NOTES ON rOLLECTIN<T. 1 59 



thus having: passed three winters in the pupal stage. — W. G. Ci^utten, 

 132, Coal Clough Lane, Burnley. Mai/ 10th, 1905. 



Amblyptilia acanthodactyla in Essex. — Eeferring to the Bev. G. 

 H. Eaynor's note {mitea p. 108), I would like to say that, as an old 

 collector in the county of Essex, I frequently met with Aiiihlijptilia 

 acantlwdactyla, and occasionally in numbers. I find, on referring to 

 my notebooiv, that, on September 3rd, 1879, I captured 36 in a little 

 green lane about two miles from Witham. 0)wnis spimim was very 

 plentiful in that lane. I also find that in that year I bred several from 

 larva? taken from the 0. spinusa. I considered the insect fairly com- 

 mon in Essex. — W. D. Cansdale, Sunny Bank, South Norwood, S.E. 

 May 2nd, 1905. 



Wild Pairings of Dimorpha versicolora. — I was fortunate m 

 obtaining again ova of D. versicolora. I managed to get a pairing 

 (wild) on Wednesday, the 12th inst., and another yesterday, the 16th 

 inst. '(See Ent. Record, vol. xvi., p. 209).— W. E. Butler, F.E.S. 

 Hayling House, Oxford Road, Reading. April llth, 1905. 



Thoughts on the prices paid for certain Lepidoptera in the 

 Mason Collection. — Being unable to attend the sale of the second 

 portion of the Mason collection, on May 16th and 17th, I have never- 

 theless — owing to the courtesy of my friend, Mr. J. Alderson — been 

 able to scrutinise a marked list. As the years roll on, one gets very 

 interested at seeing the same specimens brought to the sale rooms 

 from time to time, being re-dispersed only to appear again at some 

 distant date. It is entertaining, too, to note the fluctuations in 

 value (?) of these said specimens. The collection under review in- 

 cluded insects purchased from the cabinets of Burney, Briggs, Douglas, 

 Harper, etc. Except for extinct species, rarities, and varieties, there 

 is no doubt that specimens of British lepidoptera are now at a big 

 discount, and examples of average species are only worth the pins they 

 are mounted on. May this be due to the fact that most of our leading 

 entomologists now roam the Continent annually, net in hand, and are 

 more keen on the European Diurni than anything else ? We suspect 

 this largely explains matters. What does the comparative beginner think 

 of acquiring 201 specimens, including 56 Triphaena tinibria (vars. rircs- 

 cens, solani, etc.) for the modest sum of 4s. ? or 111 insects, including 

 36 Taeniocavipa poindeti, 38 T. (iracilis, and vars. of T. atahilis for 5s. ? 

 Similarly, 317 specimens, including 54 Tiliacca aurai/o (with vars.), 

 and 54 Mellinia (/ilvago, sold for 18s. (Janson) ; 79, including 15 

 Cirrhoedia .rcrainpelina, 18 Tethea return, and 16 Dicycla on, for 7s.; 

 89, including 20 Aplecta occulta, a,nd 11 A. advena for 14s. ; 64, includ- 

 ing 14 Plusia orichcdcea, and 4 P. moneta for 5s. ; 126, including 18 

 EnnomoH alniaria, 22 E. fuscantaria, and vars. of Crocallis elini/uaria 

 for 7s. (Hanbury) ; fine series of Cidaria russata (vars.), 101 for 6s. 

 What does the lover of the "smaller fry" think of obtaining 303 

 specimens, including 40 Af/rotera nenioralia and 44 Endotricha jkoii- 

 mealis for 6s. (Janson) ? Similarly, 200, including 14 Spilndex palealis, 

 31 Botys cinctalis, and 19 Leuriodes pulrcralis for 8s. (Nevinson) ; 67, 

 including 22 Dichdia (jrotiana and 3 Tortrix ynoiuaua for 3s. (Han- 

 bury) ; 191, including 31 Pentliina (jentianana for 6s. (Clark). On the 

 other hand, readers of the Ent. llecord may be interested to learn that 

 the following species sold at the following rates : — Chrysop/ianus dispar 

 from £2 5s. (Fenn) to £8 (Bovver) per specimen ; Laelia coejtosa from 



