1905.] 211 



Abraxas gro-isulariata var. varlet/afa at Huddersfield . — This magnifipent form 

 which was first bred at Huddersfield by tlie late Mr. James Varley, so long ago as 

 186t, has not been much seen or hoard of for a good many years. Last season, 

 however, a working man collected a large quantity of larvre from old gardens, and 

 was fortunate enough to breed eleven examples of it. This year the same man, 

 and a friend of his, have bred respectively four and fifteen, making thirty specimens 

 for the two seasons, i he man who bred the fifteen told me they were the produce 

 of some 4000 pupre, the immense majority of moths from which were of course 

 quite ordinary, though besides the varleyata there were some other very beautiful 

 and remarkable forms. T may add that a number of the varleyata have found 

 their way into my own cabinet, and one of them is more nearly a black specimen 

 than any I have ever seen, as the white streak near the base is exceptionally narrow, 

 and d'^es no^ extend through the wings as is usual in the variety. — G-EO. T. PoREiTT, 

 Edgerton, Huddersfield : August ith, 1905. 



Dichrorampha flaindorsana, Knaffg'i,= D. qurpxfionana, Zelter, at Folkestone. — 

 On the evening of the 28th July, whilst being wheeled round my garden, I observed 

 a number of little Tortrices flying over a clump of Tansy, and, on securing some of 

 them, identified them as my D. flaindorsana, a decision in which Mr. Purday 

 subsequently agreed. I believe that this once overlooked species will prove to be 

 an abundant insect, and also ))robably widely distributed. — H. G-. Knaggs, 

 Folkestone : August, 1905. 



Curious dates of emergence. — In August, 1904, I collected at La G-ranja 

 (Spain) a few larvae which were common on a beautiful species of Linaria growing 

 at some elevation in the woods there. These had a very Cucullia-Mke aspect, and are 

 very close to the figures of C. casta, Borkh. These duly produced moths that are not 

 Calophasia platyptera, Esp., but are very close to, if not identical with, C. hamifera, 

 Stgr., and are probably a local race of that species. The interesting point, however, 

 is, that four specimens emerged a few weeks after I got home, some six or eight in 

 May and June, 1905, when three remaining pup^ looked quite undeveloped, and 

 prepared to remain longer as pupae. Of these three, however, two have just 

 emerged, August 12th and 13th, 190'). The third is alive and well, but evidently 

 contemplates spending some further indefinite time as a pupa, probably till May or 

 June, 1906. What seems curious is, that with delayed emergences like this, there 

 should be in both the first and second year an attempt to produce a second brood 

 or emergence, the progeny of which would certainly at La Granja not succeed in 

 reaching full larval growth before winter set in, the insect being one that hibernates 

 as a pupa, and is probably quite incapable of passing the winter as a larva. I have 

 placed specimens in the Natui'al History Museum, — T. \. Chapman, Betula, Reigate : 

 August \Mh, 1905. 



Formica fusca, race gagates, in the Neto Forest. — When collecting in the New 

 Forest this July, a friend called my attention to a peculiarly shaped ants' nest in 

 Matley Bog. In the part in which it was situated the ground was covered with 



