THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



147 



NOTES, CAPTURES, &C. 



Early Captures. — Jfybcrnia Ritpicapraria 

 has been out here in large numbers, and 

 Progemtnaria also in fair quantities. On the 

 18th Feb. when out collecting with Mr. G. 

 Mathew, between 9 and 10, I boxed a good 

 number of both. The Progemmaria were very 

 variable, hardly 2 specimens being alike, and 

 2 or 3 being exceptionally dark. While beat- 

 the hedge for females, of which we secured 7 

 Rupicaprarin, we discovered a specimen of 

 Sarrothripa Revayana in the beating tray, 

 evidently a hybernated one. — Miss Hinch- 

 LIFF, Worlington House. Instow. North 

 Devon. 



Entomological Pins. — At page 98, Young 

 Naturalist, amongst many very good and use- 

 ful suggestions, we are told to look to our 

 stock of pins, and that a new black pin is 

 being supplied, &c. Permit me to say, I got 

 a sample of these pins from London two 

 seasons ago, and used them freely at first 

 upon species likely to verdigrease, and find in 

 practice they have two bad faults : Hrst, 

 insects verdigrease quite as readily upon them 

 as common pins, and much more so those 

 upon gilt pins ; and in the next place they 

 are such poor pointed pins that they can 

 hardly be got to enter cork, and when once 

 forced in can hardly be removed, the per- 

 fectly parallel sides of the wire holding 

 them as tight as a German nail ; they are, in 

 fact, very like the best fault of the Welsh 

 pony, with its only two faults : — bad to catch, 

 and when caught good for nothing. I send 

 herewith specimen set within two years upon 

 these pins, and think 1 never saw worse verdi- 

 greased insects in the time, f therefore say 

 avoid black pins, and use " Edleston's " Gilt 

 Pins, they are the best in the world, and the 

 cheapest I know of. W T hilst on the subject 

 of pins, let me say I pin my faith, or rather 

 ray insects, on No. 8 Gilt for butterflies and 

 large moths, and No. 16 for the Geometrina 

 and Tortricina, and use No. 20 for the Tineina. 

 With the exception of for the sphinges, no 

 other sizes need be used by British entom- 



ologists, who set low on the pin. Of course 

 old hands will do as ^they think proper, and 

 use whatever sort of pins they prefer, but I 

 am writing for young naturalists. Note, 

 there is a so-called gold pin being sold, 

 which is worse than either the common pin 

 or the black pin, it verdigreases all over, as 

 well as near the body of the insect. I send 

 samples for inspection, and for your opinion; 

 in my opinion, it is the height of folly to use 

 any of them. They may be known from 

 Kdlestone's pins by the smaller heads, bad 

 points, and duller appearance ; where they 

 come from I dont know. — C. S. Gregson. 

 "The insects sent were delayed in the post, 

 and when they arrived they were in so 

 thoroughly smashed condition, that it was 

 impossible to give an opinion. — Ens/ 

 Foreign Bodies in Eggs. — On looking 

 I over an old Naturalist published in 1S52 I 

 j find on p. 9, vol. 2, a statement that a human 

 ' hair was found passing entirely through the 

 ) shell and albumen of an egg. Also another 

 instance of a barley corn being found in the 

 I albumen of another. These instances seem 

 to be confirmatory of the instance given at p. 

 67, vol. 1, Young Naturalist of a lost sixpence 

 being found in the inside of an egg at break- 

 ' fast. — S. L Moslev. 



V. Urticd in February. — I recorded the 

 capture of a specimen of this insect on 17th 

 February. A second was brought me a week 

 ; later, 24th February, which was taken on 

 the wing not very far from the workshop, on 

 the window of which the first was found. It 

 was very lively when caught, the day being 

 very fine and mild, but with the return of 

 j frost and snow both appear to have become 

 ; torpid again. — John E. Robsox, West 

 i Hartlepool. 



1 TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



, A. D., Gt. Mario w. — We do not know the 

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i pence in stamps, and we will advertise for a 

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 they do not care to keep. The fault must be 



I with your bookseller, or his London agent. 



