144 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



undulating over a sallow bush, one of which I netted. H. hectus, scarce. 

 A few larvee of Notodonta chaonia and pupse of Acronycta ligustri were 

 found. Larva of Cymatopliora ridens undoubtedly was the commonest 

 larva in the forest; by beating, every stroke brought them down in 

 numbers ; I got quite tired of them. TcB)iiocampa miniosa, ranking next; 

 nearly all the oaks bordering the enclosures had one or two companies 

 feeding under webs, and averaging about fifty larvae in each. Trachea 

 ]dni2Jerda and TcRiiiocampa munda, common at sallows in March ; the 

 latter are all of the clay coloured form, whilst those from Brockenhurst 

 are reddish, — a contrast, seeing the distance from here is only sixteen miles, 

 and the surroundings almost identical. I bred out a few Asteroscopus 

 sphinx. One of the best insects of the season was Heliothis dipsacea ; I 

 discovered a locality for it in June, and found it in abundance ; my friend 

 Mr. Bloomfield, of London, and I had excellent sport with this species; 

 but what a wary insect to capture : the first one I saw fell an easy victim, 

 not so with the other specimens in the good series I obtained ; many a mile 

 I tramped for them under a scorching sun. You quietly walk amongst the 

 heaths and up starts an insect, pale in appearance, but for all the world like 

 a Plusia gamma in all its habits : upon its first flight it usually settles 

 within a few yards from whence it started ; but each time you fail to capture, 

 the flight gets longer, and I observed that in nearly every case, although 

 it may lead you for nearly half a mile, it gradually works its way around and 

 very near to the original place of starting. The best plan is to approach 

 cautiously, and bending low, quickly glide the net over it ; upon settling, it 

 always selects an open space, and with quivering wings runs well up under 

 a clump of heath. When the insect is under the net, it is best to lift the 

 leno, as H. dipsacea immediately rises, and with the rapidity of Macro- 

 glossa stellutarum. I did not observe it after sundown ; but about this time 

 I have seen specimens get right out of sight into a clump of heath. Leucania 

 pallens had a late brood ; I took it from ivy in October ; and in this way 

 Hadena protea and Agrotis inita were both plentiful. Uropteryx sambucata 

 produced two broods ; I caught a rather small female at ivy, and at same 

 time several larvse also ; rather unusual for both to appear together. Epione 

 advenaria, more plentiful than usual. Tephrosia hiundularia was well out 

 by April 1st; and I did not observe T. crepuscularia until April 4th. The 

 latter produced three district broods : the first, large ; the second, medium ; 

 and the third, September, small and dark. T. consonaria, common, April 

 6lh. Boarmia cinctaria, from March 29th to April 20th ; and, later, 

 B. rohoraria, fairly common. Himera pennaria, abundant. On April 

 6th, Selenia lunaria appeared. Hybernia leucophcearia, from Jan. 27th to 

 Feb. 27th. Pachycnemia hippocastanaria, from April 16th to the autumn, 

 with a slight interval. Lobophora viretata, April 13th ; and larvae of 

 L. carpinata, upon sallows in June and July, were plentiful ; I also netted 

 a few L. sexaiisata. Cidaria siderata, in October, upon ivy. Corycia 

 temerata and C. taminata were both common. Three fine specimens of 

 Aventia fiexula fell to my lot ; one upon a black currant bush in my 

 garden. Botys hyalinalis came to light (4). I found the larvae oi Euchlo'e 

 cardamines upon plants of purple honesty in my garden, feeding upon the 

 seed-heads. Vespa crahro was very abundant everywhere around here ; the 

 females, in March, were very large; neuters, during the summer; and 

 males, later. Li conclusion, to show what a remarkable spring that of 1893 

 was, the hawthorn was out in full bloom by April 16th; that and the 

 blackthorn being in flower together, the hedges for miles around looked 



