THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



Mr. West said that when he took this species it was extremely abundant, but he had 

 not been able to find it since. Mr. Billups also exhibited Hotinus clavatus taken by- 

 Mr. Elwes at Dargeeling, 1886. Mr. Billups also exhibited male and female speci- 

 • mens of the minute mussel crab (Primotheres pisum) . Mr. Carrington making some 

 . interesting remarks on the economy and habits of the crustacean, Mr. Jenner Weir 

 said it could be found commonly at Brighton. Some observations were- made on 

 the number of plants to be seen in bloom at the present time, consequent upon 

 the mildness of the weather. — H. W. Barker, Hon. Secretary. 



. * . tSi co ' . . ; ! " ,== 



Notes and Observations. 



Liparis dispar.— All my pupae have died, as I anticipated (vide 

 Y.N., vol. ix., p. 229). They shrivelled up about a fortnight after I 

 brought them indoors. If I had waited till the weather was cold and 

 frosty I doubtless should have succeeded, but as it was, the humidity 

 > of the atmosphere prevented the heat having due effect, and develop- 

 i ing the imago in the pupa at once, as it would doubtless have done 

 had the weather been cold. Mr. Buckler, in his " Larvae of British 

 Butterflies and Moths," vol. ii., page 32, comes to the same conclusion 

 as this with regard to forcing pupse of D. euphorbia, I am very sorry 

 to have lost this brood, as it was, I believe, of British extraction, and 

 has been in the possession of the late Henry Willis, of this town, 

 and myself for over 14 years. — A. E. Hall, Norbury, Sheffield. 



Cidaria reticulata. — I have come to the conclusion that Cidaria 

 reticulata is so rare an insect owing to the larva feeding so late in the 

 autumn on a food plant so tender as Impatiens noli-me-t anger e. The 

 larvae is also very petted. I could never get it to eat any other plant, 

 and I would not at all be surprised if this species soon became 

 extinct, owing to the early frost and snow we have. This season we 

 had it on the first day of October. I have never been able to make 

 much out with the larvae, although I have tried hard, and have gone 

 almost daily for fresh food for them. I was successful in breeding it 

 this season. Knowing the larvae made up amongst the loose rubbish, 

 and that it did not wander much, I determined to try another plan. 

 I went late in the season and collected bags of rubbish from about 

 where I knew the plants had been growing, and was rewarded by a 

 very nice series. I am afraid it will be no use trying the same this 

 winter, for I went on the 28th of September to see if there were many 

 plants. I found my corner had a nice bed in it, and I had a good look 

 for larvae, I found three,, but not nearly half grown. Being so small, 



