136 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
cannot in future fail to recognise a For- 
mica at once, should you have the good 
fortune to meet with one. 
Your previous letter, informing me of 
the extinction of the wood-ant in Kent 
and Surrey, is, I fear, too near the truth. 
Should you ever be fortunate enough to 
be able to travel out of your ovn county, 
I will show you the well-wooded parts, 
which will much delight you. 
You are probably uot aware that, about 
the year 1859, people suffered much 
annoyance from a species of fly, which 
infested houses during the summer and 
autumnal mouths in immense numbers ; 
hence it acquired the name of Musca 
domestica. We happily only know of it 
by tradition. In the course of my re- 
searches into the “ ancient literature of 
Entomology,” I have discovered the 
means whereby the total extinction of the 
pest was effected ; it was by the use of 
what iu those days were called “ Catch- 
’em-alive-O’s.” 
I can furnish you with many equally 
well-authenticated accounts of the ex- 
termination of numerous pests which 
formerly existed. The collector to whom 
you allude as having lately discovered 
the head-quarters of a rare bee, is 
an old acquaintance of mine : I have 
seen his captures, and I find you have 
been quite misled by a name; the 
rarity proves to be a Lepidopterous 
insect, now rare, but formerly abun- 
dant ; its name is Sesia Bombyli- 
formis. Being a novice in Science, you 
were no doubt deceived by the name. 
I shall be most happy to smoke a 
friendly calumet with you, and intend 
shortly paying you a visit for that pur- 
pose, — in fact, immediately that I have 
finished a paper which I have in hand on 
the great ant-eater, Myrmecophaga ju- 
bata. 
Believe me, 
My dear Johnson, 
Yours very sincerely, 
Stevenson I’owehson. 
PS. As you usually subscribe to my 
little effusions, I have ventured to put 
your name down for a copy of the ‘ Ant- 
Eater.’ 
Proceedings of the Preston Natural 
History Society. — The President, Mr. 
J. B. Hodgkinson, exhibited an old but 
fine specimen of Heliothis Scutosa, which 
was taken near Carlisle, some twenty-five 
years ago, several specimens having been 
seen on the banks of the Solway by the 
Messrs. Rothwell, when at school ; they 
were flying in the hot sunshine only ; two 
were secured. Mr. Hodgkinson remarked 
that a third was taken by a man on a 
window, and given to his father. The late 
T. C. Heysham communicated to the 
President the capture of another specimen 
on the banks of the river near Dalston, 
probably by Mr. Cooper. Since that date 
the district has scarcely been visited ; 
hence there is certainly no grounds for 
Mr. Doubleday to expunge 4t from his 
new List, because none have been taken 
for a number of years ! Mr. J. J. Thornley 
exhibited Polyommalus Agestis, bearing 
the Artaxerxes character, the white spot 
being very prominently developed. Seve- 
ral specimens have beeu taken in the north 
district of Lancashire, near Grange. — 
J. J. Thornley, Market Place , Preston; 
July 5. 
Complete in Two Vols., fcp. 8 vo, cloth , 
price 10s., 
A MANUAL of BRITISH BUT- 
TERFLIES and MOTHS. By 
H. T. Stainton. 
This work contains descriptions of 
nearly 2000 species, interspersed with 
observations on their peculiarities and 
times of appearance, See., and is illus- 
trated with more than 200 woodcuts. 
London: John Van VoorSt, 1, Pater- 
noster Row. 
Printed end published by Edward Nkwman, 
Printer, ofNo.O, Devonshire Street, Biabops- 
gate Without, London, in the County of 
Middlesex. — Saturday, July 23, I 8.V.I. 
