298 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



strongly rounded. The long bristles at the edge of the segment 

 are very numerous, some nineteen being situated close together, 

 the most ventral hair only being separated from the next by a 

 larger interspace. The eighth sternite (fig. 3) bears, close to the 

 apex, three long bristles on each side, besides one ventral bristle 

 which stands close to the others, and which is a little shorter 

 and thinner than the rest. On the lateral surface of the eighth 

 sternite there is a row of extremely small hairs, the hair nearest 

 the apical bristles being the longest. The sternite ends apically 

 in a large hairy membranous flap. This flap is very different 

 from those found in C. gallime and C. fringillce, but its exact out- 

 line cannot, unfortunately, be made out from the slide. There 

 is only one long bristle near the insertion of the movable finger 

 (fig. 2, F.). The finger (fig. 2, f.) is somewhat similar in shape 

 to that of C. gallince, it is completely rounded at the apex, and 

 differs conspicuously from the allied species in the size and 

 arrangement of the bristles. There is one bristle at its apex, 

 being about as long as the finger is wide in the middle. Close 

 beneath it there is a short pointed spine followed by a spine-like 

 bristle which is about half the length of the long apical one. A 

 similar bristle is placed further down. Length 2*7 mm. 



The type and only known specimen of this new species was 

 taken by Mr. C. W. Dale, at Glanvilles Wootton, Dorsetshire, 

 from the nest of a wood-pigeon, some years since. 



PROBABLE ORIGIN OF CORNISH PLUSIA NL 

 By H. Guard Knaggs, M.D., F.L.S. 



In the November number of the 'Entomologist,' p. 277, an 

 editorial note occurs to the effect that " Plusia hrassicce, Riley, is 

 rather larger in size and browner in colour than P. ni, and that 

 it would be interesting to know to which form the Penzance speci- 

 mens are referable, as this might afford a clue to their origin." 



Let me first call attention to papers in ' The Entomologist's 

 Annual' for 1868, pp. 67-8, and note, p. 96, and for 1869, pp. 68 

 and 69, and note, p. 82, wherein my old friend the late Frederick 

 Smith, of hymenopterous fame, gives an account of a wasp of the 

 genus Polistes which was caught by a lady at Penzance in the 

 summer of 1866, and again in 1867. Three specimens were taken 

 and several others were seen at the same time, and my friend 

 remarked upon the close resemblance to Polistes biguttatus — a 

 South American insect — and suggested the possibility of its 

 being an imported species. 



Mr. Smith says that his correspondent undertook to make 

 every enquiry as to what vessels had entered the harbour from 

 America. In July last he received the following information : — 



