1M05.) 2-il 



Deilephila livornica at Dover. — Upon raising a fallen volume on a bookshelf 

 last week a fine female of this species was found beneath it, dead but still limp, the 

 only injury being a slight mark on the thorax. It has been kindly added to my 

 collection by Mr. Fenn of this town, who was the fortunate captor.— Sydney Webb, 

 Dover: September 14th, 1895. 



EucheJia jacobfBCB in Roxburghshire. — As I have not heard of the Cinnabar moth 

 having been before observed in Roxburghshire, it may be worth noting that on June 

 Ist last one of the gamekeepers here handed me in a fine S specimen of Euchelia 

 jacobcBCB. He first observed it on the wing, and following it till it settled, captured it. 

 It is a very large sized specimen, larger than any of a series I have from the coast. 

 Much of the soil here is of a dry sandy loam, with no want of ragwort, which may 

 partly account for its appearance. — A. Elliot, Caverton, Roxburgh, N.B. : August 

 21th, 1895. 



Agrotis prcecox away from the coast. — On the 2l8t instant I took up here, 

 1050 feet above sea-level, six miles as the crow flies from any salt water, and still 

 further from any sandhills, an Agrotis prcEcox at light. This is, I think, a very 

 unusual occurrence. The house overlooks miles of heather and bog land. — C. E. 

 Paeteidoe, Farehynys, Dolgelly : August 24<A, 1895. 



Unusual abundance in New Zealand of certain species of Plume 3Ioths during 

 the summer of 1894-1895. — The laws governing the relative abundance of different 

 species of animals and plants are so obscure, and at present so little understood, that 

 it is always desirable to recoi'd the appearance of any species when it occurs in 

 unusual numbers. Last summer I noticed that the three species of forest-dwelling 

 Plume Moths {Pterophorus monospilalis, P. fiircatalis and P. lycosema) were phe- 

 nomenally common here. Pterophorus monospilalis, a pure white species, one of 

 the most delicately beautiful insects we have in New Zealand, was to be found in the 

 utmost profusion, as many as three or four specimens being disturbed from amongst 

 the ferns and dense undergrowth at once. Pterophorus furcatalis, distinguished by 

 having a broad band of brown on the fore-wing reaching as far as the end of the 

 posterior digit, was also extremely abundant, though not quite so common as P. 

 monospilalis. Pterophorus lycosema, distinguished by having a broad band and 

 both digits of the fore-wings brown, was commoner than usual, but much scarcer 

 than either of the two preceding species. I ought perhaps to explain that, as a 

 rule, these three insects are not very common, that is to say, one would not expect, 

 to meet with more than one or two specimens during a day's collecting in a favoura- 

 ble locality. — Q. V. Hudson, Wellington, New Zealand : July, 1895. 



Melanism amongst Geometers. — Mr. Chas. G. Barrett's article upon the increase 

 of Melanism amongst Geometers is of unusual interest, and of great importance in 

 connection with the study of Evolution. No one with a less wide experience of 

 insects than Mr. Barrett would bo in a position to observe so interesting a body of 

 facts and to grasp their real importance ; we are, therefore, very much indebted to 

 Mr. Barrett for bringing the matter before us, especially as his sympathies are, I 



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