Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/352

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1518
Insects.

longer than either the fourth or sixth, which are nearly of equal length. (Zool. 1239). As I have not been ahle to find that the insect has been previously noticed or de- scribed, I have assumed it to be a new species, and have named it "dispar." — G.T. Rudd; Worsall Grange, Yarm, October 7th, 1846.

Discrepancy between the two antennæ of a Dytiscus. — A short time since, I took a male specimen of Dytiscus punctulatus in a pond on Wimbledon Common, with one antenna considerably shorter than the other, so much so, that I thought at first it was damaged ; the number of articulations are however complete in both, and as far as the fifth joint of equal size, but from that joint they diminish rapidly in the left antenna, the four terminal joints of which are only equal to the two last of the other : the total length may be about two-thirds. In the Crustacea, such difierences are frequent, and accounted for, on the supposition of their limbs having been lost and reproduced, but as no true insect has been hitherto discovered to possess this power of issuing se- cond editions of lost arms and legs, what can be the cause of a similar one-sided varia- tion in them? — George Guyon; Richmond, Surrey, September 11th, 1846.

Occurrence of the Locust near Knaresborough. — Last Wednesday, a person brought me a specimen of the locust, which had been taken in a barley-field, about eighfmiles from this place. — James C. Garth; Knaresborough, August 28th, 1846.

Capture of the Locust on Peckham Rye. — I yesterday caught a very perfect male specimen of the migratory locust on Peckham Eye ; it took very short flights of only a few yards at a time, and was easily overtaken. — Bevington Newman; 2, Hanover Street, Peckham, September 1st, 1846.

Occurrence of the Locust in Hyde Park. — Yesterday a person brought to the Mu- seum a specimen of Locusta migratoria, which he had taken the day before in Hyde Park. — Adam White: British Museum, September 2nd, 1846.

Occurrence of the Locust at Kingsbury, Middlesex. — While shooting on the 2nd at Kingsbury, I observed something moving about a meadow in a curious manner, and on going up to the spot, I saw what I at first took for a large Sphinx, but on catching it, it proved to be a fine specimen of Locusta Christii (Curtis) ; on reaching home with my prize, I was very much surprised to find that another had been left for me, that was taken near Stanmore Marsh, in a pea-field, two or three days ago. — F. Bond; Kingsbury, Middlesex, September 3rd, 1846.

Note on the occurrence of the Locust in Yorkshire and Devonshire. — Several speci- mens of this interesting insect, captured during the recent hot weather on the coast of Yorkshire, have lately come beneath my notice. Happening to be at Bridlington in August, I had the opportunity of obtaining a fine specimen, which was taken on Flam- borough Head, at the beginning of the month. Mr. Strickland also tells me that two have been brought to him since I left, captured at Bridlington, he thinks, on or about the 28th. I am informed by Professor Balfour, of Glasgow, that, during a recent ex- cursion in the west, he saw a specimen which was taken a few weeks ago at Dawlish, on the coast of Devonshire. Considering the many other instances in which I hear it has occurred, I was at first inclined to attribute the appearance of this insect to the un- usual hotness of the season. This, however, can scarcely be the case, for at the late meeting of the British Association at Southampton, Mr. Strickland informed me that more specimens occurred on the coast of Yorkshire last year than this, which, it will be remembered, was a particular]^ cold and wet season. One of these he has still in his possession, but the rest have been distributed amongst his friends. I have not heard