158 THE entomologist's kecoed. 



a Noctuid moth was to be seen. In a note from Mr. Salvage the 

 other day, he remarks that sugar was a complete failure during his 

 collecting tour in Ireland.— J. J. F. X. King, F.E.S. 207, Sauchiehall 

 Street, Glasgow. Octohi'i- 'SOth, 1895. 



Notes of the Season. 



Castle Moreton (Tewkesbury). — This has been a very good year 

 for insects in this district. Sugar proved attractive throughout June, 

 and up to July 27th, when I left home. During the latter part of 

 August but few things came, but with the advent of September, insects 

 again came in numbers, and this was the more striking, as, Avith the 

 exception of two or three nights, the evenings were not favourable for 

 sugaring. Light has been more or less productive throughout the 

 season. According to my experience, this season has been remarkable 

 for the abundance of certain species, and the almost entire absence of 

 other species. Among the species more than usually common I may 

 mention : — (rramiiu'sia trif/raiiuiiica var. bilinea, Caraihina aUinea, ('. 

 taraxaci, Tryphacna orbona, AnchoceUs pistacina, A. lunosa, Xanthia 

 gilvago, Gah/miiia affinis, Epunda hitulenta, Amphipyra pyramidea, 

 and A. tragopogonis. E. hitulenta and A. Ilnnosa have been far more 

 abundant than I have ever known them ; the latter has never been a 

 common species here before, and I do not think that I have ever taken 

 two dozen in any one year. This year, however, I could have taken a 

 hundred on one night, and there was great variety, the colour ranging 

 from red and yellow to pale and dark brown. Leucophasia sinajns, 

 Asthenn candidata, Acidaliti rcmutarid, A. imitaria, A. aversata, 

 Timandra amataria, Minoa murinata, Eupitliecia cxiguata, E. 

 rectangulata and Cidaria pyraliata were all fairly common. On the 

 other hand, Lycaena argiolus, Ino geryon, Leucania conigera, Cerigo 

 matnra, Agrotis obscura, A. corticea and Calymnia diffinis were 

 scarcer than they are some years. Ino geryon seemed to be almost 

 confined to one small spot. The insects, however, most conspicuous 

 by their absence were Hadena dissimilts, Lithosia griseola, and 

 Noctua f estiva, species that are sometiaies common here; of the two 

 former I saw absolutely none, and of the latter only three or four 

 specimens. The above may give a general idea of what the season has 

 been here ; many species appeared sparingly, besides those enumerated 

 above, such as Acidalia trigeminata, Hadena genistae, etc., but these 

 call for no special remark. — (Rev.) E. C. Dobr^e Fox, M.A., Castle 

 Moreton, Tewkesbury. September 2GtJi, 1895. 



Grange-over- Sands. — This has undoubtedly been an exceptional 

 year here, certainly the best since the Jubilee year. Sugar has been 

 most prolific, and of some species, such as Epnnda nigra and 

 Mamestrafurva, I have taken more specimens this year than during 

 the preceding seven years added together. I am unable to call to 

 mind any particular species, usually taken here, which has been scarce, 

 and I should say quite 90 % have been abundant, or at any rate very 

 much more common than usual. This also applies to the Isle of Man 

 (a favourite ground of mine), although the rarities, such as Polta 

 xanthomista and Dianthoecia caesia are becoming scarcer every year, 

 owing to a large portion of the workable ground having been destroyed 

 through the formation of a drive. — G. A. Booth, F.E.S., Grange-over- 

 Sands. October 1th, 1895. 



