CAPTURES ANDFIELD REPORTS. 101 



captured here for the first time, netting six during the above period. 

 Between Aug. 14th and Oct. V2th I had nine larvae of Acheronlia atropos 

 brought me, the last two being onlv about one-third part grown, and these 

 died. I look the first Sphinx convolvuli on Sept. 7th, and from this date 

 until Oct. 9th I took seven others. On Sept. 25th I had a full-grown 

 larva of this species brought to me, which had been dug up in a patch of 

 potatoes. It went down again before I had time to examine it minutely, as 

 I purposed doing, with a view to fully describing it. From the finding of 

 this larva and the capture, some seasons, of a large number of the perfect 

 insect, many in fine condition, I am inclined to think that the species breeds 

 here. Heliophohus hispidus was out from Aug. ^Srd to Oct. 7th, and I 

 secured upwards of a hundred examples. Of Aporophijla australis 1 

 captured eighteen specimens, at sugar and on grass, between Sept. 21st 

 and Oct. 7th. On Oct. llth I took one Epunda tiigra dt sugar. — John T. 

 Hyde ; The Grove, Portland. 



Larv^beating in Epping Forest in 1900. — Following on my 

 previous notes published last year (Kntom. xxxiii. p. 95), I append a short 

 summary of larvae beating in the above locality during the past year. The 

 first excursion was on May l'.2th, to Loughton, and on this date the oaks were 

 by no means in a forward condition. The day itself was bleak, and larvae 

 were few and far between ; Hijlophila bicolorana (three) was the most im- 

 portant item. On the 19th a similar journey resulted in an equal number of 

 this species, and larvae taken included Crocallis elinguaria, Hiniera pennaria, 

 Nyssia hispidaria, and Selenia tetraluiiaria. On the 26th, walking through 

 from Loughton towards the ' Wake Arms,' and beating suitable oaks, a 

 very fair number of H. bicolorana were taken, ten in all. Many other 

 larvae were obtained, including the four above mentioned, and the more 

 common things were fully as abundant as in the previous year. On June 

 2nd, isolated full-fed larvae of H. bicolorana was the only species worthy of 

 note. On the 9th, an excursion to Ctiingford, where the blackthorns came 

 in for treatment, proved the fact that Thecla betida was well in evidence, 

 and in point of numbers bid fair to outdo 1899. The larvae were then 

 very small ; about twelve were taken, and more were to be had if one cared 

 to work for them. Misetia oxyacanthoR, Diloba caruleocephala, Bonibyx 

 neustria, Odontopera bidentata, were met with together, with a single 

 Trichiura cratrngi. On the 16th T. betulce was exceedingly common, and 

 from this date to the 80th many larvae were to be had. Several collectors 

 were working, and all with some success. It is extremely gratifying to 

 those who know its locality well, to find that, despite the popularity of the 

 Forest as a place for school treats, military manoeuvres, &c., this insect 

 holds its own against all comers. I consider, personally, the working ot 

 the generally-known locality by entomologists will never be sufficient to 

 exterminate it, owing, I think, to two breeding-grounds in the near neigh- 

 bourhood which, I believe, are little known, and less worked, by the 

 majority of collectors. Among things which fell into the tray on the 23rd 

 was a beautiful female specimen of Eurymene dolabraria, and this was 

 equalled on the 30th by a fertile female of Angerona pninaria, in perfect 

 condition, which laid freely in captivity. 



On July 14th, an excursion to Loughton, walking towards Theydon, 

 resulted in sotne interesting larvae; oaks, poplars, birch and sallows were 

 touched, and the captures included three Pterostoma palpina, two Noto- 

 donta dictaa, four Lophopteryx camelina, and three very small Smerinthus 



