1882.] 239 



NOTES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OF WEST NORFOLK. 

 BY EDWARD A. ATMORE. 



Probably the first insects worth boxing, which put in an appear- 

 ance in this district are Brephos Parthenias, observed flying about 

 woods in the sunshine as early as the middle of March, and Cymato- 

 pJwra flavicornis easily obtained about the same time by sugaring the 

 birch-trees. An odd specimen of Amphidasis prodromaria may also 

 be picked off tree-trunks. By visiting the sallows in average seasons, 

 at the beginning of April, a few Tceniocampa munda, T. rubricosa, T. 

 gracilis, Xylocampa lithorhiza, and Trachea piniperda are met with, and 

 of course a host of the commoner Tceniocampce and hibernated Noctuce 

 are also to be seen at this feast of the " Catkin." It is singular that I 

 rarely meet with Trachea piniperda in the imago state, although I 

 obtain nearly every year, large numbers of pupae of that species, from 

 the large fir- woods in the neighbourhood. It is now that Eupithecia 

 dodoneata and E. abbreviata are taken among oaks, but neither are 

 common, but if Phlceodes immundana be a desideratum, it may fre- 

 quently be obtained in numbers, flying around alders, in the bright 

 sunshine. Early in the month of May a number of species are of 

 course on the move, their numbers increasing as the month advances. 

 Perhaps the first to appear worth noticing are Eupisteria heparata and 

 Yypsipetes impluviata, both of which are common among the alders, 

 and I found them more abundant than usual, last season. Ephyra 

 pendularia and Drepana falcataria are of frequent occurrence amongst 

 birch, which trees also yield a few Eupcecilia maculosana and Lobesia 

 reliquana, the latter flying during sunshine. Tephrosia punctulata is 

 common on alder and birch trees, its conspicuous outspread wings 

 when at rest on the trunks rendering it by no means a difficult object 

 to detect. In some woods Asthena candidata, Cidaria silaceata, and 

 Ephyra omicronaria, the latter amongst maple, are fairly plentiful. 

 Our heaths are enlivened by day with numbers of Phragmatobia fulu 

 ginosa, Saturnia Pavonia-minor, Phytometra csnea,smd Anarta myrtilli. 

 The cocoons of Phragmatobia fuliginosa, resembling a piece of wool, 

 may sometimes be found amongst ling (Calluna vulgaris). Polyom- 

 inatics Aoestis and Thecla rubi are also locally abundant on heaths, 

 but the latter I find is more abundant in dry woods, where the trees 

 are rather scattered. Of the Eupithecice the following are common : 

 E. nanata on heaths, E. assimilata in gardens, E. indigata in fir 

 woods,, i?. lariciata amongst larch, and E. exiguata amongst hawthorn; 

 the beating stick employed on hawthorns will not be altogether un- 



