NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 181 



^ariiaria, Thera firmafa, A. socielJa. I took a fi'cslily hatclied viUiea ^ 

 on April 27tli, my earliest previous record being June 7th (in 1887), 

 whilst I have l)red them as late as July 14th (in 1888). A pupa of 

 Triphcvna pronnha, dug the day before, hatched on May 16tli. Larva- 

 beating has been fairly successful ; details Avould be too lengthy, and 

 dates not so easy to compare as with the perfect insect, but larvae of 

 Thecla quf.rcus, about full-fed on April 29th, are worth mentioning. — 

 K. M. HiNCHLiFF, Worlington House, Instow, N. Devon. June Srd. 



Lijndhurst. — Last night the thermometer went down to 34°, but it 

 did not prevent me finding a few Eulepia crihrum, which are just 

 coming out. — J. C. Moberly, 9, Eockstone Place, Southampton. 

 June 1st, 1893. 



Selhy. — The season in Yorkshire has been exceptionally early as 

 elsewhere. I found Melanippe tristata well out in Wharncliffe Woods, 

 on May 22nd ; and on the 27th, at Bishop's Wood, near Selby, Bupalus pi- 

 niarki, swarms of 31. montaaata, and many other species, which 

 ■ordinarily we do not see here until the middle of June. — Geo. T. 



PORRITT. 



Wicken, Chipj^enham, Tuddenham. — Tempted by the success achieved 

 by those early in the field last season, and further encouraged by re- 

 ports from the Fens, of Meliana Jinmmea, captured the last week in April, 

 and Papilio machaon " everywhere," I left town for Wicken Fen 

 May loth, upon a short visit of inspection, and with the view of making 

 arrangements for a longer visit, in Avhich I Avas to be accompanied by 

 Mr. and Mrs. Abbott, of Four Oaks, Birmingham. The glorious 

 weather of the previous two months was rapidly drawing near its end, 

 and cold winds and dull days seemed in store. Putting uj) temporarily 

 at the " Maid's Head " Inn, I lost no time in seeking (for the first time 

 in my collecting career) for professional aid, and made arrangements 

 with Mr. Houghton, for the use of his lamp and sheet, not to mention 

 the advantage of his long experience and intimate acquaintance with 

 all the good things to be taken here. Alas, for human expectation, 

 the weather defied our efforts, light proved almost useless ; half-a- 

 dozen M. jiammea only being taken in two nights, whilst sugaring 

 resulted in the capture of the common or " barn-door " Agrotis excla- 

 mationis. The same warm and dry weather which caused the early 

 emergence of the June Noctu.^, -seemed to have dela}- ed the appearance 

 of the day-flying species, for which Tuddenham, and other spots in the 

 neighbourhood, are so famous, and although I deferred my expeditions 

 to these rich localities until my second visit, with the vicAv of sparing at 

 least, a few Agrophila svlphuralis, until the arrival of my friends, un- 

 fortunately, neither this species, nor Acidalia nibricata,wQYe to be seen 

 as late as June 3rd, and from the extreme s})arseness of the vegetation 

 upon the drj- sandy soil of Tuddenham, it seemed likely to be very 

 much later before any number could Ije expected, whilst a bad season 

 for them is quite a probability. A visit to Chippenham Fen (for j)er- 

 mission to work same, I am indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Tharp, of 

 ■Chippenham Park), on June 3rd, under the guidance of Mr. Cross, of 

 Ely, proved the only day in which anything approaching a good day's 

 work was possible. Bankla argentida Avas out in fine condition and 

 considerable numbers, and we all secured good series, which were 

 hailed with delight, as at last promising occupants for the temporary 

 tenure of the very eligible sites upon our numberless empty 



