200 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



at the beginning of June, on days when smart showers fell 

 and a keen north-east wind blew in gusts, these insects were 

 about, when most of the Lepidoptera were hidden under the 

 leaves or amongst the grass. Some imagos were out the last 

 week in May, and fresh specimens were still appearing up to 

 the 15th of June, when the species ceased to be under my 

 observation. Venilia maculata, which was later in emergence 

 than its average, was numerous about the same time as 

 Degeerella ; but this Geometer had finished its career by the 

 middle of June. — J. R. S. Clifford ; 59, Robert Street, 

 Chelsea, July 18, 1872. 



Habits of Bombyx neustria. — The larvas of this species 

 can hardly be said to be more than semi-gregarious in their 

 habits. From one batch of eggs it will often be found that 

 several parties have originated, and these are not united by 

 any close band of connexion, for stragglers will be found of 

 various ages, though they seem to prefer to form a web in 

 common until they have undergone the last ecdysis. No 

 irritating effect is produced by the hairs of these larvae, so far 

 as I can ascertain, nor does the pulverulent matter interwoven 

 in the cocoon affect the human skin. B. neustria has gradually 

 become more common in various places near London; and it 

 is very noticeable that wherever this species is pretty plentiful 

 Liparis auriflua is less abundant on the hawthorn. — Id. 



On Hunting for Larva. — It is no wonder that some ento- 

 mologists do not care to pursue the plan of obtaining larvae 

 by beating or sweeping the foliage, for though it yields an 

 abundant, but very miscellaneous, return, it cuts us off from 

 observing the habits of the species we thus obtain, and many 

 objects of interest we entirely miss. Moreover, it is not a 

 pleasant reflection that, as the inevitable result of the appli- 

 cation of the beating-stick, you leave behind, as you pass 

 along the hedges or wood " ridings," a trail of "squashed" 

 insects of all sorts. To those who hunt by eye and hand, it 

 is some assistance to watch the proceedings of parasitic 

 Ichneumons belonging to the Hymenopterous order, for 

 wherever these are seen running rapidly upon the leaves, or 

 along the twigs, it is most probable that Lepidopterous larvae 

 are not far off. The Diptera which attack larvae are not so 

 frequently to be noticed in their operations, as they usually 

 poise themselves in the air until they descend to oviposit 

 on a victim. — Id. 



