NOTES ON COLLKCTINC,. 23 



Plmia mnncta has appeared here, as a second brood at large this 

 year. — Sydney Webb, Dover. 



I was shown Rworintlnis pnpuli. in its second skin two days a^o 

 taken here (Oct., '96), and given ova of Epiane apiciaria, a third brood. 

 Of P. iiioneta I took five larvfe at Ascot, in July, and three more were 

 found on the same plants a fortnight later. With the exception of the 

 second brood of Ci/aniris an/iolns, I fancy butterflies were very rare 

 hereabouts. — E. A. Bowles., M.A., F E.S., Waltham Cross. 



Plusia moneta and Cirrhcedia xerampelina at Watford. On 



the 19th June last, I captured a specimen of Plusia moneta fiyin"' over 

 honeysuckle in the garden of my friend, Mr. C. E. Fry, here. On the 

 31st August, Mr. Spencer, Junr., and I each took a specimen of 

 Cirrhoedia .reraiiipdina at light. — Arthur Cottam, Ildercroft, Watford. 

 Sphinx convolvuli at Clevedon. — I have only seen one specimen 

 of S. convolvuli this season, and failed to capture it. — J. Mason, 

 Clevedon Court Lodge, Somerset. 



Acherontia atropos. —Five larv^ie of Arlwrontia atropns have been 

 brought to me, and I have heard of several others. — (Rev.) C. D. Ash, 

 M.A., Skipwith Vicarage, Yorks. 



Acherontia atropos turned up here in most unusual numbers. I had 

 twelve larvje and one pupa brought me by the field workers, but up 

 to October 1st none have emerged, although two are changing colour. 

 It seems to be a very ill-regulated animal as regards its emergence. 

 I have had them emerge in November, April and July, the last nearly 

 a year in pupa. — E. Augustus Bowles, M.A., F.E.S., Waltham Cross. 

 I have had one A. atropos f ram Emsworth. — W. M. Christy, M.A., 

 F.E.S., Emsworth. 



Acherontia atropos in 1896. —I know of two larvae of Acherontia 

 atropos, taken here. One I secured, the other was chopped in two by 

 the finder, as an object too dreadful to be allowed to live. — J. Mason, 

 Clevedon Court Lodge, Somerset. 



The larvie of A. atropos have been unusually numerous around 

 Bury St. Edmunds, and in the Eastern counties, feeding on potato 

 and jasmine. The pupte have also been numerous in one or two 

 potato-fields. Several years ago, in Norfolk, I saw a potato-field, on 

 light sandy soil, surrounded by Scotch-pine woods, in which every 

 potato plant was eaten, and nothing but short stumps of stalks left, 

 whilst the ground was completely covered by the footmarks and frass 

 of ^. atropos (as if a flock of pigmy sheep had been folded there till 

 not a leaf was left). — F. Norgate, 98, Queen's Road, Bury St. 

 Edmunds. 



One remarkable feature of this season has been the extraordinary 

 abundance of larv^ of Acherontia atropos. I have seen about twenty- 

 five larvae myself, thirteen coming into my possession. The first 

 full-grown larva brought to me this year came to hand on July 18th, 

 and, strangely enough, on the same day a large battered imago was 

 also given me by a friend, whose bees it had alarmed by entering one 

 of his hives. This swarm appears to have been a weak one, and the 

 moth put the bees to flight. On July 21st, another full-grown larva 

 was brought to me, and others continued to come in during the month, 

 and also during August, the last on August 27th. All were found on, 

 or near, potato plants. — E. A. Atmore, F.E.S., King's Lynn. 



Several Acherontia atropos larvae have been brought to me by potato 

 gatherers. — H. H. Corbett, M.R.C.S., 19, Hallgate, Doncaster. 



