230 ' March, 



Caphires near Portsmouth. — During the past season neitlier Coleoptera nor 

 Lepidoptera have been abundant in this disti-ict, and many species which, in fine 

 summers, are to be taken in plenty, have not been seen at alL 



Gymnanci/cla canella, which I generally take in abundance in the larval state, 

 has been quite absent. In September I found its food plant just shooting up through 

 the sand, when it ought to have been a large bush, and the larva nearly full-fed. 

 Eatlier bad for the chance of finding the insect next season. Cramhus alpinellns was 

 not to be taken in its old locality, although I searched diligently for it. 



In June last I kicked up from amongst the grass, near the sea-shore, a specimen 

 of Heliothis peltigera, which my son captured. I was rather surprised, as I had 

 worked the locality well for over 20 years without meeting with it. In August I 

 searched the same place for the larva, and succeeded in taking about two dozen, 

 some from rest harrow, and some from Matricaria. Those feeding on the white 

 flowers of the Matricaria were just as brightly coloured as those which fed on the 

 pink flowers of the rest harrow. In September, I bred a fine series of the moths, 

 varying considerably in colour. I have worked hard for the larva of Deiopeia pul- 

 chella, but as yet it eludes my pursuit. I have in my collection two fine specimens 

 of the moth, captured in very different localities. The first a fine $ , apparently 

 fresh from the pupa, was taken by my son from between the deck-planks of Southsea 

 pier ; this somewhat favours the blown-over theory. My son tells me that at rest it 

 has its wings close round the body, like a Crambus, and resembled a short end of 

 fancy wool, for which at first he mistook it. My second, a rather worn i , was 

 captured at Grosport by a young relative of mine, it is in fair condition, but pinned 

 with a crowbar. 



My collection has also been enriched by the addition of a fine bred specimen 

 of Acronycta aliii. I beat the larva from birch in a wood near Waterloo. I have 

 also taken about a dozen of the larva3 of Cucullia- chamumillce from flower-heads of 

 Matricaria : these are still in the pupa state. 



Among the Coleoptera the only species worth mentioning are Odacantha me- 

 lanura, from cut reeds, near Gosport ; Telmatophilus hrevicollis, four specimens, and 

 Oodes brevicoUis, from the same place ; and Anisotoina furva, sand hole, Southsea 

 beach, one specimen. — Id. 



Trifurcula atrifrontella bred. — In June last, an insect emerged from one of laj 

 breeding cages, which I did not know, and it unfortunately had so battered itself 

 that recognition was difiicult : Mr. Stainton, however, says that it is Trifurcula atri- 

 frontella, and, as nothing was in the jar except hawthorn leaves collected the previous 

 autumn for larvae of Nepticulce, it appears certain that the larvse of T. atrifrojitetla 

 were feeding in the hawthorn at the same time. I remember noticing two or three 

 blotch-mines which then appeared distinct from the mines of Nep). pygmaella or 

 ignohileUa, but their number was so few that I thought it best to leave them with 

 the others. The larva; were collected in October, and it is likely had they been looked 

 for in the previous month, more of the larvae of Trif. atrifrontella would have been 

 found. The time of emergence does not agree with that given in Stainton's 

 Manual. — J. H. Terelfall, Preston : February Sth, 1880. 



Flum-blussoms, cfc, attractive to Lepidoptera. — I am aw^are that plum and dam- 



