66 I'HE Entomologist's kecoiU). 



where a butterfly of anv sort is a, i-aritv in not a few seasons. — 

 T. A. Chapman, M.D., F.'E.S., Firbank, Hereford. Man 'i-^tJi, 1806. 



Hallowing. — The earliest Ta^niocampids were in plenty at sallow 

 bloom by March 25th, but the species that turn out later — Tamio- 

 ramiia (/lacilix a,n(l Varlnidhia IcHniiiriijihd — were at their best 

 about April 6th. The evening of April 4th was one of the best 

 nights at the " sallows " I have ever had. At IJishop's Wood (Cawood, 

 nr. Selby) with my friend, ^Ir. Dutton, we adopted the plan of 

 cuttmg branches of the best bloom from the inaccessible parts of the 

 wood, and hanging them up on the branches of trees in the rides. On 

 each of these moths swarmed, and we had an umbrella literally 

 covered after each shake. 7'. jioiiHlt'ti was in the majority, and 

 included the reddish form, which I had not previously met with. 

 I boxed two fine female T. niiima, a species which I had not previoiisly 

 taken at llishop's Wood, a series of 7'. nraciiis, and a, few /'. b'Uroiiraiilni 

 in the best possible condition, and evidently just out. — S. Walkek, 2;->. 

 Portland Street, York. Ma;i, 1896. 



SvMA MUSCULOSA AS A Bkitisu INSECT. — 1 iiiu mucli auHised at 

 " John Dull," in the last nundier of your magazine (vol. viii.. No. 1) 

 making eiKjuii-y nbout the above insect, as to its being a British species. 

 Between 18,50 and 1855 at least 15 specimens, to my certain knowledge, 

 were taken at and near ]^)righton. Mr. Hemming, a hard-working- 

 collector in those days, and a most reliable man, took 7 or 8 ; 2 of 

 these I have now in my collection. Mr. Tidy, also a collector, took 

 several. Dr. Winter, who still resides .\t Pjrighton, took 2 or H, if I 

 remember rightly, at the lamps, at Koyal Sussex Hospital, he being 

 house surgeon at the time ; his collection has since passed into the 

 hands of Mr. Boyd. Others were obtained by Di'. Allchin, and other 

 collectors at the time residing at Brighton. In those days the dealers, 

 and tlu)se who sold their insects, were more honest, and did not 

 attemjit to introduce foreign specimens. I am sorry to say some of 

 them of late years have not been so particular. — Samuel Stkvkns, 

 F.i'^.S.. F.L.S., " Loanda," 61, Beulah Hill, T'p]ier Norwood. Maij 

 iUh. 18n(). 



Thanks to tlu' Editor, 1 am able to I'eply to .Mr. S. Stevens' 

 note at once. I am nmch obliged for his courteous remai'ks relating to 

 my question {Hiif. I!fr., vii., p. HIT), but data of the kind given are 

 not exactly what T fef[uii'e. What I want to know is, whether thei'i' 

 is a living lepidoptei'ist who cnn honestly say that he has captured jit 

 large (wild) a living specimen of ^'. musnihisa in Britain. 1 ha\e no 

 doubt, from the numbei- of specimens (probably not less than four or 

 hve hundred) scattered throughout ]]ritish collections, that the pos- 

 sessors of such believe them all to be the hoiio 'idr captures of " hard- 

 working collectors." That I do not believe they are, simply exhibits a 

 difference of opinion between these gentlemen and myself. 1 am, 

 however, open to conviction, and should be most interested if a 

 "hard-working collector" would exhibit a living specimen of this 

 species, caught in Britain, at a meeting of one of the London Ento- 

 mological Societies. Does Mr. Stevens think that the S;ilvages would 

 go to Scotland with N. nnisculosa at theii' back doors? The delightful 

 way in which professional men particularly — lawyers and clerics as 

 well as doctors — have enjoyed being gulled in matters entomological 

 by unlearned collectors has long been a source of amusement to me. 



