180 THE entomologist's kecord. 



went to the coast to try for L. salmacis. The day was windy with 

 occasional intervals of bright sun, and, after several hours' hard work, 

 we succeeded in taking 23 specimens. They were scarce but in good 

 unworn condition, and one of them, which I was fortunate enough to 

 take, was a fine underside variety, the undersides of all the wings being 

 a curious smoky black, with the spots almost obscured. I also took a 

 beautiful $ var. of L. alexis. My friend took a solitary specimen of 

 Procris geryon in fine condition (is not this extremely late for it ?), and 

 we also took two dozen Geometers of various kinds, so that altogether 

 we were well satisfied with the day's work. I have recently bred two 

 vars. of Arctia aija, one much darker and the other lighter than usual, 

 so that they form a nice contrast, also two vars. of A. villica. — T. 

 Maddison, South Bailey, Durham. July \2th, 1890. 



Nezvbury, — Although at present this season has been wet and dull, 

 I have found it much better than that of 1889. Sugar seems extremely 

 uncertain. At Marlborough, up to the time I left (June 28th), luck 

 was good, night after night the sugared trees had from eight to ten 

 insects on each of them ; among others being Leucania tuna, Euplexia 

 lucipara, Hadena pisi, H. ihalassiua, If. chenopodii, H. adusta, Aplecta 

 herbida, Xylophasia hepatica and Neuria saponari(E. Since I returned 

 home, I have sugared repeatedly where in 1888 I took some remark- 

 ably good NocTU.-E and in great numbtrs, but the results have been 

 very discouraging. For four nights I saw nothing worth taking, most 

 of the patches having not a single moth upon them. Last week, I tried 

 a fresh hunting ground, and took 20 fine specimens of Leucania turca 

 in one evening. With the exception of one Thyatira derasa, one 

 Noctua triaiiguhaii, and an occasional Tryphcena protiuba, nothing else 

 was attracted by the artificial sweets. A quantity of grass is still uncut 

 in the neighbourhood, and I fancy this may account in part for the 

 failure of the sugar. Light has proved very successful. On July 8th, 

 I took no less than 50 specimens in my moth trap, all in good 

 condition, and among them such species as Em/ueiesia alchcmillata, 

 Eupithecia subnoiata, Acidalia subsericeata, Cidaria dotata, Pcricallia 

 syriiigaria, Crainbus perle/Ius, Xatithosetia zoegaiia, Smerinthus populi, 

 TimiDidra amataria, Dipterygia piuastri, Acidalia scutulata and Haitena 

 dcutina. The larvae of DiANTHrECiyE seem remarkably plentiful this 

 season. Yesterday, I collected a great number in the capsules of Silcne 

 iiiflata, and among these are what I believe to be E. affi/iitata larvae. 

 Last year I spent much time in Pen Wood near here, searching the 

 flowers of foxgloves for the larva; of E. pidchellata. I hunted only 

 among the flowers growing thickly together inside the wood. This 

 year Mrs. Bazett, who was here for a day or two's collecting, found 

 some larvce on a solitary flower growing in an open space of the same 

 wood. After this discovery, we found a great number in a short time, 

 but all from solitary flowerheads in the open spaces of the wood. Can 

 any lepidopterist give me a i^^^ hints as to the treatment of E. 

 pidchellata larvae during the winter? I should also be most grateful if 

 anyone could instruct me as to a method for bringing through 

 Amphydasis prodomaria. For the last three winters I have been most 

 unsuccessful with this species. Most of my larvae have "gone down," 

 a fine batch of Hadena genistce, is my most interesting family just now, 



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