278 



[April, 



arranged after one plan in all the species ; other black species arc known on the 

 Continent. I have seen five examples taken at the end of the summer of 1868, in 

 Monsall Dale, Derbyshire, by Mr. Edwin Brown, who liberally presented mo w ith 

 a pair. It affects mountainous districts, and is common in central Europe. I have 

 a fine series from Carinthia, taken by Professor Zeller, and types from Herr Brauer, 

 — R. McLachlan, Lewisham, 1st March, 1869. 



Note on Xylina conformis. — Mr. E. Newman seems to think that very little 

 is known about this rarity ; so I will iaform your readers that I had an old 

 example which was taken near Halifax, in spring, many years since. I did 

 not know what it was, but felt sure it was new to our list. It was seen soon after- 

 wards by several London lepidopterists, but was considered by them as only a 

 variety of X. rMzolitha (lamhdaj ; this I never agreed with, but put it aside, for 

 further information ; it shows the reniform stigma distinctly red, as do the more 

 recent ones. Some years since my old friend Mr. John Scott was in Wales, and obtained 

 a fine pair of conformis from the original captor : one of these Mr. Scott most 

 kindly gave to me ; and as soon as I saw it, my attention was called to my old 

 hybernated specimen. On comparison, I found the latter much paler, but still 

 preserving the character of the Welsh insect ; there is a marked difference between 

 that and the continental examples that I have seen, which latter are broader in 

 the fore-wing, and more silvery ; the Welsh specimens are darlc rich chocolate. 

 When I received Mr. Scott's example, I gave my original one to my friend Mr. 

 Thomas Wilkinson, of Scarborough, who still has it. I should like to know whether 

 the specimens of the allied species, ZincTcenii, taken in England, vary in the same 

 manner ? 



T have seen four or five British individuals of X. conformis. The late Eev. G. 

 E. Eead had a specimen from the original captor ; at his death it was still among 

 his duplicates, and when I packed up his insects to send to Mr. Stevens for sale, I 

 put it in its right place in the cabinet, it was sold with the others, but I know not 

 who bought it.— T. H. Allis, Osbaldwick, York, March 3r(Z, 18G9. 



Leucania alhivuncta at Yaxley. — In 1862 or 1864, which, I am not quite sure, 

 it was one of my last visits to Yaxley, I happened to want a few fresh specimens of 

 L. lithargyriaj and on picking them out, took, what I thought, a small variety, which 

 I have had in my cabinet ever since. Early this year my friend II. Doublcday was 

 kind enough to send me a foreign type of alhipuncta, (a ? darkly coloured), as soon 

 as I saw this, it called to mind this example, which I sent to Mr. Doubleday to ex- 

 amine. I have his reply to day, that it is a male of alhipuncta. This is curious, as it 

 is the oldest recorded capture of this rare insect in tliis country.— Id. 



Curious variety of the larva of Vanessa cardui. — The following note contains 

 tho solution of one enigma, but presents another for investigation and solution in 

 its turn. 



On July 17th, 1865, Dr. Knaggs sent me (from Folkestone) a larva ho had 

 found feeding on Mallow {Malva sylvestris). It was then half-an-inch long, with 

 seven rows of spines, all black in colour, except those in the dorsal and sub-dorsal 

 rows on tho 6th, 8th, and 10th segments, which were palo primrose-yellow ; tho 



