1899] ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 105 



A Busy Scene. 



pvT On the 14th of June I found a thorn-tree {Crataegus crus-galli, L.) in full blossom. 

 Growing on the north- wesk slope of a cliff, it was later in flowering than other trees of its 

 sort, I was surprised to see the multitude of insects that thronged it. In the few 

 minutes that I stood by, I noticed many specimf ns of the undermentioned kinds : — 



Butterflies — Papilio Turnus, Linn ; Lyccena Couperi, Grote. 



Beetles — Clytanthus ruricola ; Anatis 15-punctata, Oliv.; Cyrtophorus verrucosus, 

 Oliv.; Leptura lineola, Say ; Donacia emarginata, Kirby. 



Two-winged Flies — A species of Chionomus; Pangonia tranquilla 0. S.; Stratiomyia 

 obesa, Loew ; Milesia excentrica, Harris : Syrphus xanthostomus, Wied ; Sericomyia 

 militans, Walker, Sphotrophoria Cylindrica, Say ; Musca Catsar, Linne. 



Bees — Apis mellifica, Drury ; Andrena nivalis, Smith ; Osmia bucconis, Say. 



Wasp — Vespa maculata, Fab. 



Saw-flies — Tenthredo lineata, Prov.; Monophadnus scelestus, Or. 



Metzneria Lappella, Linn. 



In the beginning of September, 1898, 1 discovered, in the heads of Burdock, a curious 

 larva, of which the following is a description : 



Head bi-lobed, brown ; mouth organs large. A brown plate, marked longitudinally by 

 a]white line, on the second segment. Body rounded, much crinkled, of a fatty appear- 

 ance, having a few white hairs along the sides. Anal segment small and protruding. The 

 legs small and weak. The pro-legs seemingly atrophied into mere pseudopodia. Length 

 of larva two and a half lines. 



On the approach of winter, the larva having eaten out a convenient hollow in the 

 closely packed seeds, cemented its surroundings together, and then lined its cell with a 

 flocculent white cocoon. In this it remained unchanged till the beginning of June when 

 it went into chrysalis. 



The pupa was of elegant shape, amber-coloured — the head parts darkening into 

 brown. The antennae and legs were traceable through the skin. The length of the pupa 

 was three lines. The moths appeared in the end of June and continued till August. 

 They mated about the middle of July. 



The dimensions of the perfect insects were as follows : 



Expanse of wings (male) 5| lines, (female) 9 lines. 



Length of body (male) 2| lines, (female) 4 lines. 



Length of antennse (male) 2 lines, (female) 3 lines. 



The eyes of the moth were large and prominent, in color they were a rich, warm 

 brown. The palpi were reflexed — the second joint was long and had long scales, and the 

 terminal joint was pointed. The antennse were filiform, prettily encircled with minute, 

 short bristles at the joints. The proboscis was long and coiled up, watch-spring fashion. 

 The body terminated with a tuft like a paint brush. The tibia in the hindmost pair of 

 legs had two pairs of spurs — that in the second pair, had but one pair of spurs. 



The fore-wings were of a pale sienna brown, with a patch of darker brown extending 

 along the costa and towards the inner margin, for two-thirds of the length of the wing. 

 There were three or four lines of darker scales towards the hind margin and following its 

 curve. Some of the specimens had the three dots on the disk spoken of by Stainton 

 {Man. of Bh. Butt, and Moths, vol. II, p. 348.) The hind wings were slate-coloured and 

 had long fringes of the same hue. 



The eggs of the moth (obtained by pressure) were very minute, globular, smooth and 

 white. They are dropped probably into the flower head of the plant, for the most care- 

 ful microscopical examination shewed no opening made by a larva through the glochidate 

 involucre. 



