NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 237 



and we only got one which was taken with the net while hovering about 

 a tree. Later on we got Noctiia rhomboidea, Amphipyra pyrainidea, 

 one Selenia illustraria and Cosniia trapezina. A terrific fall of rain 

 next day put a stop to our operations, but we got one Triphcena 

 iafi/hina which flew into our sitting-room at the Crown Hotel. For- 

 tunately the evening of the 21st was fine and hot. Catocala sp07isa 

 came freely to sugar, and we got some grand specimens, as well as one 

 C. promissa, more Amphipyra pvrainidea, Noctua rhomhoidea. Mania 

 maura, etc. I also saw several Thyatira batis and netted one in very 

 fair condition. The evening's work brought our visit to a close, and 

 we left next morning, having made a fair number of captures in the 

 Forest, considering the wet weather and the short time at our disposal. 

 — E. G. Alderson, Worksop, Notts. 



Berkshire. — ^During August and the first fortnight of September I 

 worked for lepidoptera at West Woodhay, near Newbury. The result 

 was not altogether unsatisfactory after the poor sport of last year. 

 Sugar did not pay until September, when Xanthia citrago, X. fulvago 

 {cerago), X. flavago {silago), X. circellaris {ferruginea), Gofioptera libatrix, 

 together with a good number of commoner insects came pretty freely. 

 Luperina cespitis came well to light. Altogether 20 examples of this 

 insect were taken in my moth trap. Other insects taken by this means 

 were numbers of Nncronia ppiilaris, Hydrcecia ?iiditans, Noctua riibi, 

 and iV! umbrosa^ a few CharcBas graminis and Epione apiciaria, Xanthia 

 fiavago {silago) and i Asphalia diliita, with plenty of commoner insects. 

 Is it not unusual for A. diliita and X. silago to be attracted to light ? 

 I had never taken them in this way before. Triphosa dubitata was one 

 of the commonest insects, appearing in scores. Sunflowers proved 

 attractive to many species. Among others taken upon them being 

 Ciiiaria russata, Triphosa dubitata, Hydrcecia micacea, If. n'ctitans, 

 Noctua rnbi, N. c-tiigrum, N. xanihographa. Triphcena pro7iuba, T. comes 

 {orbona), T. ianthma, Plusia gainma, and Phlogophora futiculosa. Only 

 one Triphoena interjecta was taken, and that at light. The only insect 

 new to the district was Plusia festucce, of which I found a pupa upon 

 cut grass in a water-meadow near Hungerford. Larvae of Sphinx 

 ligustri, Chcerocampa elpenor^ Smerinthus populi and Macroglossa fuci- 

 formis (the latter by Miss Kimber) were the only representatives of the 

 Sphingidae found. Catocala nupta, together with a host of others, for 

 the most part unrecognisable corpses, fell a victim to the allurements 

 of a bottle of beer and sugar intended to catch wasps, of which we 

 have had a perfect plague this season. — J. H. D. Beales, Beech Hurst, 

 Poole. September 27M, 1891. 



Sphinx convolvuli at Clevedon. — I captured my first Sphinx 

 convolvuli last night (a fine ? ), at the flowers of the tobacco plant 

 {Nicotiana affinis), and saw a second. This insect is a little later than 

 usual this season. Does the species breed in this country ? One 

 would conclude that it does from the fine condition of the specimens 

 taken so far west. I did not see a single specimen last season, although 

 I watched diligently. — J. Mason, Clevedon Court Lodge, Somerset. 

 August 2()th, 1 89 1. 



Abundance of Larv^. — 1 suppose the abnormal abundance of 

 larvse of common species in our apologies for gardens in the 

 suburban districts is general. My garden is kept for entomological 



