l08 THE entomologist's RECORf*. 



been offered a liberal diet of rose leaves. Sesia stellatarum was de- 

 cidedly rare this year, but larvae of Cucullia verbaaci far commouer thau 

 before. They were scarce on mullein, but occurred on almost every 

 patch of Scrophidaria. The marsh I previously mentioned in connec- 

 tion with Brenthis selene -was only discovered late in the visit. Here 

 Anthrocerapalustris[-trifolii)a,honnde([, but only in the very wettest parts, 

 where every step was ankle-deep in a muddy ooze, and deep bog-holes were 

 all too frequent. Cocoons were in hundreds — fully 30 per cent, 

 dwarfed to barely half-size, these latter all producing ichneumons. 

 The race was large in size, but, for such a variable species, compara- 

 tively constant. About half had all five spots quite distinct, the re- 

 mainder having only a slight confluent tendency, and only one of a 

 large number was at all extreme. On my first visit— July 23rd — only 

 one or two were out, and the majority of cocoons collected produced 

 imagines from August 4th to 12th ; neither was A. filipendulae out on 

 the sandhills when I left. Crowhus uliijin.o melius, occurred in this 

 marsh, and Mr. Geldart took a Chilo which he believed to be mucro- 

 nellns. Riinda sericealh was fairly common, Cosmotriche potatoria was 

 spun up on the grass, and Satiirnia carpini larvaB were picked up now 

 and again. These latter were exceptionally dark in colour, and formed 

 a striking contrast to a brood I had at the time from Chattenden. All 

 I found were on heather, which grew sparingly in the marsh. I only 

 visited this spot for two short mornings, and did not care, from the 

 nature of the place, to work it at night. The only other day trip was to 

 Prussia Cove, on July 16th. My quarry was j'Eijeiia philantkifnrmis, and 

 I found the little clearwing in plenty. It wants very careful looking 

 for amid the host of flies, but after a few moments one learns to dis- 

 tinguish its graceful hovering flight. It occurred only on the extreme 

 edge of the cliff's, where thrift was abundant, and, while the sun shone, 

 was very plentiful. Stenia pimctalis occurred here again, but seemed 

 scarcely out, and Hccatcra serena w^as sitting about on the rocks. 

 Bryophila vmralh was not out yet, but was pretty common when I 

 visited Prussia Cove again on the oOth. On this latter date jEgeria 

 philantkifornnx seemed quite over, xilthough low temperature had 

 little effect on the sandhills it was quite otherwise in the lanes, and the 

 evenings were few on which moths flow in any numbers. On these 

 rare occasions Emmelesia afpnitata was very common in all states, 

 from " bred condition " to perfect rags. E. decolorata was fairly 

 common too, and in better average condition, l)ut E. alchemillata was 

 almost over. Acvlalla imitaria occurred commonly, and A. subserr- 

 ceata was the best of various small species of its genus. Flusia 

 rhrysitis, Cucullia iiinbratica and HabroHtola tn'plasia were netted oc- 

 casionally, but most of the Noctuids were of the commonest. I quite 

 failed to And Plusia fcstKcae, although there were plenty of most con- 

 genial-looking spots. Few things came to light, the nights being very 

 cold, and Melanippe 'jaliata, Pseudotcrpna ri/tisaria, and ApJwmia sociella 

 were tlie best. The last named was fairly common, and occurred at 

 dusk as well, but Mdanijtjw ijaliata was much scarcer than last year. 

 Other dusk captures were llotiia luinaiix (getting common in the last 

 week), CaUvjenia niiniata, and Eiipitkeda rectawjidato. Among the 

 Crambids, C. var. varrimitonellus was again almost the only form of 

 perlellus seen ; C. inquinatellu^ was common among bracken and 

 heather ; and C. ncnindcns was just coming out. A finely-marked 



