THE SEASON OF 1912 IN ABERTILLERY. 



177 



taken near Bozeat, a small village seven miles from Wellingborough, 

 Northamptonshire, in August 1907. These specimens of mine are 

 undoubted A. lineola. I believe this species has been recorded from 

 Barnwell Wold near Oundle, Northamptonshire, which would be 

 about 15 miles from where I took my examples. I very much regret 

 now I did not take a long series, which I could easily have done, as 

 these insects were flitting about a rough grass field in considerable 

 numbers. These Northamptonshire specimens do not differ in any 

 way from others I possess from Essex and North Kent. 



A little was done at " sugar" during the latter part of July; 

 insects, which were fairly numerous, included Lencania uiipnra 

 (common), L. pallem, Xiilopluma ritrea (common), X. monof/lypha 

 (abundant), Hadena (Maniestra) brassicae (common), Miana striijilis 

 (abundant), Rumia tenebrosa (common but pasae), Agrotis segetion, and 

 A. e.aiamationin (abundant), Triphaena pronnba (abundant), Noctua 

 migur (fairly common), N. plecta and N. .mnthni/rapha (common), 

 I'hlogophora iiieticidnsa (abundant), Enplexia Incipara (rather scarce), 

 and Hadena oleracea (abundant). I did not meet with some Noctiiae 

 which generally occur here such as Noctua primulae {feativa), N. 

 hrnvnea and N. baja. Searching flowering rushes after dark with a 

 lantern was an absolute failure, on one or two occasions I did not 

 see a single moth. Some years this method of collecting pays well, on 

 a favourable night a hundred moths can be taken without undue 

 exertion. I made a special search for Noctua ditrapezium , as I have 

 done for several seasons, but without success, and as only one specimen 

 of this rather rare insect has been taken here during the last seven 

 seasons, I have come to the conclusion its occurrence in this district 

 must be more or less accidental. The Plusias were very scarce, even 

 the usually common Pliisia festucae was only represented by one or 

 two very dilapidated examples. During July nothing but the very 

 commonest species of Geometer were noticed. 



The greater part of August was very wet. When the weather 

 allowed any collecting at all, I found the second brood of Pieris 

 brassicae, P. rapae and P. napi fairly common, especially the latter, 

 Vanesm io was common enough, although hardly in its usual numbers, 

 Pi/raiiu'is atalanta and P. carditl were only seen in single examples at 

 a time, not more than half-a-dozen altogether. Only two (Juneptcryx 

 rhaiinii, an insect which is usually very common throughout this 

 district, were noticed, a few RKDiicia phlaeas, Pohjnmmattis icarns and 

 Coenoni/iiipha paniphilus made up the list of butterflies. I did not try 

 any " sugaring " this month, the few moths I collected were mostly 

 netted at dusk, the commonest insect about appears to be Malenydris 

 [Larentla) didt/iiiata which, as usual, SAvarmed amongst the heather 

 and Noctua exclaDiationis was also equally common. Cahjmiila trapezina 

 and Triphosa dnbitata were not uncommon. Other moths taken are 

 not worth mentioning as they were of no special interest. 



On August 8th I visited the small valley where I took Stilbia 

 anoinala last year. I found this moth was out in its very restricted 

 range in fair numbers and in beautiful condition ; a nice series was 

 taken on this date and a few more were collected on the 15th. Two 

 examples of the handsome Cranibiis pinellus were taken this year, which 

 is about my average, although this species occurs throughout the whole 



