266 THE entomologist's record. 



Riding remarks, they look wonderfully like a leafstalk, so like it that one 

 day in changing the food I cut one with the scissors as I thought I was 

 cutting off a leaf. If Dr. Riding could assure us that blackthorn is the 

 foodplant of Cosmia pyralina in the wilds I should feel relieved, but 

 I cannot hear of anyone ever getting the larvae from it. When I first 

 took pyralina I naturally went to the blackthorn to look for larvae, but 

 I have never got it to this day. The species came to sugar at Swansea 

 at two separate places in the wood on the edge of Sketty Park, places 

 where elm grew. At Reading it occurs at two places, miles apart, again 

 among elms, with very little blackthorn near, and that little as I say, 

 I have ransacked for larvae, but without success. If the larvae do feed 

 on elm my want of success would be accounted for, as these trees are 

 usually beyond the reach of a search. I do hope Dr. Riding will pay 

 attention to those apple trees in spring and see if he can get larvae. 

 With regard to the sugar I use, it is simply Egyptian raw, mixed with 

 beer, and a drop or two of "essence of pears" added just before 

 starting out. No rum, there is rum enough in sugar, perhaps the 

 essence is the secret, I don't know. I put on sugar as often as I can, 

 which is not often in the early part of the summer when there is so 

 much to be done in the daytime, but as soon as day work drops off a 

 bit, I apply it three or four times a week. As for what I sugar, every- 

 thing almost, but I prefer something living. — W. Holland, Oct. 26th. 



Devon. — While shooting on the cliffs in the south of this county on 

 20th October, I noticed many fine specimens both $ and 2 of Colias 

 edusa flying in the most sheltered parts. Vanessa urticce., V. io, V. 

 atalanta and Cynthia cardui were at the same time numerous and in 

 grand condition. The beaters disturbed many dilapidated Noctu^ 

 and quantities of Geometr/E, most of the latter probably being 

 Cheimatobia brunata and C. boreata. — John N. Still. 



Berkshire. — At sallows I took nothing worthy of note, although the 

 commoner species were abundant. Towards the end of May setting 

 had become quite a serious business. Some insects were out unusually 

 early. I observed Euchelia jacobce.ce. in some numbers on May 21st. 

 My moth trap, which had been in use every favourable night since 

 April 2ist, attracted numerous common things with a it"^ Nunieria 

 pulveraria. In June a nice series of Chcerocampa elpenor, together 

 with two Sphin x ligustri and a S. convolvuli were taken at the blossoms 

 of honeysuckle and rhododendron. " Honeydew " and sugar also 

 proved attractive to many common insects, several fine Gamniesia 

 trigramniica var. bilinea coming to the latter. Nenieophila plantaginis 

 was found flying in scores upon the Downs, while three or four Aplecta 

 advena came to light. At the beginning of July, " honeydewed" nettles 

 and light became more attractive, the latter producing Tiniandra 

 amataria, Pericallia syringaria, Pseudoptera pruniata {cylisaria), Pliisia 

 iota and P. chrysitis, among others too numerous to mention. Towards 

 the end of the month sugar suddenly failed, and although I tried it con- 

 stantly, it brought nothing until the middle of September. I saw the 

 first specimen of Colias edusa on August 4th. It soon became plentiful, 

 but I was not fortunate enough to come across var. helice, although I 

 heard of several being taken nearer Newbury. Luperina cespitis again 

 turned up at light, but in no great numbers. Among other insects 

 taken at light were two of the black vars. of Strenia clathrata. In 



