NOTES AND QUEBIES. 521 



rience of being assisted in the capture of Cicadidro by discovering their 

 position through their tell-tale stridulation is apparent by a narrative of the 

 late Mr. Jenner Weir, who, exhibiting a specimen of Cicadetta montana at a 

 meeting of the Entomological Society of London, is reported to have said, 

 ' he was attracted to the spot where the insect was concealed by hearing it 

 stridulate" (Proc. Ent. Soc. July 4th, 1877). At a subsequent meeting 

 (Aug. 1st, 1877), Mr. Weir stated that Mr. J. Gulliver had also taken the 

 species, and that that collector was also " guided by the sound so made in 

 effecting the capture." — Ed. 



Strange Pairing of Butterflies. — Whilst shooting on the western 

 borders of the Bog of Allen, in Kildare, Ireland, during the latter part of the 

 month of August in this present year, I noticed a male Small Tortoiseshell 

 Butterfly and a female Large Meadow Brown, interbreeding. Is this a 

 circumstance of any rarity ? I almost think it must be, for in the course 

 of a long country experience nothing of the sort has come under my 

 notice. — A. Marmaduke Langdale (Thorneycroft, Compton, Petersfield). 



[The two butterflies being not even generically allied, but belonging to 

 different subfamilies, this strange union, of which we have received definite 

 particulars, would certainly be infertile in result. — Ed.] 



PRESERVATION OF ZOOLOGICAL SPECIMENS. 



Dermestes lardarius eating Specimens of Moths.— In reply to Mr. 

 Dallas's query about getting rid of Dermestes in insects (p. 433), the large 

 moths are all the better for having their insides removed at the first, and. 

 treated with a weak solution of corrosive sublimate, or at least of benzoline. 

 With old specimens, benzoline applied very lightly is most useful, but 

 occasionally the mischief has extended to the wings, and the scales float off, 

 leaving a black mass. In the case of heads, a solution of corrosive 

 sublimate of such a strength as not to leave a white deposit on dark hair 

 should be liberally applied, and when dry the hair should be brushed and 

 combed, and wiped over with benzoline. Even when there are no 

 Dermestes, it is a capital plan to saturate all heads once or twice a year 

 with benzoline. For skins, &c, that are put away powdered naphthaline is 

 excellent. — Oxley Grabham (Chestnut House, Heworth, York). 



Zool. 4th Ser. vol. J., November, 1897, 2 



