﻿122 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



that about a week would be saved. The experiment was a com- 

 plete failure, but it has taught this lesson — that larvse cannot live, 

 or change into pupge that will live, when they are travelling ; the 

 shocks experienced by the larvse when travelling prevent them, 

 first of all, from forming their cocoons properly, then the shakings 

 kill the larvse or newly formed pupae ; therefore I only found 

 dead larvse or dead pupse in the cocoons. 



In 1886 I received live cocoons of Dirphia tarquinia from 

 French Guiana. This species is remarkable for the beauty of the 

 perfect insect, but the cocoon — fusiform, or spindle-shaped, thin, 

 and rather similar to, but larger than, that of Lasiocampa potatoria 

 — is useless as a silk-producer. From eighteen cocoons sixteen 

 moths emerged between the 14th of July and the 17th of August. 

 A pairing took place on the 4th of August, the female laying until 

 the 8th of August 207 eggs. Only a few larvse hatched, and they 

 all died within a few days. I have here to remark that if pupse 

 from hot countries are considerably delayed in producing their 

 moths in consequence of a great change of climate, the moths, 

 although the pairings take place, and although they seem per- 

 fectly healthy, lay eggs that are not fertile, as a rule. Being 

 months instead of weeks before they emerge, the moths of these 

 tropical regions seem to have lost their vitality and power of 

 reproduction. Besides, a considerable number of these tropical 

 species die in the pupa state, when the heat is not sufficient to 

 allow the moths to emerge just at the time they are ready to 

 make their appearance. 



Tudor Villa, Norbiton, Surrey. 



NOTES ON DIPTEEA, IN 1889. 

 By E. Bkunetti. 



The time I was able to devote to collecting last year was 

 again exceedingly limited, and most of the following notes refer 

 to specimens sent me by correspondents for identification. It 

 will be seen that I am able to introduce a few new species,* and 

 as these have been captured by collectors who have only recently 

 taken up the study of this order, I trust it will be sufficient 

 encouragement to others to turn their attention to the Diptera, 

 where even beginners can render so much assistance. 



The new species referred to are the following : — 



Psilocephala ardea, F. Birmingham ; taken by B. C. Bradley. 



Lasiops semicinej°ea, Wied. Birmingham; taken by B. C. 

 Bradley. 



* By a new species I mean a species not given in Mr. Verrall's recent list, which 

 may be taken as a basis for all future catalogues. 



