QQ2 [December, 



i8 accessible, and being one that gets all the morning snnshine, is very attractive to 

 insects that are in the hay. — VV. F. Johnson, Acton Glebe, Poyntzpass : October 

 IQth, 1903. 



Dark variety of Ht/draecia micacea at Poyntzpass. — On September 21th Mrs. 

 Johnson had been down in Poyntzpass, and as she was returning was looking in the 

 hedge for ferns, when she spied a fine moth sitting on a withered leaf. She had no 

 box with her, so made a bag of the newspaper which she was bringing to me and 

 put the moth into it as it sat on the leaf. At first I hoped it might be H. petasltis, 

 but further examination made me doubtful, and on referring it to Mr. Barrett he 

 confirms my doubts, but is kind enough to say it is even better, being so beautiful 

 a variety. The moth is a female, measui'es fully 1 j inches in expanse of wings, and 

 has an enormous body. The fore-wings are a silky purple-brown, with the central 

 part almost black, and the hind-wings are very dark, a smoky-black, with the trans- 

 verse stripe very indistinct. It will be seen from the brief description that I might 

 be excused for my first idea that it was petasitis, and shows the justice of Mr. 

 Barrett's remark with regard to S. petasitis : — "It should, however, be borne in 

 mind that the darker northern form of JT. micacea has sometimes been mistaken 

 for it ; indeed, Mr. E. Birchall's statement of its occurrence in Ireland, where it is 

 not as yet known, seems to have been based on such an error" (Brit. Lep., vol. v, 

 p. 73).— Id. 



Acidalia straminata, var. circellata, in Delamere Forest. — I took a fine speci- 

 men of the above species in Delamere Forest, July 11th. I am much indebted to 

 Mr. Barrett for kindly identifying this little G-eometer. — J. Arkle, Chester : 

 November, 1903. 



Leucania Loreyi in South Devon. — A specimen of this excessively rare British 

 moth was captured by me at Torquay at sugar on September 27th, 1900. Mr. Chas. 

 Q-. Barrett, to whom I have just sent this insect, has kindly examined and confirmed 

 the above name. — Alfred E. Holdaway, Lonouli, Newton Abbot: Oct. 2GtIi, 1903. 



Laphygma exigua and Camptogramma fiuviata at Dovercourt. — The morning 

 of September 22nd was fine, warm, and hazy, when I visited a rough piece of salt- 

 marsh near the coast to look for larva) of Hadena pisi and Cucnllia aster is on flowers 

 of Aster tripolium, which was growing in masses along the dykes, and was in 

 profuse bloom. Pyrameis cardici, which I had noticed in some numbers the previous 

 day was now about in hundreds, and some of the flower heads were completely 

 covered with them. Plusia gamma and Stenopteryx hybridal is vfere also abundant, 

 and rose in numbers as I walked along. While stooping to pick off a larva of asteris 

 I disturbed a small moth, which at first I thought was Caradrina cubicularis, but as 

 its flight and general appearance did not quite satisfy me, I followed it up and caught 

 it, and upon examining it found that I had captured a beautiful ives\\-\o6kmgL. exigua. 

 I had never seen the motli alive before, but knew it at once. Upon reaching home 1 

 sliglitly cliloroforraed it, and as it proved to be a male I killed and set it. The 

 same evening I sugared on the coast in another direction. Very few moths came to 



