l5^ THE entomologist's record. 



abroad, should still be in the dark as to its life-history. FloAvers 

 attracted a fair number of insects for these parts ; red valerian seems, after 

 all, thegreatest favourite, and Cmullia niiibratica, i'lmia lata, P. r/ni/sitis, 

 I'. /iidrliri)ia, JIabrostola trijxirtita, II. trijilasia, and others kept 

 hovering over it as soon as dusk set in. Lavender, Marvel of Peru, 

 and Lobel's catchfly, which I planted as allurements, somewhat 

 disappointed me. One night, after a dispiriting search at heather, I 

 came on a patch of wood sage, on which moths were simply revelling. 

 In a few minutes I had boxed some two dozen, amongst which were 

 six Noctua sti(/iiiatica and (jr)ii)ji/u)s obsruraria ; it being August, the 

 former, unfortunately, were not in cabinet condition, but I got some 

 three dozen eggs from them which duly hatched, and the young larvae 

 are now feeding well on carrot and chickweed. I think X. stitiiiiatira 

 is not included in Mr. Beading's list as a Devonshire insect. To search 

 the heather for a couple of hours night after night in August and 

 September (after a walk of three miles more or less up-hill, and a 

 probable trudge homewards with all but empty boxes) wanted a more 

 elastic frame than mine ; but, thanks to my son, Mr. Edward Eiding, 

 we filled up our rather long series of Atfvntis aijathina with an addition 

 of ten. Two were fine specimens of var. vasro, and the rest, as usual, 

 more or less rosy — for the most part less. He also took a few rosy 

 yortua (/larcosa, some pink all over, others in part, and two or three 

 with a purplish tinge. These, with eight X. rastonm var. iwglecta (all 

 gray, except one, which was faintly purplish), two Lujirrina (r.yiitis, a 

 few ('Jtaracas t/ramiiiis (this insect occurs sparingly here, never in detri- 

 mental abundance as in Scotland), L. tcstacca, Cidaria tcstata, and a 

 few plumes (/'. Dumodarti/lKs) sum up our captures, and equally well 

 all the visitors seen on the blossoms, if we add the rejected X. .rantlm- 

 l/ra/i/ia. Ta/iinostola fiiira, as usual, was abimdant after its first flight, at 

 rest on rushes near, both the type and several of its different varieties. 

 On other high grounds we took a sprinkling of Stilbia coKniuila, some 

 in perfect condition, as late as the third week in August, which is very 

 unusual here. Several ? 's yielded only a feAV eggs (the insect 

 apparently never lays many), and these have recently hatched and are 

 slowly feeding up on Paa annua. A small patch of Xicatiaua affinis in 

 our garden attracted Sphin.r conrolndi. My son took the first on 

 August 24th, and I took the last of four netted on September 25th. 

 Geometers have been very scarce, many, usually fairly abundant, not 

 even putting in an appearance, such as I'rricallia ■■^i/rinf/aria and XiDnrria 

 jiidrrraria. Autumn beating was so unsuccessful in September that 

 I gave it up, and I hear a similar report from many localities, save 

 from beyond the Tweed. Our Scotch friends, as usual, seem to have 

 had the best time. 



It is generally stated that Lepidoptera always lay their eggs on the 

 food plant of the larva, or scatter them about it. Such a statement 

 requires modification, as exceptions seem far from uncommon. I have 

 come across several this season. About midsummer, whilst searching 

 larch trunks amidst the heather for Tcjilinma biini(hdaria, I noticed on 

 a pine trunk a few yards off a batch of eggs, which on closer inspection 

 I found to be those of a Jjoinbi/.r, presumably, I thought, looking to the 

 situation, J), nibi, and such they proved to be when thelarva^ hatched 

 out. The eggs were deposited conspicuously on the trunk at a height 

 of nearly six feet. Again, one day when on the prowl in the garden, 



