158 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



that it seems" to have twelve feathers on each 

 side. The larva feeds on honeysuckle, and 

 the insect may be frequently met with in out- 

 houses, or even in houses, where it comes to 

 hybernate. There are only nine European 

 species of this group. 



LARVAE. 



On page 129 wc called attention to some larvae 

 we required for figuring, but as February has 

 passed very cold and unfavourable for en- 

 tomological collecting, our readers will have 

 had little chance of getting any of those we 

 named. X ovv is the time for some others which 

 we should like to see in addition to those referred 

 to before, such as : — L. pudorina, imp urn, and 

 pattens, L. iestacea, A. imcmimts, It. teriebrbsa, 

 ( '. ahinis, T. interjeeta, mdsequct, and janthina, 

 all of which should be looked for on grass a nd 

 other low plants after dark. Those of our i 

 readers who live near Lyndhurt or other places 

 where E. plumaria is taken could perhaps 

 obtain for us a larva of that species by sweeping 

 clover and other low plants which grow upon 

 heaths. The sweeping net should now scarcely 

 ever be at rest : it is an invaluable instrument 

 for obtaining all kinds of larv* which feed upon 

 low plants, fee, and is used by sweeping 

 to and fro among grass or any other herbage 

 when the larvae u] on it fall into the bag of the 

 net which is made of calico so as not to tear. 



There are also three of the plume moths now 

 feeding in the larva state, one P. trigoaodactylus 

 inside the stem of coltsfoot flowers, and two 

 upon golden rod P. ttplirodaetylus, and 

 osteodactylas. In return we think we might 

 safely promise larva? of S. belgiaria, and images 

 or eggs of C. flavicornis and L. m ultestrigaria 

 should any of our readers require them. 



We do not apologise for taking up space in 

 our limited pages as above, for, though we are 

 asking for what we want ourselves, ^we really 

 need these larvse for the benefit of our readers 

 in course of time, and the instructions where 

 and how to obtain them will be of service to 

 all. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES 

 FOR BEGINNERS. 



By C. S. Gregson, Liverpool. 



MARCH. 



February has nearly gone, and in con- 

 sequence of the continued frosty nights, little 

 can have been done in this part of the 

 country by our young friends, but do not let 

 them be disheartened by that circumstance, 

 but rather let them say " now is the winter 

 of our discontent made glorious summer" as 

 they buckle on their armour (satchels), and 

 off to the woods and waste places, bounding 

 lightly on the way under the impression that i» 

 they have two months work to do during 

 March, for the extreme cold of February has 

 not killed any larvae or pupae, but only retarded j 

 their appearance, so we need not fret because 

 one month seems to be lost to us, but we must 

 rather resolve to make up for what time 

 appears to have been lost: I say appears, 

 because if commence at once we shall still 

 be quite in time for the February species, f* 

 only we must begin at once, or the apparent 

 loss of opportunity to obtain them this season 

 will be real. As we may now have all the 

 February insects to capture and set, to which I » 

 we may now 7 expect the vernal Orthosida, and; Sin 

 the hybernating species of the genus Vanessa, 

 Gonipteryx rhamni will show itseif in pretty! lb 

 good condition on fine days near where the' 

 buck thorn grows, Pievis rapce, the small i pu 

 white, and P, rapi the green-veined white, * -.v 

 will also be out if the days are warm. Selenel 

 illunaria the Early Thorn may be met with in 

 old lanes on warm evenings towards the end ' r 

 of the month. Nyssia zonaria may be found I 

 on the ground at New Brighton sandhills. I 

 Search in the little valleys and hollows where Psepai 

 the dwarf sallows grow. They may also be \ 

 met with on the Crosby sandhills, near Little 

 Brighton, where I "transplanted" them some 

 time ago, and they have increased pro- "■' :; 

 digiously. Whilst among the sallows look 1 



