THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 463 



insect when at rest ; but when the insect is killed the con- 

 tinuity of this dark streak is destroyed by the erected crest, 

 the dai'k edges of which then form a collar on the front of the 

 thorax, I tried several different plans of killing the insects, 

 in the hope that a natural position could be obtained, but 

 cyanide, laurel leaves, oxalic acid, &c., all had the same 

 effect, and the naturally projected crest could not be made 

 to look life-like, for at the best it looked ragged and distorted 

 after the insect was " set," and in no case could I make it 

 point forward as much as in the living moth, for it seemed to 

 be contracted as soon as life was extinct in the specimen. — 

 G, B. Corhin. 



Phytometra (Bnea (Entom. vi. 412). — It is no uncommon 

 thing to meet with this pi'eity little insect upon the heaths of 

 the New Forest in May. The earliest date I have entered in 

 my diary for its capture is May 6th, and I am sure I have 

 seen it even earlier than that. The species seems to be on 

 the wing nearly the whole of the summer, for I have seen it 

 in the spring when 1 have been looking for Argiolus, and it 

 was also out in July and August, when the oak-loving Thecla 

 Quercus calls us forth to the very pleasurable forest rambles, 

 and when a good chase after Anaitis plagiata in the sunshine 

 causes one to sit down and rest; and the lively little iEnea is 

 often present on such occasions, dodging about almost invi- 

 sibly or settling almost under your nose. — Id. 



The Production of Honeydew. — I have carefully watched 

 the first formation of honeydew in the lime during this and 

 the two preceding weeks, and am satisfied that its first 

 appearance is wholly independent of insect agency. In each 

 week, on the accession of hot and sunny weather, the upper 

 surface of the leaves, inclusive of those on the extreme 

 branches, become very uniformly speckled with honeydew, 

 the specks appearing on the tumid spaces between the 

 venules, and seldom exceeding one-tenth of an inch in 

 diameter. These were washed away by the first shower, and 

 reappeared with the returning hot sun. In the first week it 

 was difficult to find an Aphis anywhere on these limes, and 

 such as 1 found were solitary, very innnature, and confined to 

 the lower surface of the leaves. On the extreme twigs, the 

 leaves of which projected some feet beyond the rest of the 

 foliage, and which leaves were equally speckled, scarcely an 

 Aphis was to be seen. During the last week and this the 



