22 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



consisted of 14 Tajnnostola dipui imagines in perfect condition, most 

 of them at rest on the grass-stems with wings closely folded. These 

 we did not expect as it is a much earlier date for their appearance than 

 that given in books ; Practical Hints states that the pupfe are to 

 be found in mid-July and the imagines in later July and early August. 

 One solitary moth beside these we captured at the light, which Messrs. 

 Watkins and Doncaster have since identified as Hi/ilriUa pcduMris, ^ , 

 but a very worn specimen ; it was netted flying in the radius of the 

 lamp light. It is an unusual occurrence for JJi/JriUa palitstris to be 

 taken on coast sandhills, and in Lincolnshire. What is its food-plant, 

 and is it confined elsewhere to fenny districts ? There is plenty of 

 fenland between the sandhills and the Wolds. On the sugar-patches 

 the only visitors were two Miaiia stiiijilis and one Apaiiica basilineaw&v. 

 pallida, an uncommon form in this neighbourhood. — Ibid. 



Additions to the list of Lepidoptera taken at Lincoln during 

 1902. — Bad as the climatic conditions have been this year, may I add 

 as new to the district a few examples in the larval and imaginal stages 

 of Mimas tiliae on the elm-trees in the streets ; and, at street-lamps on 

 September 6tb, a nice brown form of A(/rotis tritici, agreeing with var. 

 cHueii/rra, St. [A. tritici in any form is rather scarce here), and, again, 

 on September 20th, a few examples of Mellijiia i/ilrai/o var. siiff'usa on 

 the same lamps. As these do no not appear to have been taken locally 

 before they seem worth recording. — Ibid. 



Time to seek larv.« of A^AtEria culicifokmis. — I find the best 

 date to obtain pupje of J'](icria cidicifonnis is on or about April 26th. 

 Armed with a hard chisel and heavy hammer they may be readily split 

 out of the two year old birch stumps. Kept moist in the chipped-out 

 bits some will emerge about July 7th, but one will be lucky if half of 

 them emerge satisfactorily. — Iuid. 



Notes on the life-history of Mgeria formiciformis. — I have been 

 investigating the life-history of Ac(/eria foriniciforiinN, and, so far as I 

 can discover, the larva does not here feed in osier stems as is stated in 

 many books, l)ut in decaying stems of Sali.r raprca, more especially in 

 those stems of which one side only has just commenced to decay. I 

 have counted upwards of fifty empty pupa-skins sticking out of the holes 

 in such a stem, whilst, on one occasion, I obtained fifteen pup* by 

 removing a piece of bark from a sallow growing by the side of a stream. 

 Possibly the reason why so many lepidopterists fail to find this species 

 in the northern counties, is that they search osier beds instead of the 

 sallows growing by river-beds, where it appears to be very common in 

 many places. I hope to make further observations this spring, and 

 should I be successful, will forward further details. — John R. Johnson, 

 10, Deckham Terrace, Gateshead. December 12t/i, 1902. 



Lepidoptera in the Reading District, 1902. — The season here has 

 kept up its character for scarcity of insects, spring, summer, and 

 autumn all alike, with the exception of about oncM'eek — August 19th to 

 26th. The first-named date was my best night as regards numbers, the 

 following species being taken : — Lcitcania lit/iari/i/ria, Acro/ij/cta ntmicis, 

 lij/droecia Jtictitans, H. micacca, Xijlojthasia ni(>nn(/h/]i/ia, JMamestra bras- 

 sicae, Apaiiwa didi/ma, Miaiia fasciiinciila, J\l. bicoloria, Atfrotis puta, A. 

 niijricans, A. tritici, A. aqitili)ia, Noctaa jdecta, X. triannalinii, X. rubi, 

 X. umbro.sa, X. .laiitlmiiraiJia, Trijdiaciui iaiil/ii)ia, T. interjecta, T. 

 comes (orbviia), T. prunuba, Amp/iijiyra pyramidea, A. tro(jopof/(inis, 



