7976 



Insects — Mollusks. 



Cephennium intermedium may be known from C. thoracicum by its dark colour, 



smaller thorax, more elongate shape and rather longer antennae. 

 I found a single specimen of this insect, among moss, near Silchester, in Hamp- 

 shire, in July, 1869. 



Plenidium Formicetorum is allied to P. apicale, but is smaller and narrower than 

 that species, with the thorax less convex and the elytra more poiuted at the 

 apex ; the elytra are also entirely of a bright rufo-piceous colour. 



It is highly probable that this species exists in many collections, confounded, as 

 it was until very lately in my own cabinet, with P. apicale. 



This part of the kingdom seems to be unusually productive of Scydmaeni ; during 

 the last few years we have taken the following rare species, besides the two already 

 mentioned, viz.: — S. pusillus, S. exilis, S. angulatus, S. elongatulus, S. Sparshallii 

 and S. nanus. — A. Matthews ; Gurnley, Market Harborough, March 20, 1862. 



Dragonjiies captured at Sea. — When my brother-in-law, Captain J. C. Tyrwhitt- 

 Drake, 1st Battalion 2nd Queen's Royals, was returning from China with his regi- 

 ment, in the transport "Alfred," on the 22nd of January, 1861, great numbers of 

 dragonflies came on board about 6 a.m., and remained flying about the vessel until 

 about 8.30 p. m., when they disappeared. The vessel was then in lat. 23° 38' South, 

 long. 77° 3' East, wind fresh from North- West; Rodriguesbore N.W. 600 miles. 

 I have shown the specimens captured by my brother-in-law to Mr. It. M'Lachlan, 

 who believes them to be Libellula mauriciana of Rambur, a species which inhabits 

 the Mauritius. — W. 8. M. D Urban ; Newport, near Exeter, February 3, 1862. 



Note on the Habits of Phryganidce. — In a paper by Herr Nietner on " The Natural 

 History of the Enemies of the Coffee Tree," published in the ' Edinburgh New Philo- 

 sophical Journal ' for January, 1862, that gentleman adds some supplementary notes 

 on insects, which, though not actually injurious, frequent the trees when covered with 

 that peculiar insect-secretion called " honey dew," and mentions that, among others, 

 several species of Phryganidse are attracted thereby, especially Chiraarrha auriceps, 

 Hagen. He also takes occasion to remark that this is opposed to the once-received 

 opinion that these insects take no nutriment iu the perfect state. I fancy that this 

 latter idea has been successfully exploded since it became fashionable to "sugar" for 

 Noctuse. Every lepidopterist is aware that on certain nights many species of caddis- 

 flies will frequent the sugared trees, especially Phryganea varia and several species of 

 the genus Stenophylax. It may be interesting to remark also, in relation to this sub- 

 ject, that the nectar of flowers possesses considerable powers of attraction. Mr. Wor- 

 mald has several times taken a species of Limnophilus on thistle blossoms, and I 

 myself have captured individuals at sugar, which possessed so powerful an odour of 

 the flowers of the Echium, that I have not the slightest doubt that they had been 

 regaling themselves on that plant, which grew in abuudance close by, and only left it 

 for the more powerful attraction of the sugar. — R. M'Lachlan ; Forest Hill, March 17, 

 1862. 



Immense Cephalopod near Teneriffe. — In case the readers of the ' Zoologist ' have 

 not observed it, I would call their attention to the account, in the ' Illustrated Lon- 

 don News' of January 18, of an immense cephalopod seen and almost captured by 

 the crew of a French boat near Teneriffe. It was estimated at fifteen or sixteen feet 



