NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 261 



it is difficult to account for the holes, if not caused by the beetles. 

 I also have frequently found A. spinipes on the flower and seed- 

 heads of Centaurea nigra, but have connected them with the 

 presence of Aphides and small plant-bugs, which generally 

 abound. It is possible that the pollen or the milky condition of 

 seed was the real source of attraction. — Thomas H. Hart ; Park 

 Farm, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent. 



'The Entomologist' List. — A correspondent writes: — "In 

 your remarks anent this matter (Entom. xvii. 210) you speak of 

 the ' growing desire on the part of many British entomologists to 

 cast off their insular prejudices,' &c. May I ask what this means ? 

 Is it that it does not now matter whether a specimen or variety be 

 British or continental, and that the former are now of no more 

 value than the latter ? This would be very unpleasant for those 

 who have spent both time and money in order to make their 

 collections really British." I have already expressed my views 

 upon "British Lepidoptera " (Entom. xv. Ill), and these 

 opinions I still hold. My remarks above quoted do not in any 

 way intend to express the opinion that those who choose to 

 study only British insects should be dissuaded from making such 

 veritable collections. On the other hand, frequent applications 

 for advice (especially since the publication of Dr. Lang's fine 

 work on the European butterflies) as to where to obtain other 

 than British species of Lepidoptera, induce me to repeat that 

 such " growing desire " to study those Lepidoptera closely 

 allied to species which occur in this country, and indeed the 

 whole European fauna, exists among many British entomolo- 

 gists. — John T. Carrington ; Savage Club, Savoy, London, 

 W.C., October 8, 1884. 



Acherontia atropos at Earls Colne. — Acherontia atropos 

 has been found in some quantity in small lots of potatoes grown 

 in this village. Some few were brought me in both larval and 

 chrysalid state. I hear that many more have been seen, and met 

 with an untimely end. A few fine specimens have emerged. — 

 J. A. Tawell; Earls Colne, Essex. 



Laphygma exigua near Basingstoke. — On August 17th, 

 whilst sugaring on some hurdles dividing two fields near 

 Basingstoke, I took a lovely specimen of Laphygma exigua, 



