THE WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
37 
gards the occurrence of Defoliaria in 
January, I may state that, during 
January 1862, 1 had several examples 
of this species developed (one on the 
20th,) most of -which were females. 
Last November I took two or three 
males, at light, but they were then in 
a very mutilated condition, so it ap- 
pears that individual examples of this 
species “ put in an appearance during 
several months, and although, as you 
observe,” only miserable stragglers 
are to be met with after Christmas 
yet occasionally some specimens are 
developed after that season. G. B. 
Corbin, Ringwood, Hants. 
Notes on the genus Tceniocampa. 
Every Lcpidopterist of a years stand- 
ing can claim acquaintance with some 
examples at least, of this interesting 
genus. And as, at this time of the 
year, other Lepidoptera are still but 
scantily represented in the perfect 
state, it is to the collecting of the 
Tceniocampce that we now mainly 
devote ourselves. 
The species now appropriately col- 
lected into a genus under Guenee’s 
name Tceniocampa were formerly clas- 
sed by Stephens with the Orthosice 
(except the species Gothica, Leucog- 
rapha and Rubricosa ) and as an ex- 
cessive proneness to variation is a 
striking feature of this group, we need 
not wonder that varieties of nearly 
every one of the species have been 
described as distinct by Haworth. We 
find accordingly four names in that 
author for one insect ( Instabilis ,) three 
for another fStabilis) and so on. 
Guenee says that the larva of Min- 
iosa and Cruda are carnivorous, hut 
although we know that S. Satellitia, 
in the same family, is a cannibal in 
the larva state, I am not aware that 
this propensity has been observed in 
any species of this genus, in Britain. 
Recurring to the subject of the mul- 
tiplication of names by old authors, 
and hence to names in general, we 
may stop to make the enquiry why 
the nomenclature of Munda and Cruda 
is in such marked antithesis. The 
latter insect, especially, seems not to 
have been very much in the good 
graces of preceding Entomologists, for 
in Haworth’s book we find it dignified 
by the appellations of Nana and Pus- 
ilia. This genus will, I think, always 
have an attraction for Entomologists, 
as many of the species are so very 
common, and prolific in varieties, — 
and since their capture is a matter of 
such ease and gratification, for the 
sallow blossoms, in spring, afford an 
abundant harvest of the imago, and 
the results of the pupa-digger’s labour 
in early winter, always show a great 
preponderance of these Chrysalides. 
W. A, Lewis, Harrow, N W. 
CAPTURES. 
CoLEOPTERA. 
Captures in winter. 
Continued. 
Cryptohypnus riparius. One speci- 
men at Bowdon. Another near 
Bolton. 
