NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 115 



This is the more extraordinary as last year was anything but a warm 

 season. I have examined the rest of the pupse, which were kept out of 

 doors, and found them all healthy ; so I am inclined to look on the occur- 

 rence as a freak of nature. I took a t;peciinen of Porthesia similis on 

 October 2nd, and Xylophasia vionoglypha was common about that time. 

 I beat a larva of Dicranura bifida from birch on September 13tli last ; both 

 the food-plant and the time of year being extraordinary. Poplar abounds 

 in the neighbourhood, but I have never taken the insect on the Chase before. 

 I would suggest that the birch-feeding larva of Ocbsenheimer and Frever, 

 mentioned by jVJr. Kirby (Entom. xxi. '21b), is that of this insect. At any 

 rate their description is more applicable to D. bifida than to D. bicuspis. I 

 took larvjE of Acronycta leporina from birch, alder, and poplar, the latter 

 tree produced the yellosv var. of the larva only. The best of the imagines 

 tnken last _\ear were Argyvnis aylaia, &h\x\\^&n\\y, Hepialus sylvanus, also 

 common. Purthesia chrysorrhoia, a rare insect in that district. Acronycta 

 leporina, A. rumicis. Neuronia pnpnluris, Hydreecia nictitans, H. niicacea, 

 (jortyna ochracea, Carudriaa aluinea, C. taraxaci, C. morpheus, and C. (fuad- 

 ripunctata. Miana literosa, Orthosia suspecta, Polia chi, Noctua glureosa, 

 N. auffiir, Amphipyra trayopofjonis, Hadena protea, H. glauca, II. dentina, 

 and H. contiyua, while Plusia ganmm was the insect of the year, as 

 it swarmed everywhere. Ainblyptilia acantliodactyla was to be taken 

 flying over the healber blossoms. I must not leave out Calocampa golida- 

 ginis, concerning which I can endorse Mr. Thornewill's remarks ; and I feel 

 sure any one searching the dried twigs, sticks, &c., on the ground in 

 the localities wliere this insect is found, will be amply rewarded ; as not 

 only will he get them in good condition, but he will be astoni.>hed at their 

 abundance. I beat from bircli, liesides those larvge enumerated above, 

 some of Lophopteryx camelina, Notodonta dictcBoides, N. dromedarius, 

 Drepana lacertinuria, and D. falcataria, and a lot of otliers. Poplar 

 3'ielded Notodonta dictaa in plenty, with Sinerinthus populi, Dicranura 

 vinula and Acronycta megacephala. From Scotch fir I got Panolis pini- 

 perda, Etipithecia indiyata, &c., and I saw a larva of Acronycta alnl beaten 

 from a birch tree on the Chase. I am now investigating that dreaded 

 enemy of tlie entomologist commonly called " grease," and would be much 

 obliged if any reader of this would send me abdomens only of moths that 

 have greased, those of large-bodied moths {e.g. D. vinula) preferred. I will 

 gladly pay postage, — R. Frekr ; St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, W. 



New Forf.st Notes. — During the latter half of July, 1888, part of which 

 tmie I was accompanied by my friend Mr. H, T. Dobson, several species of 

 Lepidoptera were found in profusion in the neighbourhood of Brockenhurst, 

 notablv Limenitis sibylla, which occurred more or less commonly in all the 

 enclosures- At Hurst Hill, so many as twenty specimens were counted 

 upon one bramble bush. We also observed that they were much more 

 easily captured than on any of our previous visits to this district. Later 

 on Argynnis pophia was as abundant as usual, but the variety valesina was 

 seldom met with. Thecla quercus was plentiful but local. By far the 

 greater proportion of those observed were crippled, helplessly fluttering on 

 the bracken. Vanessa polychloros had not yet emerged, but the larvae must 

 have been plentiful enough, judging from the traces left on the sallows. 

 Both Argynnis aglaia and A. adippe were scarce. One fine pale Apatura 

 iris was taken at rest on the feru ; this specimen had evidently ouly 



