198 



Insects. 



replaced by a very faint false nervure. Posterior wings sub-trigo- 

 nate, tailed, anal angle produced into a tooth ; costal nervure want- 

 ing; sub-costal slightly curving outwards, terminating in the tail, 

 emitting one nervule to the anterior margin, just before the outer an- 

 gle, another to the outer margin a little before the tail ; median nerv- 

 ure slightly curved, terminating in the tail, emitting a nervule to the 

 anal angle ; between these two nervures is a false nervure or fold, 

 which runs directly along the middle of the wing from the base to the 

 tail, where it appears to unite with the median nervure. Tibiae (ap- 

 parently) all simple. Abdomen short, clothed with long hair. 



Tk. Zaida. Anterior wings diaphanous, nervures, costse, outer mar- 

 gin and cilia fuscous, disk and inner margin orange : posterior wings 

 orange, with a large black spot at the anal and outer angles : tails 

 black, tipped with white : cilia of the wings orange, of the tail black 

 neai'ly to the apex : head, thorax, feet and abdomen orange : anten- 

 nae black. 



Inhabits Northern India. In the collection of the British Museum. 

 This beautiful insect is nearly allied to Himantopterus fuscinervis, 

 Wesmael, of which a wood-cut is here gi- 

 ven. The neuration of the wings is very 

 peculiar, especially that of the posterior ; 

 and I am by no means certain that in these 

 I have given the right names to the nerv- 

 ures. The mouth, unfortunately, I cannot 

 examine, both the specimens having been 

 touched underneath with some substance, 

 which entirely prelcudes any attempt at such 

 examination. Its station in the system can- 

 Himantoptertis fuscinervis. not bc vcry far from thc LithosildaB. 

 London. E. Doubleday. 



Note on the capture of Odacantha melanura. One hundred and nineteen specimens 

 of this beautiful insect were a few days ago brought to me alive from the feus, where, 

 in certain localities, they appear to abound. The end of April or the beginning of 

 May seems to be the finest season for collecting them, and the following method, if 

 adopted, is almost certain of being attended with success. Burwell fen, and the 

 marshes in the neighbourhood of Whittlesea mere, are by far the most prolific locali- 

 ties in the county, where this species frequents the large heaps of sedge, so well known 

 to everybody who is acquainted with the like districts. If a large cloth be taken, and 

 these heaps well shaken over it, each bundle separately, insects innumerable, of all de- 

 scriptions, besides Odacantha melanura, may be taken. It would be uselcvss to enu- 



