NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 20B 



which I obtained five specimens by sweeping on the top of the 

 clifis ; 7'. vespertina, Loew. ; Urellia eluta, Meig., one specimen 

 only — this species is in italics in Mr. Verrall's list; U. stellata, 

 Fuessl. ; Pteropoectriafrondescentice, L. ; n-nd Rivelliasyngenesice, 

 Fab. Although the only water near consisted of tiny streams 

 and small horse or duck ponds, yet I obtained a series of 

 Stratiomys chanueleon on the flower-heads of angelica ; and in 

 the garden of the cottage, on the raspberries, Oxycera pulchella, 

 Meig., occurred, but was diflicult to capture, it was so skittish. 

 I obtained some very good Muscidse, Tachinidae, &c., but these 

 I have referred to elsewhere ; and also the following among 

 others — Oncomyia atra, F., PhysocepJiala rufipes, F., Anthrax 

 paniscus, Rossi, Dysmachus trigomis, Mg., Chrysotoxuni festivum, 

 L., Actina tibialis, Mg., and a great number of other species, 

 many still unidentified, so that it is impossible to attempt a 

 complete list of my captures in this order. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Gynandrous Specimens of Amphidasys betularia. — From a batch 

 of ova deposited by a New Forest female of Amphidasys betularia, taken 

 in June, 1900, we have bred, during May this year, twenty-one males, 

 forty females, and seven gynandrous specimens. One of the males has 

 its antennae only very slightly pectinated ; otherwise both the males 

 and the females are fairly normal in appearance, but hardly as large as 

 the parents. Of the gynandrous specimens, four have male anteniife 

 on the right, and three on the left side. The larvae were kept indoors 

 for a few days when newly hatched, and then sleeved on birch till full- 

 grown. Is it not altogether unusual for such a number of gynandrous 

 specimens to appear in one brood ? With the idea of seeing if the 

 tendency to produce these abnormal forms was continued in tlie 

 ordinary specimens of the brood, an attempt was made to pair two of 

 the latter, but it was unsuccessful, and unfortunately they were the 

 last to emerge. — A. Harrison ; H. Main ; 72, Windsor Road, Forest 

 Gate, Essex. 



The Buff Variety of Amphidasys betularia. — In reply to Mr. 

 Ainslie Hill [ante, p. 180), I do not think this form has disappeared for 

 the last twenty years, except that there is no record of its having been 

 bred ; but during the lifetime of the late Mr. John Thorpe, be never 

 seemed at a loss to produce specimens of the buff variety. Wliere did 

 they come from ? It is curious to note all the specimens are appa- 

 rently bred ; and Lancashire collectors could now produce this form 

 without all the wonderful crossing mentioned (Entom. xxii. 163). 

 Mr. Thorpe was connected with the cotton industry, in which large 

 quantities of chlorine are used for bleaching purposes. All Messrs. 

 Lomas and Fielding had to do was to rear and breed the betularia pups 

 in the bleaching-room, when lo ! and behold ! buff vars. appeared, 



