Insects. 5541 



Nomenclature of Noctuina. — "I am, however, much comforted by hearing from 

 my most worthy friend, Mr. C. R. Bree, that he is shortly about to publish a list of 

 the British Noctuina, in strict accordance with the arrangement of M. Guenee," 

 writes the Rev. H. Harpur Crewe. Very well, say I; they are quite welcome to 

 " comfort" one another, if they like, but I protest against the pages of the * Zoologist ' 

 being made the vehicle for their doing so. Already have more than nine pages been 

 iiiled up with " fatty " matter relative to the Delto'ides and Pyralites, of no use to any 

 one professing to be an entomologist, since all such must possess M. Guenee's works, 

 and the volume in question can be had for 4s. 3d. If the same .proportion of space is 

 to be applied to the Noctuina, your readers must calculate on at least sixty pages of 

 similar matter. I have not the slightest wish to prevent Mr. Bree indulging in the 

 luxury of printing at his own cost, but I think the majority of your readers will not 

 relish the appearance of two or three more double numbers filled with mere copied 

 catalogues. — George fVailes ; Newcastle-on-Tyne, February 10, 1857. 



Pupa of Agriopis aprilina. — At p. 268, No. 12, of the ' Manual,' Mr. Stainton says 

 that the pupa of Agriopis aprilina is buried to a great depth. I am utterly at a loss 

 to conceive upon what grounds Mr. Stainton has arrived at this conclusion. I have 

 very frequently dug up the pupa of A. aprilina; in fact, it is one of the commonest at 

 the roots of oak, in the early autumn. I have invariably found it immediately below 

 the surface of the soil. All my entomological friends tell me the same thing, and I 

 think that even the most incipient entomologist will be able to confirm my statement. 

 I can only account for Mr. Stainton's remark by supposing that the Agriopis larva? in 

 the neighbourhood of Lewisham are, like the Earthmen of Central Africa, endowed 

 with burrowing propensities uncommon to the rest of their species. — H. Harpur 

 Crewe ; Stoivmarket, February 10, 1857. 



PS. Subsequently to writing the above, I find, upon reference to M. Guenee's 

 work, that Mr. Stainton has copied, almost verbatim, M. Guenee's remarks on the 

 pupa of A. aprilina. My observations will therefore equally apply to M. Guenee. — 

 H. H. C. 



Pupa Raking. — After reading Mr. Gregson's paper on " raking" (Zool. 5432), I 

 was considerably perplexed to understand how Mr. G. ever came to give the term 

 "raking" to the operation he there describes. The term "raking" appears to me to 

 necessitate the useof a " rake"; but it does not appear that Mr. G. ever uses one : his 

 plan is no doubt a very useful one, and his suggestions valuable to the entomological 

 world ; but I should strongly advise him to designate his operation by a more con- 

 genial term. Now I had often heard of " raking," and supposed that it meant 

 actually using a " rake." Accordingly, one day last October, I armed myself with a 

 small rake of four or five teeth, and proceeded to a dry, gravelly bank, which, in the 

 summer, is generally covered with the bladder campion (Silene infiata) and the 

 common lychnis {Lychnis dioica) ) and where I had frequently taken the larva of 

 Diantha3cia capsincola and D. carpophaga, and several times that of Eupithecia 

 venosata. I steadily "raked" up the soil of this bank for the space of some twenty 

 yards or more. I was at work about an hour, and in that time found five pupae of 

 D. carpophaga, one D. capsincola and one E. venosata. I left the neighbourhood 

 soon afterwards, and was not able to try the place a second time. The soil of the 

 bank is light and friable, and in the winter tolerably destitute of vegetation. In such 

 localities I have little doubt that " raking," in the literal sense of the word, might be 

 pursued with much success. — Id. 



