THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 165 
before in Hampshire, or am | now adding a new locality for 
it ?—J. Anderson, jun. 
Dianthecia Albimacula——Two specimens, a male and a 
female, of this lovely species, were caught near Folkestone, 
on the 11th ult., by Mr. Purday, of that town. They are now 
in my possession, and are not yet dry. No others have been 
taken up to this date-—H. G. Meek; 56, Brompton Road, 
S.W., June 15, 1874. 
Geometer Larve Eating Oak-galls.—A day or two ago I 
happened to find some galls (of which Lenclose two specimens), 
of what I presume is Cynips lignicola (s. Kol/arz), in a young 
state of development, on some oaks near here. On arriving 
at home I deposited some of these temporarily in a glass jar 
containing a few Geometrine larve, of what species | cannot 
say. On looking again at them in the evening I was surprised 
to find these larve busy eating into the soft, succulent mass 
of the young gall, and apparently enjoying this strange 
repast. Whether this habit has been observed before I cannot 
say, but I have brought it before the notice of readers of the 
‘Entomologist’ in the hope of acquiring further information 
on the subject.—W. A. Forbes; 35, South Castle Street, 
Edinburgh, June 4, 1874. 
Congeries of Diptera.—Reading an article in the ‘ Ento- 
mologist’ (Entom. vii. 14), on “ Insect Congeries,” reminded 
me of a remarkable instance which came under my observation 
at Whitmore Park about thirty years ago. In a newly-built 
wing of this house, in one room, I discovered an infinite 
number of small flies, of which I preserved some specimens, 
hoping to obtain a name. So numerous were they, that after 
fumigating the room with tobacco, which quickly brought 
down the insects from walls and ceiling, they lay so thickly 
on the floor that they were removed by shovelfulls at a 
time. I did not perceive them in any other room in the 
house, and to my knowledge have never seen the insect since. 
The specimens, I believe, are damaged by mites; but if you 
could name it, from those I enclose, I should be much 
obliged.—F’. J. Phillips; Whitmore Park, Coventry, June 
8, 1874. 
[The little flies are Chlorops lineata. This habit of 
assembling in vast numbers has often been recorded; 
indeed, Mr. Walker has mentioned it in his ‘Diptera 
