234 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
much more easily procured than the females. While the 
males occurred to us almost entirely by day, we found the 
females in great numbers at the gas-lamps at night, but 
hardly a male amongst them.—[Rev.] Hugh A. Stowell ; 
Breadsall Rectory, Derby, September 21, 1876. 
Swarm of Ants.—About a fortnight ago a swarm of ants— 
fourteen yards broad, and which took half an hour to pass 
—were observed by a neighbouring clergyman, whilst fishing 
in the Ouse in the next parish: thousands fell into the river, 
and were eagerly preyed on by the roach and dace. They 
were passing in a south-east direction.—[ Rev.] J. H. While; 
Hemingford Grey, St. Ives, Hunts, September 5, 1876. 
[Swarms of ants commonly take place about the middle of 
August,—a little earlier or later, according to the season. I 
have observed that these swarms take place usually after rain 
has fallen, and the air is moist and warm. The species that 
usually compose these large swarms belong to the division of 
stinging-ants—Myrmicide; and I should be inclined to 
believe that the swarm seen by the clergyman was composed 
of one of the following species:—Myrmica scabrinodis, 
M. ruginodis, or M. levinodis.—Frederick Smith. |] 
Journalist's Entomology.—Single strength helpless against 
multitudinous weakness, a nation powerless against a scourge 
of animalcule, is by this time an old spectacle. “The strong 
man, Kwasind,” was he not pelted to death by “the little 
people” on the river Taquamenaw? And the Abderites, had 
they not to desert their fatherland by reason of frogs? A 
fluffy little fly once devastated the pine forests of the Hartz ; 
and a moth of a certain kind laying its eggs among the hops 
will still drive Kent into fits. A fly with a partiality for turnips 
has set all the farmers of bucolic England swearing; and very 
lately indeed a beetle that preferred potatoes conyulsed the 
markets of the country. The “Oidium,” I see now, has 
appeared in strength in South Australia; and, unless the 
colony can defeat the insect, the cultivation of the vine 
will be retarded for many years to come. After all, though,. 
it is an old story. It was “ the little foxes” that ravaged the 
prophet’s vineyard.—The ‘ World, 
[The above cutting from the ‘ World, of September 6th 
(p. 13), is too rich to be lost. If we mistake not its author 
was, until recently, chairman of a Royal Natural History 
Society “Limited”!— Lud. ] 
