256 [April, 



frequent Abies cephalonica. Continued searching produced a few 

 more, all more or less damaged. The end of May I have since learned 

 is the right time for getting this Tortrix in its perfection. 



The end of July and beginning of August were spent in looking 

 for B. impar, of which I took a larger number than usual. I think I 

 should be within the mark if I computed the number of specimens 

 taken during the season as at least a hundred, probably twice as many 

 as the captures of all previous years put together. I am inclined to 

 think that this was simply owing to the fact that the search for the 

 species was carried on by a larger number of collectors, and with 

 greater emulation than hitherto, rather than to any real increase in 

 the numbers of the insect. At the beginning of August, also Nonagria 

 neurica was abundant in its reedy haunts ; near Cambridge I have 

 never taken it before August, but in the Norfolk Fens I am told it is 

 out during the second half of July. About the same period I collected 

 a few larvae of P. margaritalis^ and a considerable number of those of 

 lElup. sodaliana feeding in the unripe berries of buckthorn. Early in 

 September, larvae of A. strigosa and A. smuata were to be found, but 

 neither so commonly as in former years. 



One other good species remains to be recorded, S. Servillana, of 

 which I bred seven fine specimens from larvae collected in April at Monk's 

 "Wood, in Hunts. With regard to this species, it may be useful to 

 draw attention to the fact, that two out of every three sallow twigs cut in 

 spring will have been robbed of their tenants by the birds during the 

 winter months. 



The rest of my collecting has been, as I said before, chiefly in the 

 neighbourhood of London, and I will now briefly enumerate the most 

 noteworthy captures therein. 



Early in February, while looking for N. hispidaria in Eichmond 

 Park, I found ^ ^ A. prodromaria, which exhibited a curious instance 

 of malformation. The whole of the abdomen was orange-coloured, 

 and on closer examination was found to be entirely enveloped in a 

 thin membranous integument without any opening at the anus, but so 

 transparent that the parts of the male organs could be clearly discerned 

 through it, imbedded in a sort of waxy, yellow substance. Unfor- 

 tunately, when placed on the setting board, instead of retaining its 

 former appearance and shape as it dried, the abdomen shrank and 

 withered away into a shapeless brown mass, resembling more than 

 anything else a shrivelled pupa-case. I do not remember to have ever 

 heard of a like occurrence, and should be glad to hear of the probable 

 explanation. 



