NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 183 



The best species of Heterocera taken were the following : — Zygcena 

 trifolii: very local and not common. I took one variety in which the 

 spots on the upper wings are confluent and form a bar, I also found a 

 cocoon of this specimen on a blackthorn stem at a height of about two 

 feet. Nudaria senex : this species was very common at Matley Bog. 

 It was to be seen in scores between 8.15 p.m. and 9 p.m., fluttering 

 gently up the stems of the rushes, and was easily boxed. A walk 

 through the bog in the daytime did not disturb a single example. 

 Lithosia complmia and L. complanula were fairly common on the lichen- 

 covered heather near Ringwood, which is recommended for E. ctibrum ; 

 the latter species, however, I did not take. One example of L. 

 muscerda was taken at IMatley by a friend. Liparis monacha : 

 gradually becoming more abundant towards the end of the month. 

 Flatypteryx lacertula : one ? on July isth. Is not this a very late 

 date ? Thyatira derasa and T. batis were common over bramble, but 

 refused to come to sugar. Cymatophora duplaris was taken sparingly 

 amongst the alders at Matley. Cuspidia tridens : a few on pine trunks. 

 Leiicania lithargyria and L. pudorina w2re in fair numbers amongst 

 the rushes in the peat bogs. Miana arcuosa : one fresh specimen at 

 Matley. Acosmetia caligiiwsa : one specimen at Stubby Copse —thanks 

 to the "Practical Hints" in the Record for July, 1890. Geometra 

 papilionaria was fairly common, at first in good condition, but during 

 the latter part of the month they were worn. I took seven specimens 

 in all, of these one was captured about 9 p.m., and all the remainder 

 lietween 10.30 and 11 p.m. This insect generally flies at a height of 

 about seven or eight feet — at least all that I saw and took were flying 

 at about that height. The flight is very gentle, and the species is fairly 

 easy to capture. Hyria auroraria {muricata) : this species was very 

 common, flying in the sunshine on the heaths. It was the most 

 common in the damper portions of these heaths where the plantain (its 

 food) grew in plenty. The following species were also captured in 

 more or less abundance at dusk : — Acidah'a scutulata^ A. bisefata, A. 

 tiica?iaria, A. immutata, A. emarginata, Eupisieria heparata (obliterata), 

 Collix sparsata, Hypsipetes impluviata {trifasciaia), H. elutata {sor- 

 didata), the three Melanthias, Eucosmia undulata, Cidaria testata, C. 

 fulvata and C. pyraliata. Amongst larvre I obtained the following : — 

 A few S. oceliatus, two D. furcula, and one P. palpina from sallow, Z. 

 camelina and D. coryli from beech, Eupithecia pulchellata from foxglove, 

 F. piniaria and T. pi?iiperda from pine, and Hadena pisi which was 

 fairly common on Myrica gale. — Jas. A. Simes, 4, Cricketfield Road, 

 Tower Clapton. August 10th, 1891. 



York. — I am glad to report that we have been doing fairly well here 

 these last two months ; sugaring has been more productive than for 

 many years, and still continues attractive. Such insects as Acronycta 

 ( Viminia) ruinicis., Leucania pudorhia, Noctua rubi, N. augur, Apamea 

 gemina, Plusia festuccB, Orthosia suspecta and Collix sparsaia have 

 been common, A. {Cuspidia) leporina fairly so, considering that a few 

 odd specimens only have been taken in previous years. Acidalia 

 immutata was also more common than usual, but Hydrelia unca, which 

 has been generally plentiful, was almost absent, only two specimens 

 were I believe seen. — R. Button, York. August i()th, 1891. 



Things are undoubtedly looking up again, and collecting here is at 



