160 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



was to be found on the dead grass or bracken. When the sun was 

 obscured it was quite unnecessary to use the net, the insects were 

 easily pill- boxed as they rested, they made no attempt to tly unless the 

 sun shone. C. rubi is a fairly common insect here in ordinary seasons, 

 I have never seen this species in such numbers anywhere before. Did 

 the hot dry season of 1911 account for this profusion ? I am looking 

 forward with interest to see if this butterfly will be in anything like 

 such numbers in 1913. Saturnia pavonia ^s were fairly common on 

 the hilltops, the $ s, as usual were not so much in evidence. Tephroaia 

 crepnscularia, usually fairly common, was decidedly scarce; only three 

 examples were seen at rest on larch trunks, but I was pleased to find 

 that one of these was of the blackish form, ab. ni;ira, which was not 

 uncommon here a few years ago, but disappeared when the one wood in 

 which they were to be taken was cut down. Brpphoa jtartltenias was 

 seen in about its usual numbers, flying swiftly round the birches; it is 

 a fairly common insect in this district. 



From April 25th a spell of heavy rain set in, which lasted until 

 May 10th without a break. The 11th was dull and cloudy, but as it 

 was not actually raining, I had a few hours' collecting at Aberbeeg, 

 about two miles from Abertillery, where I found insects were fairly 

 numerous, especially Ne)iiop/iora swaiiniierclaiiiiiiella, which was beaten 

 out of beech in little clouds. A few Tortrix and other micros were 

 taken in the same way, half a dozen fine dark Cidaria !>iifnmata were 

 taken at rest on larch trunks, and other Geometers beaten out of 

 the bushes included Coremia ferrugata, C. designata, Larentia 

 tristata, Lozogramma (Panagra) petraria, and Xanthorho'e fiitctiiafa. 

 The last-named insect was very common throughout the month, 

 and was almost the only insect to be seen at light. Collecting at 

 light does not pay in this district, a four or five mile march 

 round the lamps night after night for one or two common moths 

 is not profitable work. A few fine Mamentra {Hadena) glaiica were 

 taken at rest on stone walls, together with odd examples of Mamestra 

 {Hadena) thalassina, M. contigiia, and A], dentina. Dusking on the 

 hillsides gave Cabera piimria and 6'. exanthemata, Perizona (Ennnelesia) 

 albulata, l<]upithecia luilgata and E. nanata, Xanthorho'e niovtanata, 

 Coremia ferrugata, C. designata, and Opinthngraptis liiteolata in fair 

 numbers, and Ematnrga atomaria and Lozogratnma petraria in 

 abundance. On May 19th I took a fine male Malenydrin .solicata at 

 rest at the foot of a large beech ; this is a species I have not seen here 

 before. A second example, a rather worn J , was found at rest 

 amongst bilberry on the top of one of our hills, on the 26th. Cilix 

 glancata, not a common insect in this district, was taken at dusk on 

 the 13th. The "Hooktips " were conspicuous by their absence this 

 year. Prothgmnia {fhgtometra) riridaria and Heliaca tenebrata were 

 not to be found in their usual numbers, only a few were seen on sunny 

 afternoons. I failed to find a single Kudidia glyphica this year, a 

 species usually fairly common in the district, and only saw one worn 

 Endidia mi. Amongst the butterflies Coennngmpha pamphiliis appeared 

 to be in their average numbers, but the usually common Ni.Hnniailes 

 tages was decidedly scarce. 



On May 28th I had a day's collecting at Torquay. The day was 

 fine and bright in the morning, but clouded over about 1.30 p.m., and 

 remained so for the rest of the day. I was anxious to get a series of 



