NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 199 



more than its usual abundance. T. mterjeda is peculiar in its habit 

 and appearance on this Fen. I used to get it freely at Cuxton in July 

 flying rapidly in the late afternoon sunshine over bramble blossom, and 

 occasionally at sugar. Here it sometimes indulges in the former 

 habit, but it comes very freely to sugar in late August, and last year I 

 shook about five dozen grand specimens out of the sugared " knots " on 

 one evening. This year, it was later in putting in an appearance, and I 

 only got a very i't\i. Nociua augur was worn, as also N. triangulum ; but 

 N. xanthographa and the second broods of N. plecta and N. rubi were 

 in fine condition, and the last named plentiful. A few N. festiva and 

 N. baia were observed, but N. umbrosa occurred more freely than any 

 other member of the genus. Larvee of Tccniocampa stabilis appeared to 

 be common on the sallows. Tetliea subhisa occurred twice at sugar, 

 but of the genus Cosmia I only took five C. affitiis against almost a 

 hundred specimens of affinis and a few pyralina last year. Hecatera 

 dysodea larvae were rare this year. If our collectors would only carefully 

 overhaul the lettuce flowers and seeds in country gardens, I feel sure 

 this species would be less local. We used to get the imago years ago 

 in Kent, but I did not know how to find the larvae then. Polia fiavi- 

 cinda larvas occurred commonly in Houghton's garden. Cleoceris 

 viminalis came to light sparingly. I can never understand why this 

 species is not commoner in the "Fens;" the same remark applies to 

 Dyschorista ypsilon. Eupkxia lucipara occurred, but Apleda advma, 

 which had been abundant, was over. Hadena oleracea and one H.pisi 

 were the only representatives of the genus; the hedges and the under- 

 growth in the " drove," where I v/as so successful last year, had been 

 cleared out, and perhaps seriously interfered with some of the species. 

 Bertie took one Pbisia festuccE at light, and P. gamma, of course, 

 swarmed. Houghton bred a large number ; two I selected are almost 

 as purple as P. pulchritiay and one has no red gloss on it whatever. 

 Even a common species like this is worth breeding. Two Gonoptera 

 libatrix came to sugar, with a few Ncenia typica and Af?iphipyra irago- 

 pogifiis. This, I think, completes the Nocture observed. Only Hypena 

 probosddalis occuxv&d of the Deltoides ; and the Pvralides gave but few 

 species. Pyralis fi/iibrialis, one only ; P. farinalis, in abundance in 

 the old barns in the village, with Aglossa pinguinalis and A. cuprealis. 

 Of this latter species Mr. King of Glasgow got a very considerable 

 number just previous to my visit. Two specimens of Nascia cilialis 

 were taken at light, so fine as to suggest a partial second brood from 

 the May moths. A few Catadysta lemnalis, Paraponyx stratiotalis and 

 Hydrocampa stag7ialis were observed, but no H. nyrnp/icealis. Botys 

 verticalis swarmed round the outside of the Fen, B. urticalis and 

 Ebulea sambucalis being almost as abundant. B. fuscalis had to be 

 worked for to get a series, whilst an odd specimen of E. crocealis came 

 to light, p. forjicalis, Scopula luiealis, S. olivalis and S.prunalis were all 

 common on the outskirts of the Fen, whilst an odd specimen or so each 

 of Scoparia cembrce and S. 7nercurdla were the sole representatives of 

 this genus, except S. pallida, of which I got a very long and fine series 

 of well-marked specimens. Crambid^ were scarce. Crambus prcetellus 

 C. pascuellus, C. perlellus, C. tristdlus and C. hortudlus all occurred 

 very sparingly on the Fen. C. cu.me'lus was commoner, and by dint 

 of hard work, walking througli the sedge in Burwell Sedge Fen, I got a 



