88 



THE entomologist's RECORD. 



We captured as many Brephos parthenias as we wanted, flying by day 

 among the birches, and at dusk Seknia illunaria and Antidea badiata 

 were very common, besides a few worn Scotosia dubitata. 



Although we did not begin to search the sallows till April 20th, we 

 met with very fair success, and I append a tabular list of our captures : — 



Also I Trachea pintperda, i Gow^pfera liba/rix, and a number of 

 hdXiQx^d s]')tc\n\cns ol Scofeloso/na satellitia J about i dozen full-grown 

 larvae of XanthicB. 



By sugaring we obtained numbers of Cerastis vaccinii and Scopelosoma 

 satellitia, about half a dozen T. fiiunda, and a few T. stabilis and T. 

 cruda. — C. Wells, Hurstfield, The Avenue, Gipsy Hill, S.E. May 

 iSth, 1891. 



Cafinock Chase. — I paid a visit to Cannock Chase at Easter, and 

 found Cymatophora flavicornis abundant ; I could have taken many 

 hundreds had I been so minded, but contented myself with looking for 

 varieties and succeeded in getting a very variable series. Brephos 

 parthefiias did not put in an appearance until the 31st March, somewhat 

 later than usual. 



At the beginning of May, I was again in the vicinity of the Chase ; 

 one Tephrosia pimctulata was my only take, but I didn't do much work 

 being invalided at the time. 



On the 20th May, when I paid another hurried visit, I took Hadena 

 glai/ca, sundry Tephrosia pimctulata, one T. crepiiscularia (surely very 

 late), Thecla rubi, and Ematurga atomaria were abundant ; the former 

 feeds on bilberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus) here. The blackthorn was in 

 full bloom, and the bilberry had not yet burst into flower. It is the 

 latest year I can recollect. — Richard Freer, St, Mary's Hospital, 

 Paddington, W. June isi. 



Meteorological Influences and Sugaring. — Several collectors 

 grumble at the moon as a cause of failure. My own experience has 

 led me to think the moon is a great deal too much abused. Some 

 time ago, I went for a week's collecting, there was a bright moon, 

 cold clear nights, and very little flying. " Oh ! it's the moon," I said, 

 " I'll always avoid the moon for the future." The next time I planned 

 my work on nights when there should be no moon. Cold, clear, 

 dark nights, very little flying. I began to doubt about the moon, and 

 set it down to the cold clear atmosphere. Since then I have not 

 changed my opinion. Cold, clear nights, with or without moon, bad ; 

 warm nights, with or without moon, good. Some of the best nights 

 I have had, have been warm and cloudy, but the moon for long 



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