264 THE entomologist's record. 



inwards, occupying about one-third of the area of the fore-wings, and 

 the third had a similar but much smaller mark, extending less than half 

 way across the wing, with increased suffusion towards the hind 

 margin. None took after the ? parents, which had lost the white 

 ground colour entirely. I find the colour of the original aberrations is 

 due to an extension of the bluish-grey scales over the whole wing 

 area ; there are no melanic scales. I expect these aberrations are 

 caused by disease, or perhaps rather by certain meteorological con- 

 ditions acting on pupae with deficient vitality. Thanks to Mr. 

 Hewett, I have again bred the insect this season from ova of similar 

 parents, to ascertain if the first experiment may be considered con- 

 clusive. 



Attraction of Moths by Electric Light in Switzerland. 



By (Rev.) FRANK E. LOWE, M.A., F.E.S. 



So many have given an account of their success among the Diurni 

 in Alpine valleys, that I will not ask to burden your pages with a list 

 of captures which would bear considerable resemblance to some already 

 published, but I think my experience at electric light, especially 

 during two nights at Aigle, is sufficiently out of the common to 

 interest others. On the nights of July 3rd and 4th, from 9.15 p.m. to 

 10.20 p.m., when the light was put out, we could not work fast enough. 

 I had been fortunate enough to make an ardent disciple, who was 

 the best friend an entomologist could desire, since he wanted nothing 

 for himself, and was willing to give all the aid in his power. Mr. 

 Von Veith undertook the management of the cyanide bottles, of 

 which we had three. His instructions were to stupefy captures, and 

 always to try to keep one bottle empty, and wonderfully skilfully he 

 manipulated the lethal chambers, with the celerity of a professional 

 juggler. The lamp was situated, most favourably, a little out of the 

 town of Aigle, and cast its light on a high, white wall at its back — • 

 this was in a way equivalent to the sheet in use in the fens ; and 

 upon this wall the greater number of moths were taken. The first 

 to arrive were the "Tigers" and "Hawks," and after them the 

 " Sharks," but when we had had a few minutes' play with these, the 

 Notodontids, Noctuids, Lasiocampids, and the rest, kept up such a 

 bewildering flutter on the wall, or dance round the circle of light, that 

 all Micros, and even most of the Geometrids, were necessarily ignored. 

 On July 4th, the best night, there was thunder in the distance, and 

 one short but not heavy shower of rain. The rain seemed to add to 

 the intoxicating fascination of the lamp — but did not improve the con- 

 dition of insects, owing to wetting our net. I append a list of moths 

 taken or observed. Many more of the commoner species might be 

 added, but I do not wish to trust to memory, and naturally there 

 was no time to waste on them, and therefore they are unrepresented in 

 my boxes. To some who have had no experience of collecting in 

 Switzerland, it will appear strange, perhaps, to find many species 

 overlapping, and all appearing at the same date. But our English 

 notions of the times of emergence of many kinds are considerably 

 modified when collecting in the Alps. To some extent, I think, this 

 happy reunion des Noctuelles was enjoyed by an unusually large 

 range of species, because the cold late spring had thrown many back 



