l04 THE entomologist's RECOfeb. 



A few years ago, it would have been difficult to find such dark speci- 

 mens here, but now the darker forms prevail. — E. A. Atmoke, F.E.S., 

 King's Lynn. March 1th, 1902. 



Ji>RACTICAL HINTS.* 



Field Work for April and May. 



By .T. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



1. — At the end of April and in early May the eggs of Ci/aniris 

 anjinlm are laid singly on the imderside of the calyx of holly buds, so 

 that when the flowers open the petals fold over the Q'j,fx,, hiding it 

 altogether from sight ; the young larvie hatch in about ten days, 

 commence at once to feed in the buds and flowers, afterwards attacking 

 the young tender leaves and shoots upon which they thrive. The larv» 

 also feed well on young ivy leaves. 



2. — In confinement the larvae of Melitaea aurbda appear to be very 

 susceptible to warmth, collecting in the hottest part of the cage, and 

 becoming lively when the sun is on them. They are much better fed 

 up, however, on a growing plant than in a breeding-cage. 



3. — If the season be forward, start searching the beech trunks for 

 Staitropus fiKji the last week in April. If a fertile $ be then found, a 

 second brood should be obtained in late July and early August. By 

 forcing these, there should be a fair chance of getting through a third 

 brood by November (.J. Clarke). 



4. — The females of Ih'iiKirji/ia rosicolora should be allowed to pair 

 more than once, as frequently one pairing is insufficient to fertilise all 

 the ova. The species can be inbred for a few years, but fresh blood 

 should be introduced, otherwise the moths gradually dwindle in size 

 and become less fertile. 



5. — Careful searching in Wyre Forest generally gives a few small 

 batches of ova of Dimorjiha rosicolora, ten or a dozen being placed in 

 a little cluster at the end of a thin twig. 



6. — To obtain the best results in hveedhvj,] h'lnnijiha rrmicolora, cut oft' 

 the twigs on Avhich the ova are laid and tic such twigs to the living 

 birch ; some 18 to 24 ova will be sufficient to place in a yard muslin sleeve 

 (Clarke). 



7. — The larva' of rUisi/rhira faanlnia can be sleeved on sjiUow in 

 April and May, and will spin up, requiring no attention except that of 

 moving the sleeve when a branch has been cleared. They commence 

 pupating in the middle of May. 



8. — Pairings of Petasla nubcciilosa are not difficult to obtain if the 

 moths be placed in a large box, and out in the open air or near an 

 open window. The moths do not copulate till the fourth or fifth night 

 after emergence ; the eggs are scattered over the gauze covering of the 

 box in which the moths are kept (Maddison). 



9. — A female Daaiicampa rithit/ima captured April 4th by beating 

 sallows, placed in a large cardboard box and fed with thin syrup, laid, 

 between April 18th and ]\Iay 8th, 123 eggs, rarely more than from four 



* Pkai'ticu. Hints fok the Field Lei'Ukipti-i.inj . recently published, contains 

 1250 similar hints to these, distributed over e\er\ mouth in the year. Interleaved 

 (for collector's own notes). — Eu. 



