7528 Insects. 



An enlarged view of the saw and ovipositor of the female is given 

 at fig. 10 ; the saw is lighter in colour, and has teeth on its free edge 

 arising from the projecting margin of its divisions. The ovipositor 

 itself is curved, and, as well as the saw, is traversed by diagonal lines, 

 giving it the appearance of being divided into separate plates.* 



Habits of Nyssia zonaria, and Offer of Specimens. — Nyssia zonaria is very abundant 

 this spring : I have taken it in great numbers and fine condition during the last two 

 weeks, and shall be happy to distribute my duplicates at the close of the season, if 

 those in want of the insect will apply to me. It is an extremely sluggish insect during 

 the day, silling motioi)less on the sand and feigning death when touched : the males 

 are mostly found partially concealed behind the tufts of grass which dot the sand-hills ; 

 about sun-set they wake up and buzz rapidly over the sand in search of the apterous 

 females, which are strewn about, without the smallest attempt at concealment, in such 

 numbers that they might be picked up and measured like shrimps, by the ([uart. At 

 present I am only acquainted with two spots on the Cheshire coast where N. zonaria 

 occurs, but no doubt there are many others which will be stumbled on accidentally, as 

 these were. The sedentary habits of the female necessarily tend to localize the 

 insect Both the known stations are little hollows among the sand-hills of perhaps an 

 acre in extent, outside of which not a specimen is to be found, and the keenest 

 collector might pass within half a dozen yards of a spdt where tbey are silting on the 

 sand by hundreds, and not see one. The larva is found from May to August, feeding 

 on yarrow and dwarf sallow. — Edwin Birchall ; OaJcfield Villa, Birkenhead, Aprils, 

 1861. 



Larva of Anliclea herheraria. — I have often found the larva of Anticlea berberaria, 

 in this neighbourhood, feeding upon Berberis vulgaris; but none that I have had 

 agree with Mr. Newman's description of it (Zool. 7361), either in colour, habits or 

 food-plant. Mine were rough, and speckled with red-brown and gray ; but as I can- 

 not from memory give a sufficient description of them, I shall be happy to forward 

 some this season. T find them at the end of June, and again in September; the 

 imago in May and August. Thinking there is some mistake in the name of the 

 larva is my apology for writing this note. — Thomas Brown; 13, King^s Parade, 

 Cambridge. 



[I shall be extremely obliged for the larvse so kindly offered : with regard to my 

 mistake, 1 believe I shall be able to give the correct name to the larva I described as 

 that of Anticlea berberaria : many thanks for this correction. — Edward Newm.an.'\ 



Oviposilion of Xanlhia ferruginea. — At the end of October I succeeded in getting 

 a few eggs from a female taken at sugar. When first laid they were lemon-colour, 

 but soon turned reddish. They were kepi in a cool, rather damp room, and hatched 



* M. Snellen van Vollenhoven has informed me that since the above was written 

 the imago of this insect has appeared with him on the 3rd of April, and that the 

 larva has ajjain been met with on willows. — /. W. M. 



