1887.) 215 



that of the others, it only lasts a comparatirely short time, and there is no doubt 

 they are then seeking the females. The species swarms here, and the males may be 

 seen in scores, careering along just before dusk, but though it is so abundant, and 

 though I have watched them repeatedly, I never saw them pair. Possibly the 

 females diffuse an odour as I suppose the female of sylvimis does, but if it be so, 

 they certainly do not expose themselves in the way the female sylvinus mentioned 

 above did. It may, however, be that some mode of attraction, different to those 

 already known, obtains with lupidiniis, for of the three species first named, of which 

 I can speak with any certainty from what I have seen myself, quite different habits 

 are found. The males of R. hectus fly while diffusing an odour to attract the 

 females. The females of H. sylvinus sit while probably doing the same thing to 

 attract the males ; while the male of S. humuli undoubtedly attract the opposite 

 sex by its light colour being easily seen as it vibrates to and fro in the twilight. It 

 is curious, too, that the same mode of flight should be adopted by two species, while 

 the actual means of attraction is so different, as in hectus and humuli. It would be 

 interesting to know what are the habits of other species occurring elsewhere. Have 

 any such been recorded ? — John E. Eobson, Hartlepool : December '7th., 1886. 



[In the Pyrenees there exists a species of Hepialus {H. pyrenaicus, Donzel) of 

 which the $ is somewhat similar to that of H. lupulinus, but of which the $ is 

 nearly apterous, and utterly incapable of flight. But any collector so fortunate as 

 to obtain a virgin ? can secure as many <J as he may desire. They " assemble " 

 just as in the case of certain Bombyces, &c. Possibly some correspondent in New 

 Zealand, Chili, &c., can enlighten us as to the behaviour of the gigantic Hepialidce 

 there found. — Eds.] 



The Lkpidoptera of Sussex. — List of Lepidoptera observed in West Sussex. 

 By W. H. B. Fletcher, M.A., F.E.S. (Transactions of the Chichester and West 

 Sussex Natural History Society, No. 5, new series, 1886). List of the Macro- 

 Lepidoptera of East Sussex. By J. H. A. Jennek, F.E.S. (Proceedings of the 

 Eastbourne Natural History Society, 1885 — 86). 



Sussex has always been a county having the advantage of possessing numerous 

 resident entomologists, centered especially in Lewes, Brighton, Hastings, and 

 Worthing. The Hastings contingent have published two useful Lists of the Insects 

 of the district, already noticed in our pages. The two Lists now before us are of 

 great local value ; but it is scarcely possible to compare one with the other on account 

 of the differing conditions. Mr. Fletcher's predilections are (as every one knows) 

 especially on the side of Micro- Lepidoptera, and he enumerates over 400 species of 

 those, and only about 250 species of Macro- Lepidoptera, amongst which we find no 

 mention of Sterrha sacraria {cf. Trans. Ent. Soc, ser. 3, vol. ii, 1866). The Tineina 

 are greatly elaborated ; there are no less than 32 species of Nepticida, 16 of Litho- 

 colletis, 29 of Coleophora, and so on in proportion. Mr. Jenner, on the contrary, 

 has not yet attempted to enumerate the Micros, but he catalogues 627 species of 

 Macros, with special indications for the five divisions into which the river-system of 

 East Sussex resolves itself. He has the advantage of being able to include the well- 



