70 (August, 
Tapinostola elymi and Miana arcuosa bred.—Il am happy to say that I am 
now breeding T. elymi from laryz I took early in May at Cleethorpes, feeding in 
the stems and roots of Elymus arenarius. Miana arcuosa is making its appearance 
rather freely in my breeding-cage.—James Barry, 81, Wintworth Street, Sheffield, 
June 21st, 1871. 
Note on the economy of Cossus ligniperda.—Near the bowling-green here, is a 
birch tree much infested with Cossus larve. Up to the present time I have 
always believed the full-grown larvee spun up among the frass and debris under the 
bark and inside the tree. 
About a fortnight since this view was considerably shaken, on finding at some 
short distance from the tree two empty pupa cases, close to circular holes in the 
earth, corresponding in size to the pupz. At ounce I suspected the larva had 
spun up underground, and yesterday I had the best proof that this view was cor- 
rect, by finding a large 2 moth, just emerged from the green turf of the bowling- 
green, the pupa case lying close beside her, and within an inch or so a circular hole 
from which I extracted the stout coccoon with my finger. This was at least 20: 
yards from the birch tree.—Gro. Norman, Cluny Hill, Forres, N.B., 1st July, 1871. 
Crambus myellus at Braemar.—To-day I found on the window a very fine ex- 
ample of this species. —F. BucHaNan White, Castleton of Braemar, 2nd July, 1871. 
Sound produced by Halias quercana.—A specimen of H. quercana, after an un- 
easy existence in its boat-shaped cocoon, emerged last week. The rustling noise 
the pupa makes in its cocoon I did not investigate, and will not attempt to account 
for. After the insect emerged I made a careful study of its actions and external 
configuration (keeping it alive for four days), and arrived at the following results: 
—The imago makes a “membranous” sound: first, when it expands its wings ; 
secondly, when it flirts its partially expanded wing ; and thirdly, on a still, sultry 
afternoon, a continuous rustling sound is produced during flight. The spot whence 
proceeds the first noise | am certain about, and have no reason to doubt that the 
others are produced in a like manner. Furthermore, I conclude the same structure 
and sound exist in H. prasinana. 
On looking at the thorax, from above, the most conspicuous objects are the 
patagia. To prove that these had no connection with the sound I detached one, 
and expanded the wings on that side. When thus expanding the wing I heard a 
“click,” which was repeated again and again as the wings were moved. I found 
that the inner margin of the fore-wing caught a little horny lateral thoracie plate 
when in the act of expanding, and left it with a jerk, which most obviously pro- 
duced the click.— A. H. Swinton, 7, Portsdown Road, Maida Hill, July, 1871. 
*,* It will be remembered that last year (see E. M. M., vol. vii, p. 231) Mr. 
Swinton asserted his belief that H. prasinana produced an audible noise. This year 
he has followed up the enquiry, and very kindly sent us living specimens of H. pra- 
sinana (as did also Mr. Hellins), which he believed to have heard produce a svund. 
We were not fortunate enough to detect it ourselves. There is much that is singu- 
lar in the formation of the parts of the body intermediate between the thorax and 
abdomen in the genus Halias, and we are willing to accept Mr. Swinton’s testimony 
that they are connected with sound-producing powers. In answer to our query as 
