210 [Suptuiubor, 



The food-plant of Epischnia Bankesiella, Richardson. — In the " Proccccliiigs 

 of the Dorset Natural Ilistorj and Antiquarian Field Club," vol. six, is a beautiful 

 plate (witli explanation) by Mrs. Pichardson of the life-history of this species, 

 orifrinally supposed to be peculiar to the Island of Portland, but since found by 

 Mr. Richardson at Lulworth. The plant is Inula crithmoides. This Inula is a dis- 

 tinctly local plant in Britain, and it is probable the insect may be found in other 

 places in these islands where the plant occurs, and also on the continent. As a 

 hint to metropolitan entomologists it may be mentioned that Mr. Hanbury, in his 

 " Flora of Kent," gives several localities for the plant in the saltmarsh district of 

 the N.E. part of the county, and if we mistake not we have seen it on the Essex 

 coast opposite, growing amongst Aster tripolium. It is incredible that a moth 

 should be confined to a small corner of the Dorsetshire coast. — Eds. 



BeilepJiila Uneata in the New Forest. — W. F. Rawnsley, Esq., J.P., of Park 

 Hill, Lyndhurst, informs ine that a perfect specimen of Deilephila Uneata {livornica) 

 was caught in his garden in June, 1888, by the Hon. D. Carnigie, and is still in his 

 possession. — H. Goss, Surbiton Hill : August 3rd, 1899. 



Fachetra leucophcea, (|'c., in Fast Kent.— From June 2nd to 8th last I had a 

 short but most enjoyable collecting expedition in East Kent in company with 

 Mr. F. J. Hanbury. We each took a fine series of Fachetra leucophcea ; and 

 among the many other species which occurred to us during our visit were Agrotis 

 cinerea, woinncoxaiwon; lladena genistce, common ; H.contigua ; Neuria saponarice ; 

 Acidalia ornata and Scoria dealhata, both species just getting well out, and conse- 

 quently in perfect condition ; A. subsericeata, Ligdia adustata, Fhibalapteryx 

 vifalbata, Agrotis puta, Xylophasia hepatica, &c., &c. A curious feature was the 

 number of dormice which our sugar attracted, as many as five or six fine fellows 

 being on some evenings seen sipping the sweets. Botanically the district is very rich 

 in orchids, and we had the intense pleasure of seeing (growing wild) a plant of the 

 now excessively rare lizard orchis {Orchis hircina), a species which Mr. Hanbury 

 had referred to in his recently published "Flora of Kent," as being now probably 

 extinct in the county. — Geo. T. Poreitt, Crosland Hall, Huddersfield : August 

 3rd, 1899. 



Nothochrgsa capitaia in Yorkshire. — During several hours' collecting in Bishop's 

 Wood, near Selby, in company with the Rev. C}ril D. Ash, on June 17th last, I 

 secured three specimens of Nothocrysa capitaia. — Id. 



Fsocus major, Loens, at Merton {Norfolk).— 'Lovi{ Walsingham has kindly sent 

 mean example of this insect labelled " Merton, i, viii, 1809." No doubt it only 

 wants looking for, but at present this is the third British specimen I have seen. I 

 recorded it as British in this Magazine, 2nd ser., v, p. 243, from an individual taken 

 by myself many years ago near London. Mr. Briggs mentions it as having occurred 

 to him at Bookham, Surrey, in 1895 (Ent. Mo. Mag., 2nd ser., ix, p. 66). 



It will not be out of place to state that September and October are about the 

 best months in the year for Fsocidce. Much may sometimes be done in July and 

 August, but, as a rule, they are too dry, for FsocidcB delight in about tlie same 

 degree of damp that favours the growth of the minute cryptogamic plants on which 

 most of them feed. — R. McLaculan, Levvisham, London : August Wth, 18i)9. 



