Reptiles — Insects. 6787 



under tail-coverts the same. Thigh white. First wing-primary black ; 

 second, slightly marked with white on the inner web ; from third to 

 ninth, inclusive, there is a large spot of white on the inner webs, 

 extending from near the base to within an inch of the points, which 

 are tipped with gray ; the rest of the quills, excepting the four inner 

 ones, which are black, tipped with white, are about half white from 

 the base. Primary coverts black, with white points. Secondary coverts 

 glossy reddish brown, barred with black. There is a white patch over 

 the eye, extending to the nape, and a narrow dark brown line, com- 

 mencing at the gape, passes through the eye and on to the nape, where 

 it becomes gradually blended with the general plumage. There are 

 on the head numerous minute longitudinal dark spots. The second, 

 or spotted bird, is 7f inches in length and 13 inches in extent. Bill 

 barely 1 inch. Upper mandible dark ; lower reddish brown. Thigh, 

 l£ inch. Tarsus, 1 inch. Inner toe, 6-tenths of an inch ; claw, 

 1 J-tenth of an inch ; outer toe, 7-tenths ; claw, 1^-tenth ; middle 

 toe, 8-tenths ; claw, 1^-tenth ; back toe very short. Head small ; from 

 forehead to nape, 3-fourths of an inch. Eye small and black. Throat 

 and breast white, but speckled all over, the feathers being slightly 

 tipped with black ; the spots are very minute on the throat, but 

 increase in size towards the chest. The sides are also spotted with 

 black. Vent and under tail-coverts white ; the two centre ones as 

 long as the tail. Head, neck and back are of a glossy purplish brown. 

 Tail has twelve feathers, lateral ones brown and white, spotted and 

 barred with black ; second dark brown, barred with black, and tipped 

 with white ; third and fourth similarly marked ; fifth and sixth are 

 darker. The first quill is the longest. This is a much darker bird 

 than the former. 



H. Hadfield. 



Capture of the new Snake, Coronella austriaca, at Ringwood. — I captured a speci- 

 men of the new British snake, Coronella austriaca, five or six years ago, in June, near 

 Ringwood, Hants, when I was after Eulepia cribrum : I thought at the time I had 

 something new, but, not taking much interest in the reptiles, it was put into spirits 

 and forgotten till I saw Dr. Gray's notice in the ' Zoologist' (Zool. 6730). I have sent 

 the specimen to the British Museum, so that any one may see it. If this species 

 always accompanies the sand lizard (Lacerta stirpium), it may possibly be found nearer 

 London, as I have found the sand lizard at Weybridge, Surrey. — Frederick Bund. 



Larva of Acherontia Atropos. — I had brought to me, on the 22nd of October, a 

 very fine larva of Acherontia Atropos : it is about six inches in length and as thick as 

 my fore-finger, but it is a most extraordinary variety, being of an olive or brown 



