170 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



The National Collection of British Lepidoptera. — As this col- 

 lection in the Natural History Museum at South Kensington is now 

 being rearranged, revised, and augmented, a convenient opportunity is 

 afforded for making it what we all wish it to be, that is, thoroughly 

 representative of the Lepidoptera of the British Islands, 



One very important improvement would be the addition, in as much 

 detail as possible, of the early stages of each species. It is hardly to 

 be hoped, however, that this desirable end could be attained in any 

 way approaching completeness without the assistance of the entomo- 

 logical public. We therefore venture to ask our readers to help the 

 Museum to effect this useful work by contributing whatever material, 

 either living or preserved, that they may have to spare. There are 

 already larvae and pup^e of a few species in the collection, but all the 

 examples are not good, so that gifts of ova, larv^ and pup^e of any 

 species would be acceptable. Lists of presentations, with names of 

 donors, will be pubhshed in this Journal each month. 



Hepialus humuli var. thulensis, Newman. — In these days of 

 priority names, why should not justice be done to the distinguished 

 first editor of the ' Entomologist ' ? Mr. Newman first named the 

 Shetland form of H. humuli (Entom. ii. 162), and his name was 

 accepted by Mr. Crotch in the same vol. p. 176. I often wonder why 

 Mr. Jenner Weir, in the ' Entomologist,' vol. xiii. p. 250 (plate of 

 H. humuli vars.), adopted the name hethlandica, Stgr., 1871, in pre- 

 ference to thulioisis, Newman, 1865. — C. W. Dale ; Glanvilles Wootton. 

 May 5th, 1902. 



[See also Entom. xxvi. 100 ; and Stand. Cat. (3), i. 410.— Ed,] 



CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 



New Forest Notes (1902). — The last week in April this year was 

 spent in the New Forest. We were favoured with wonderfully tine 

 weather on the whole, but, though fine, a strong east wind prevailed, 

 which was very bad for collecting. Treacle was tried on two occasions, 

 but, except for a very few Cerastis vaccinii, and a large army of beetles 

 and earwigs, nothing was attracted. Blackthorn blossom, of which 

 there was plenty, was a trifle better, but very little. A few each of 

 C. vaccinii, Tccniocampa cruda (worn), T. stabilis (worn), and T. gothica 

 (in fine condition) were observed at the blossom, with single examples 

 of Trachea piniperda, Xylina socia, Scopelosoma satellitia, Ant idea ba- 

 diata, A. nigrofasciaria (derivata), and Hyhcrnia marginaria (worn). 

 Eupithecia abhreviata common. , On the wing the following additions 

 were made : — Pachnobia rubricosa (one, in good condition), Ligdia 

 adustata (one), Selenia illunaria (three males), S. tetralunaria (one male, 

 unfortunately badly damaged), and Anticlea nigrofaaciaria (one). 



Day-work was none too good either. Butterflies were in fair 

 numbers, especially the hybernated species. Gonepteryx rhamni was 

 much in evidence, both sexes being well represented. Vanessa poly - 

 chloros, common. V. io, five examples seen, the two specimens netted 



