6694 



Insects. 



Capture of Noctua fiammatra in the Isle of Wight. — I am happy to announce 

 the capture of a new Noctua, by Mr. lingers, in the Isle of Wight. I was in com- 

 pany with him at the time, and saw the insect alive. At that time I was unable to 

 determine the species, assigning it a place between N. triangulum and N. rhomboidea. 

 Mr. Rogers kindly allowed me to make a drawing of his specimen, which I took with 

 me to London, and was enabled, through the kindness of Mr. Bond, to compare it 

 with specimens of " N. (ochropleura) fiammatra" in the British Museum, with which 

 it proved to be identical. This species is widely distributed, occurring in India and 

 throughout Europe, and, with very slight difference, in Brazil. It will be instantly 

 recognised by the intensely black collar, more conspicuous even than that of T. 

 pastinum ; otherwise the resemblance to an indistinctly-marked specimen of N. trian- 

 gulum is great, but it has a black central dash from the base of the fore wings. It is 

 rather singular that this is the third new Noctua which has occurred in the Isle of 

 Wight within the last few months. — W. D. Crotch ; London, August 26, 1859. 



Heliolhis scutosa near Poole. — On Monday, the 11th inst., as I was out with my 

 pupils collecting in this neighbourhood, one of them (Mr. D. A. Neilson) had the 

 good fortune to capture a specimen of this insect, which is now in my possession. — 

 C. R. Green ; Parsonage, Hamworthy, near Poole, July 25. — ^Intelligencer?'] 



[What is the Heliolhis scutosa of British authors? and who named the Rev. Mr. 

 Green's capture ? The celebrated specimen called Heliothis scutosa, belonging to 

 the late Mr. Heysham, of Carlisle, and lately sold with the collection of that gentle- 

 man at Mr. J. C. Stevens', for 28s., had no resemblance whatever to the Heliothis 

 scutosa of continental authors. Would it not be well for Mr. Green to submit his 

 supposed H. scutosa to Mr. Doubleday's scrutiny ? No one will question that gentle- 

 man's decision. But when the genus and species of a moth really unknown to us as 

 British are thus given by a gentleman whose very name we have not the privilege of 

 knowing, I feel that it is allowable to entertain some fears of a mistake. — Edward 

 Newman?] 



Description of the Larva of Eupithecia pimpinellata. — I am inclined to suspect 

 that this insect has been wrongly named. I have constantly and most closely 

 examined both flowers and seeds of Pimpinella magna and P. Saxifraga, but could never 

 detect the slightest trace of the larva. I have repeatedly beaten it from the flowers of 

 the golden rod (Solidago Virgaurea), and from that plant alone, though both species 

 of Pimpinella are common in the locality. The larva is fulvous, with a series of black 

 dorsal triangular spots, becoming confluent towards the head, and faint or altogether 

 evanescent on the caudal segment. On either side a row of conspicuous, slanting, 

 whitish or yellowish stripes, forming a sort of margin to the dorsal spots. Belly dusky, 

 reddish in the centre, and having a dusky central line running the whole length. 

 Body studded with various-sized white tubercles, and thinly clothed with short hairs. 

 Feeds upon the flowers of Solidago Virgaurea, in August and September. I have 

 found it by no means rare in the Kentish woods, where the underwood is from one to 

 two years' growth, and the golden rod has room to grow and flower freely. In con- 

 finement the larva will feed freely upon Senecio Jaeobsea and S. palustris. The pupa, 

 which is enclosed in a slightly-spun earthen cocoon, is very distinct from all the rest 

 of the family. The thorax is yellowish green, with a very accurately and distinctly- 

 defined border, and looks almost as if set in a frame. When examined with a glass 

 some singular dark spots and markings are seen, which give it very much the appear- 

 ance of a skull. The abdomen is yellowish red, with two indistinct interrupted dorsal, 



