228 [October, 



Occurrence of Cedestis gysselinella, Dp., at Merton (Norfolk). — This ycai- 1 have 

 taken a considerable number of Cedestis gysselineUa, Dp., and, as from its sluggish 

 habits it is a species that may easily be overlooked, a few notes may perhaps lead to 

 its capture in other localities. When beating the Scotch fir hedges in the Mei'ton 

 kitchen garden on June 21st a female of Retinia pinivorana dropped to the ground ; 

 stooping down to find it, I noticed a pale ochreous Tineid sitting on a blade of grass, 

 which was at once recognised as gysselinella, a species which had not previously 

 been taken here, and Mr. Barrett informs me that it is an addition to the Norfolk 

 list. Between June 21st and July 4th 200 specimens were collected, but it was 

 obtainable much later than this. My largest bag was 36 on July Ist, but I took 

 more than 20 on four other days, the result of about three hours' work in 

 each instance. I did not find gysselinella at all an interesting species to collect. 

 Its habits were too monotonous ; instead of flying out when disturbed like its near 

 relative farinatella, it lazily dropped to the ground, where it either sat on a blade 

 of grass or dived down amongst the mossy roots — in this alone did it show activity, 

 but luckily it has a great dislike to tobacco smoke, without the use of which many 

 would have been lost. I found that the simplest way to collect them was to walk 

 round and round the hedges tapping gently, the eye fixed on the ground at the 

 bottom of the hedge, so as to mark down where each specimen dropped, and to box 

 it sitting or to smoke it out ; the net was of very little use, indeed, out of the whole 

 number captured not more than three were taken on the wing, and at no hour of 

 the day did I meet with it flying of its own accord. It flies much more leisurely 

 th&n farinatella, and on the wing appears to be very pale ochreous (almost cream 

 colour), and to be altogether a larger and heavier looking insect. When at rest on 

 a blade of grass it shows no inclination to move, and I generally had to shake it into 

 the pill box. My series varies from forms in which the pale lavender markings are 

 very distinct to others in which thoy are almost obliterated by the buff ground- 

 colour.— John Haetley Dueeant, Merton Hall, Thetford : September, 1896. 



Further notes on the occurrence of Steganoptycha pygmceana, Hb., at Merlon 

 {Norfolk).— In the Ent. Mo. Mag., XXXI, 105-6 (1895), I recorded the occurrence 

 here of Steganoptycha pygmceana, Hb., stating the period during which I had taken 

 it in 1894, and remarking that as the season was an exceptional one, April 15tb 

 would probably be the date when it would be well out under normal conditions. 

 I met with it again in 1895, and also this year, in each season securing nearly 50 

 specimens. I do not think that it has been less common since 1894, but it has been 

 more difficult to collect, for it will only fly freely when the sun is shining brightly 

 and continuously in the middle of the day, and during the last two years the sun 

 has been much obscured by passing clouds, so that it had fewer opportunities for 

 flight ; it is to this cause rather than to the species being less plentiful that I attribute 

 my diminished bags ; moreover, during the present season, athough I took 18 speci- 

 mens between April 6th and 9th, the weather then became cold, and no more were 

 met with until the 19th, when it was well out. The dates during which pygmceana 

 has been taken here in the last three years are as follows : — 



1894 March 25th to April 15th well out, April 8th to 9th. 



1895 April 9th to April 23rd „ April 16th to 17th. 



1896 April 6th to 9th ; April 19th to 22nd „ April 19th. 



—Id. 



