VARIATIO^f. 39 



that Mr. Shipp is altogether wrong in his conclusions [Entnm., xxx., 

 p. 16).— J. W. TuTT, Westcombe Hill, S.E. 



Local fobm of Agrotis obelisca at Bournemouth. — I captured 

 some very fine specimens of Agroth obdisca here in August last. They 

 began to appear just as A. nif/ricans was getting worn and over. They 

 do not agree altogether with the Freshwater (Isle of Wight) specimens of 

 A. obelisca, being much browner in hue, and Mr. Tutt informs me that 

 they are much nearer the Scotch form of the species. — P. M. Bkight, 

 F.E.S., Eoccabruna, Bournemouth. 



Dark aberrations of Limenitis sibylla. — During the first week 

 of July last year (1896) I captured five specimens of the dark form of 

 this insect in the New Forest. Four of them were taken on successive 

 days, within a dozen yards of the same spot, close to a small stream, 

 and Mr. C. Gulliver took one at the same place. They are all females, 

 and range from almost wholly black (one spot on the apex of front 

 wings) to a row of faintly-marked spots. All are slightly worn. — 

 Stuart G. Hills, Public Library, Folkestone. 



Query as to Miana bicoloria and its form rufuncula. — Out of 

 some fifty specimens of Miana bicoloria and its ab. rufuncula, taken 

 together last season, I noticed that invariably in this case the insects 

 died in the cyanide bottle in a difi'erent way. M. bicoloria always 

 died with its wings upright over the back, whilst rufuncula always 

 died with its wings in their usual resting position, covering the body. 

 As this was invariably the case last season, it can hardly have been 

 a coincidence, but rather points, to my mind, to some structural 

 difference in the two. Can it be that Haworth was right in treating 

 this variety as a distinct species? — W. B. TnoRNmLL, Castle Cosey, 

 Castle Bellingham, Ireland. 



IS^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Rearing Polia xanthomista var. nigrocincta. — In answer to Mr. H. 

 Tunaley's remarks [ante, vol. viii., p. 310), I would like to suggest that 

 he should at least have made known to the advertiser of the ova of L'olia 

 var. nigrocincta, that the majority of the eggs he had received had 

 not hatched, and to have returned the infertile ones, which I 

 would then have replaced with others. As he has not done this, he 

 can hardly blame the sender. Perhaps it would be better if he 

 collected the ova himself, as he might be more particular in selecting 

 them. At present I cannot say whether the infertility of the eggs 

 was my fault, his fault, or the fault of the moths. I do know, 

 however, that the eggs changed colour before I sent them out. — H. 

 Murray, Lowbank Villas, Carnforth. 



My attempts to breed this species from the Qgg, in 1895, and 

 again last season, have met with no better success than those of 

 Messrs. Christy and Tunaley {Ent. Rec, viii., pp. 241, 310). Mr. 

 Murray sent me, on each occasion, about 30 ova, which hatched well 

 enough, but although the larvae throve capitally for a time, they 

 aftei'Avards gradually died off, and not one of them survived to go down. 

 The first batch were fed on sallow and lettuce, the other on flowers 

 of sea-pink. A few of my friends, who have had great experience in 

 larvjB breeding, also received ova, but their eftbrts were rewarded with 

 no better luck, and I have not heard of a single imago having resulted 



