NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 257 



believe that the cocoons were the cause of my discomfiture. On 

 one occasion, when I had been clearing a few empty ones out of a 

 breeding-cage, my agony was so intense that I rushed off, almost 

 in a state of temporary insanity, to a surgeon, and he assured 

 me that it was nothing but " pure nettle-rash," and put me 

 through a course of medicine accordingly ! Since then, I have 

 been convinced, without the shadow of a doubt, what was the 

 real cause of the " pure nettle-rash." Quite recently I took up 

 a small tin box, in which was the remains of a cocoon, and, 

 knowing what would be the result if I carelessly emptied it, I 

 took what I thought ample precautions— I held the box at arm's 

 length and cleared it out with my penknife, but, nevertheless, in 

 a few minutes the old symptoms appeared, though not in quite so 

 virulent a form. I forthwith had some boiling water poured into 

 the box, and mentally resolved to have nothing more to do with 

 Liparis chrysorrhcea in the pupa state. Being now so well 

 acquainted with the effects, I feel what I hope is a pardonable 

 curiosity to know a little more of the cause, and should feel 

 extremely grateful to any one for enlightenment. — Geo. Balding; 

 Euby Street, Wisbech, September 3, 1884. 



[Perhaps one of our medical correspondents will throw light 

 on this subject. Do minute hairs stick into the ducts of the 

 skin-gland, or are they sharp enough to go right through the 

 epithelium ? — Ed.] 



Peculiarities of the present Season. — Several divergences 

 from the usual order in the changes of Lepidoptera have this 

 year come under my notice. They may prove interesting to 

 other entomologists, who may be able to account for some 

 of them. Last year I had some ova of Endromis versicolor, 

 which hatched June 1st. The larvae made their first change on 

 June 8th; their second on June 19th, 20th; their third on June 

 29th; their fourth on July 9th, 10th, 11th. One died, but the 

 remainder spun up from July 22nd to August 5th. One fine 

 male emerged, March 16th; and another on the 22nd of the 

 same month. The others have refused to do likewise, and 

 remain still healthy pupse, purposing, I trust, to come forth 

 next spring. Is this mode of procedure not common to E. 

 versicolor ? Last year I also bred some Dicranura vinula from 

 eggs, three of which spun up in due time. Two of them 



ENTOM. — NOV., 1884. 2 L 



