192 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
been out of the chrysalis. — G. S. Mosse, 
Eldon Road, Kensington ; Aug. 27. 
COLF.OI’TERA. 
Prionus Coriarius. — A friend of mine 
captured a specimen of this species, on 
the 1st of August, in Richmond Park, at 
rest on the trunk of a tree. — E. Boscher, 
3, Prospect Villas, Twickenham ; A ug. 29. 
AN INSECT PEST AT BRUSSELS. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ‘INTELLI- 
GENCER.’ 
Sir, — A friend, who has been spending 
a short time in Belgium, has just brought 
me, from the Park at Brussels, a number 
of Hypogymna Dispar, which, he tells 
me, is found there at the present time in 
extraordinary abundance. It appears 
that last year an unusual number of 
sparrows and other birds took up their 
quarters in the Park, and, as in the case 
of the Guildhall pigeons awhile ago, 
they rendered themselves very obnoxious 
to the visitors. Complaint was made of 
the nuisance, and an order went forth 
that the sparrows should be destroyed. 
But it now turns out that in extermi- 
nating the birds the park-goers have got 
rid of one evil only to entail upon them- 
selves a greater. Throughout the past 
summer the place has swarmed with 
various insect pests, which have proved 
far more annoying than the birds, which 
before kept them in check. 11. Dispar 
has been one of the chief offenders: in 
the larva state it stripped well nigh all 
the trees of their foliage, and now the 
place abounds with the perfect insects. 
My friend assures me he might easily 
have procured thousands of them. The 
female moths especially lay about the 
grounds in the greatest profusion, and, 
ominously enough for the Park next 
summer, most of those brought to me 
had finished the business of oviposition. 
According to Kirby and Spence, the 
good people of Brussels were similarly 
troubled by this insect in 1826, and if 
the authorities there had known what 
these authors say on the subject they 
would probably have saved themselves 
some annoyance, and remained guiltless 
of the slaughter of their feathered pro- 
tectors. 
How are we to account for the gradual 
disappearance of H. Dispar from this 
country, while it continues so incon- 
veniently abundant with our nearest 
neighbours P I was told by a dealer at 
Cambridge last year that it had actually 
become extinct with us, and, on the 
strength of this assumed fact, he was 
offering some half-a-dozen specimens he 
had, and which of course were positively 
the last of the Gipsies, at the moderate 
price of five shillings each ! Thanks to 
the ‘ Intelligencer,’ however, we know 
there are more “ last” ones still to be 
bad ; so that those who, like myself, are 
minus good specimens of the insect, may 
yet hope to obtain possession some day 
of genuine British-born subjects for their 
cabinets. 
Yours, &c., 
George Kearlev. 
Walthamstoiv , Aug. 30. 
To Entomologists. 
HIP BOXES 2d. per dozen, or if 
more than three dozen arc taken 
they will be charged l£d. per dozen. 
Methylated Chloroform for killing 
Moths, &c., 6d. per oz. Benzine for 
extracting Grease. Solution for de- 
stroying the Insects which attack speci- 
mens in Cabinets. Camphor, Cork for 
Boxes and other requisites supplied at 
moderate rates by E. Wood, 31, Rich- 
mond Place, Brighton. 
Printed end published by Edward Nkwman, 
Printer, of No. 0, Devonshire Street, llishops- 
pate Without, London, in the County of 
Middlesex. — Snlurdny, September II, 185s. 
