282 THE entomologist's record. 



in its old haunts. Scotch insects have swarmed, even when compared 

 with the way they can " swarm " in Scotland, and Noclua sobrina, once 

 so rare, was literally taken in dozens by Messrs. Mutch, Home and 

 other collectors. Laphyg?fia exigua was captured by Mr. Hodges in 

 the Isle of Wight. I hear of some mysterious specimens of Thalpo- 

 chares ostrina and parva wandering about, but these want careful atten- 

 tion. Mr. Bankes, however, reports an undoubted specimen of the latter 

 species taken at Poole, in June last. Helioihis arjuigera, strangely 

 enough turned up as a " tomato " species, several imagines being bred 

 from imported tomatoes, but I have heard of no Frodenia littoralis. 

 Plusia moneta has been both captured and bred, and this very common 

 Continental species seems to have quite made up its mind to settle 

 with us, whilst Mr. Farren's hints have enabled Capt. Robertson to 

 find P. chryson at Swansea. Mr. Holland reports a great "Xrt«////rti" 

 year at Reading ; certainly the score of specimens of X. aurago he 

 sent me were exquisite, both from the condition and varietal point of 

 view, and it is interesting to know that Dasycampa rubigiiiea has again 

 been bred, this time by Dr. Riding. Of the Pyrales and Crambites, 

 a large take of Aglossa cuprealis, by Mr. King at Wicken, an extra- 

 ordinary abundance of Botys hyalinalis, a few specimens of B. cindalis 

 in the southern counties, with a comparatively large number of Crambus 

 myellus from Scotland, are among the best. Besides these. Dr. Mason 

 records the detection of a specimen of Hercyna phrygialis taken in 

 Scotland a few years ago. Of the Pterophorina, a fair take of that 

 species, for a long time almost lost in Britain, — Oxyptilus pilosellce, 

 in the Dover district, is perhaps the best thing. Not a single new 

 species among the Tortrices has been discovered, and in this group, 

 indeed, there is quite a dearth of scientific work, Dr. Wood's discovery 

 of the larva of Ditula woodiaua being the best record. However, long 

 series of Leptogramma scotafta, Retinia dup/ana, posticana, Sericoris 

 irriguafia and daleana were taken in Scotland. Among the Tineina, 

 Dr. Wood is again almost alone in his scientific observations, his 

 detection of several new species among the ccespititiella-gxouYi of the 

 genus Coleophora, being quite an unusually good piece of scientific 

 work in this direction. Mr. Hodgkinson's supposed new species of 

 Coleophora for which he suggested the name vietallicella, has been 

 determined to be only a form oifiisceditiella. 



Of short scientific articles showing original research, there are very 

 few published this year, Mr. Robson's paper on "The Hepialidae " 

 {Ent. Record) ; Dr. Chapman's on the " Oviposition of Adela viridella '' 

 {E.M.Af.) ; " Variation in the colour of the Cocoons of Halias chlorana " 

 {Enf. Record) ; " Effects of temperature on the colouring of Lepi- 

 doptera" (Trans. Ent. Sac. of Lond.) by Mr. Merrifield ; " Butterfly life 

 before leaving the egg," by the Rev. H. H. Higgins {Brit. Nat.); 

 " The Genetic Sequence in the Colours of Lepidoptera," and 

 " Secondary Sexual Characters in Lepidoptera," written as Introductions 

 to vols. ii. and iii. of The British Noctuce and their Varieties; "The 

 Duration of the Ova State in Geometrse," by Mr. Fenn {Efit. Record); 

 " Further experiments upon the colour relation between certain 

 Lepidoptera and their surroundings," by Mr. E. B. Poulton {Trans. 

 Ent. Soc. of Lond ^ ; " On the Variation in the colours of Cocoons and 

 Pupse of Lepidoptera," by Mr. Bateson {Trans. Ent. Soc. of Lond.) ; and 



