CURRENT NOTES. 329 



This well-known insect is common throughout Europe ; from 

 Sweden to Sicily ; it is abundant throughout Belgium and France ; 

 common along the south coast of England. It betrays its presence by 

 its familiar harsh stridulation ; in the south of Europe, especially in 

 the evening, the males maintain a chorus from the tree-tops, but in 

 the more northern countries it appears to prefer beds of nettles. 



2. LocusTA CAUDATA, Charpentier. 



Eesembles the preceding, but distinctly larger as a rule ; the elytra 

 are longer, and the spines of the posterior femora have a dark black 

 ring round their base ; the cerci of the male are stouter, and do not 

 surpass the styles, as in the preceding species ; the ovipositor is also 

 longer. Length of body, 22mm. -37mm. ^ , 29mm. -36mm. ? ; of 

 pronotum, 7mm.-8-2mm. g- , 8-5mm.-9-5mm. ? ; of elytra, B9mm.- 

 40mm. (? , 43mm. -44mm. 2 ; of ovipositor, 37mm. -40mm. 5 . 



This fine insect to a certain extent replaces the preceding in 

 eastern Europe ; it has been recorded from Holstein by Eudow, but 

 this requires confirmation. It occurs in the southern Tirol, and in 

 Austria near Vienna, at Liesing, Modling, Baden, Piesting, Guten- 

 stein, Gloggnitz, in the Semmering. 



3. LocusTA cANTANs, Fuessly. 



Easily recognisable from its congeners by its somewhat smaller size 

 and much shorter elytra and wings. Length of body, 23mm. -28mm. 

 (^ , 25mm. -27mm. 2; of pronotum, 6"8mm. -9mm. 3^ , 7mm.-8'2mm. 

 2 ; of elytra, 25mm. -31mm. ^ , 26mm. -31mm. 2 ; of ovipositor, 

 22mm. -31mm. 2 • 



This species replaces L. viridissima in the higher elevations of 

 central Europe ; it is recorded, however, from Finland. In France it 

 is taken in the Pyrenees at Gavarnie, Bareges, also in the Vosges, 

 Mont Dore, Grande Chartreuse. It is found throughout Switzerland 

 above 2500ft. ; it is common at Innsbruck and elsewhere in the Tirol. 



4. LocusTA HisPANicA, Bolivar. 

 Resembles L. cantans, but elytra narrower, noticeably narrowed 

 beyond the middle, and narrowly rounded on the apex ; ovipositor 

 much broader than the posterior femora. 



Found among nettles in August and September in the Cordillera 

 Carpetana, at San Ildefonso near Segovia, and Cepeda near 

 Salamanca. 



{To he continued). 



®^URRENT NOTES. 



Mr. Burr has sent us a most interesting brochure on " The South- 

 Eastern Coalfield." As a clear exposition of the geology of this part 

 of Kent, and the relation of the latter to the geology of Britain as a 

 whole, it is indeed excellent. 



The sale at Stevens' on Monday, November 20th, of the collection 

 formed by Paymaster-in-Chief G. F. Mathew, was chiefly remarkable 

 for the fine series of aberrations of Arctia villica and the Leucajiia 

 favicolor which it included. As a whole, the specimens were in finer 

 condition than is altogether the rule in collections disposed of at 

 Stevens', and the result was that good prices were the rule, though, as 

 always happens, occasional lots went very cheaply, and others fetched 



