296 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



On July 25th I started for a week's collecting in North Lanca- 

 shire, and across the Eiver Kent into Westmoreland. Eain, as 

 usual, with a scarcity of insects, were the great drawbacks. At 

 Heysham Moss, near Morecambe, I found Coenonympha typhon 

 all but over, and Hyria muricata {auroraria) and Acidalia fmnata 

 entirely so. My captures were four C. typhon, a long and fine 

 series of Carsia paludata v. imhutata, half-a-dozen fresh Anarta 

 myrtilli, and at Hest Bank, a beautiful specimen of Larentia 

 salicata. The larvae of Vanessa cardui, V. atalanta, and V. io — 

 usually so conspicuous here at this time of the year — were 

 entirely absent, owing, I was informed, to the early season. At 

 Wither slack we joined our old friend Mr. H. Murray, whose 

 extraordinary powers of getting across country I observed, as 

 usual, with mixed feelings. Crossing the estuary of the Kent, 

 we proceeded on our way along the embankment which keeps 

 the swollen waters of that river from the surrounding fields. 

 This bank is everything the entomologist can wish for, — sunny, 

 and well clothed with plants and flowers. The day, however, 

 was dull, and our low expectations were such that when a yellow 

 insect started up it was put down as a disturbed Rumia luteolata 

 (cratregata). By-and-bye another got up; a dash was made for 

 it, but, in reality, it was allowed to escape. After a mile or so 

 we got off the embankment, and took a lot of the pretty Cramhus 

 inqidnatellus and C. genicideus, as we disturbed them from a 

 growth of St. John's wort. The chief insect of our search was 

 Sciaphilus pcnziana, — a thoroughly good insect, — and I was so 

 fortunate as to bring away nearly a dozen of this beautiful 

 species. Other captures were Boarmia repandata, Acidalia ornata, 

 Anaitis plagiata and C. paludata. Our return lay along the 

 embankment I have just referred to. The sun had brightened 

 out, and, flying over the flowers, we again saw one of those 

 mysterious yellow insects which had baffled us in the morning. 

 Unmistakably it was a butterfly. Our three nets were at once 

 in operation, and finally the insect fell to Mr, Murray. It was a 

 fresh and perfect Colias hyale. Here, also, the idea prevailed 

 that the season would be famous for an appearance in force of 

 Colias edusa. It has, since my visit, been verified to some extent 

 by several captures of the butterfly. Another common visitor 

 has been Sphinx convolvidi. 



Morecambe was, as usual, full of visitors. A great attraction 

 there is the Winter Palace, on the balcony of which, high up, is 

 a large electric lamp. Noticing, one evening, a large number of 

 moths about this lamp, I got permission to take as many as I 

 could. I therefore took up a position on the balcony, — with a 

 glass partition separating me from the crash of the band, and 

 with the sea stretching away into the darkness in front. To the 

 surprise of many observers, of all ages and both sexes, who 



