9038 Insects. 



lo 17 millimetres. The ground colour is yellowish red; the eyes and ^ 

 ocelli, the antennae (except the first two joints) and the apex of the 

 jaws are brown. On the ruesolhorax there are two black lines at the 

 sides behind the insertion of the anterior wings ; the margin of the 

 scutellum is also black ; the nietathorax is brown, with yellow cenchri. 

 The entire thorax is, moreover, particularly smooth on the dorsal sur- 

 face. The abdomen is purple or vinous-red at the base, becoming 

 yellowish red past the middle; the ventral surface is greenish yellow. 

 The legs are red, sometimes, though rarely, with brown lines, more 

 especially on the coxas ; the claws are rufous, the pads lying between 

 them black. The wings are more or less smoke-coloured, the nervures 

 being of the same tints as in the male, except the costa and stigma, 

 which are pale red. 



Hartig is our only authority respecting the generation of this species; 

 he states that there is probably but one brood in the year, the larvae 

 feeding in May and June, the images appearing in August, September 

 and October. We must then suppose the eggs laid by these latter to 

 remain during the winter, whilst some larvae hybernate in the cocoon, 

 producing the imago in the spring. We are not aware whether this 

 insect has caused any great damage to the fir trees in this country. 



According to Hartig, Tachina bimaculata and T. gilva, as also 

 Paniscus oblongopunctatus. Hart, (as yet undescribed) are parasitic 

 on tliis species. 



Collecting in New Granada. By Henry Birchall, Esq.* 



June 17, 1863. I have secured for you a specimen of a lovely little 

 Geometra with gilded or silvered wings, which strikes me as one of the 

 most curious things I have yet sent you : it is only the second that 

 has been seen here, 1 have not tried sugaring much : we have no 

 places like those trees on the shores of Loch Rannoch ; neither have 

 we oatcake or fragrant heather. Last night I took in my sitting-room 

 the most curious insect, in its way, 1 have ever seen in this country : 

 a Noctua of sober dark plumage, but with its fore legs developed into 

 great muffs, to keep them warm perhaps, and with a wonderful 

 moveable helmet or solid crest turned back over its head. If this is 

 not a prize I had better go out of the business, for there is no hope of 

 finding greater curiosities. It rather encourages me lo nocturnal per- 

 secution to have obtained this fellow, and you shall soon hear what 

 comes of it. But I do not suppose that even you would do much 



* Couainunicated bj Mr. Edwiu Birchall. 



