88 [-^i"'i'' 



two broods here, and I have never taken it earlier than April 20th (1894), nor later 

 than June 10th (1895). This single-broodedness cannot be due to climatic causes, 

 as the insect is double-brooded in Yorkshire. 



Amphida.1t/s hetidaria. — Tlie capture of a inelanic specimen of this insect (circa\ 

 1878) constitutes one of my earliest entomological memories. I breed a small number 

 of this insect most years from larvae beaten from birch on Cannock Chase, all of 

 ■which have turned out to be black ones. I have three specimens of the normal form 

 bred from odd larvae (perhaps ten in all) found from time to time at Rugeley, a 

 distance of two miles from the Cliase, on lime and other trees, the remainder being 

 black. 



Phigalia pilosaria. — The Rev. C. F. Thornewill used to take very black speci- 

 mens in Burton churchyard. I have not seen any such varieties here. 



Ematurga atomaria. — Male often quite black, with a few whitish or yellow dots. 



Boarmia gemmaria, = rhomhoidaria.—K dark almost black var. of this insect , 

 is not uncommon here. 



miernia letccophcearia. — I have taken suffused blackish specimens on Cannock 

 Chase. 



Eupithecia nanata. — Dark leaden-coloured, almost black examples are to be met 

 with on the Chase. 



Thera variata, = oheliscata. — Very suffused and dark examples bred from 

 Chase larvse. 



Hypsipetes trifasciata, = impluviata. — This insect is extraordinarily variable 

 on the Chase, but unfortunately very difEcult to catch. Some are quite black. 



H. sordidata, =; elutata. — The dark moorland forms are those usually found on 

 the Chase, these must feed exclusively on bilberry, sallow being conspicuous by its 

 extreme rarity in this region. I liave had to grow my own sallows to get Tanio- 

 campcB. 



Melanippe sociaia. — I took last year on the Chase a suffused smoky var. of this 

 insect, which I think may be considered a first step towards melanic variation ; so I 

 am afraid I must take more notice of this pest in future. 



Cidaria truncata, = russata. — I have taken two almost black specimens of a 

 Cidaria in June, 1893, and June, 1895, which I think are to be referred to this 

 insect. I have, however, never taken any other specimens of this insect here. 



C. immanata. — Very common on the Chase; emerges at the beginning of 

 August. I have three suffused specimens not quite so dark as those of truncata 

 mentioned above. — Eichard Feeee, Rugeley : March, 1896. 



Coleophora unipuncteUa erroneously reputed to have occurred in Britain. — In a 

 letter dated February 26th, 1894, the late Mr. W. Machin informed me that a few 

 years previously he had found, in rough cases on Chenopodium at Shoeburyness, two 

 Coleophora larvee which, when full-fed, went on to the surface of the earth in the 

 cage and were lost, but in the following season there emerged one imago, which 

 Mr. Warren could not identify, but which was pronounced by Mr. Stainton to be 

 unipuncteUa, Z. Mr. Machin referred to this moth as one of the chief treasures of 

 his collection, and added, " I presume it is new to England, as the name does not 

 occur in any of our lists." The specimen in question stood by itself, with a printed 

 label " unipuiivlella " beneath it, exactly as Mr. Machin himself loft it, until his 



