LEriDOrXEKA. OBSERVED IN 1896. 237 



a PImia of soiuo sort, and said so to Mr. Fry, it was too dark to 

 see what it was, and it was only wlion Mr. Cottani reached home 

 that he discovored the value of his capture. In the last week of 

 June and the first week of July, 1896, eight specimens were taken 

 at Triug, and in fact tlie insect is now becoming- fairly common 

 all over the south of England. Last year, besides those already 

 mentioned, four were taken at Leatherhead, Surrey ; nine at 

 Weybridge, also in Surrey ; three at Bromley, Kent ; a long series 

 at Ascot, Berks ; and single specimens at Waltham Cross, Sutton, 

 "Winchester, Wallington, Ashford, Wye, Folkestone, Hastings, 

 Bournemouth, etc. ; and Mr. Sidney Webb stated that it appeared 

 at Dover as a second brood at large. 



" The tendency of insects to move in the direction from east to 

 west has been noticed for some years by continental entomologists, 

 and is clearly shown by this insect. It was known to be a common 

 insect in the south and south-east of Germany, but until 1875 

 was not recorded from the north-west of Germany, nor from the 

 IS'etherlands. Bnt in 187n began the invasion of those districts, 

 and it rapidly spread over them. Herr Hoffmann, of Hanover, 

 writing in 1890, stated that having crossed the Channel he expected 

 moneta would probably spread as rapidly over England. In this 

 surmise he appears to have been correct. Duponchel, however, 

 stated that as early as 1829 it was found in France as far north as, 

 and only at that time in, Normandy, where it was double-brooded, 

 and fed on a variety of plants, including sunflower and Jerusalem 

 artichoke, burdock and cucumber. According to this statement, its 

 first appearance in the north of France is by no means recent. 

 This infonnation was given to the French Entomological Society 

 on the 10th December, 1890, by the veteran Lepidopterist 

 Mens. J. Fallon. 



" For the above particulars as to the geographical distribution of 

 the insect we are indebted to various articles in the ' Entomologists' 

 ]\ronthly Magazine' for the years 1890-91, by Mr. C. J. Barrett, 

 Herr Hoflfmann of Hanover, and others. 



"P. moneta is a very lovely insect, the prevailing colour being 

 a metallic golden grey tinged with pink. The orbicular stigma 

 is circular, and bright gold, and a smaller circular spot, also gold, 

 joins it. They look like two minute coins side by side, hence the 

 name. The palpi are remarkable, being long and recurved. The 

 larva feeds on aconite (monkshood), and the young larva in May 

 spins the young shoots of the plant together. Later the large 

 yellow cocoon can be found hanging on the under-side of a leaf." 



In the following account of the more interesting captures, when 

 the name adopted differs fi-om that in South's List, the latter has 

 been inserted as a synonym. 



Sphinges. 



ChoRrocampa porcellus. — On June 16th I captured a fine specimen 

 of this moth flying around honeysuckle in the garden of "Elmcote," 

 AVatford. 



