158 THE entomologist's record, 



Wje Va/ley {Monmouthshire). — I note Mr. Fisher's query in your last 

 number. Vanessa cardui was very abundant here this spring, and I 

 had not seen it in this locahty before ; in fact, all hybernating Lepidop- 

 tera were remarkably numerous. From Newman's description of the 

 habits of the larvae of Ellopia fasciaria, I imagine they were full-fed at 

 the end of October, but my larvae passed the winter on the needles of 

 the Scotch fir, commenced feeding again early in the spring, and were 

 full-fed, some by the middle of May, others not until the middle of 

 June. I have bred at one time or other most of the larvae which have 

 a reputation for being cannibals, but the most determined cannibal I 

 know is Calocanipa exoleta. I put four in a box together ; the largest 

 of the larvae killed and partially devoured the other three in one day. 

 Out of three dozen (one dozen I obtained from Lincolnshire) I now 

 have three survivors in separate boxes, or I expect I should only have 

 one ; all the rest fell victims to the prowess of their brethren. Colias 

 ediisa has appeared about this part, whilst Vanessa c-album and Argynnis 

 paphia have put in an appearance. Moths have been plentiful, amongst 

 others^ I have taken since my last note Stauropus fagi, Epione ad- 

 venaria, Pericallia syringaria, Thyatyra derasa, Aplecta prasina, 

 Melanippe hastata, Melanthia albicillata, Macaria liiurata, Phorodesma 

 bajularia, Bomolocha fontis, Chcerocampa porcellus and elpenor, and 

 Plusia iota and festucce. — A. Nesbitt, Llandogo. 



Tunbridge Wells. — The last month has been a wonderful one for 

 sugar here. I never saw insects in such profusion, sometimes there 

 were seventy or eighty on one patch of sugar. My best nights have 

 been during bright moonlight, thus being quite contrary to the old 

 notions. Among the species I have taken were Xylophasia hepatica 

 and X. nirea and vars. (swarming) D. pinastri, Mamestra anceps, 

 Apamea basilinea, M. persicaricz, Aplecta herbida, A. nebiilosa, A. tincta, 

 Apamea gemina, Hadena pisi, H. thalassi?ia, H. ge?iistce, H. adnsta, 

 Noctua plecta (swarming), N. c-nigrum, N. festiva, JV. tenebrosa, 

 Triphcena proniiba and Agrotis exclamationis were a positive nuisance, 

 Chcerocampa elpenor, Notodonia camelina, Cuspidia psi, C. aceris, 

 C. megacephala. C. tridens, Viminia rumicis, Lewania pallens, L. impiira, 

 L, lithargyria , L. comma, Thyatyra batis, Gonophora derasa, Miana 

 strigilis and M. fasciuncula swarmed. — R. A. Dallas Beeching, 24, 

 St. James Road, Tunbridge Wells, dth J^uly, 1892. 



Petiarth. — During April and the early part of May, the larvae of 

 Meliiaa ariemis swarmed in the Penarth district, more particularly in 

 one field where several hundred were taken by the members of the 

 Penarth Entomological and Natural History Society — the majority of 

 the larvae have found their way to various parts of the country. — At 

 the end of May the imagines were very plentiful. During May, 

 several specimens of Saturnia carpifii were taken on Barry Island, and 

 during May and June the larvae have been very abundant, feeding on 

 bramble. One larva has already pupated — is not this very early? 

 This is the first year we have met with carpini here. On May 14th 

 I took on Barry Island a female Arctia fuliginosa, which, although a 

 cripple, produced a goodly number of ova. These hatched in due 

 course, and the larvae, after feeding well on dock leaves, are now 

 spinning up. Another specimen was captured at Porthkerry near 

 Barry, by Mr. W. E. R. Allen, a few days before I took mine, these 



