1889,] 



THE YOUNG NATU&ALIST. 15 



I placed them on a marked plant, and left them. The frost and show 

 coming a few days later, I went up again at once, and found the 

 plants all withered to the ground. After some looking I came across 

 two larvae wandering about. Not knowing what to do with them, I 

 came to the conclusion to send them to the Rev. B. Smith, of Marlow. 

 He had intimated to me that he could not but think that the larva? 

 might be got to eat something else. I have had a note from the Rev. 

 gentleman since to say he made nothing out. I can see but one 

 chance £or Reticulata, which is if any stay more than one year in the 

 pupa. If not, I do not see how they can survive, and should be sorry 

 to loose sight of so grand a species. I also was fortunate in breeding 

 a very nice series of P. postvemana this season from the same plant. — 

 H. Murray, Lowbank Villas, Carnforth. 



Note on Eubolia cervinata. — This species was common here 

 formerly, but the food, common mallow (Malva sylvestris), is so hunted 

 by the herbalists, who call it marsh mallow, that it is quite scarce now. 

 I found five larvae on one plant this year. From these I bred three 

 moths together, two females and one male. These were shut up 

 together for two or three days, but I never noticed them pair. They 

 had done so evidently, for both females deposited ova. I have now 

 had these above three months, and they all appear fertile. The other 

 two larvae produced female moths nearly a fortnight later, but the 

 male was dead.— -John E. Robson, Hartlepool. 



Tachinus subterraneus. — This insect has been rather common 

 in the North London gardens this autumn, and also Choleva fusca. I 

 find them principally among dead leaves and decaying vegetable 

 heaps, likewise under stacked roots of pynthrum. — G. A. Lewcock, 

 73, Oxford-road, Islington. 



An Ancient Egg. — During some repairs to Middleton-on-the-Hill 

 Church, near Leominster, the old plaster was removed from the 

 inside walls, and a number of scaffolding holes were exposed to view, 

 filled up with loose stones, dirt, and other rubbish. As, in all likeli- 

 hood, they had never been uncovered since the building of the 

 Church, which took place between the years 1000 and 1100, a search 

 was made in them all, in the hope something interesting might be 

 found. But the only thing brought to light was an egg, lying at least 

 two feet from the mouth of the opening, which space was quite full of 

 loose rubbish, so that no bird could have got to the back of it, even 

 if the plastering had been done in more recent times. The egg is 

 much discoloured, and is perforated by numerous tiny holes, through 



