idea how to proceed in arrangement of 

 my insects. I do not understand Mr. Greene's explanation 

 in his book with regard to this. — Jolin Oliver ; 26, Mayfield 

 Place, Edinburgh. 



The rows of insects are totally undivided in my own 

 cabinet; and I have never seen wooden divisions in any 

 cabinet; but perpendicular lines are ruled in many cabinets 



