180 THE entomologist's record. 



night, certainly — Yes ! for the majority of flowers specialized for 

 fertilization by nocturnal insects are either pale yellow or white. In 

 support of which see Kerner's Nat. Hist, of Plantu, vol. ii., p. 196 : 

 " That scarlet flowers are not visited by hawk moths, owlet moths, 

 and other crepuscular and night-flying animals is obvious, since, when 

 twilight falls, scarlet, as well as purple-red, violet and blue flowers 

 become invisible. At this time only those flowers can be seen which 

 are coloured white or yellow on the side turned towards the flying 

 animals, as for example the evening primrose, honeysuckle, some 

 Ni/ctanincae f ('.</., Mirabilis longifiora}, many Solanaceae (I'.'j., Nicotiana 

 affinis, Datura atramonmm), numerous Carijoj)hi/llaceae of the genus 

 Silene, various species of Yucca and Calonj/ctiou, and, most of all, the 

 large flowered Mexican cactuses of the genus Kchinocactus and Cereus. 

 When dark-coloured flowers are visited at night by insects, for 

 example, those of Ilespcrh ^ristis, P dan ionium tristc and atrum, it is 

 not in consequence of the colour, but of the scent of flowers." In 

 Grant Allen's Tfw Cohnirs of Flowers, p. 41 : — " The day lychnis (L. 

 iUurnca ) has red scentless flowers, opening in the morning, and it is 

 chiefly fertilized by diurnal butterflies. But its descendant, the night 

 lychnis ( L. (rs/j<irt/»rtj has taken to fertilization by means of moths, 

 and as moths can only see white flowers, it has become white." In 

 Sir J. Lubbock's British Wild Flowers in Fielation to Insects, p. 11 : — 

 " Night flowers are generally white or pale yellow, these being the 

 tints which render them most conspicuous in the dusk of evening." — 

 E. A. BowLKs, M.A., F.E.S., Waltham Cross. 



:]P>RACTICAL HINTS. 



Field Work for July and August. 



^ By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



1. — In July and August, the females of Stilbia anomala are to be 

 found early in the evening, sitting on the flowers of ragwort. 



2. — The larva of CucxdUa (jnaphalii is to be found feeding on 

 golden-rod, from the end of July to the end of August. The 

 woods above Sevenoaks and Seal are well-known habitats for this rare 

 species. 



3. — The larva of Ilydroecia petasitis feeds on the subterranean 

 stem of I'etasites ruh/aris, in which it makes large excavations, during 

 July. The large plants in a dry situation are the most likely to be 

 affected. The pupae should be dug up about the third week in August. 



4. — During July and August the twisted heads of Fpilohiu)a should 

 be collected for larvae of Laverna epilohiella. 



5. — The larva of Peronea cristana feeds between united hawthorn 

 leaves in July. 



6.— Towards the end of July and throughout August the imagines 

 of Freiiiohia ochroleuca are to be found sitting in the centre of a 

 scabious bloom, or that of Centaurea scahiosa. 



7. — The imagines of A</lossa cuprealis are common in July and 

 August, in the barns and stables attached to all the farms about 

 Wicken (probably elsewhere). They sit on the woodwork among 

 swarms of A. pini/uinalis and Pyralis farinalis. 



