24 tJ""^' 
Abundance of the larvce of Melitma Cinxia. — The cliffs near Ventnor are now 
literally swarming with the larvae of Melitcea Cinxia, feeding on the narrow-leaved 
plantain, in the orthodox manner. They are in all stages of growth, from quite 
small to nearly full-grown. It is impossible to walk from Ventnor to St. Lawrence 
by the cliff-walk without finding thousands. I have not seen any of the chrysalides. 
Excepting these, there do not seem to be many insects here ; unless, perhaps, oil- 
beetles.— L. M. S. Pasley, St. Lawrence, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, April 20th, 1868. 
Xylomyges conspicillaris, ^c. — I bred a very fine example of X. conspicillaris 
on the 4th of this month. I did not expect this reward for my last autumn pupa- 
digging, for in no other season in my life did I ever meet with so few pupae. After 
a day's march and toil, the result was generally only about eight or ten TceniocampcB : 
some days T turned up a Smerinthus or an Amphidasis . Upon the 22nd February 
I bred a crippled $ A. prodromaria, very early, I thought, as the pupa was kept in 
a cold northward room. I placed her upon the bole of an elm tree in my garden, 
and in the morning a <J was in attendance close by her side. This, too, was very 
early for its appearance, after the middle of March being the usual time, about 
which period I bred several this season ; also T.po2mleti, T. munda, S. illunaria, and 
other common spring species. Some of the V. urticce that hybernated in my house 
took flight more than a fortnight ago, others yet remain waiting for warmer 
weather, as we have had severe frosts nearly every night during the last three 
weeks. Two or three fine G. libatrix are still lodging upon my cellar walls. I have 
been sugaring several times, but not one moth appeared. — Abraham Edmunds, 
Cemetery House, Astwood Koad, Worcester, April 16th, 1868. 
Dianthoecia capsophila hred. — During the month of April I bred a few fine 
dark varieties of this species. The first insect appeared on the 1st, and the last on 
the 29th, of that month — Chas. Campbell, 14, Blackbm-n Street, Upper Moss Lane, 
Hulme, Manchester, May llth, 1868. 
Early appearances. — Saturnia carpini. — A female came to light on April 24th, 
near Bromley, Kent ; she deposited a few eggs next day. Smerinthus tilicc. — A 
male was taken near this place May 4th.— H. Jenner-Fust, jun., Hill Court, 
Berkeley, May 9th, 1868. 
Superabundance of Abraxas grossulariata. — We have this year a perfect plague 
of the larva of this common insect, which has appeared in immense numbers in all 
the gardens hereabouts. I have seldom noticed it to attack anything but the red- 
and white-currant bushes, but this year scarcely anything has escaped its ravages ; 
red, white, and black currants, gooseberries, apple-trees, hollyhocks, cabbages ; 
indeed, there is scarcely a vegetable or flower which has not more or less of the 
pest upon it. In our own garden the larvae came out veiy early, feeding upon the 
unopened buds of the gooseberry, which they devoured so effectually that many of 
the smaller bushes never showed a leaf, and latterly many of the larger ones have 
been completely cleared of foliage, fruit, and young shoots. — T. J. Bold. 
