i892.] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



Dr. Staudinger first found and wrote about confliia from Iceland, but 

 1 did say that Iceland examples of confliia found their way generally 

 into collections after the Doctor's return from the North of Europe in 

 1852. — Richard South, 12, Abbey Gardens, London, N.W. 



NocTUA coNFLUA. — Siuce former notes on this subject appeared, 

 I have had the opportunity of examining the series above this name 

 in the British Museum, and also Mr. Tutt's series. I am sorry to say 

 that not the slightest reliance can be placed on the Noctuae in the 

 Museum, which are in a state of hopeless confusion, and without the 

 slightest value for reference, specimens of festiva figuring over other 

 names in various parts of the collection. Above the name conflua I 

 noticed one specimen labelled Polar Norwegen Borsekop, Std.," 

 which is dark, but not so dark as my own specimens from. Unst, and 

 which has broad and very truncate wings. There did not appear to 

 be any Icelandic examples of the species. Mr. Tutt has 13 specimens 

 which he considers to be conflua. Two of them, in my opinion, do not 

 agree with his own definition of the form ; the others very fairly 

 represent it, but after a very careful examination of his long series, 

 tiie Museum series, and tliat of Mr. C. A. Briggs, 1 can only say that 

 I have seen nothing to alter my previously expressed opinion, that 

 conflua is not distinct from festiva, and I would nov/ go further and 

 say I have seen no form of conflua (so called), that can be separated 

 ixoxTi festiva even as a variety. — John E. Robson, Hartlepool. 



Phigalia pilosaria. — It is rather curious that P. pilosaria, has 

 emerged earlier this year, notwithstanding the fact that last summer, 

 autumn and winter have been very dreary quarters of the year, with 

 but little sun. The following are the dates on wliich I have first seen 

 tiie perfect insect during the last four years : 1S89 — Fe'Druary nth ; 

 i8go — February 13th; 1891 - February i6th ; 1892 — February 8th. 

 Wm. Brooks, Rotherham. 



Coleoptera. — Notes - 



Dromius quadrinotatus in Ireland. — In Vol. I., " Coleoptera of 

 the British Islands, Canon Fowler states that Dromius quadrinotatus has 

 never been recorded from Ireland. In July last I found two specimens 

 of these beetles (one living, one dead) under Beech bark, at Foxrock, 

 Co. Dublin. They were confounded with small specimens of D. 

 quadrimaculatuT in my collection, but they are plainly distinct. — H. 

 Gore Cuthbert, Dublin. 



[The Rev. W. Johnson, Armagh, has previously recorded this species as occurring 

 in Ireland, having taken "a number on trees, some under, and others on the surface 

 of the by.rk." See "Gossiping Notes," Briiish Naturalist, Vol. I., p. 3.— g.a.l.] 



