186 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



correspondingly abundant, so that it seems likely that we shall 

 see but little of our " emperor " for some few seasons. 



On March 24th I noticed a specimen of Pyrameis atalanta 

 flying in Irons Hill Enclosure, and on July 14th a perfectly fresh 

 imago of this species was seen. During the past ten years at 

 any rate the larvse of P. cardui have never before been in such 

 evidence. In June I collected many of the small caterpillars 

 in the hope that I might breed parasites from them, but in this 

 I was disappointed. A few full-fed larvae were still about on July 

 14th, and a friend captured a freshly emerged imago on that date. 



Perhaps the feature of the year was the great abundance of 

 Hemaris tityus and H. fuciformis, particularly the latter. At 

 rhododendron blossom this swarmed, so much so that a single 

 collector captured ninety in two hours. Later on the ova were 

 to be found commonly ; on a small honeysuckle bush I counted 

 more than thirty eggs, which would, I should think, be about 

 half the total number on the bush. These I allowed to remain 

 so that I might take the caterpillars later on, again with an eye 

 to parasites. When next I visited the spot, however, some three 

 weeks later, not a larva was to be found. No prowling entomo- 

 logist, I am convinced, had robbed me, had he done so, he would 

 have left traces, such as broken leaves, twigs, &c., for, as is well 

 known, it is usual and convenient when collecting eggs or young 

 larvae of H. fuciformis to pick off the leaves to which they are 

 attached. It was quite evident that the ova had hatched, for the 

 curious round holes made in the leaves by the young larvae were 

 everywhere apparent. The disappearance may perhaps be 

 accounted for by the fact that a few yards away was a large nest 

 of Formica riifa. H. fuciformis was first reported to me as being 

 out on May 9th, and I witnessed the capture of a specimen in 

 good condition so late as July 7th. 



Phryxus {Deilephila) livornica again visited us, Mr. E. Morris 

 being fortunate enough to caj^ture two, male and female, both, 

 however, in poor condition. The female lived only a few days 

 in captivity, laying a single egg before dying ; this egg proved 

 fertile, and the larva fed up well on vine, unfortunately 

 succumbing in attempting to pupate. 



Our forest buruet, Zygcena meliloti, was, as usual, plentiful in 

 its favoured locality. This is a matter for congratulation, as the 

 number of collectors who discover or are told of its haunt is 

 yearly increasing. I have frequently noticed that this species 

 does not fly much before midday. 



Collectors who *' assembled " for males of Saturnia pavonia 

 had no lack of sport, the insects being very abundant. While in 

 company with Mr. W. J. Lucas a female of Boarmia cinctaria 

 was taken from a fence so early in the year as April 5th. Being 

 confined in a chip-box, it had laid a number of eggs by the 

 morning of the 7th, which duly hatched on May Ist. Several of 



