.162 [July. 



twig, placing three or four of these cages side by side, net to net, and allowing a 

 current of air to pass through, our chances of pairing, with a view to the production 

 of hybrids, would be greatly enhanced. No doubt other modifications of this ex- 

 cellent cage will occur to the thoughtful breeder, but I trust that I have already said 

 enough to tempt some of your readers to test the value and versatility of " Courtice's 

 Breeding Cage." 



Camden Eoad, N.W. : 



June Brd, 1893. 



Note on JSccoptoptera, and an error in the " Zoological Record." — In the 

 " Zoological Eecord " for 1882 Eccoptoptera cupricollis, Chaud., is placed under 

 ScolytidcB ; and in that for 189 L Eccoptoptera labrata, Fair., is recorded under the 

 same heading. It is desirable to correct an error, which appears destined to become 

 perpetuated in this usually accurate publication. 



The genus Eccoptoptera was established by Chaudoir in 1878 (Rev. Zool. [3], 

 vi, p. 189) for certain species of the Carabid genus Anthia ; and its assignment to 

 ScolytidcB is owing to Motschulsky's having founded a genus Eccoptopterus, named 

 by analogy with Eocoptog aster, for a Scolytid beetle (Bull. Mosc, 1863, ii, p. 515). 

 Motschultsky's genus, founded on wrong characters, cannot possibly stand, and his 

 species, E. sex-spinosus, I have shown to fall, as Eichhoff predicted, under the 

 latter's genus Platydaetylus (Ind. Mus. Notes, III, i, 64). The genus Eccoptopterus 

 therefore lapses. If authors were to indicate the Families of obscure novelties, they 

 would escape being guilty of contributory negligence in the event of their species 

 being wrongly recorded. — W. F. H. Blandfoed, London : June 6th,, 1893. 



Capture of a female Fhosphcenus hemipterus at Lewes. — Since 1883, when I first 

 discovered this insect, the male has occurred more or less commonly every year, not 

 only in my garden, but in other parts of the town, but singularly enough I had 

 never been successful in taking the female until the evening of June 4th. When 

 walking home about ten o'clock at night I saw something luminous on an asphalt 

 pavement at the base of a wall, and striking a match to find out whence the light 

 proceeded, I at once recognised what a treasure I had found. I am not aware that 

 the female has been previously recorded from England, and it is very singular that 

 I have not been able to find it before, as I have been on the look out for it for many 

 years, both by day and night. The male seems quite a day insect, in fact, I have 

 never found it at night ; it is very fond of sunshine, crawling rapidly at the base of 

 walls, or on the ground close to them. I am inclined to think that the female must 

 live underground, or why cannot I find it P Perhaps some correspondent can offer 

 suggestions which may lead to its capture more freely. As in Jjampyris noctiluca, 

 the perfect insect closely resembles the larva, but the legs are longer and of a 

 different shape, and it has antennae. — C. H. Morris, Lewes, Sussex : June, 1893. 



Chrysomela goettingensis, L., in Sherwood Forest. — I took a specimen of this 

 Chrysomela in April in Sherwood Forest on a road ; it is the first time I have ever 

 seen it alive, and it appears to have been very scarce of late years. Beetles were 



