223 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[October 



is found in May or June, "spun up in a leaf, or an earthen cocoon attached to the 

 food plant." On the other hand, he had noticed that the larvae were full fed about 

 the end of November, when they bury, and spin distinct earthen cocoons, in which 

 they remain as larvae until the end of the following May, when they change to pupae* 

 It was therefore important to leave the cocoons in damp earth all the winter, or the 

 larvae would dry up. Several members confirmed these statements, Mr. BattlCy 

 saying that if the larvae were brought into a greenhouse about January, they would 

 pupate at once, and emerge in March or April. Mr. Smith, Catocala mipta and 

 Ypsipetes eliitata from Epping Forest. Mr. Milton, Halias qnercana bred from Epping 

 larvae, also in Coleoptera, Dytiscus marginalis, D. circuuiflexns, Cetonia aurata, and 

 Philonthiis splendens. He also exhibited specimens of a wasp, and remarked that the 

 cyanide had changed the yellow bands and legs to red. Other exhibits in Coleoptera 

 were made by M. Bayne, who brought a specimen of Prionns corarius from Loughton ; 

 and Mr. Clark, who showed Sphodrus Cucopthalmus, NecropJiorns ruspatov, Toxotus 

 meridiamis and Nascerdes melanura, from Folkstone. Mr. Clark stated that he had seen 

 a specimen of Sphinx convolvuli, which was taken a few weeks ago at Southend. Mr. 

 Battley had found the larvse of Phovodesma siuaragdaria fairly plentiful at Benfleet ; 

 and imagines of Lyccena adonis, L. corydon, Acidalia oriiata, Aspilates gilvaria, and 

 seyeral other chalk species near Reigate. Mr. Smith had beaten three larvae of 

 Stauropns fagi in Epping Forest, and several others were recorded from the same 

 Wality. 



Hymenoptera.— Note. 



Cerceris Arenaria. — On the iith July, while walking along the 

 coast, my attention was attracted by, to me, an unusual appearance 

 among a colony of Cevcevis arenaria. On investigation I observed that a 

 jarge female had captured a beetle Otiovhynchus sulcatus, when she 

 alighted on the sand near the nest, two males, one on each side, flew 

 to her assistance, grasped the beetle, remained only a short time, their 

 object apparently being to make certain she had command over her 

 capture, she at the same time thrusting her sting into her victim most 

 vigourously; 1 afterwards saw several others brought and the same 

 precaution was taken in each case. 



The late F. Smith, in his Catalogue of the British Fossorial 

 Hymoptera, published by the British Museum in 1858, mentions at 

 page 189 that he captured several wasps carrying the above named 

 beetle. I think tlie above is worth recording, if only to confirm the 

 previous record. — G. C. Bignell. 



