58 THE entomologist's record. 



to say, like many facts known to living entoinologists, who from shy- 

 ness or other causes go on amassing collections but never record any- 

 thing except, perhaps, the capture of some rare species. Of course 

 these small items when compared with the monograph of a genus, or 

 with a well written account of an entomological holiday, are unimport- 

 ant and perhaps of little general interest. Yet, on the other hand, an 

 item may be just the link in the chain required by some one working 

 at a particular group, or at some special problem, if not to-day perhaps 

 later. Then again, some other observer reading the note may confirm 

 or dispute it, and so w^e get at the truth, or nearer to it. In Stain- 

 tonian days several species new to Britain were discovered here from 

 items of information as to their habits obtained from continental 

 sources. Though by the way, we have not yet found the larva of 

 Miselia bunacidom in the chinks of the bark of elms. The beginner in 

 entomology often makes a useful observation, but either thinking it not 

 worth writing about, or not knowing where to record it, lets it slide 

 into oblivion, while the Entomologut's Eecovd and its many readers 

 would gladly give it a welcome. In these dismal times some little 

 change of thought is quite necessary, and when the brighter days dawn 

 we shall return to our favourite pursuit with greater zest. The net will 

 then be be wielded more actively and the sugar laid on more thickly 

 than ever. We shall then be eager for new work, and the time for 

 looking up our past doings will have gone by. It seems then now 

 opportune to give ourselves a slight relaxation by looking over our 

 entomological diaries, gathering up the various items and giving them 

 a permanent place w^here they will be of greater use. — A. Sich. 

 Febrnanj, 1917. 



Egg-laying of Rumicia (Chrysophanqs) phb.eas. — Between 11 a.m. 

 .and 12 a.m., on September 10th, 1911, 1 watched a specimen of BuDiicia 

 {Chri/sopJiantis) phlaeas ovipositing in a field in Chiswick. She allowed 

 me to get within a few inches of her, and I could see the ovipositor 

 protruded while she was searching the leaf for a suitable place to lay. 

 During oviposition she held her wings quite closed. She only appeared 

 to lay one egg on each patch of sorrel that took her fancy, as after 

 having laid her egg she flew off, and I could not find more than one 

 ovum on any of the four patches I saw her make use of. She seemed 

 quite content if the plant had only a few small leaves on it. She tried 

 to place each egg under the edge of the leaf, but if this was to her too 

 inconvenient she placed it on the upper surface. After eacb laying she 

 took a short flight and sometimes sunned herself on a leaf of yarrow, 

 or flew on to a flower of hawkweed and took a meal. Then she would 

 again visit the sorrel. I only saw her make use of Biwie.v acetosa, 

 though R. acetosella was equally common. When first laid the egg is 

 pale grey to the unaided eye, but under the microscope it is pale green 

 in the hollows, while the ridges are white. The larvae hatched on 

 September 20th. — Alfred Sich, Chiswick. 



A NEW USE FOR PILLAR BOXES. — Passlug a postal pillar box, on Chis- 

 wick Mall, last November, I saw what appeared to be chaff caught in a 

 spider's web. But on a nearer view the chaff was found to consist of 

 numerous cocoons of Ccmiostoma lahurnella, Stt. Round the top of the 

 pillar are a number of deep slots, and each one had its quota of cocoons. 

 In one I counted eight. There must have been hundreds on the pillar. 

 A neighbouring laburnum partly overhung the pillar box. — Alfred 

 ,SiCH. Febriianj, 1917. 



