1883.] 69 



Abundance of Plusia gamma at Hartlepool. — Mr. Barrett desires information 

 respecting this insect from the south or south-west of England. May I be allowed 

 to give an account of its appearance in exactly the opposite quarter, the north-east ? 

 From want of time, I have only been able to run out at night to some tufts of 

 Silene flowers on the railway side. I first went in the evening of May 21st, and 

 found Flasia gamma swarming. They fly rather earlier than most of those insects 

 that frequent Silene infiata, and have a hovering habit, very like M. stellatarwm. 

 From that time to the present (7th July), they have been most abundant. I, too, 

 noticed their fine condition, but do not think that very unusual. Indeed, wherever 

 they came from, they must have hibernated. I think they are generally more slate- 

 coloured in spring than in autumn, the deeper hues probably fading during their 

 winter sleep. I have taken one, and seen several, very small in size, that I took only 

 expanding IJ inches. I saw none last autumn, and it has been comparatively 

 scarce since 1879, when it occurred in all stages in countless thousands. I have had 

 no opportunity of observing V. cardui, but even here, so far to the north, the sum- 

 mer insects in 1879 deposited their eggs, and the larva perished in the autumn for 

 want of food, when the thistles died down.^ — John E. Eobson, Hartlepool : July, 

 1883. 



Plusia gamma and Vanessa cardui at Hartlepool. — Since sending note on the 

 abundance of P. gamma, I took the opportunity to-day to go in search of V. cardui, 

 that I might add my mite of testimony one way or other. I made my way to some 

 waste ground, much overgrown with thistles, as the likeliest spot near here for the 

 insect to be found. Before I had actually reached the place, I saw it on the wing, 

 and found it there in greater abundance than I had ever seen it before. I captured 

 two or three to examine, and found them in good condition, though rather faded in 

 colour, but that seemed more the effect of hibernation than wear. The swarm, 

 therefore, of both these insects, to which Mr. Barrett calls attention, has at least 

 been large enough to extend from Wales to the North-East of England. — Id. : 

 10th July, 1883. 



Description of the larva of Pempelia hetulce. — On June 2nd last, accompanied 

 by Mr. George Tindall, I visited the Green Farm Wood, Doncaster, to search for the 

 larvse of Pempelia hetulca. Mr. W. Warren, of Cambridge, had told us he used to 

 take it there, and, following his instructions, Mr. Tindall soon discovered a fine, 

 nearly full-fed specimen ; and, before the aftei'noon was over, we had each the satis- 

 faction of having secured several. 



Length, about three-quarters of an inch, and rather slender, but not cou- 

 spicuously so, in proportion. Head a little narrower than the second segment, it 

 has the lobes rounded, and is, as is also the second segment, polished. Body 

 cylindrical, thickest in the middle, tapering gradually and evenly towards each 

 extremity. Segmental divisions clearly defined, the skin soft and velvety, very 

 sparingly clothed with short hairs. Ground colour dull velvety-black, head black 

 and glossy, but very prettily marbled on the lobes with clear white, and there is also 

 a white streak above the mandibles. Two clear, bright, lemon-yellow (white on the 

 second and anal segments) stripes extend through the centre of the dorsal area, 

 running parallel from the second to the twelfth segment, where they unite and form 



