COLLECTING IN JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST IN SHROPSHIRE. 191 



Cali/iiinia trapezina, two specimens, August 20th. Plastenix retiisa^ 

 two specimens, July 15th. Larvae of Cucullia verbasn were very com- 

 mon down by the river, feeding on figwort, during July. Heliaca 

 tenebrata, only occasionally this summer, beginning of June, usually 

 common here. I took a specimen of Flii^ia moucta, a species I have 

 never taken here before. P. chri/sitis, very sparingly this year in July, 

 usually a very abundant moth here. P. <iaiiiiiia, this usually very 

 plentiful insect was quite scarce this year. Rndidia mi and R. i/h/pltica 

 occurred more commonly than usual this year. The capture of the 

 season was Catfji/tia aldupnista, which I caught flying along a hedge, 

 at the corner of a hayfield, a perfect specimen. Bot]ii> fnscalis and 

 Hypena probosculalis were common in July. 



The Geometrids observed were, Gcometra papilionaria and Acidalia 

 aversota, exceedingly common; Tiinandra amata, common in June; 

 Ptijchopoda diiiiidiata, Ejdti/ra pimctaria, E. linearia, and Ortholitha 

 liiiiitata, common in most grass fields during August ; Cidoria pyralinta, 

 common at the end of June; C. fulrata, June ; C. corylata, this moth 

 does not appear to be common in this part of Salop, as I have not taken 

 it here before ; Li/grif; stiff nmata and Anioehe rin'daria, this latter species 

 was very late this year, fresh specimens being taken right through till 

 the end of August ; Xantliorkoe mnutanata, as usual very common ; A'. 

 jinctiiata and Malein/di is didi/niato, exceedingly common during July ; 

 Enlype hastata, in Jane ; Mesoli'uca bicitlorata, August ; Perizona d/lhu- 

 tata, common ; P. liarufdsriata [ilecolnyata) ; P. albtdata, one specimen 

 occurred at the beginning of September, an unusually late date; 

 Caiiiptoyraiiniia bilineata. as common as usual in June and July ; 

 Hi/driowena fitrcata, common ; H. itiipliiviata ; Eiichoeca obliterata, one 

 specimen occurring at the end of July, a late date ; and Astliena luteata, 

 one specimen also occurring at the end of July, again a late arrival. 

 None of the FJnpithecia were observed at all. 



The Boarmiinar were very scarce this year. Abra.vaa sylvata, 

 generally of frequent occurrence, was not seen at all, and even A. 

 yvossulariata was not observed, a species generally svvarming here ; 

 (Jabera piisaria, common in August; C. e.i-atUheiiiata ; Metrocainpa 

 iiiaryiiritaria, even of this usually abundant moth only a few specimens 

 were seen ; Selcnia bihniaiia, July ; Hyyroc/iroa syrinyaria, July ; 

 Gunudontis bidentata ; Urapteryx satiibiiraria, August; Opistluxiraptis 

 liiteolata, very common all the sui:nmer ; Veiiilia niacidata, June; 

 Boaniiia yemmario, common, July ; B. repandata, even this u>uall3 

 very common moth only occurred sparingly ; PJmatiirya otoiuatia, June, 

 common; Tltaninouoina rauaria, July; Lozoyratnnta petraria, ^nne. 



Among the Zyyaenidae, Z. filipendulae was exceedingly abundant 

 in the hayfields at the end of June, but Adscita staticcs did not occur in 

 its usual localities. 



1 took one ? oi Zeiizera pyrina,&nothev species I have never previously 

 taken here. Hepialits humuli was very abundant this year, also H. 

 lupidina, which simply swarmed over low herbage in the twilight 

 during June. 



This season has easily been the worst I have ever known in this 

 part of the country, even the commonest species being either entirely 

 absent or very scarce. Although I had more tune at my disposal for 

 collecting than usual, I only observed about one-third of the species I 

 shoidd have seen in u\x ordinary year. 



