160 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



A Few Days in East Sussex. By W. H. Tugwell, Esq. 



The early part of this June I spent six days entomologizing 

 in East Sussex. The district is well wooded, and Lepidoptera 

 appeared to abound ; for although I was a perfect stranger in 

 the locality, and had to find out the best spots, my captures 

 were very satisfactory. My principal object was to find the 

 rare and pretty Agrotera nemoralis, and I succeeded in talking 

 a fine series of that species, as well as many other good 

 things, as the following list will show. 



Diurni. — In this family most of the early species were well 

 represented ; some, as Euphrosyne and Selene, were in pro- 

 fusion, three or four on a head of Ajuga reptans at a time. 

 Athalia was not common ; possibly loo early for it. Tattered 

 Rhamni were trying to make the most of their remaining 

 days, and flew about briskly; I also found half-fed larvae of 

 this species. Cardamines were not numerous. Of the Lycaenae 

 only two species put in an appearance, Agestis and Alexis ; 

 and of the skippers, Alveolus, Tages, and Sylvanus, were 

 common. 



Nocturni. — In this family my best captures, Statices and 

 Trifolii, abounded in the meadows. Nola cristulalis and 

 Strigula, not common. L. mesomella and Aureola; one larva 

 of Quadra; whilst Rubricollis were flying in abundance over 

 the taller oaks. C. Plantaginis gambolled in the sunshine; 

 two Villica, flying in the hottest mid-day, when their bright 

 colours showed off" splendidly ; and a male and female 

 Bombyx Rubi ; the sexes of this species appear at different 

 times of the day, — the male may be often seen flying madly 

 along during the afternoon, whilst the female flies at dusk. 



The term Nocturni always appears, to my mind, a most 

 inapplicable one, as the greater number are most decidedly 

 day-flyers ; and the grouping, too, brings strange fellowship, 

 both as to habit and character. The old families, Sphingina 

 and Bombyces, had a "raison d'etre," that was far more 

 natural in general appearance. 



Geometra. — The following species fell to my net : — 

 E. adornaria, Dolobraria, Lunaria, Bidentata, Consortaria, 

 Extersaria, Porata, Pendularia and Orbicularia, Sylvata, 

 Pulveraria, five species of Eupithecia, M. hastata, and many 

 of general distribution. 



