Tufts Of Grass Research Articles

HINTS ON COLLECTING COLEOPTERA DURING THE WINTER

During the winter the coleopterist in Britain finds a great deal to do in the way of collecting, as many species are to be met with at this season, which will probably not be found at any other period of the year. One of the principal methods of collecting during the winter is “tuft-cutting”, and it is astonishing the number of beetles which pass through the winter in tufts of grass. Those growing in damp places in woods and on the borders of ponds and streams are generally the most productive. They should be cut off close to the roots, then shaken and pulled to pieces over a sheet fo paper, which shold be very carefully examined, otherwise many ot the more minute species will be passed over.

Mount Milanji in Nyassaland

HIDDEN in the recesses of one of the recently issued Parliamentary Papers (Africa, No. 5, 1892) will be found a very interesting report on the mountain and district of Milanji, in British Central Africa, by Mr. Alexander Whyte, F.Z.S., one of Mr. Commissioner Johnston's principal assistants in the task of ruling and developing the new British Protectorate of Nyassaland. Mr. Whyte was sent to Milanji by Mr. Johnston in October last, and dates his report from the “Residency, Zomba, British Central Africa,” in the month following. Milanji is a large mountain mass in the extreme south-east corner of Nyassaland, drained on the west by the head waters of the Ruo, one of the affluents of the Shiré, and on the east by the Lukuga and other smaller streams, which run into the Indian Ocean north of the Zambesi. It is described by Mr. Whyte as an isolated range of, for the most part, precipitous mountains, the main mass forming a huge natural fortress of weather-worn precipices or very steep rocky ascents, sparsely clothed with vegetation. Many of its gullies and ravines are well wooded, and in some of them fine samples of grand African virgin forest are met with. Mr. Whyte's ascent, on the 20th of October, was made up the south-east face of Milanji, over steep grassy hills and across rocky streams, full of large water-worn granite boulders. Further on precipices were encountered, and it was necessary to clamber up, holding on by tufts of grass, roots, and scrub, after which a wooded gorge was entered, and welcome shade was obtained from the forest trees.

DESCRIPTION OF PREPARATORY STAGES OF NEONYMPHA SOSYBIUS

Egg laid July 16th, on grass, the female being confined in a bag over a tuft of grass set in a flower pot. Shape nearly that of a semi-ovoid, the base being flattened and the sides at base rounded, the surface under a low power smooth, but under a higher seen to be covered with shallow thimble-like depressions : color greenish-white.Hatched July 20th.Young larva–Length 0.09 inch.

ON THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF SATYRUS NEPHELE

I have tried for several years past to raise larvæ of Satyrus nephele to maturity, but met with no success till this last spring. It is very easy to obtain the eggs by confining the female with a tuft of grass. I tied a gauze bag on such a tuft set in a flower pot, while in the Catskills, and 21st August, 1876, obtained perhaps fifty eggs. Some were laid on the blades and stems of the grass, but many were dropped loose on the ground. The eggs hatched about the 21st of September, and the young larvæ without feeding entered upon their hybernation.