2 THE ENTOMOLOfilST S RECORD. 



difficulty it has in maintaining itself with us ; thus a recent writer in 

 the Entomolnijht cn.nnot find even a " probable explanation " of the 

 remarkable fact that in a locality where he found E. crmrttfi in abun- 

 dance in 1900 he failed to see one in 1901, and naively adds that "this 

 is all the more remarkable as the lucerne field had not been ploughed 

 up or disturbed in any way, there being a fair number of blossoms 

 still in the field, which was being grazed by sheep." I venture to 

 think that if our two species of EHnjmns had no greater difficulty to 

 contend with than that of food-supply we should have them with us 

 in plenty every year. Another immigrant which has appeared some- 

 what freely this year is Pontia dapUdice, which is recorded from Dover, 

 Eastbourne, Brighton, and perhaps elsewhere. Several Eurancssa 

 antiojia have likewise been met with in different places. 



After the mild weather of the late autumn and winter, we were 

 favoured with the usual quantum of cold weather in the spring, and 

 most of the reports speak of the May insects as late in appearing, but 

 the season soon regained itsequihbrium, and at Whitsuntide the insects 

 were mostly well up to date, although during the whole season the dates 

 were somewhat perplexing and difficult to follow, some species being 

 certainly late in appearing, others as certainly early. 



Of true British butterflies, one is glad to learn that in spite of the 

 dreaded " over-collecting," some of the most local have been met with 

 in undiminished, if not in increased, abundance this year ; I need only 

 mention Lijcaena arion and TJieda prunl. I have not heard that the 

 immigrant Papilio nmchaon of 1900 have been able to breed in the 

 country, and am afraid this interesting species must still be regarded 

 as confined to the fens and broads. Apo>ia cratac(ii,\;h\(i\\ we thought 

 we had almost lost in this country, seems to be gaining ground, having 

 occurred rather freely in its old locality between Canterbury and Heme 

 Bay, as well as at Dover. Much uncertainty prevails as to the cause 

 of the decadence, from time to time, of this and many other species. 



Among the other branches of the Lepidoptera it may be of interest 

 to comment upon a few of the most noteworthy captures. A few 

 Choerocatnpa celerin should no doubt be considered among the class of 

 immigrants, though a friend of mine has reliable information of the 

 finding of larvse this year, and it is evidently possible for the insect to 

 maintain itself here for a single generation, during the summer. 

 Deiopcia pulchella probably falls under the same category ; at any rate, 

 the capture of three this season by Mr. Ernest Warne in the same 

 locality (near Earlsfield) may suggest, as the captor thinks, that they 

 really bred there, though one cannot seriously claim this species as 

 British. Of other casual visitors during the season, I can mention 

 two which I have myself had the pleasure of being called upon to 

 determine for their captors. One of these is the specimen of Hcliu- 

 phila [Leucania] l-album, taken at Sandown by our valued Secretary, 

 Mr. S. J. Bell, and already exhibited at one of these meetings. The 

 other is a fine and strongly-marked Luperina dumerilii, captured by 

 Mr. H. Douglas Stockwell on September 21st, on a gas-lamp in Dover, 

 which he is kindly permitting me to exhibit this evening. The month 

 of September was very productive in rare Noctuids, some species Avhich 

 used to be of great rarity, such as Helinplnla vitclUna, Laphminia 

 exir/ua, &c., appearing in considerable numbers in South Devon, and 

 also occurring elsewhere on our south coast. According to recent in- 



