154 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



examined from above (f. 17), even much beyond the apices of the 

 latter, but it is evident too that their edges at the angles incline 

 very strongly around, so that the real union with the claws takes 

 place farther back, and at least their apical third is free. The 

 empodium has on its upper surface two stout j;^itinous plates, 

 on the under surface (f. 17 a) two bristles. I^Issus a similar 

 structure is observed ; more than half of the claws, however, are 

 in this case free. 



To summarize: at least the exterior third and generally more, 

 or considerably more, than one-half of the claws are free, without 

 union with the empodia, which with a free portion extend anteriorly 

 between them, and whose free apical margin is rounded, truncated, 

 or at most slightly emarginate, never more deeply incised. Even 

 in dried specimens these characters — peculiar to this family — are 

 usually easily discernible. I have not found chitinised bands on 

 the under side, nor a process at the apex, as in the\;ercopidaB. 



(To be continued.) 



A PRELIMINAEY LIST OF THE LEPIDOPTERA OF 

 WEI-HAI-WEI. 



By Thomas Bainbridge Fletcher, R.N., F.E.S. 



On the 24th of May, 1898, the Union Jack was hoisted at 

 Wei-hai-wei, which from that date, though nominally " on 

 lease," has practically been a British colony. The principal 

 feature of our new possession is Leu-kung-tao, or the Island of 

 Leu-kung, lying roughly east and west, some three and a-half 

 miles long by a mile in extreme breadth, and rising to 600 ft. 

 (Centurion Hill) at the western end. The north side is steep 

 and abrupt, but the south side slopes down more gradually and 

 overlooks the harbour of Wei-hai-wei, which is some two miles 

 across. On the further side of the harbour is the mainland, 

 sweeping in a curve around the whole southern side of the 

 island ; it is for the most part hilly, the highest point (Mount 

 Goschen) rising to about 1800 ft. The hills themselves are 

 mostly rather bare, covered with loose jagged boulders, and 

 scantily clothed with grass and a few small bushes ; but their 

 slopes support a more luxuriant vegetation, consisting of small 

 firs and dwarf oaks, whilst in the valleys willow and alder are 

 plentiful. Nearly all the fairly level ground is under cultiva- 

 tion. There are few flowers, and this fact, with the absence 

 (except for a few willows) of trees of any size, gives the country, 

 at first sight, a rather dreary and barren appearance. The 

 climate is milder than at Pekin, the summer temperature only 

 for a short time exceeding 80° F. The rainfall during the 



