72 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



under moss on ash-trunks in May. On the 14th I took a grand 

 series of Chrysophmius phlceas on the border of the "moss." Females 

 were in splendid order, but the males had evidently been some time 

 on the wing and selection was necessary. During the day the 

 heather-bloom seemed to be a great attraction, but towards evening, 

 in an adjacent cornfield, numbers were observed resting, with wings 

 opened towards the waning sun, on the ripe heads of the corn, and a 

 pretty picture they presented dotted about the field like so many 

 brilliant flowers. With a solitary exception all were head downwards. 

 The following day I found ten nearly full-grown larvae of Vanessa 

 cardui on nettle. These were sleeved on a bunch of the food-plant, 

 and allowed plenty of light and air. The resulting imagines lack 

 nothing in size, and form a fine series of dark examples, a gi'eat con- 

 trast to those I have reared from time to time on thistle. All the 

 usual dark markings appear to be somewhat extended, the series of 

 spots on the lower wings run together to form a band, and on the 

 fore wings the marginal black encroaches on the pink in the form of 

 a smudge. In every one the nervures are thick and dark. Half a 

 dozen full-fed larvae of Notodonta ziczac were found on sallow, 

 numerous Hylophila prasinana on oak, and Selenia bilunaria on 

 mountain-ash. Imagines of Gidaria testata, Coremia unidentaria, 

 Eubolia limitata, &nd Crocallis e/zn^/warza appeared at dusk ; whilst 

 after dark the heather-bloom or the moss attracted Noctua xantho- 

 grapha, N. uvihrosa, N. rubi, Hydrcecia nictitans, Triphcs7ia pi^onuha, 

 T. orhona, and freshly emeicged Xanthia fulvago. With the exception 

 of the last, a very sluggish insect, most of the Noctuae are shy, and 

 fly off or drop as one approaches. A net is a useful accessory when 

 working heather, and prevents the ultimate escape of many an insect. 

 Sugar and the ragwort flowers in the vicinity of the heather-bloom 

 were entirely neglected. One specimen of Epione apiciaria was 

 netted about 10 p.m., and on subsequent evenings several more were 

 found sitting quietly on the lower leaves of the sallows, and generally 

 well under the bushes. When disturbed, they fluttered gently to an 

 adjacent leaf and settled down again. Until this season we have 

 been accustomed to look upon E. ap)iciaria as a rarity in our district, 

 but this capture only proves what one often suspects, that many 

 so-called rarieties have gained the reputation simply through our 

 ignorance of their habits. Hypsipites sordidata swarmed around the 

 sallows after dark, but were mostly far worn. 



On the 18th I paid a visit to an old haunt of Pararge megcera, a 

 rapidly disappearing species with us. On this occasion, fortune, 

 represented by the sun, frowned. I certainly saw one megcBra, but 

 before I could dismount from cycle and unfurl the net, it had dis- 

 appeared, and with it the solitary gleam of sunshine. Heavy clouds 

 were quickly gathering, but being in the neighbourhood, I risked a 

 probable wetting for the sake of hunting for larvae of CucuUia asteris. 

 An hour's search produced two ! Last year I found thirty in half 

 the time. On the 21st we started larv»-beating in earnest, deter- 

 mined this year to give the birches on the mosses a thorough working. 

 Ten Notodonta dictceoides (some very small, the largest only half an 

 inch in length), six Geomctra j^ajnlionaria, one Acronycta leporina, 

 and numbers of young Notodonta dromedarins, N. camelina, Drepana 



