8398 Insects. 



curious variety, had it been more generally known, would have pro- 

 longed the illusion which induced a belief in the existence of two 

 species. , 



ACHILLE GUENEE. 



Entomologi zing in Madagascar. — 1 have collected about 800, chiefly Lepidoptera, 

 in the neighbourhood of Tamatave; but there is not any collecting-ground near. It 

 is my intention to go up to Alamazaotra, a village on this side of the large forest. I 

 shall start on Wednesday next, September 3rd. I hope there to have a consignment 

 ready to forward you, if all is well. I have made an arrangement with Mr. Canon- 

 ville, at Port L.mis, to ship the boxes by the first vessel leaving Mauritius for England. 

 M. Soumaque will superintend the shipping of them from Tamatave. It takes ten 

 days to go from Tamatave to Mauritius, but should they commence running steamers 

 it will only take three days each way. I have no doubt they will do so in a few 

 months. The people, " natives," here are more civilized than I expected to find 

 them; they have a great respect for, and a wholesome dread of all Europeans; I go 

 about with them without the least fear ; they are always ready to do anything for you. 

 The Betsimisarakas are the hard-working class: the Hovahs are the moneyed men. 

 One would take the " lamba," after reading Mr. Ellis's book, to be an elegant garment 

 that the Hovahs wear, when you see them in reality, they remind you of dirty English 

 table-cloths. — Frederick Plant, in a Letter to S. Stevens, dated August 29, 1862. 



Insects taken at Hademere, Surrey, in 1862. — Ever since my arrival here, 

 in the beginning of April last, I have worked pretty hard to see what I could make of 

 this almost unexplored locality ; unexplored, I mean, as far as Lepidoptera are con- 

 cerned. The results are not unsatisfactory, as the subjoined list will show ; but I am 

 not aware that a single species has turned up that is not known to occur in other 

 parts of the South of England. The following is a list of the more important things 

 that have occurred : — 



Satyrus iEgeria. I merely mention this species because I have observed three 

 evidently distinct broods — one in April, a second at the end of May, and a third at 

 the end of July. I expected a fourth in September, but the third brood lasted a long 

 time, and larva3 from eggs laid by a female of that brood are only now full fed. 



Nerneobius Lucina. I found this species worn in a wood in June. 



Choerocampa Elpenor. June ; hovering at sugar. 



Zeuzera jEsculi. A chance specimen occurred in August. 



Hepialus sylvinus. August. Common among fern. 



Anthrocera Trifolii. July. In some damp meadows, not common. 



Nola cristulalis. May. Common on tree-trunks. 



Epioue advenaria. May and June. Common in woods, among Vaccinium Myr- 

 tillus. 



Eurymene dolobraria. June, scarce. 



Pericallia syringaria. July. I took a specimen on a hedge-bank, just emerged. 

 The pupa-skin was suspended by the tail to a blade of grass. 

 Selenia lunaria. May, scarce. 



Ennoinos erosaria. October. I obtained some eggs from a female I found on a 

 furze-bush. Their shape maybe well-known, but was new to me: they were like 

 bricks in miniature. 



