1399.] 289 



Psammotis pulveralis, Hb., in the Isle of PurhecJc. — It is an unexpected pleasure 

 to be able to record the occurrence of this scarce and local species in the Isle of 

 Purbeck. A male specimen, considerably the worse for wear, but sufficiently recog- 

 nisable for both Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher and myself to identify it as undoubtedly 

 referable to Psammotis pulveralis, Hb., was taken at Corfe Castle during the past 

 summer by my young friend Master Rowley Helps, who, on learning how greatly 

 his capture interested me, very generously added it to my collection. The exact 

 date on which it was taken is unknown, but it seems pretty certain that it was either 

 in July or quite early in August. This aifords yet another instance of the proverbial 

 " beginners' luck," for the fortunate captor only commenced collecting Lepidoptera 

 this year! I believe that, as regards Britain, the stronghold of P. pulveralis was 

 formerly near Folkestone, but was destroyed by a landslip some years ago, since 

 which time the insect seems to have been very rarely, if ever, met with. Nor am I 

 aware that, on our south coast, it has ever before occurred further west than the Isle 

 of Wight, which is included in Hampshire. — Eustace R. Bankes, The Close, 

 Salisbury : October 2lih, 1899. 



Notes on the habits of Lozopera Beatricella, Wlsm. — The larva is similar to 

 those of Lozopera dilucidana and L. Francillana, of a dirty white colour ; the bead 

 shining black ; two black dots on the back of the second and one upon the anal 

 segment. It feeds in the stem of the wild parsnip {Pastinaca sativa). My first 

 specimen of the moth emerged on June 23rd, and its time of appearance extends 

 from that date to the first week in July. Its time of flight is late, from about 7.30 

 or 8 o'clock till dark, and it flies very steadily. It is very local here. — W. PuEDEy, 

 Folkestone : November, 1899. 



Colzas Edusa, <Sfc., in South-East Devon. — As an accompaniment to Mr. Wal- 

 ker's notes {ante p. 235), the following jottings are set down. Pieris rapcB, in this 

 neighbourhood, largely outnumbered the other cabbage-whites : by dint of vigorous 

 exercise with a lawn tennis bat several hundreds of them were rendered incapable 

 of laying eggs on my plants, whilst most people's pot-herbs became skeletonized. 

 A Spotted Flycatcher kept a look out for any that " towered " on being missed, and 

 a Redstart picked up and swallowed cripples that fell to the ground. Colias Edusa 

 (a lone female) frequented the low cliffs near the town for several weeks, reckoned 

 from August 21.th, before any other individuals appeared ; it was ovipositing upon 

 Lotus corniculatus at 10 a.m. on September 8tli. The species was nowhere nume- 

 rous, and was last seen on October 31st. Vanessa Atalanta became plentiful when 

 the ivy blossomed. V. urticee has been rather less common than J'. lo, and so has 

 V. cardui. The second brood of Thanaos Tages began to issue at the end of July. — 

 A. E. Eaton, Woodlands, Seaton, Devon : November 7th, 1899. 



Mutilla humeralis, Rad., == maroccana, Gliv. — In the October number of this 

 Magazine, p. 227, I described the $ of humeralis, Rad. This Mons. Andrd informs 

 me in a letter recently received is identical with maroccana, Oliv., of which he 

 believes humeralis to be the true <J . The (J formerly associated with maroccana 

 belongs to a distinct species, the ? of which has yet to be determined. It is a 

 curious fact, and one which led me away, that no author, not even M. Andre 



