44 



familiar in the south, seems to form a comparatively small propor- 

 tion of the individuals one meets with in the Delamere Forest 

 district, where the insect is very variable, and forms intermediate 

 between the type and var. fuscata probably predominate. I have 

 had no opportunity of working this species since 1917, but hope to 

 do so again this spring. 



" I have with me a short series of intermediate forms, and of 

 var. fiiscata from Cheshire, and a typical male from the New Forest 

 for comparison. 



" I have already seen var. fu^cata this year, on January 20th, 

 which seems an early date, especially for so far north as Cheshire. 



" H. leucophaearia I have not worked at night. It is quite 

 common in Delamere Forest, and as variable, T think, as in most 

 localities, some examples showing a tendency to melanism. 



" I worked hard at H. defuliaria last October and November, 

 It does not appear to be at all common round our Alvanley lanes, 

 though there are oaks in all the hedgerows. I first noted it last 

 year (1919), on October 17th. By October 25th it was in 

 countless hundreds in Delamere Forest, and abounded to the time 

 of my last visit to the forest, on November 24th, being particu- 

 larly abundant during the earlier part of that period. 



" Before dark the males were to be found resting on the bracken, 

 sometimes on the top, and sometimes underneath the fronds, but 

 the few dozen to be picked up in this way were as nothing compared 

 with the myriads that appeared after dark. At first they were to 

 be found flattering in the grass, which seemed to show that the 

 great majority had been at rest on the ground, perhaps many of 

 them under the dead leaves. Then, as the evening wore on, they 

 flew and settled on the twigs, especially of the birches, and on grass 

 stems, and sometimes one found oak-trunks fairly plastered with 

 them. I shall never forget the sight. With them were mingled 

 countless Cheiviatobia brtdiiata and ('. horeata, including many very 

 dwarf examples, and Himera peiDiaria ; the last-named species 

 varying from a dull, creamy shade to apricot or brilliant rose- 

 colour, with very occasionally an example largely suft'used with 

 leaden-coloured scales. 



" I have a series of H. detoUaria from Delamere Forest, the 

 forms of which are somewhat difficult to classify, but which might, 

 perhaps, be roughly divided as follows : — (1) The type. (2) Forms 

 differing from the type in having part, or the whole, of the median 

 area of a nhite ground colour. (3) Forms with cream ground 



