442 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



to US. I must own to a measure of scepticism as to some of 

 the particulars related, a scepticism heightened by the fact 

 that I had tried the experiment in vain with a female 

 B. QuercLis, in a spot which the species frequented. The 

 emergence of three females, last July, gave me a new oppor- 

 tunity of testing the attractive power which resides in them, 

 though I had to keep them prisoners for some days ere I could 

 take them to a suitable locality. This I was able to do on 

 August 1st, and had sufficient evidence that the very rapid 

 discursive flight of the male Quercus can be brought to 

 a check by the presence of the female. Several eagerly 

 surrounded the bag in which these females were enclosed, 

 almost regardless, for the moment, of the danger to them- 

 selves, while others flew round in circles. It was observable, 

 however, that when struck at, if they escaped, they usually 

 took alarm and flew off*. Now and then one would sweep up, 

 and, perceiving -the position in which the objects were which 

 had attracted him, departed at once, without endeavouring to 

 come any closer to the box containing the prisoners. Appa- 

 rently, the presence of the male insect is also, in some 

 manner, indicated to the female, for those that were taken 

 out for this expeiiment, though before that they were 

 quiescent in the day-time, were in a state of agitation, even 

 when the box in which they were enclosed was kept quite 

 still. After 2 p.m. the males, from some cause, ceased to 

 take any notice of the females, though they had not ceased 

 to fly about. The female of Quercus, when impregnated, 

 deposits her eggs with great rapidity, a hundred or more 

 being got rid of in an hour. The whole number are not got 

 rid of in confinement, the stimulus of flight being necessary 

 to remove the whole from the ovary. — J. A*. S. Clifford. 



P. DapUdice and A. Latlionla in Jersey. — These rare 

 insects have been tolerably abundant here this season. The 

 former (of which I have taken thirteen) are only found in one 

 locality, and have been established there these last two 

 years, before which time they were seldom seen in the 

 island. The latter has been taken in several localities, also 

 rather abundantly, having taken sixteen myself, and I know of 

 other collectors equally successful: this, also, is seldom 

 seen. — J. Piquet ; 12, Vor/c Street, Jersey, October 5, 1871. 



Sphinx Convolvuli near Stalyhridge. — A specimen of 



