44 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
March. The caterpillar was taken by 
my brother on Cannock Chase. — T. G. 
Bonney, 3, Great College Street, West- 
minster ; May 2, 1 857. 
Killing Large Moths . — I should be 
glad to know of the most approved 
method of killing any large moth, say a 
Hawk for example, which will not sub- 
mit to be brought home alive in a pill- 
box to be stilled in the laurel. In the 
‘Entomologist’s Annual’ you recom- 
mend oxalic acid, saying it will kill the 
largest species almost instantly. I have 
not tried it myself, but my brother has, 
and failed, — I mean in causing instanta- 
neous death. His victim was a bred 
specimen of/ 5 . Machaon, and lie applied 
the acid most unsparingly without its 
producing the desired result: the tragedy 
was, therefore, brought to a close by 
chloroform. Now, I suppose the cause 
of failure, in this instance, was either 
through the improper inode of applica- 
tion, or through the solution not having 
been mixed properly ; so I want you to 
tell me the proper way to mix the acid, 
and also the best mode of application. I 
often wonder, when I read of the great 
captures of some entomologists whilst out 
in the woods, as to how they manage to 
destroy the life of their victims without 
destroying their beauty also. If you will 
kindly give me a few words of advice on 
the subject as to the modus operandi, 
See., I shall be much obliged. — T. Lin- 
n eel, Reign te, Surrey ; April 28, 1857. 
[We shall be glad to have some answers 
to these queries.] 
Abnormal C'ocoon of Salurnia Carpini. 
— On examining some cocoons of the 
Emperor moth in my breeding cage, I 
found one quite imperforate, being 
rounded at each end like the Eggar 
moth’s case, and, when opened, it ap- 
peared packed tight with the exuviae of 
the larva and pupa, and a crumpled de- 
formity, who had evidently not died 
without a struggle, as the back of his 
thorax was as feutherlcss and shiny as a 
beetle’s wing-case. It is strange that the 
insect architect should have omitted such 
a necessary article as the door-way when 
spinning up ; and it would seem that 
one instinct is considered sufficient lor 
each species, as the Puss moth, which 
leaves no exit in its case, would have 
easily forced a passage through that 
which proved an “ Emperor’s” prison 
and tomb. I shall be glad to hear, from 
any collectors w r ho are in the habit of 
breeding the insect, whether the above is 
a frequent occurrence. — E. C. Rye, 14, 
King's Parade, Chelsea. 
Nepticula Myrtillella . — Professor Frey 
has succeeded in rearing the Nepticula 
from the Vaccinium Myrtillus, and has 
placed it in his collection with the above 
name. The insect has some affinity to 
N. Salicis, but the fascia is more distinct 
and broader, and placed nearer towards 
the apex of the wing. — H. T. Stainton, 
Zurich ; May 1 , 1857. 
Elachista ietragonella . — Yesterday I 
made, with Professor Frey, a small ex- 
cursion, and found the larva? of this spe- 
cies in the leaves of Carex alpina : the 
mines are very white and transparent, 
and readily attract attention. Tetrago- 
nella has some similarity to our Trape- 
ziella. Is that also a Carex feeder? I 
found at the same time a Coleophora 
larva on Delonica officinalis, which I at 
first supposed to be Wockeella. On 
showing it, however, to Professor Frey, 
he recognised it as Auricella (or a new 
species allied to that). The case is 
broader and shorter than that of 
Wockeella . — Ibid. 
Outhopteua. 
Yesterday (Sunday) morning, when 
preparing for church, a male cricket 
(Achela domcslica) started from the folds 
of a coat which had been laid on a chair. 
Wishing to examine the intruder, as an 
entomologist should I seized him by 
the third joint of one of bis second pair 
of legs with a pair of line forceps. The 
