1867.] 159 



Captures of L&pidoptera at light, Sfc. — Several additions have lately been made 

 to our captures at light here. Lovely specimens of E. tilia/ria figure in the list 

 prominently ; and I can assure any one who doubts the pleasures of lamp-scaling 

 that it is no small satisfaction to bring down a specimen of this beautiful " thorn " 

 from its elevation. My brother secured two fine males of fusca/iitaria, both in situ- 

 ations so disagreeably public as to furnish a very apt illustration of the motto 

 consolingly quoted in the " Manual," — " quo phis difficultatis, eo plus honoris." C. 

 jkmata has proved a constant friend ; and, besides some well-preserved males, I 

 secured a female — which furnished me with another brood of larvae. The allurements 

 of light brought 0. nupta, H. micacea and nictitans, R. chenopodii, N. C -nigrum, A. 

 lunosa, T. hatis, 0. graminis, 0. diffinis, and fl. rostralis, not within our reach, but 

 into climbing range. For the first time in my lamp experience P. Ugnata put in 

 an appearance, and on a lamp close by I found E. porata, E. pv/milata,, and 0. 

 pinetellus. L. didcea fell to the lot of a friend, and P. advenella made a sort of 

 balance thereto in my list. P. costalis and P. stratiotata, which are both common 

 species in this district, studded the lamps pretty freely on every favourable night. 



Our first experience of E. fuscantaria this year was by no means cheering. 

 We had taken very little, and were returning home : the way was long, and the 

 wind somewhat cold. A lamp exceptionally tall and thin presented itself, evidently 

 with an occupant. With difficulty it was swarmed ; and, nicely perched in the 

 angle between two bars, was a fresh specimen of fuscantaria. Its position was 

 impregnable : no pill-box could enter the niche ; and so we " tried each art, 

 reproved each dull delay," and finally dislodged him with a push that sent him out 

 of sight, and we saw him no more. 



Early in the season I took H. W-latinum at rest on palings, and the beautiful 

 little D. oliviella in the same position ; P. rugosana, A. cnicana, and L. Smeath- 

 manniana flying at dusk, and D. salicella by day. Tethea subtusa was brought to 

 me a few days since from some poplars in the garden, and A. tritici feebly repre- 

 sented the aristocracy among a host of plebeian xanthographa the other night at 

 sugar. — J. B. Blackburn, Grassmeade, Southfields, IMh Septemher, 1867. 



Worcestershire captures and species bred in 1867, with notes. — The passing 

 season has been the worst for Lepidoptera I ever remember ; almost every species 

 having been scarce. The cold rainy spring destroyed many larvae, and the appearance 

 of insects generally has been much retarded. For those who are interested, I beg 

 permission to render the following account of some of the species captured. C. 

 miata (hybemated), L. hexapterata (11), H. barhalis, A. Baumanniana, L. sinapis, 

 A. Selene, T. extersaria (5) — I obtained eggs, the larvae fed up, and are in pupse ; 

 they vary much in the ground colour, from bright green to dark brown ; B. tumidella, 

 C. bistrigella, E. porata, E. punctaria, 0. nupta, X. pariana, and L. cim,erana, I 

 have taken many of the latter in several seasons, in two localities, but I have 

 never met with L. nisella in either of them. I consider them to be totally distinct. 

 (See Stainton's Manual.) 



Sugar has failed remarkably — perhaps on account of the scarcity of insects. 

 I have sugared on three or four nights every week throughout the season, but have 

 only captured the following thereat that are worth naming, viz. : — H. genistce (3), 

 H. suasa (2), A. lunosa (6), A. saucia, X. semibrunnea, X. rhizolitha, and C. exoleta, 

 all of which were in fine condition. 



