220 THE entomologist's record. 



variety. Roughly speaking this gives a proportion of 80 per cent, 

 typical and 20 per cent, melanic specimens. The black form of 

 H. leacophaearia is always more difficult to see than the paler forms. 

 In the case of Nola confnsalu I have written in my diary that once 

 where the two forms were resting side by side on a dark beech trunk, 

 the conspicuous appearance of the pale one compared with the melanic 

 one was most noticeable. On oak or hornbeam some of the pale ones 

 are as hard to see as the dark forms, but none of the dark ones are 

 ever as conspicuous as some of the pale ones. This year I have seen 

 84 specimens, of which 30 were of the pale form and 4 var, columbina. 

 — E. A. Cockayne (F.E.S.), 16, Cambridge Square, W. May 8th, 1911. 



Epichnopteryx undulella. — It is stated in Barrett's Lepidoptera 

 of the British Islands, Vol. 2. p. 353, that an example of this species 

 was contained in the series of Ejyichnopterjjx retiella in the collection of 

 the late Dr. Mason. This eastern insect is quite easily overlooked, 

 more especially as it appears quite early in the year, during the latter 

 half of April and the beginning of May, flying in the sunshine over 

 sand hills. Epichnopterijjc undulella may possibly occur in the British 

 Islands, and should be searched for in the Breck District, and elsewhere 

 in sandy localities in East Anglia. Its district in Europe is less 

 Eastern than that of Eupithecia extensaria, and of Noctiia subrosea now 

 extinct in this country. — (Hon.) N. C. Rothschild (M.A., F.E.S.). May. 



Dark forms of Hybernia leucophaearia. — In the April number of 

 the Entomologist'' s Record, Mr. Turner, commenting on a note of mine, 

 raises the query as to whether the uniformly dark form of Hybernia 

 leucophaearia still occurs at Richmond Park, and in what percentage 

 this form occurs compared with other forms. So far as my experience 

 of this year goes, I can testify that the dark form of this species still 

 occurs in this locality, and that it does not appear to be restricted to 

 one particular part of the Park as was the case at the time to which 

 Mr. Turner refers. I found that the darker forms occurred wherever 

 H. leucophaearia was met with. In these darker forms there is a good 

 deal of difference in the intensity of the coloration, and one rarely 

 meets with the extreme form in which the colour is so uniformly dark 

 as completely to obscure the usual markings. With regard to the 

 percentage of the darker forms, I should say that they occurred in the 

 proportion of one to three of the lighter forms. I also took a good 

 few H. leucophaearia at Wimbledon Common, and on comparing notes 

 with Mr. Gadge, who spent some time there this season working for 

 this species, we came to the conclusion that the darker forms were 

 more common there than at Richmond Park. Ab. inarmorinaria, 

 Esp., was not uncommon, both at Wimbledon Common and Richmond 

 Park, but of this form my finest specimens are from the latter locality. 

 J. Alderson, 14, Daiforne Road, Upper Tooting, S.W. May. 



A Short Note from Sicily. — I send you a postcard from Randazzo, 

 in the neighbourhood of Etna, just to show you I am alive. Between 

 the town and the snow, which is more or less present the whole year 

 on the mountain, is a grand entomological hunting ground, and I 

 have had the good fortune to get two sunny days together. It has 

 not so far been at all sunny in so-called " Sunny Sicily " during the 

 present month of May. Just now the only species out in this locality are 

 Euchlo'e damone, mostly males, Thais polyxena, getting over, Glaucopsyche 

 cyllarus, in very fine condition, Euchlo'e cardamines, males worn and 



