1894.] 235 



Large numher of Metoscus paradoxus in one wasp's nest. — I have just I'oceived from 

 Mr. W. H. Tuck, of Tostock, near Bury St. Edmunds, a consignment of 24 specimens 

 of Meiaeous paradoxus (10 J and 14 $ ), which were all taken from one wasp's nest. 

 Mr. Tuck writes concerning them as follows : — " On Saturday, the 18th, I saw a 

 wasp beetle (M. paradoxus) at the entrance of a nest belonging to Vespa vulgaris. 

 That evening I destroyed the nest by tui'pentine ; it was in an old tree stump about 

 two feet deep. On digging it out yesterday I found everything dead, and, to my 

 surprise, 23 more of the beetles, either in the cells or in the debris of the nest, which 

 I had to bring away bit by bit. I consider this a most unusual event ; first, to find 

 a beetle outside, and again to find such a number, my previous experience being 

 about three or four only in a nest." No doubt Coleopterists generally will be of the 

 same opinion. The specimen met with outside was a fine male. One of the males 

 from within the nest had lost the head and prothorax j according to Mr. Tuck the 

 wasps had eaten them off. — E. A. Btjtlek, 39, Ashley Road, Crouch Hill, N. : 

 August 2,^rd, 1894. 



Catocala fraxini, L., at Norwich. — I was fortunate enough to catch a male 

 specimen of Catocala fraxini this morning. It was at rest on the stump of a small 

 alder tree on the banks of the back waters of the river Wensum, some two miles 

 above the city of Norwich ; unfortunately, owing to my being in a boat at the time, 

 it suffered considerably in the catching, but when first seen was in a magnificent 

 condition, and apparently not long emerged from the pupa. Though I hunted about 

 for some time, I failed to see another specimen. — E. W. Carliee, Unthanks Eoad, 

 Norwich: September IBth, IS24!. 



Note on Eriogaster lanestris in Devon.- — In Major Still's note on Devon 

 Lepidoptera (p. 212 ante) I see he doubts (on the authority of Mr. Bignell) whether 

 'Eriogaster lanestris is found west of Exeter, and he attributes his lack of success in 

 rearing the larvae of this insect possibly to this cause. I do not think this species is 

 a rare moth on Dartmoor. In 1887 I was staying at Chagford, about the middle of 

 the Moor, in June and July, and I then found the nests of these larvse fairly common, 

 and brought many caterpillars home, which pupated, and the perfect insects emerged 

 in due time. I may mention that several remained three years in the pupa, and one 

 or two four years, which is not unusual. — Gr. T. Bethune-Bakbe, 19, Clarendon 

 Koad, Edgbaston : September YMh, 1894. 



Great abundance of the larva of Seliofhobus popularis in the North of France. 

 — Recent Bulletins of the Societe Entomologique de France contain several com- 

 munications on this subject, especially concerning the Departements du Nord et de 

 I'Aisne. The insect is ordinarily so rare in tlie district that it does not figure in 

 more than one local list of Lepidoptera. This year the larvse appeared in enormous 

 numbers, marching in columns, and doing great damage j trendies were dug in the 

 line of march, into which they fell, and great quantities were desti'oyed by means of 

 quicklime, &c. The local entomological knowledge, or want of it, there, appears to 

 be much on a par with what exists in some agricultural districts here. The officials 

 of a certain local Agricultural Society, and the departmental Professor of Agriculture 

 arrived on the scene, and it was decided that the larva could be no other than that 

 of Bombyx processionea (!), and most extraordinary measui'es were decreed for its 



destruction. 



U 2 



