1890.] 297 



Cryptococcus fagi. — The two beech trees in which I found this species {cf. Ent. 

 Mo. Mag., ante p. 155, and vol. ssiii, p. 153), whose stunted condition shows that 

 the dry, gravelly soil of Blackheath does not agree with their constitution, at the 

 present time have their dark trunks conspicuously covered with small white tufts of 

 cottony matter manufactured by the insects and exuded through the bark. " The 

 life and labours of colonies of Cryptococcus fagi, with autographic illustrations," 

 might be the title of the work now published for general perusal. — J. W. Douglas, 

 153, Lewishara Road, S.E. : August ISth, 1890. 



Chionaspis salicis ?. — On the same trees affected by the moths, on smooth 

 places of the bark, were many of the whitish scales of the females of a Chionaspis 

 and a few of the clear white carinate scales of the males. No species of Chionaspis 

 has been recorded as attached to lime trees, and I should not like to say that these 

 scales were those of C. salicis (which lives on sallow and ash), although they looked 

 like them. But the question of identity could only be decided by microscopical 

 investigation, and to make this I must have sliced off a piece of the bark with the 

 adherent scales ; but I was not very anxious to do this, as the male scales were 

 broken and useless. And I was also deterred by the too curious observation and 

 enquiries of the numerous onlookers, who could not imagine why an old fellow with 

 spectacles on nose could be peering so intently at the trunks of trees on which they 

 could see nothing ; and, moreover, there was the proximate chance of having an 

 argument with a policeman about wilful damage. So I have left the identification 

 to a more convenient season, or to some one who may find the scales in a locality 

 where he will not have to risk an appearance before Justice Shallow. — Id. 



PsaUus amiiguus, Fall., flying at night. — On the evening of June 27th last a 

 female of this species flew in at the open window to the lighted lamp, and soon paid 

 the penalty of its rashness in seeking light. It was new to my experience that any 

 species of PsaUus flew at night, though I might have expected it, for I have always 

 obtained them only by beating trees or bushes in daylight, and then they made 

 frantic endeavours to escape and return to the obscurity of the foliage from which 

 they had been disturbed. — Id. 



Disappearance of Pararge Mgeria. — Twenty years ago this butterfly was 

 common in most woods round Ramsbury and Marlborough ; any one entering the 

 wood at the proper season would at once see half-a-dozen specimens flitting along 

 the drives. It appeared to become gradually scarcer, and now seems to be extinct. 

 During the four years that have elapsed since my return to England, neither I nor 

 any of the numerous active collectors at Marlborough College have seen a single 

 specimen. The woods are quite unchanged in character, and I can siiggest no 

 explanation. Collectors are not responsible, for some woods are never visited except 

 by myself. In Cornwall, last September, I noticed the species was very plentiful, 

 frequenting the roadsides everywhere. — E, Meteick, Ramsbury, Wilts : September, 

 1890. 



