236 fMarch, 
I incline to Haworth's opinion that the Lamda of Fabrioina is the litlwrisa of 
Borkhansen. — Henry Doubi.eday, Epping, February 14th, 1867. 
Note on Dicmthcecia cwsia. — T believe some dark coloured specimens of this 
species have been taken in the Pyrenees, but I have not seen any of them. 
I think Dr. Knaggs is mistaken in supposing that the name applied to this 
insect by Mr. Parry, — Mamestra auredo, — is " a palpable lapsus calami for Mamestra 
arida of Lederer." Very little is known of this Asiatic species, and I tliink but 
few British Entomologists even knew of its existence before the pubHcation of the 
Annual. — Id. 
Captures at sallows, ^c, near York (1866). — I devoted the evening of Mai-ch 
31st to a trip to some sallows which were in bloom at Langwith, near this city ; 
but, finding on my arrival that I was too early, I employed the time until dusk by 
beating for hybernated larvaa feeding on Scotch fir. I got about a dozen larvae of 
Ellopia fasciaria, (from which I bred a lovely series,) and lots of those of Thera variata. 
At dusk I took on the wing several Larentia multistrigaria and LoiopJiora lohulata, 
and a Cidaria psittacata, the last as green as if bred. By " sheeting" the sallows I 
found a perfect shower of insects of various orders ; but, as I only collect Lepidop- 
tera, I boxed in about an hour 18 Trachea piniperdo,, a dozen Twniocampa 
munda, and a few Xylocampa lithoriza, and saw more of the commoner species of 
the genus Taenia ca/iyypa than I had ever before seen at one time. Rubricosa was 
especially common this year. 
April I4th. I again visited the same locality, and got, besides commoner species, 
40 Trachea piniper da, 5 Tceniocampa populeti, several T. gracilis, and a few Sarro- 
thripa Revayana (hybernated) ; also on the wing, Selenia illunaria, Anticlea iadiata, 
Cidaria suffumata, and Eupithecia ahhreviata. 
April 28th. I went to Stockton forest, to look for Tceniocampa opima; I 
*' sheeted" in company with Mr. Jackson for two or three hours, and got one. It 
was a very cold night ; we had easterly winds until after the sallows were over ; 
but I got another T. opima on May 5th, both this and the previous one being 
males. I took a number of larvas of Eupithecia tenuiata at the same time, from 
which I bred many fine specimens. — T. J. Cakrington, Pulford, York. 
Notes on variation in Lepidoptera. — Dr. Knaggs has some interesting remarks 
on this subject in his last paper on " Collecting, &c." My object in the present 
communication is to ask how, in many instances, we are to know that certain 
forms are, in point of fact, varieties of the (taken for granted) typical insect ? 
Where such variations result from the progeny of a known parent, of course we 
have no difficulty in deciding the question ; but how can it be proved in the 
following instance, for example ? Most collectors are familiar with the beautiful 
lemon-coloured variety (query) of Xanthia cerago. Upon what data is this state- 
ment made ? If, as I have remarked, it has been bred from eggs laid by an 
ordinary cerago, then the question is settled. But if not, which I believe to be the 
case, how can it be proved ? Surely there are dozens of species, allowed to be 
such, more olosoly resembling each other than cerago and its variety. I would 
