204 THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORt). 



upper edge separated from the trunk by a galvanised wire which has been 

 first twisted (round a ruler) into a spiral form, and fastened round the 

 trunk by hooking its ends together. The sacking-band may then be 

 filled with earth or cocoanut fibre, for descending larviB to pupate in. 

 I have had most success with poplar. The chief difficulty is to find 

 all the pupfe, as the cork is so easy to penetrate that the boring of the 

 larvre is scarcely visible. — F. Norgate, 98, Queen's Eoad, Bury St. 

 Edmunds. Dcvcwher, 1895. 



:OIOTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Breeding Plusia bractea. — I took a female specimen of Plusia 

 hractca on July 16th, which laid three eggs on the 17th July. These 

 hatched on July 24th. The larvffi were kept in a cold frame 

 until they showed signs of hybernation, when two of the larvffi were 

 put into a stove where the temperature varied from 65" to 80"^. One 

 of the larvffi had already died ; another one never looked healthy, 

 but fed up and turned to a chrysalis, and died in that state. The 

 third fed quickly, and spun up on October 5th, emerging on October 19th, 

 a fine specimen. The larvis were fed on groundsel [Scnccin mhiari^). 

 I bred five or six specimens in 1889, the same way, except that the 

 larvae were then fed on lettuce. — John Finlay, Meldon Park, Morpeth. 

 December 28tJi, 1895. 



Sphinx convolvuli in Scotland. — On September 21st a specimen 

 of S. coiivohidi was brought to me by one of the gardeners, having 

 been taken at rest in one of the greenhouses here (Douglas). The 

 moth had evidently been attracted by the Lilium anratum plants, as 

 its proboscis was covered with the pollen of this lily. — (Rev.) J. A. 

 Mackonochie, M.A., F.E.S., Douglas Castle, Lanark. 



Plusia ni. — On July 24th, I took, flying over heather on a moor, 

 what I think is a specimen of Plusia ni ; but have at present had 

 no opportunity to verify my capture. — Ibid. 



Occurrence of Sphinx convolvuli in Caithness. — When in 

 Caithness last Aveek I saw a specimen of 8. conrolndi, which had been 

 taken at the beginning of October, on a garden railing in Putney 

 Town, Wick. Apparently the species has been found this season 

 almost from Land's End to John O'Groats. — Arthur Horne, P^.E.S., 

 52, Irvine Place, Aberdeen. December SnI, 1895. 



AcHERONTiA ATROPOS IN Glasgow. — During the last week I had 

 given to me two specimens of A. atrojias, which were captured in this 

 city. One of the specimens was taken on a window-sill, and is in fine 

 condition. — J. J. F. X. King, F.E.S., Glasgow. December IQt/i, 1895. 



Micros in Scotland in 1895. — 1 found Micros generally much 

 scarcer than usual this season. The following are the principal species 

 that I met with : Scopida (dj)i)ialis, rather common in grassy places, 

 at Braemar. Scnpciiia mnhifiucdis, common almost everywhere 

 throughout the north, but not nearly so abundant as they were last 

 year. S. dubitalis, common on the Kincardineshire coast, and on the 

 sand-hills north of Aberdeen. A few ochreous forms occurred. S. 

 mil not a, scarce at Aberdeen ; common on the stone fences near 

 Kildary, Ross-shire ; the specimens varied a good deal in depth of 

 ground-colour and intensity of markings. N. alpina, much scarcer 

 than usual on a grassy flat near Braemar. ( 'raiidms (lumitellus, 



