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LEPIDOPTERA. 



Notes on British Lepidoptera (excepting Tineina) 

 FOR 1865. 



By H. G. Knaggs, M.D. • 



A MONTH or two since there seemed to be but little prospect 

 of any addition to our fauna, upon which to base the 

 structure of an "Annual" paper on British Lepidoptera. 

 Things looked dismal enough, when— perhaps on the prin- 

 ciple that when matters seem getting to their worst, they 

 suddenly begin to mend— we became cognisant of the 

 presence in our little isle of a brace of novelties, which, 

 together with the long talked-of Boarmia perfumariaj have 

 come to my rescue in the critical emergency. 



True, I might have satisfied myself by falling back on 

 " Larvae detected, and Local species captured in 1865," &c. ; 

 or have written volumes on the lives, doings and things said 

 about those marvels of the age, the Humming-bird and 

 Death's-head hawk-moths, which appear from some wise 

 cause unknown to have started forth, far and wide, in the 

 most prodigal numbers, specially, as I take it, for the double 

 purpose, and, failing more interesting topics, of satisfying the 

 cravings of a hungry press, and exciting the wonder and 

 admiration of the hitherto non-entomological million. — 

 Still, the Annual paper, without any new species to speak of, 

 would have been very like " Beer brewed without malt," 

 — a very insipid affair and the aforesaid accessions are, there- 

 fore, as welcome as they are opportune. 



