NOTI<:S ON C'OLLECTIN(l, ETC. 89 



arises from the fact that the female blossom not being so conspicuous 

 at dark as the handsomer bright yellow male is often passed by the 

 collector as being " over." 



We did not see much of P. ruhricosa that evening, but before I left, it 

 occurred in greater plenty, although owing to each night being colder 

 than its predecessor, the moths grew less plentiful ; this, I think, is also 

 a later species to emerge, those that I took being in very fine condition. 



On my last evening we were tempted out in a different direction, in 

 the hopes of taking opima, but it was a most unfavourable evening, 

 even gothica hardly caring to court the publicity of the moonbeams, 

 and but for some eight or ten Hoporitia croceago we had a very poor 

 evening. 



However, as during my short visit I took specimens of each of the 

 Tceniocampidce except opima, and of each of the Pachnobice, excepting 

 hyperborea, I was on the whole very pleased with my few days' holiday, 

 although, had the warm evenings lasted, I should have doubtless been 

 far more successful in point of numbers. — Alberp J. Hodges, 2, 

 Highbury Place, N. April, 1890. 



The sallows are well out now in this district. I have this evening 

 (March 31st) captured, among other species, fourteen T. populcti. —C. 

 Fenn, Eversden House, Lee, S.E. 



Sallow work has not been as good as usual this spring with us here. 

 Cold north-east wind and bright moonlight nights nearly the whole time. 

 Sugar also did not pay so well for the same reason. I sugar for T. miinda 

 only at this season, as this species prefers it to sallow. I sometimes get 

 a dozen in a night on sugar and about two at sallow. — W. Holland, 

 Reading. 



Up to the present (April i8th) the sallows are not yet in a condition 

 fit for beating, as the catkins, except in very sheltered places, have not 

 yet opened. — J.. Wylie, 12, Union Street Lane, Bridgend, N.B. 



As far as larvse at sallow are concerned we have nothing to complain 

 of at Brighton. I should think I obtained by picking the catkins quite 

 100 Xanthia cerago. This was on the 30th of March, when the sallows 

 were mostly in full bloom. — Louis Meaden, Brighton. 



Dasycampa rubiginea at Clevedon, Somersetshire. — For the 

 last year or two this local and beautiful insect has not been so plentiful 

 in the Clevedon district as formerly. On referring to my notes for 

 1885, I find my captures during that autumn numbered seventeen; in 

 the following year nine specimens were taken; in 1887 seven, four of 

 which were taken at sugar, after the ivy bloom was over; the autumns 

 of 1888 and i88g only produced one specimen each, though the insect 

 was well searched for. Of specimens taken in the spring after hyber- 

 nation, two were taken at sallow on April ist, 1885 ; two on April 2nd, 

 1887 ; and a single specimen at sugar on the 9th of April, 1888; so 

 that it would appear, from some cause or other, the species is much less 

 frequent in this district than formerly. The latter end of November 

 and beginning of December in 1888 were unusually mild, and, as the 

 ivy bloom was over early, I tried sugaring as an experiment, and was 

 very agreeably surprised at my luck in taking four beautiful specimens 

 on the evenings of November 28th and December ist, two on each 

 evening, but the weather becoming frosty I had no further success that 

 season ; a single frosty night at this time of the year is often sufficient 



