20 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



I stayed till early in July I did not find any more Compta 

 that season. 1 shall be very pleased to join any London 

 genlleman entomologist next season for a trip to Howth, 

 when no doubt we can settle the " matter of Dianthcecia 

 Compta" for ever. I may add that Compta occurs on the 

 cliff at the bottom of Sir Edward Burrows' grounds, and the 

 paths are beautifully ornamented with fuchsias, sweet-williams, 

 and nasturtiums, also huge patches of sea-pink and Silene 

 maritima, collected from various parts of the coast ; every 

 particle of the latter was destroyed by a well-known entomo- 

 logist about six years ago, much to Sir Edward's annoyance. 

 —E. G. Meek; bQ,Bromplon Road, S.W. 



British Species alias Continental (Enlom. vi. 563). — True 

 lovers of the collecting of British insects must hail with 

 pleasure the remarks of our valued friend, Mr. Henry 

 Doubleday, on the authenticity of numerous rare species 

 passing as British, but in reality and without doubt aliens; 

 such a mode in forming a collection of British insects is very 

 damaging to this interesting Science. I, for one, have lost 

 much of the interest I hitherto had, principally from this 

 cause, that there is scarcely any depending on an insect 

 (called rare) from whatever quarter you may receive it. — F. O. 

 Standish; 1, Glendale Villas, King's Road, Cheltenham, 

 December 1, 1873. 



[This controversy must now cease. — E. Newman.] 

 Xanthia aurago and Cirrhcedia xerampelina near Llan- 

 gollen (Entom. vi. 547, 564). — In the 'Entomologist' for 

 December, 1873, Mr. Gregson records the capture of a speci- 

 men of Xanthia aurago at Llangollen, and states that he is 

 not aware of any previous capture of that insect on this 

 side of England or in Wales. It may, therefore, interest 

 him to know that in the year 1865 I found a good, fresh 

 specimen of X. aurago, resting, by day, on the staircase 

 of this house, which is ten miles from Llangollen. I 

 am unable to give the exact date, as I had not then 

 begun to collect with any system. It was one of the first 

 moths I ever captured, but is still in good preservation, 

 though unfortunately set on a common pin. It was not till 

 some years afterwards that, on obtaining your ' British 

 Moths,' I learned the name and value of the species. I may 

 mention that though I have never taken another Aurago, my 



