NOTES OF THE SEASON. 91 



large size in this locality, and is especially finely marked. Before 

 leaving Wicken I paid a visit to Mr. Solomon Bailey, and found that 

 his experience of the season exactly coincided with that of Mr. A. 

 Houghton, and my own experience in the New Forest having been 

 equally disappointing, I resolved not to visit Wicken again this year. 

 But the fates decided otherwise. The sudden and unexpected General 

 Election called for my presence at Wicken, on July 26th, to record my 

 vote, and it is needless to say that I made that the occasion of a fresh 

 raid upon the moths. I only stayed for one night, but it was a perfect 

 night — warm, dark and moist. Mr. Houghton did not flatter me 

 with any hope of success, and indeed sugar was, if possible, worse than 

 before. A few Helotropha leucostigma, and Galyvmia affinis, were 

 really all there Avere to take. The thing that struck me most was the 

 extraordinary absence of common insects, such as Agrotls segeium,A. 

 nigricans, Noctua c-nigrum. Leucania pcdlens and Xylopliasia polyodon, 

 which usually swarm at sugar, were each represented by only one or 

 two specimens. At light matters were different, V. alhovcnosa simply 

 swarmed. I took 50, and might have taken 150 if I had cared to stay 

 for them, but as there was not much else I got tired of taking dozens 

 of one species. A few each of Coenobia rufa, Tapinostola heUmanni, 

 Nascia cilialis, and Leucania phragniitidis, turned up, but little 

 beside. Thus ended my experiences of Wicken for this year. The 

 local collectors describe the season as the worst that they ever remember. 

 Agrofis ohscuva had not been seen when I was last there, nor Cidaria 

 sagiftata. Mr. Houghton took one very fine Hadena atriplicis, which I 

 have got, and several good specimens of Trochiliiiui apifoniiis. By the 

 way, IT. atriplicis and Acronycta {Cttspidia) strigosa appear to be 

 becoming increasingly rare ; one or two specimens in a season are the 

 most that are now taken. — J. C. Moberly, M.A., Southampton, 

 Sejjt. 28//?, 1895. 



Shetland. — I have just returned from the Shetlands, where I spent 

 nearly three months collecting Liepidoptera. The weather was as bad 

 as it is made, but nevertheless I managed to get some fine things, 

 among which I may mention a grand series of Crymodes cxidis, 

 varying from black, through brown, to orange. Each specimen, 

 however, entailed on an average from 18 to 20 miles walking, many of 

 the miles having the peat-mud over one's boots, and getting into the 

 house frequently at 4 a.m., drenched through and through. Collecting 

 C. exuJis is not a treat ! ! I can noAV quite understand the dealers 

 charging £5 a pair for them. They are cheap at the money. 

 Rppialu^ humiili var. hethlaudica was not uncommon, and many fine 

 forms fell to my net. Emmelesia alhulata, and var. ihule, were to be 

 had among yellow rattle, and toAvards the end of August I took a fine 

 lot of the black form of Noctua fflareosa, and the Shetland form of 

 (■iilaria vin?iavata. Noctua covfiua was to be had in fair numbers, 

 but many of theni very much Avorn. Tortricides and Tineides were 

 not in great numbers, but those that Avere taken Avere very interesting. 

 On some nights Xoctua cnnflua was very common on the sugar, whilst on 

 other nights scarcely any would be seen. Maiiwstra furra was rare, 

 and my experience of Noctua glareosa pointed to the fact that it 

 appeared carefully to a\'oid the sugared posts, and to settle upon the 

 Avires between. It must be remembered that there are no trees in 

 Shetland, so we have to sugar the posts, Avhich are rather short, and 



