NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 333 



and beginning of July, I obtained the following : — Aplecta nebulosa, 

 Xylophdsia polyodon, X. sublustris, Agrotis corticea and Mania typica ; 

 X. polyodon as usual being a perfect pest. August, however, proved an 

 entirely blank month as regards sugar, no species being taken but the 

 very commonest. With the commencement of September, things began 

 to improve, and many insects visited the patches, including Hadena 

 profeus, Anchocelis litura, A. pisiacina (in the utmost profusion, which, 

 together with Folia /lavicincla, has been one of the commonest moths 

 this season) and other common things such as Gonoptera libatrix, 

 Phlogophora meticulosa and Amphipyra pyramidea. Insects still con- 

 tinued coming throughout October, during which month I took the 

 following: — Orthosia niacilenta, Cerastis vacci/iii, C. spadicea, Scopelosoma 

 sale/Iifia, Xanfhia ferriiginea, Agriopis aprilina and Xylina rhizolitha : 

 the only additional moth taken in November was one Orthosia lota. 

 Compared with last year, the number of species is very meagre, although 

 insects of some description or other have been fairly common. But by 

 far the most productive method this season, in my experience, has been 

 indoor light ; among others I have taken the following : — Cilix spiiiula, 

 Nudaria miujdana, Lithosia complarutla, L. griseola, Ardia liibf-icipeda, 

 A. tnenthastri, Liparis aiiriflua, Thyatira batis, Xylophasia sublustris^ 

 Abrostola iirticce, A. triplasia, Nodua rubi, N. pleda, N. umbrosa, 

 Hydrxcia viicacea^ Selenia illunaria, Coremia propugfiata, C.ferrugata, 

 C. unidentaia, Scotosia dubitata, and Cidaria iniata which has been one 

 of the commonest Geometers this year. Ivy blossoms have produced 

 absolutely nothing but one S. satellitia and one Cidaria niiafa, although 

 the blossoms have been as fine as I have seen them. During the 

 latter part of June and beginning of July, I beat for Geometric, with 

 some success, taking the following : — Epione apidaria, Metrocampa 

 f?iargaritaria, lodis ladearia, Phorodesma bajularia, Asthena iuteata, 

 Titnaudra ainataria, Larentia pedinitaria, Thera obeliscata, Cidaria 

 pyraliata, C dotata, Eubolia mensuraria and E. bipimdata. The 

 flowers of the common sage proved attractive to the genus Plusia. 

 Since August, I have been pupas-digging assiduously. Many have 

 already emerged, including Agriopis aprilina, Hadena proteus, Pcedlo- 

 campa populi, two Cidaria miata^ one at the roots of poplar, which I 

 think is rather unusual. But perhaps the greatest surprise was to find 

 two Fetasia cassiiua % and S , the pupas of which I had dug up under 

 elm. Cheimaiobia brumata has been exceedingly plentiful this autumn, 

 several being found on each apple tree. This is a very poor country 

 for Rhopalocera, scarcely any being found but the very commonest, 

 the best place being the Marlborough Downs where I have taken five 

 species of the genus Lycsena. — T. B, Eddrup, Bremhill, Calne, Wilts. 



Wye Valley {below Builth). — The end of the season here has been 

 much more unproductive than even the earlier part. In fact, lepidop- 

 tera seemed to be scarcer than I ever remember. Sugar was a 

 complete failure, I tried it repeatedly on what seemed to be most 

 favourable nights, but caught simply nothing of the slightest value. I 

 caught a few insects at light including Xafithia silago, several Helio- 

 phobus popularis, and a few Poedlocampa populi. Of the Geometers, I 

 took Cidaria psittacata and C. miata. 1 tried this season for the first 

 time, to rear some larva'. I gathered them off the oak in June, when 

 they were fairly plentiful. I think the mistake I made was to over- 



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