1894.1 133 



yesterday, but the same evening, although a still and sultry one, no other moth was 

 seen on the wing. A single specimen of Hepialus lupuUnus turned up on the 22nd 

 inst., and on the 28th I took Arctia fuUginosa near Eeigate, flying in the sunshine. 



The present season must be looked forward to with unusual interest by Ento- 

 mologists, following, as it does, such a remarkable year as 1893. — R. M. Peideaux, 

 Ashtead, Surrey : April 30th, 1894. 



Abundance of Pyrameis cardui, L., in the Ziban, Algeria {second note). — 

 Although the larvae of this butterfly in this neighbourhood were thinned out a good 

 deal last month, they are still common, and there are plenty of pupae and images 

 to be seen. In some parts the larvae ran short of food, and it was pitiful to see 

 them trying to relieve their hunger with a few mouthfuls of distasteful plants, such 

 as Peganum Harmala, L., Ferula vesceritensis, Coss. and Dr. MS., ThymelcBa micro- 

 phijlla, Coss. and Dr. MS., and Euphorbia Q-uyoniana, Boissier and Reuter, among 

 others. A few, in one spot where mallows failed, migrated to Diplotaxis pendula, 

 D. C, and seemed to thrive. Then came some rough weather ; strong winds swept 

 numbers of larvsB along the ground in open places ; a night or two's heavy rain 

 destroyed the younger larvae and weaklings, and in certain places one or two days of 

 drifting sand appear to have killed pupae exposed to its full influence. But now, in 

 the early days of May, imagos have become very numerous once more, frequenting 

 the blossoms of many kinds of plants in the desert, and crowding to the bushes of 

 Tamarix brachystylis, J. Gay MS., now in flower along the Oued Biskra above the 

 barrage. I have not noticed any ovipositing of late. Perhaps they are awaiting a 

 sirocco to waft them to the highlands of Constantine and Setif, if not to Europe. — 

 A. E. Eaton, Biskra, Algeria : May 4th, 1894. 



Deilephila euphorbicB, L., abundant 7iear Biskra, Algeria. — It may not be 

 unusual, but there may be entomologists interested to know how plentiful just now 

 are larvae of this hawkmoth within a few miles of Biskra. They feed on a common 

 desert plant. Euphorbia Guyoniana, Boissier and Renter, which flourishes in sandy 

 places, especially among the dunes to the west and south of the town. Since April 

 27th I must have seen between lOOO and 2000 larvae of diverse ages — some in the 

 blackish juvenile stage, and others over three inches in length. Standing still 

 anywhere where the food-plant grows, one can generally see four or six larvae without 

 stirring a step ; but in exceptionally favourable situations they are much more 

 numerous. Within the space of a quarter of an acre I counted up to 250 of them, 

 and after ceasing to count say quite 200 or 303 more. A few bushes, occupying 

 each about a square yard of ground, had on them over 20 or 30 larvae apiece. Ado- 

 lescent larvae did not present much variation in colour ; some have the dorsal line 

 red, others yellow. It is a real pleasure to stroll among them where nobody will 

 molest them.— /c?. 



Ceuthorrhynchus suturellus, GylL, 8(c., at Snodland. — More than twenty years 

 ago, at the end of April, 1874, Mr. Gr. C. Champion and I took two examples of this 

 rare and pretty little weevil by sweeping in a marshy place close to Snodland, Kent ; 

 our impression being at the time that it came off Cardamine pratensis. On the 5th 

 of the present month I was again at Snodland, and diligently swept all the Carda- 

 mine pratensis I could find, with the result of Ceuthorrhynchus cuchlearim in plenty, 



