1890.] 157 



We are sorry to see such mischievous clippings figuring in a Journal that was 

 once famous for its entomological articles, and suggest that steps be taken to fill 

 the now vacant position on its staff formerly held by noted entomologists. — Eds. 



Habits of the Money Moth. — In the January number, under this heading, I 

 notice a communication from Mr. C. Gr. Barrett, in which the " Messrs. Balding " 

 are referred to as breeding a large quantity of Oalleria cereana. I suppose I am 

 the individual referred to, therefore, I may, perhaps, be allowed to supplement the 

 the remarks of Mr. Barrett, which, as far as his description of the larvae, pupse, and 

 imago are concerned, I can entirely corroborate. But his experience and mine do 

 not coincide in the matter of dwarf specimens. Perhaps I fed my larvae too well ; 

 anyhow, I got no imagos abnormally small. During August and September, I bred 

 from the same comb a few M. alveariella. The fecundity of cereana is simply 

 appalling, from a bee-keeper's point of view, as my figures will show. But I should 

 like to ask Mr. Barrett if he is quite sure that this species does not feed as freely 

 upon new as on old comb ? I believe they do ; but when the bees are driven out, and 

 a myriad of caterpillars begin crawling all over and eating the comb, it soon assumes 

 the appearance of being old. 



On August 21st, 1889, I received from a friend six or seven "bars " of comb, 

 which were literally swarming with cereana in all three stages — larva, pupa, and 

 imago. In the remainder of the month I bred 130 ; in September, 806 ; in October, 

 28 ; making a grand total of 964. In addition to this, it must be borne in mind 

 that the moths had doubtless been emerging about three weeks before I got the 

 comb, and also that I only took about half that the hive contained. During the 

 whole of the time that the moths were emerging, larvae were also to be seen ; in 

 fact, I believe there has not been a week since August to the present time (April) 

 when larvae were not present in the comb, the only difference being that during the 

 last four months they have been concealed in the cocoons, appai-ently hibernating. 

 In breeding such a large quantity of one species, nothing struck me so much as the 

 uniformity of the specimens, only one nearly black variety being obtained. — Geoegb 

 Balding, Euby Street, Wisbech : April \9th, 1890. 



[Mr. Balding is right in his surmise, I referred to his brother and himself My 

 authority on the habits of the honey moth is the Rev. Henry Williams, of Croxton, 

 Thetford, who is well known as a bee-master in that district, but I should feel great 

 hesitation in asserting that the larvae would not feed on new comb rather than 

 starve. Mr. Williams assures me that the hives which contain old comb only are 

 attacked. — Chas. G. Bakeett.] 



Habits of Biston hirtaria. — The following notes amplify a somewhat analogous 

 observation recorded by Mr. McLachlan in this Magazine, Vol. xv, p. 14 (June, 

 1878). It is very possible that from long absences I am led to take especial notice 

 of some of the species which are so common in London as almost to be passed un- 

 noticed by residents, otherwise I do not understand how it is that so little notice has 

 been taken of the curiously sedentary habits of the female Biston hirtaria. 



When the earliest specimens appeared somewhat prematurely in March, many 



