2626 Insects. 



down in an exhausted state, November, 1846." — G. A flock of five 

 of these birds was seen near Ensham, in December, 1837: two of 

 them were shot and taken to Mr. P. Forrest. 



A. & H. Matthews. 



(To be continued). 



Glyceria jiuitans attractive to Moths. — While walking round the margin of Dud- 

 dingston Lock, with my net, one evening in the end of July, I observed, in a very 

 wet spot, a Leucania hanging upside-down from the panicle of a grass, and on sweep- 

 ing it into my net I found that I had enclosed, at the same time, a specimen of 

 Chersotis Haworthi. This led me to look around a little more attentively ; and I 

 soon discovered that the Noctuae were settling in swarms upon Glyceria fluitans, — 

 which was growing thickly on the spot, — evidently attracted by the saccharine matter 

 on the ovaries. They were chiefly Leucania impura, with a few of L. conigera, Cher- 

 sotis Haworthi and Noctua umbrosa. A few days after I saw C. Haworthi on the 

 same grass in the day-time. — R. F. Logan ; Duddingston, near Edinburgh, October, 

 1849. 



Moths and Honey-dew. — In what way do moths ascertain the existence of honey- 

 dew on trees and plants ? Is it by the sense of smell, or of sight ? Does the secre- 

 tion exhale an odour perceptible to them, though not to us ? or do they understand 

 the curled and spotted appearance of the leaves, which indicates the presence of 

 Aphides ? The subject was forcibly suggested to me on the night of the 3rd of July, 

 while observing the manner in which the Noctua? descended upon some currant- 

 bushes infested with Aphides, but which gave out no smell perceptible to me ; while 

 they totally disregarded a bed of blooming pinks close by, though emitting a most 

 delightful perfume, and being besides a flower which at times they are very fond of. 

 We know that their sense of vision is remarkably acute, and that they seem at all 

 times to prefer honey-dew to every other description of food. I have observed them 

 flocking to it at times when they would not come near the sugar and rum spread on 

 the trees to attract them. — Id. 



On setting Lepidoptera fiat. — I wish to say a few words on that much-disputed 

 point, the flat setting ; and, in the first place, I must endeavour to get my readers to 

 admit that an insect set round has seldom a natural appearance. Besides the con- 

 vexity of the surface, which certainly in most cases is not natural, the contour of the 

 wings is seldom preserved, as it is altered according to the curve of the cork or braces 

 by which they are set (as any one may ascertain by setting the same moth first flat 

 and then round), and if not lost entirely, it is never so easily apprehended as in an 

 insect set fiat. On this account an artist would seldom be sure of taking a perfectly 

 correct outline of an insect set round. The only Lepidoptera, so far as I am aware, 

 that have naturally a slightly rounded or convex appearance, are the Eupitheciae and 

 AcidalioD, and some of the small moths, as Cochylis ; and these will retain it to the 

 extent which is natural, in spite of the flat setting, if the braces are placed — as they 

 always should be — across the tips of the wings. In the second place, the light in a 

 room, unless coming from above when the insect is placed in a horizontal position, or 



