CURREXT NOTES. 2 



7 



(liflV'rcncos noted in the colour ol; the micropylo probably represent 

 ditiorent degrees of development.] — .J. W. Tutt. 



The i.arva of IMeijtaea cynthia. — Two larvjr of 'Melitava n/iitliia 

 ■were captured at Arolla on August IcSth and lOth. These larva' arc 

 black, with long spines, and have a golden-yellow transverse line across 

 each segment. They appear to l)e half-grown, and since imagines 

 were taken at the same time and place, and the summer where they 

 are found ((S, 000ft. to 9,000ft.) is very short, the conclusion seems irre- 

 sistible that the species sometimes, at least, takes two years to com- 

 plete its cycle, as these must be from eggs laid last year, and could not 

 become imagines till next year. The following is a description of 

 the larva : — 



Larva, black, with long spines carrying long hairs ; there is a transverse 

 yellow line across the iwsterior margin of each segment, and yellow spots that 

 represent broken-up dorsal and lateral lines. These spots are (1), dorndlh/, several 

 on thoracic segments and one just in front of transverse lines on abdominal ; (2), 

 hitcniUi/, several at bases of legs and in front and behind subspiracular tubercle, 

 also one above this level behind siiiracle and a prolongation upwards in front of 

 spiracle. These spots seem to be broken remains of transverse lines as much as of 

 dorsal and lateral lines. There are two spines above spiracular level on the '2nd and 

 ;-5rd thoracic (none on 1st) segments; on the abdominal is also a dorsal spine; below 

 the spiracle is one strong spine similar to the dorsal ones, then another half the 

 length of the last, whilst lower is one that is little more than a wart. 



— T. A. Chapman, M.D., F.Z.S., Betula, Reigate. AiifjUHt 2HtIi, 1899. 



(CURRENT NOTES. 



^[y. Bankes gives (/V, M. M., pp. ITcS-lcSO) a first-class account of 

 the life-history of Pluilnnia rcctisaiia, the larva of which feeds on the 

 shoots of Tii(/l()cJnii iiiaritiiinnn, which it enters a few inches above 

 the crown of the -plant, working its way downwards and eating out 

 the pith of the shoot. Some of them pupated in the cocoons formed 

 in the autumn inside the old flower- stems, but many in confinement 

 left their winter quarters and, about the beginning of April, spun new 

 cocoons in which to pupate. On May 22nd larvtB only were found, 

 but by June 4th many cocoons contained pupne, the moths emei'ging 

 from June llth-17th between 9 and 11 a.m. 



Mr. Corbin records (Kntoiii., p. 210) the capture, in the New 

 Forest, of a specimen of Aiit/irociio tiij'olii, Avith the usual red parts of 

 a smoky-black tint. Commenting on this Mr. South adds tluit he is 

 not aware of a previous record of a similar abenation. We suspect 

 that it is an example of A. trifolii ab. ohscxra, Tutt, " Brit. Lep.,"' 

 vol. i., ]). 1S7. If so, he will find similar forms noticed, Hut. Urcnnl, 

 i., p. i)H (AVebb), and " Var. chez Lop.," pp. 48, 44 (Oberthiir). 



In the September number of the K.M.M. Lord Walsingham 

 describes CulvojilKira tricolor, a new species allied to ('. li.nlla, from 

 Merton. 



Collectors in the Congo Fi-ee State are now sending a great 

 quiintity of material to the Department of the Interior of "TFtat 

 Independent du Congo " at Brussels, and the writer has seen large 

 piles of boxes as yet unpacked. The determination of the insects has 

 been entrusted to M. Vj. Seeldrayers, the secretary of the l^ntomo- 

 logical Society of Belgium. Among such Orthoptera as are pinned 

 out, none aie yet determined, a pair of Si>/iiiiii<'Uiliis o/ricuiia was 



