NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 165 



Chrysopa dorsalis, Burm., at Oxshott, Surrey.— On July 8th, 

 1921, I took from a Scots fir at Oxshott a second instar Chrysopa 

 larva which was new to me, and, having seen the majority of our 

 British species, I suspected that this might prove to be C. dorsalis, 

 although the example in question did not entirely answer Miss E. M. 

 Alderson's description of that species (v. 'E. M. M.,' March, 1911). 

 On June 1st of this year I was so fortunate as to observe the emer- 

 gence of this insect, and was pleased to find that my expectations 

 proved correct. G. dorsalis was first recorded as British in 1900, 

 when it was discovered by the late Mr. Alfred Beaumont at Oxshott. 

 -Since then, I believe I am right in saying, it has not been captured 

 in that locality. Near King's Lynn in Norfolk, however, Mr. E. A. 

 Atmore has for some years taken it fairly regularly, and in 1917 

 Mr. B. S. Harwood recorded several specimens which he took near 

 Colchester, Essex. The species is therefore decidedly uncommon in 

 this country, and this record of its reappearance in its old haunts 

 may be of interest. — 0. L. Withycombe ; Walthamstow, June 6th, 

 1922. 



The Belative Attractiveness of Various Types op Electric 

 Light for Moths. — Some interesting letters have recently appeared 

 in this Journal anent the attraction and non-attraction of present- 

 day electric street-lamps for moths, and there is a suggestion that 

 the attraction is some kind of electric emanation rather than the 

 actual light vibrations themselves. The writers, however, appear to 

 have left out of consideration that other sources of light are equally 

 attractive to moths and certain other insects as is the electric one. 

 Both oil and gas lamps are powerful attractions, as also is the 

 acetylene light ; and even a candle will serve to trap many insects ; 

 it therefore. seems superfluous to invoke any other kind of ray than 

 the light-ray itself, notwithstanding that the present type of electric 

 light (the gas-filled incandescent filament) seems to attract much 

 fewer moths. I particularise this type of light, as the complaint 

 seems to be against this form, and the Borough Electrical Engineer 

 of Lowestoft informs me that he sees no difference in the attractive 

 power of the old type of arc (the Crompton enclosed arc) and the 

 modern "flame arc." But the filament lamps are certainly less 

 attractive, and this was the case with the old " carbon filament " 

 equally with the present "metallic filament " which has superseded 

 it, and may more than likely be due to the greater intrinsic brilliancy 

 of the " arc " lights. I have collected for twenty-five years at gas 

 and electric lamps and have had some remarkable nights at both. 

 In the year 1904 at Lowestoft I took in one night sixty-four different 

 species of moths at the electric lamps, which were of the " Crompton 

 enclosed arc" type on the top of the standards, with " carbon 

 filaments " on the lower arms, which were lit on the extinction of the 

 upper arms. There was a falling off at once in the " visitors " on 

 this taking place, but as it was about 1 a.m. the lateness of the hour 

 (or perhaps I should say the earliness) may account in some measure 

 for this, though I should also be inclined to say the diminution 

 in brilliancy was certainly a factor. I consider the fact that gas and 

 other forms of illumination being equally attractive as electric, does 



