6348 



Insects. 



Lancashire bought a specimen, as it was considered not distinct from O. dilu- 

 taria: that gentleman wrote to me in these words, "I placed it in my cabinet as 

 O autumnaria, because 1 had heard there was such a species." I confess I feel little 

 confidence in the opinion of one who lets an insect remain unexamined in his cabinet 

 for so many years, when it was only placed there because he had heard there was such 

 a species. I do hope that my friend Mr. Logan, who once promised to publish the 

 Scottish Lepidoptera, will make a point of figuring this genus in particular, and shall 

 be glad to render him any assistance in my power. I think it would be exceedingly 

 interesting to the readers of the 'Zoologist' to know if the specimens bred by 

 him from birch and the specimens bred by Mr. Wilson from heath resembled those 

 taken by Mr. Cooper and Mr. Weaver in Perthshire. One word more and I have 

 done : the habits of the October and November insects are so different that any one 

 can tell which species he is about to take : O. dilutaria flies off the tree bole rapidly and 

 generally upwards, O. autumnaria is one of the most sluggish flyers : an old friend 

 once observed to me, " Nay, don't hurry; autumnaria wou't go fast or far.'' — C. S. 

 Gregson, Stanley, Liverpool, November 14, 1858. 



[Will Mr. Gregson obligingly supply the cabinet of the Entomological Club with 

 a series of each species ? they will then be accessible to all inquirers. — Ed.'] 



Note on the Turnip Nigger (Athalia ceutifoliae). — This year the turnip nigger 

 has been very destructive in this district, and acres of turnips have been stripped 

 of their leaves. I did not notice them in any number till the first week in 

 August, when the weather was very hot and dry, so that they throve and increased 

 amazingly. On the evening of the 18th we had a severe thunderstorm with a heavy 

 dashing rain ; the two or three following days were showery, and I think a great many 

 were killed ; the turnips afterwards grew very fast, so that those niggers left did but 

 little damage. I quite believe if the fine and hot weather had continued another fort- 

 night the turnip crop would have been nearly destroyed. But what strikes me as 

 very singular is that there is a second brood, which are, I think, even more numerous 

 than the first, though of course they will not do so much damage, as there is more 

 food for them. This time they have taken to the oldest turnips on the farm, which 

 were not touched in August : hundreds of the caterpillars are upon thern now, though 

 they are not so numerous as they were a fortnight since ; the severe frosts of last week 

 did not seem to affect them in the least. — Thomas Dix ; West Hading, Norfolk, 

 November 16, 1858. 



The Turnip Nigger. — May I ask "Rusticus" to be so good as assist me to the 

 name of a black larva that is ravaging the turnips to such an extent, as to leave little 

 else but the mid-ribs of the leaves. A whole field of many acres in extent is com- 

 pletely devoured by the little blackamoors. In Lincolnshire the little creature 

 is known by the name of the " Black Jack ;" but whether it changes to fly, ichneu- 

 mon or beetle is a perfect mystery to the rustics in those parts. The larva is the 

 thicket at the head and tapers slightly towards the tail. It is furnished with six legs 

 in front, and with tentacles downwards to the tail ; the exuvia is annulated, the annula- 

 tions being concolorous. — Peter Inchbald ; Storthes Hall, near ITuddersfeld, October 

 21, 1858. 



[It is the Athalia centifolioe, figured in * Rusticus,' page 102. — Ed.~] 

 Late Swarm of Bees. — The latest date that I have met with for a swarm of bees 

 was the 13th of September, and I was much surprised to be called into my garden 

 this day, at half-past one o'clock, to witness a swarm from my own hives ; it was very 



