NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 



277 



centaureata, GrapholitJia nigromacidana, C. tceniolella, P. aspcrsana, 

 Gelechia anthjllidella, C. cana, G. scquax, Eupoecilia angmfana, C. dilucickina 

 Avere all rather abundant. E. hyhridellana, Cemiostoma loteUa and Tinea 

 arcella put in a first appearance. M. steUatarum still haunted the 

 bugloss flowers, whilst Zyga'na filipendidce hung in hundreds all over 

 the hills. Pyrameis atalanta, V. urticie and the usual common butter- 

 flies were also observed. 



This finished my observations and captures up till the end of 

 the month and to my usvial summer holidays. I have only once been in 

 North Kent since, on August 22nd, when I again visited Cuxton. A 

 perfect gale was blowing and swept the sides of the hills, l)ut there was 

 then a large number of Lyccena hellargus to be seen, some very much 

 worn, with L. alexis, Ccenonympha pamphilus, C. pMceas, and Hesparia 

 comma, with a specimen or two each of Aspilates gilvaria, Cramhus 

 tristellus and Pyrausta jmrpuralis, probably a third brood, but there 

 were no small species to be seen as the Avind was much too powerful. 

 I have not been since, so cannot tell how the autumnal work is proceed- 

 ing. To those with unlimited time and leisure the above may seem a 

 very commonplace result for the expenditure of so much energy, but as 

 a result for comparison with the Avork of other years it may prove 

 useful.— J. W. TuTT. August, 1893. 



Lanark. — Insects have been a month earlier and far more plentiful 

 this year than usual in this part of Scotland. Generally it is a rare 

 thing to see any species of butterfly. This year Pieris 7-apce and P. napi 

 have been common ; and now Vanessa iirticce, and even Vanessa atalanta, 

 are quite plentiful, thougli I have not seen the latter at all here during 

 the past three years that I have been here. I have also seen a specimen 

 of Chrysopihanns phlceas, one or two Pkris hrassicce, and even one or tAvo 

 Polyommatns alexis, Avhich I have never before seen here. I hear that 

 this species has been also seen this year in BerAvickshire. During the 

 very hot Aveather in the middle of August many Chaneas graniinis and 

 Hydnvcia nictitans flew into the castle to light, and I obtained one A-ery 

 nice variety of the former, the ordinary stigmatised linear markings 

 uniting to form a long, triangular, pale blotch. On July 14th I saAv a 

 sjiecimen of Macroglossa steUatarum, which I have not before seen here. 

 Carsia imhidata Avas either much more scarce than usual this j^ear, or 

 else it was nearly over when I reached these parts (July) as I only took 

 tAvo or three specimens. Sugar is usually a failure here, but this year 

 insects have been plentiful on the bait On August lltli I took at sugar 

 Celcena haworthii (8), Hadena proteus, Xylopliasia polyodvn, Triphcena 

 jrronuba, Hydrcecia nictitans, Cosmia trapezina, Noctua glareosa and 

 Noctna rubi. I also on this occasion found se\'eral Cekena haworthii at 

 rest on the rushes after dark. On August 18th sugar produced most of 

 the foregoing, but curiously enough there Avere no haworthii either at 

 sugar or on the rushes, though the species had been pretty common the 

 week before. HoAvcA-er, Tapinostola fidva had noAv taken its place, and 

 SAvarmed on the rushes. August 25th, on a chilly night, Avith a cold 

 Avind and the moon inclined to show, I thought it Avould be almost a 

 Avaste of labour to sugar ; but resoh^ed to try, and found myself justified 

 in the event, for the night turned out the best I have had. Hadena 

 proteus sAvarmed on the sugar, some of the forms being A-ery nice. I 

 took all the insects that I had taken before at sugar, and noAv Agriopis 

 aprilina apjDeared cpiite commonly, and three C. haworthii turned up 



