NOTES FROM THE WYE VALLEY. 55 



two early " fritillaries," Brenthis eii}>]irosyne and B. selene, were 

 abundant in their usual haunts, but Dnjas paphia I did not see any- 

 where except in one spot by the side of the river where it was not 

 scarce. Pararr/e ae;/eria and P. meijaera were most plentiful, especially 

 towards the end of the summer. One of the latter I saw lay an egg, 

 which she deposited, as I have before noticed when observing this 

 insect, on a dead and brown blade hanging downwards from a clump 

 of grass growing at the edge and on the top of a wall. On August 

 23rd, one specimen of /'. acucria was noticed going to the treacle 

 spread on a tree-trunk the previous evening to attract moths. Both 

 Kpinephele Jurtina and Aphantnpua {Enodia) Jn/perontus were as 

 common as usual, but I only saw one or two Epinephele tithonus. 

 This last species I have only found common along the hedges of one 

 lane in this district. Coenomjwpha painphilus, Hesperia malvae, 

 Adnpaea flaca, Au;/iades si/lranns and Nisoniades tar/es were rather more 

 plentiful than usual. 



Heteeocera. — Aiiiorplia poptili. — The ova and larvae were not un- 

 common on poplar and sallow. Until last year I have only seen a 

 very few each season. Kuwnrpha dpenor. — I have not yet found this 

 species here, but last year my father obtained three larviB on the 

 Monmouthshire side of the river. Sesia stellatarnm. — One only seen, 

 in August, hovering at Sweet-William in my garden. Acf/erin tipnli- 

 formis. — My father took one at Tintern in his garden ; the only 

 specimen noted by us in the Wye Valley. Hepiulns hunnili was most 

 abundant in the meadows, and I obtained some rather nice forms, 

 including a plain yellow female with practically no markings visible. 

 Hylupldla prasinana. — Metted at dusk and also taken in the larval 

 stage. Xola cucullateUa. — One at light on July 7th ; the first I have 

 seen here. Neither have we found it a common species in Monmouth- 

 shire. X.coiifiisalis. — Only one last year. Lifhosia {Cabosia) viesotiwlla. 

 — One only, caught with my hand as it flew past me at early dusk 

 while I was fishing. Xojh'ophila jdantaiiinis. — Not uncommon at the 

 beginning of .June. I find this moth is much attached to patches of 

 bracken. Arctia villica. — I was pleased to see one of these handsome 

 moths at Tintern, but the specimen, a 3 , was too worn to take. 

 Spilo><intia {Phracpitatobia) fuUijinos^a. — In the Spring I found on one of 

 my poultry-runs a newly-spun cocoon containing a larva. Spilosoma 

 menilica.—Sexeval females were seen in early summer flying in the 

 daytime. Poithesia similis. — Two imagines only; the first I have seen 

 on this side of the Wye. Dasychira pudibimda. — At light. Fumea 

 casta. — The cases numerous on tree trunks and stone walls. 

 The imagines of Drepana falcataria were commoner than usual and 

 several of both broods were disturbed from the bushes or 

 netted at dusk. I also bred one on August 22nd from 

 a larva found on alder. Centra bifida. — I was unfortunate in only 

 finding empty eggshells of this insect on the poplar bushes, and I am 

 afraid the wood-ants were responsible for my want of success in finding 

 the larvre. (.'. n'uida. — Ova and larvte were seen on sallow and poplar. 

 Notodonta {Leiocavipa) dictaea. — I failed in breeding this insect from 

 the ova obtained in 1910, but hope I shall be more successful this 

 season. Last year I found a few ova on the small poplar bushes and 

 now have four pupae. Larvae were found of Notodonta droniedarius, 

 Lopliopteryx catnelina and Phalcra bucephala. Diloba caernleocephala 



