382 [September, 



plants of the Anthyllis, and at intervals, two or three weeks later, also collected a 

 quantity of the flower heads from different places in the neighbourhood. The larvse 

 quickly appeared, and are unquestionably seed-feeders. The case is formed of the 

 calyx with occasionally the remains of the floweret attached. Larva? were noticed 

 from time to time crawling about without cases, so that they probably move from one 

 seed to another until full-fed, when the case is assumed. Those with cases that have 

 crawled up are now tightly secured to the muslin, and have apparently done all they 

 intend to do. I have no doubt the time of appearance of the moth is when the 

 Anthyllis comes into flower, generally about the middle of June ; and as it is a 

 common plant, along the sea coast especially, the insect will probably be found to 

 occur in many other places. — G\ W. Bied, Honor Oak Park, S.E. : Aug. 10th, 1889. 



Qelechia atrella in Hypericum steins. — In reply to your enquiry at p. 318 of this 

 volume, I may say I have noticed stems of Hypericum which had been attacked by 

 Q. atrella each year since 1880, when my attention was directed to them by speci- 

 mens forwarded me by Mr. Jeffrey. Last year I bred two specimens from the few I 

 brought home. — Sydney Webb, Dover : July \&t, 1889. 



Thecla Alcestis. — On p. 300 (June No.), Mr. H. Grose Smith describes a new 

 species as Thecla Alcestis. There is, however, already a species of this name found 

 in Texas and Arizona (T. Alcestis, Edw., Trans Am. Ent. Soc, 1871, p. 271). So 

 the Solomon Island species will need a new name. I point this out as mistakes of 

 this kind are always best corrected at once. — T. D. A. Cockeeeii, West Cliff, 

 Colorado : June 20th, 1889. 



Asymmetry in Insects. — The opposite wings, &c, of insects, although generally 

 alike, are quite often more or less dissimilar — much more often than would be 

 supposed from the comparatively few published records of such instances. Sometimes, 

 in the case of dimorphic species, one side is of one variety, and one of the other ; 

 sometimes the one side is in perfect agreement with the male, and the other with the 

 female — a complete division down the middle of the insect ; more frequently the 

 asymmetry is only of slight degree, as in the number or size of ocelli. I have 

 collected records of a number of such cases of asymmetry, and it appears that (1) 

 the left side is the one most generally aberrant from the type ; (2) this aberration is 

 most often in the direction of arrested development. The object of this note is to 

 seek further evidence in the matter, and it is possible that these apparent laws are 

 the result of pure coincidence. — Id. 



Coccus cacti in Colorado. — I was astonished the other day to find Coccus cacti 

 $ , on Opuntia missouriensis, eight miles from here, at 8,400 feet above the sea. I 

 had no idea the species would live at such an altitude, and where the temperature 

 is often far below zero in winter. I had only found the species before in Madeira, 

 where it was common on Opuntia Tuna. — Id. : July 2oth, 1889. 



Intermittent development and conditions of insect-life in Australia. — After a 

 drought, which lasted nearly thirteen months, we have been blessed with heavy rains, 

 causing the vegetable creation to spring up with marvellous rapidity. Two months 

 ago my garden appeared almost a desert, now it is a jungle ; trees and shrubs growing 



