130 THE entomologist's record. 



normally micropterous species is by no means an uncommon phenome- 

 non in the Locustodea, but it has not been before recorded for the 

 species in question. Apart from the development of the organs of 

 flight, X. dorsals may be distinguished from X. fmcum and X, 

 thoracicum by the following points : 



Femora (posterior) armed with two dark minute teeth near 

 the apex on the outer margin of the inferior sulcus. 

 Ovipositor quite straight . . . . . . . . . . X. fxiscum. 



Posterior femora with 3-4 small dark teeth on the outer margin 

 of the inferior sulcus near the apex. Ovipositor veiy 

 slightly curved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X. thoracicum. 



Posterior femora with no teeth whatever on the under or 



upper surface. Ovipositor incurved . . . . . . . . X. dorsale. 



In this specimen the femora are totally unarmed. If the female 

 differs at all from typical X. dorsale in the form of the ovipostor, it 

 should be a new species. 



A", thoracicum is a rare meridional species, but X.fuscum is common 

 throughout south central Europe. — Malcolm Burr, F.Z.S., F.E.S., 

 Dormans Park, East Grinstead. 



:ig^OTES ON LIFE-HISTORIES, LARYiE, &c. 



Forcing Callimorpha hera larvae. — As so many have expressed sur- 

 prise when I have informed them that I had full-fed larvfe of Callimorpha 

 hera by March 1st, I venture to give the following rough notes on the 

 forcing of this insect, thinking they may be of interest. Dr. Cassal, 

 of Doncaster, very kindly sent me a nice lot of larvae early in January 

 (then still hybernating) , and I am happy to be able to say the first of 

 them spun up on March 22nd. By February 23rd about half a dozen 

 larvfe were in the last stadium, and by March 1st there Avere about 

 100 full-fed, or nearly so. The reason why I have been able to get 

 these larviB so forward is owing, I feel sure, to their having been kept in 

 a cupboard which was generally of the temperature of about 65°F.-70°F., 

 the heat being obtained from the kitchen chimney, which passes up 

 behind the cupboard. The very young larvfe were kept in glass jars, 

 and were transferred to breeding cages when nearly full-fed — the food- 

 plant (groundsel) being planted in the cages. It is the general idea 

 that the larvffi of the Arctiids specially require plenty of fresh air and 

 bright sunshine, but I am rather forced to think otherwise, because my 

 larviB have for the greater part of their existence been kept in this 

 cupboard in total darkness. The larvfe have been very easy to rear, 

 and out of about 200 certainly not more than three dozen have died — - 

 the deaths occurring mostly during the earlier moults, and perhaps 

 from a little overcrowding when in the glass jars — they appeared, 

 however, to like crowding together in the corners of breeding-cages. 

 By April 7th, the whole had spun up. At a meeting of the North 

 London Natural History Society, held on March 15th, Mr. Lane 

 exhibited a few of the full-fed larvae. For a short time, when it was 

 difficult to get groundsel, owing to a heavy fall of snow, the larvfe were 

 fed on Campanula trachelium (Canterbury Bell), to which they took very 

 well. — Chas. B. Antram, Addiscombe, Croydon. April 10th, 1900. 



Erratic emergence of Abraxas grossulariata. — I have had 

 recently an experience in breeding Abraxas (jrossulariata which is quite 

 novel to me. On October 80th last, I found a number of larvae feeding 



