NOTES ON COLLECTIXG, ETC. 235 



60 of this last species in good condiuon. I have also found an unusual 

 number of Cuspidiii leporina and Ypsipetes iinpluviata larvce this year, 

 but I observe that a great number of larvae, especially those of the Noto- 

 DONTiD^, are ichneumoned. I have had the misfortune to lose three 

 out of four N. dicticjide's which I have taken, in this way. Is this the 

 experience of other collectors? — J. C. Moberly, Southampton. 

 September i,ih, 1S92. 



IVyre Forest. — C.dias edusa appears to be still emerging. A fine 

 male was captured on Septeaiber 15th by Mrs. Abbott. — P. W. Abbott, 

 Birmingham. 



Isle of Wight. — Since my last notes the season has continued to be 

 very satisfactory. Sugar on the Downs always remunerative; the results 

 vary little with the temperature and general state of the atmosphere, 

 but it is worthy of note that in the woods, here at least, it continues 

 to be absolutely useless. Colias edusa keeps emerging; some lovely 

 specimens were noticed, and on Saturday last (September 17 th) I saw 

 my last helice, a perfectly fresh specimen, but which was so strong on 

 the wing that I never got a shot at it, although I followed it doggedly for 

 a quarter of a mile. Previous to this I had captured one, equally fine, 

 among plenty of the type, freshly emerged, earlier in the same week, 

 and two (of which one is a very fine intermediate form) on September 

 5th. These bring our Freshwater total of helice to over two doz^n, 

 which I regard as very satisfactory. The 19th was the finest night at 

 sugar that I have ever had at this time of year ; amongst other good 

 things I look two Triphcena subseqiia (worn), with a few Aporophyla 

 australis and a good take of A. obelisca, which although so late, as they 

 have been out more than a month, were nearly all fine. Strangely 

 enough A. saucia, which has been as conspicuously plentiful this year 

 with me as it usually is the reverse, was on this evening very scarce, 

 only about half a dozen being seen ; although on some previous 

 evenings I had brought home enough even to satisfy my rather sanguine 

 anticipations. In the past five years I have only taken this species 

 singly here, but this year I have been able to select out of a large 

 number some very fine forms. It may not be generally known that 

 this insect, when fresh, has a beautiful peacock-blue metallic glow upon 

 the crest and head, and occasionally more slightly upon the body, 

 resembling the sheen of rich plush. Besides the two T. subsequa 

 referred to above, I took one (worn) upon each of the two only visits 

 to the woods here, viz.^ September 3rd and 14th; these, with another 

 on the Downs, taken 12th September, brings up the season's total of 

 this species to about thirteen or fourteen, which is also a " record " in 

 my own collecting experience. Agrotis puta, segetuin and suffusa have 

 also been much more abundant than usual, and the larv?e of .^. ripce 

 seem about as usual, but their mutual liking for flesh diet seems to b.\at 

 all contrivance upon the part of those friends to whom I send them, 

 and for my own part I gave up the attempt to bring them through years 

 ago as a game not worth the candle. Mr. Abbott writes me that he 

 has put 22 singly into separate receptacles; this should circumvent 

 them, and his perseverance is worthy of all praise. Amongst late 

 occurrences beyond those mentioned in the p evious month, the mo->t 

 conspicuous has been a worn female A. lunigera on S.ptember 17th, 

 nearly a month behind. Bryophila glaiuiijera is also occurring singly 



