. ^ NOTES ON COLLECTING. 303 



we get rain, everything is parched. Flowers have been fairly attractive, 

 especially MatJiiola (night scented stock), which has been visited by 

 crowds of Uabrostola tripartita, Fliisia (jaiiiina, P. chn/sitis and P. iota. 

 Choerocampa jwrcdliisi was common at rhododendrons from June 4th- 

 12th, with an occasional C. elpcnor, then no more came till July 14th, 

 when a fine specimen visited the stocks and another emerged in one of 

 my cages a few days earlier. Melanippe galiata began to emerge on 

 June 11th, and have been coming out singly at intervals of from two 

 days to a week ever since. The best capture in this neighbourhood 

 has been Acidalia straminata, of which Mr. Bower and myself got some 

 very fine specimens. One was taken last year by chance, so this year 

 we worked for it. It seems excessively local. — (Kev.) C. D. Ash, M.A., 

 Skipwith Vicarage, Selby. Jiibj llih, 1901. 



Lepidoptera in the New Forest. — At Whitsun, New Forest insects 

 were well up to time ; Macroglossa boinhylifoniiis was plentiful but 

 olready passe : An/tpmis adippe was already out fairly thickly on 

 June 26th, and I obtained a dark specimen. The year has been a 

 good one for A^/rutis cinerea, Pachetra leiicopliaea and Cidaria reticulata. 

 — B. W. Adkin, Brandon House, Morden Hill, Lewisham. July Idth, 

 1901. 



Lepidoptera in Essex. — The season here has been a good one. 

 Apamea unanimis was fairly common on sugared maple at the edge of 

 a ditch near Prittlewell from June 10th. Old plants of -S' to f/Ve brought 

 from the marshes near here, yielded between June 30th and July 18th 

 more than 60 examples of Goniodowa auroi/uttella. Cidaria picata, 

 which I had not previously found in this district, occurred July 3rd, 

 and came to sugar in excellent condition July 23rd. The brilliant 

 Neinotois fascicllus was netted, but not commonly, among Ballota nigra 

 at North Shoebury, on July 7th ; Ithodophaea wanuorca flying over 

 blackthorn at Great Wakering on July 8th; Melanippe procellata and 

 Pliibalapten/x tersata on July 9th, among clematis, at Southchurch. 

 Cledeuhia anyustalis was somewhat common on the Hadleigh Castle 

 slopes on July 10th ; Gonophora derasa came to sugar at Eastwood 

 July 12th. Leioptilus micrudactylus occurred among Eapatorium, and 

 Aciptilia yalactodactyla near burdock, at North Shoebury, on July 15th. 

 Botys pandalis was netted at Great Wakering, July 20th, but was not 

 common. Mamestra persicariae came to light on -July 21st and Mania 

 maura to sugar on July 23rd. I have at the present time attached to 

 the sides of a breeding-cage a number of pupte of Miiuaescoptilus 

 zophodactylus from larvte that had crept up from plants of Krythraea 

 gathered at North Shoebury. — F. G. Whittle, 3, Marine Avenue, 

 Southend. August 1st, 1901. 



Information as to keeping pup.e of Hylophila bicolorana 

 wanted. — For several years I have beaten larvae of Hylopliila bicolorana 

 from oak in June ; they seem rather abundant and feed in confinement 

 but never spin a cocoon ; they pupate instead on the surface of the 

 ground. The pupre appear healthy and after a few days become 

 blackish as though they were going to emerge; but this they never do, 

 dying within a few weeks. Has any other lepidopterist had a similar 

 experience, or can anyone suggest a cause? — W. S. Riding, M.D., 

 F.E.S., Buckerell, Devon. August Gth, 1901. 



Lepidoptera at King's Lynn. — The season here has been a good 

 one. Thecla w-albuui larvaj have been very abundant, and could have 



