LEPIDOPTEROLOGICAL NOTES FOR I'JU. 3 



ago, also in the garden. This attracted vast numbers of males for 

 three nights, once twenty-three being on the cage together. This 

 experience was especially interesting, as it enabled me to realise the 

 advance of var. donbledatjaria since my last attempt at sembling with 

 the species— in 1895. On that occasion I took 77 males, all strictly 

 typical. In 1911 the captures showed only 16 per cent, typical, 78 

 per cent, doitbledai/aria, and 12 per cent, decidedly intermediate, an 

 extra.ordinary change in sixteen years. 



The same reason that has led to renewed research in the garden 

 has prompted occasional visits to the private woods in the district, 

 especially Bishop's Wood, edging the Highgate Golf Course. The 

 wood, I fear, is in danger, as several plots have already been bought 

 and cleared for private houses, but at present, when standing near the 

 11th tee, which is some 50 yards inside the Wood, it is inconceivable 

 that such a place should exist withm five miles of Charing Cross. 



In front is the open and rising ground of the Golf Course, shutting 

 out all signs of building except where Lane's farm hides the Great 

 North Road, and behind and around one might be in the depths of 

 Surrey or Sussex — the wood retaining all its primitive beauty, and in 

 early summer being carpeted with bluebells. Such species as Thijatiya 

 bat is, Habrosi/ne (Goxo/diora) derasa, Drepaua binaria (haiiuda), Hijla- 

 phila [Halias) prasinana, H. quercana, C'l/niatupJiom dnplarU, Sjtilosoina 

 mendica and many others still survive, and on the neighbouring golf 

 course Odezia {Tanwira) atiata {chaerophijllata), Eiiuueleaia eiUndata, 

 and Heliaca tenebrata occur, the latter in some numbers. 



A morning, May 17th, spent at Brentwood, was devoted more to 

 spring flowers than to insects, but the extreme forwardness of the 

 season was noticeable. Enpitliecia coronata was taken from its favourite 

 haunt — the trunks of Spanish chestnut. The spruce furs produced a 

 few E. lariceata and E. pusillata — both nearly over. BnpaUis piniaria 

 was already out, and plenty of common Geometers. There can be no 

 connection between E. coronata and Spanish chestnut, yet nearly all 

 the specimens I have taken at Brentwood from time to time have 

 used these trunks as resting places. 



The earliness of the season was still more marked during a stormy 

 week-end spent at Wye, on June 6th and 7th, and we entirely missed 

 Parhetra leitcophaea, which had been more plentiful than usual seven 

 to fourteen days earlier. Agriadea tlietis also was apparently over, as 

 the only specimen seen was one male, worn to shreds. The ground at 

 the foot of the chalk pit has been burned since my last visit and it was 

 feared that Scoria lineata [dealbata) had been badly injured. I was 

 pleased, therefore, to find it had survived, and although in diminished 

 numbers still reasonably plentiful. It would be a thousand pities if 

 this local and beautiful species were exterminated here, and it should 

 be treated very tenderly for some years to come. 



There has been a remarkable increase in Anthrocera trifolii. In 

 place of the odd specimens I have been accustomed to take here, the 

 whole hillside was swarming with them. Even during the rain they 

 could be seen in hundreds all over the grass and the trefoil blossoms, 

 and some lovely confluent vars. were taken. I particularly regretted 

 that f. Iciicophaca was over, as never before at Wye have I seen so 

 many moths on sugar, although it was the only time this year that I 

 found it any good at all. Always hitherto I have had the ill-luck to 



