PISCES.
Notes from Yarmouth.—Several Cuckoo Rays (Raia miraletus) were brought into Yarmouth in April. An enormous Haddock (Gadus aglefinus)—length 2 ft. 9 in., weight 10½ lb. when "gutted"—was landed at about the same time. Early in the summer an Eckstrom's Topknot (Zeugopterus unimaculatus) was captured in a shrimp-net off Yarmouth. Length, 5½ in. This is new to the fauna of this district. The fish was saved for my inspection, but was unfortunately too dry for proper preservation.—A. Patterson (Ibis House, Great Yarmouth).
INSECTA.
Making the best of Difficulties.—A curious instance of making the best of difficulties in insect-life came to my knowledge a few days ago. A young lad had made for himself a breeding-cage for larvæ, the bottom, or tray, being of stout brown-paper board, and the four sides and the top covered with gauze, which was supported by a straight stick, some eight or nine inches high, at each corner. These uprights were about the thickness of a lead-pencil, or possibly a trifle more. Into this cage he put some larvæ of Dicranura vinula. Two of the larvæ made their cocoons on the face of these corner sticks, which did not offer a surface of more than a quarter of an inch. One larva escaped into the room, and was afterwards found to have made its cocoon on the leg of an oak chair, or stool, I forget which. I think both these expedients are worth notice.—W. Oxenden Hammond (St. Albans Court, near Dover).
[The above experience is not uncommon. In 'The Zoologist' (1863, p. 8785) there is a record of these larvæ "forming their cocoons upon those of their predecessors." In one corner of a box there were no fewer than six clustered together.—Ed.]
ANIMAL SENSE PERCEPTIONS.
By this mail I am sending two specimens (male and female) of a bug which was too common in every garden in Johannesburg last summer, and which is doubtless well known to you.[1] In 'The Zoologist' (ante, p. 161) is an interesting article by Mr. Distant, under the heading "Biological Suggestions." As bearing on the question of the protection afforded to insects by nauseous smells, the following facts may be of interest:—The bug referred to above
- ↑ Holopterna alata, Westw., belonging to the Fam. Coreidæ.—Ed.
