practi(;al hints. 47 



Forcing Pup/E. — The simplest method to force pupre appears to me 

 to get a large flower-pot, half filled with mould (drain well at bottom), 

 make the top of the mould fairly hard, strew a thin layer of moss on 

 mould on which place the pup?e, then another thin layer, tying over 

 the top a piece of calico. I then place the flower-pot on the kitchen 

 mantel-shelf, and every morning pour about half a small teacupful of 

 water on the calico, and let it soak through into the pot. By this 

 simple means I have kept my setting boards occupied since Christmas. 

 Heat is apparently harmful to most species without moisture. ^ — J. W. 

 TuTT. April, 1890. 



Spilonota pauperana. — I had the pleasure of taking a couple of 

 this species during the last week ; they were beaten from rose. — Chas. 

 Fenn, Eversden House, Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, Kent. April zZt/i, 1890. 



Species two years in pupa. — I had five splendid Asphalia ridens 

 emerge at mid-day yesterday (March 28tli), from pupae that I thought 

 were quite dead. The larvae were beaten in the New Forest in July 

 and August, 1888. — A. J. Hodges. March 29///, 1890. 



Last month I suggested that many northern species remained nor- 

 mally in the pupal stage two or more years. I have bred another fairly 

 long series of Enimeksia albidata during the last week, from pupae 

 obtained by the Messrs. Salvage in Shetland in 18SS. I bred a large 

 number of specimens last year, from the same consignment of pupce. — 

 J. W. TuTT. April ij/, 1890. 



RACTICAL HINTS. 



{a) Where birches were cut down in the winter of 1S88-89, loo'^ care- 

 fully at the stumps between the wood and bark, during the early jiart of 

 May. The frass will at once show the presence of Sesia ailicijorinis. 



{b) Where oaks have been cut down during the last two or three 

 winters, look carefully at the stumps between the wood and bark, 

 during May. The frass will show the presence of Sesia cy nip if or mis. 



if) During June look in reed beds for leaves that show traces of 

 having been eaten. At night the larvae of Leuca/iia straminea will most 

 probably be found. 



{d) During May watch carefully the flowers of Stcllaria holostea 

 (stichvvort). In the morning, when sunny, the flowers are frequented 

 in our southern woods by large numbers of Asychna modesiella. 



(f) Open clearings in woods where the blue bell abounds are the 

 favoured haunts of Lyccena argiolus. 



(/) During the first and second weeks in June the first brood of 

 Agdistis bennetii is to be found on salt marshes where St at ice livwiiiion 

 grows. They cannot be taken much before eight in the evening. 



{g) During May look for plants of burdock, with little round holes in 

 the younger leaves ; the pale green larva of Aciptilia galactodaciylus will 

 be found on the under surface of these leaves. 



