NOTES ON COLLECTING. 27 



:iS>OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Manduca atropos at Tonbridge. — I had the good fortune to secure 

 a female of this species on September 25th last. It came in through 

 the open window of a ground Hoor room here, at about 9.30 p.m., 

 attracted by the electric light. It appeared quite fascinated by the 

 lights, dashing about them tor some time before it was finally captured. 

 We heard it squeak more than once, when it had taken refuge between 

 a large book case and the wall and also in the net. I cannot find 

 many records of this species being attracted by light, and it is perhaps 

 the more remarkable in that the specimen was a female. — D. A. J. 

 Buxton, Fairhill, Tonbridge, Kent. 



Colias edusa at Eastbourne. — On November 24th, 1912, I saw a 

 specimen of Colias edima, near the sea front at Eastbourne. It was 

 settled on a small head of ragwort blossom but flew oft' gaily on our 

 approach. We saw, probably, the same specimen two or three times 

 the same morning. This is the latest date I have seen this species 

 here. In 1878, I believe that was the year, I captured three specimens 

 of ('. eiliixa var. helice, along the clifi", on November 8rd. There were 

 several specimens of the type form flying with them. — Alfred Sich. 



New Varieties of Abraxas grossulariata. — A friend of mine who 

 is keen on the species has asked me to describe and name one or two 

 new forms, and I hope to do so almost immediately. This would be 

 a good opportunity for including any other striking and really distinct 

 varieties now in the possession of other Entomologists, if they feel 

 inclined to entrust them to me for the purpose. If packed carefully 

 and reijintoed, they may be sent either by letter or parcel's post. — 

 Rev. G. H. EayxXor, M.A., Hazeleigh Rectory, Maldon, Essex. 



Records. — -The following records appear to be worthy of publica- 

 tion : — Hi/penodes taenialis [albistrit/alis), July 3rd, 1912, New Forest ; 

 H. custaefitriiialis, Calthorpe Broad, Norfolk, August 8th ; Tholuniii/es 

 turfoxalis, Ashdown Forest, June 28th. — P. A. Buxton, Tonbridge. 



The early season. — It may be of some interest to record the 

 emergence of several specimens of Selenia bilunaria during the past 

 month. The first emerged on December 21st last, two more on Decem- 

 ber 29th, another on December 30th, and two more on January 5th. 

 The specimens are all females, and the pupte are in an open shed out 

 of doors. — Harold B. Williams, Stoke Newington, N. 



Phragmatobia fuliginosa. — In the account of this species in Mr. 

 South's Mothe of the British Isles it is stated that " on the south and 

 south-west coasts the black band of the hindwings exhibits a tendency 

 to break up into spots. Not infrequently this is completely efi'ected, 

 and the specimens then approach the larger South European form, var. 

 fervida, Stand. In a fine series of this species from Cornwall lately 

 seen in Mr. A. Harrison's collection, are a few specimens that come 

 very close to the last-named form." This remark always interested 

 me, as disclosing an unusual characteristic in Cornish insects, which 

 seem as a rule to approximate more to the northern forms. Mr. 

 Harrison's collection was recently disposed of, and I purchased the 

 series of P. fulif/inosa. I find that the Cornish specimens are uniformly 

 dark, approaching var. borealis. The fine light specimens in that col- 

 lection, referred to by Mr. South, were from Reading, and exhibit the 

 characteristics mentioned by him. — Id. 



