162 THE entomologist's record. 



one (^ on June 30th during a gale, blown almost inside out and very 

 worn. On the same date I also found Aciptilia spilodactyla, the pupaa 

 numerous with a few imagines. This is very early for the species, and 



1 took pupae in a more exposed locality on Monday, August 10th. 

 The horehound was exceptionally plentiful and early this year. It is a 

 blossom well worth working, either with or without sugar. In the 

 former case the sheep seem to display the same natviral liking for sugar 

 as the moths, and, to my great disgust, I found one of my most prolific 

 grounds spoiled, all the horehound being cropped off close ; my cut 

 blooms seldom survived for the second evening, but in this case I think 

 the rabbits were the guilty parties. Larvje of CucuUia verbasci were 

 fairly plentiful on the Mulleins, but, owmg to the time taken in 

 "setting," I had not the opportunity of searching on the bed-straw for 

 those of Chccrocampa porcellus, which occurs freely in one or two spots 

 round. 



Sctina irrorella occurred in its usual plenty on the rocky slope 

 rtrferred to in the Record^ vol. i,, p. 334. In company with my friend 

 Mr. G. F. Peek, of Guernsey, an early morning visit by boat produced 

 some ninety, amongst which was one with the |VI mark on the right 

 wmg only ; surely an aberration or var. seini-signata. This species also 

 came specially freely to light on July 13th, which was an exceptionallv 

 still evening ; we boxed them without nets as fast as possible about 



2 a.m. That evening Nociu.E came on as freely at that time as early, 

 but as five hours' work had filled all my reserve stock of boxes which I 

 carry in bags almost as large as pillow-cases, we had reluctantly to return. 



Day-work was almost neglected during this time. Geometers were, 

 however, very plentiful, especially the common Alelanippe rivata. 

 Anticha lubidata was scarce and worn, I think we were late for it. 

 Lyatna a/, us at Totland was spoilt by the rough weather and was 

 a failure ; as also we found, and partly from the same cause^ Limeniiis 

 Sibylla, when we visited the New Forest, about July 20th. We were of 

 course late for it, but it was in nothing like its usual plenty. Argynnis 

 paphia was in profusion ; we secured 6 or 7 of the var. valesitia, and I 

 took a good var. of the ^ with the black rays very much suffused on 

 each upper wing making ahnost a black patch — unfortunately it was like 

 many paphia, chipped. During the preceding week we had been suc- 

 cessful in netting a good long series of Toxocampa pastimini^ of which 

 I beat out the first four, July 13th, from a low yellow vetch growing in 

 an open rough field ; they were then fresh, but, during the week, those 

 netted at dusk were mostly more or less chipped. During the several 

 years I have worked that neighbourhood (near Yarmouth, Isle of 

 Wight) I have found it scarce, one or two occasionally being netted at 

 dusk. Another species which has been commoner than usual this 

 season with me is Nudaria 7nunda?ia which could be netted freely 

 several evenings along the hedgerows about 1 1 p.m. Leucaiiia conigera 

 also visited sugar freely several evenings, but Gonophora derasa, 

 Xylophasia sublustris and some others occurred only sparingly. 



The ZygienidiB were also in profusion, which is of course only remark- 

 able for the fact, that, during several recent seasons they have occurred 

 very sparingly — but amongst the Z. filipcndiihe, as will be seen from a 

 note under the heading " Variation," no less than five pure yellow 

 varieties were obtained in the same locality during about a week; and 



