1877.] 211 



trailiiifj hoath-grass Trifiriim repem^, and it was seen still feeding on grass as late 

 as April. As it grows in size, it seems to seclude itself more, for after that date I 

 could discover no trace of it. It may perhaps then take to roots. It is considerably 

 in advance of T. orbona, it being nearly half-grown when T. orlona is very small. 

 Here it was fed on grass to the last, but would not eat chickweed and other herbage 

 if supplied ; as two that I sent to friends did not emerge, and all mine did, I think 

 it is possible that the more succulent herbage was too fattening, and that grass is the 

 safest food. — HE>rEY Williams, Croxton, Norfolk : January 4:th, 1877. 



Captures at sugar in North Wales, in October. — The following captures at sugar 

 in my garden at Colwyn Bay, near Conway, during the first week in October last, 

 may be interesting, as the district has been very little worked, and has a somewhat 

 peculiar climate. Some of the species mentioned were also taken at Arbutus blos- 

 soms. I have given every species taken, so as to give a fair idea of tlie Noctuidm 

 that occur at that time of year : — Hydraecia micacea, one specimen; Xylophasia 

 polyodon, one specimen ; Agrotis suffusa, two specimens ; Agrotis saucia, two speci- 

 mens ; Agrotis segetum, one specimen ; Triphcena pronuba, one s'pecinien ; Orthosia 

 lota, one specimen ; Orthosia macilenta, common ; AnthoceJis litura, not common ; 

 Anthocelis pistaciri a, very common ; Anthocelis rnfina, one specimen; Scopelosoma 

 satellitia, one specimen ; Xanthia ferruginea, connnon ; Epunda nigra, common (!) ; 

 Miselia oxyacanthce (common) ; Phlogophora meticulosa, very abundant ; Calocampa 

 exoleta, one specimen ; Gonoptera libatrix, one specimen. — Alfred O. Walkek, 

 Chester : December \^th, 1876. 



Notes on Lepidoptera in 187G. — The past season may be said to have been an 

 exceptional one as regards heat, and there can be no doubt that pi'olonged or excessive 

 heat aft'ects insect life as it does plant life. Botanists or nurserymen would explain 

 to us, there can be no doubt, what excessive heat does upon vegetation ; and, on the 

 other hand, entomologists can show its effect upon insect life, and it would be 

 interesting for us to chronicle whatever has come under our notice. I have put 

 these notes together with these impressions upon me, as second broods of insects 

 have occurred with me which usually only have one. And while all the insects 

 under mentioned have not double broods, they perhaps may be worth recording. 

 Charocampa Elpenor — I took this insect, for the first time in this locality, at sugar, 

 in June, a female which laid me a number of eggs. These hatched, fed up, and I 

 have now 15 safely in pupse. Smerinthus ocellatus and populi — larvffi plentiful on 

 crab and poplar, from the latter I had a second brood of two males, llepialus 

 hectus — flying at dusk in a wood near here, connnon. Limacodes testudo — beat a 

 larva out of birch in September, which I took to be this species not quite full-fed, 

 green, with no perceptible legs. Arctia caja — found a batch of eggs which pro- 

 duced this species, they fed away well, a goodly number of them outstripping the 

 rest, and 12 becoming pupa) this autumn. Trichiura oratcegi — eggs sent me, reared 

 12 to pupse, 6 of which emerged in September, the others I expect remaining over 

 until next year. Pcecilocampa populi — took one off a gas-lamp. Eriogaster 

 lanestris — bred 5 females, I had 16 pupse, no males made their appearance. Melro- 

 campa margaritata — ^took a female which laid a batch of eggs, the larvse of which 



