244 THE entomologist's record. 



Light has proved a disappointment, too, and whenever I have 

 foi;nd any considerable number of moths in the trap, it was the 

 common Crambites that swelled the list ; only one Lupenna resjn'tis ; both 

 it and Xcvninia pnjudaris were late for us, being taken first at the end of 

 x\ug-ust, and in as good condition as if bred. They did not seem to 

 appear till the rains had thoroughly soaked and softened the ground. 

 About a week ago I found two Anchocdis lunosa in the trap, a new 

 record with me for these parts ; they probably came from some hills 

 right opposite, where, I believe, Liiperina vespitis breeds. In spite of 

 failure, I still keep lighting the lamp, in the hope, Micawber like, 

 of something " turning-iip." 



Heath insects seemed to find no sweetness in ling, nor the Scotch 

 Erica, and the survivors of the drought were evidently determined not 

 to run unneccessary risks by exposure. 



Cryptocephalus hypochaeridis at Lautaret. — It may be interesting 

 to note that this beautiful, but rather common, British beetle was 

 abundant at Lautaret (August lst-6th), at an elevation of some 8,000 

 feet. The species were found commonly in coindd, resting on the 

 herbage, fully exposed to the sun. — J. W. Tutt. 



Acherontia atropos near York. — On the evening of the 13th inst., 

 I captured a specimen of AcJierontia atropos in good condition at 

 Scotch Farm, Elrington, near York, I noticed it first when flying 

 round the chimney stack at dusk, and it shortly afterwards flew near 

 the ground, close to where I was standing, and then into an outhouse, 

 where it was easily secured. Although a large area of land in the 

 district is devoted to potato growing, I have not heard of larva> being 

 seen this year. — S. Walicer, 23, Portland Street, York. S,'jit<'iiili<r 

 21.si, 1896. 



Autumnal emergence of Achehontia atropos. — With the exception, 

 possibly, of the three winter months, it would not be difficult, perhaps, 

 to establish a record for this insect for every week in the year ; but 

 yesterday, October 8th, the evening of an exceedingly rough, cold 

 and miserable day, would not generally be thought conducive to the 

 appearance of A. atropos on the wing, but so it was. About 8 p.m. 

 I heard an extraordinary noise in one of my breeding cages, and, to 

 my astonishment, found two A. atropos {^$ and ?) flying madly 

 about. They had only been to earth seven weeks, were in quite dry 

 sand, without any moisture, and were in a very cool, cold, in fact, 

 outhouse. I have a larva still feeding, and they are yet procurable in 

 the fields. I believe these two would readily have paired, but, partly 

 on the principle of a " bird in the hand, etc.," but chiefly because I 

 could have done nothing with the resulting ova, if any, they are now 

 on the setting boards. — W. Bond Smith, Potton. October, 1896. 



I see {ante, p. 193) reports as to the abundance of Acherontia 

 atropos this year. I had 13 larvae sent me from Lincolnshire some 

 time ago, of which 9 have successfully pupated, and I have already bred 

 G fine moths from them. All the moths squeaked readily, as did one 

 of the pupae, and a larva also made the sound which they have the 

 power to produce. — L. S. Bhady, 580, Ecclesall Eoad, Sheffield. 

 October Ht/i, 1896. 



Sugar in Yorkshire. — Sugar seems to have been a failure this year 

 in most places. My friend, Mr. Benj. Moiiey, and myself have done 



