NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 



333 



jDuiDEe. There is no tendency in the district to vary in any way, 

 and Mr. Riches (the reputed captor) brought to me a large number 

 of specimens (a most normal lot), to see if there was anything 

 among them like zatiiaa. Again zatiina is rather a local race than a 

 chance aberration and, except for domesticated specimens, is very rare on 

 the Continent. I can only suppose that Mr. Harrison's pupfe got 

 inadvertently mixed,and that the specimen was bred from a Grimsby pupa. 

 Assuming the latter to be the case there are two suppositions open as to 

 the origin of the specimen from which long series have now been 

 supplied to our cabinets, viz.: — (1) The production of the specimen on the 

 spot from a regular native or migrating parent, or (2) The production of 

 the specimen from an " escape." With regard to its having been 

 ■developed from a "regular native " we have to bear in mind, that on 

 the Continent this is never a chance aberration but a local race occurring 

 somewhat rarely, but not usually with the ordinary form in the few 

 localities in which it occurs at all. With regard to its being a migrant 

 we have the evidence of the powerful flight of the species, and the 

 frequency with which it is attracted by light, as well as the immense 

 size of the first brood which Mr, Harrison produced, the specimens being 

 almost double the ordinary size ; whilst with regard to its being the 

 progeny of an " escape " I have the evidence of having seen in a London 

 lepidopterist's collection, a series of this extreme form which had been 

 bought and which came originally from a Yorkshire collector, having 

 been bred there the year that Mr. Harrison's specimen was bred. I do not 

 know that these were sent out as British, but the fact remains that some 

 numbers of this particular variety had been and were being bred in the 

 country at the time that this specimen was bred. It has lent itself, as on 

 the Continent, most readily to domestication, and some of our collectors 

 seem likely to emulate Monsieur Deschange, who has we believe supplied 

 most of the Continental collections and dealers from his tame stock. 

 Hepkdus humuli var. hetlilandica was again taken in some abundance in 

 Shetland, whilst Bomhyx tH/oh'i is recorded not only from the Lancashire 

 coast but also from the New Forest. A few Drepana harpagula appear to 

 have been bred, whilst Dicranura hiciispis a2Dpears to have again been taken 

 somewhat sparingly. One species previously only reputed as British has 

 obtained another entry. The record is made in a somewhat off-hand 

 way, by introducing the capture of two specimens of Naclia ancilla in 

 Oalway without date or captor's name, in Mr. Kane's " List of Irish 

 lepidoptera " now appearing in The Eatomologist. A species which has 

 such slender grounds for being considered British, should certainly have 

 a great deal more said about its reputed capture. Among the Noctu^ a 

 few startling things have occurred. A hybrid race between Cymatophora 

 or and C. octdaris is perhaps the most remarkable. Leucania vitellma in 

 the New Forest and at Freshwater, as also L. alhipundn in the Isle of 

 Wight are recorded. Taplaoatola concolor appears regularly enough 

 now, whilst Nonagria sparganii although not recorded in the magazines 

 appears to be getting pretty generally into all London cabinets. Of 

 Pachetra leucopJuea and Ceraatis erythrocephala, I said my say in the 

 last No. of The Ent. Record, etc. Of Caradrina super stes a solitary British 

 record this year is made by Mr. Prout at Sandown (Isle of Wight), 

 although Mr. Hodges records it as abundant in the Channel Islands. The 

 next important item is the breeding of a large number of Dasycampa 

 rubiginea by Dr. Riding, and the abundance of Xanthia gdrago about 



