PlIALONIA BADIANA. 11 



secured two more at sugar, both these being the red I'orm var. 

 rufa, Tutt. Unfortunately these last, which I took on sugared 

 flowers of dock, are not in very good condition. I remember it 

 was on sugared dock that I captured two or three of the red form 

 in 1901, though at the time I supposed them to be a variety of 

 L. paUens. Here, I may say, I have to thank Mr. Gervase 

 Mathew, R.N., for most kindly allowing me to see his unique 

 series of this interesting insect, and also for confirming the 

 identity of my own. 



Towards the end of July sugar began to attract moths in 

 large numbers, but, with a few bright exceptions, the better 

 noctuids were wanting. A thing that always strikes me is that 

 each season one or two species seem especially to assert them- 

 selves. Last year, for instance, the three Plusiids cJirysites, iota, 

 and (jamma appeared in unusual quantities. I shall not easily 

 forget how the last-named swarmed one evening in early June at 

 the flowers of sweet rocket. The wind suddenly veered round 

 from east to west, and as suddenly my garden seemed alive with 

 P. gamma, where, half an hour before, not one was to be seen. 

 This year I have been interested in the abundance of Hijdrcecia 

 nictitans and Agj-otis tritici, neither of them, as a rule, common 

 insects here. Both came in profusion to light and sugar. I had 

 no idea before that H. nictitans was such a variable insect ; 

 a long series included var. imluclis and many other nice forms. 

 During the early part of August I was away from home, and 

 when I returned, though sugar still proved attractive, nothing of 

 any special note turned up. There was a very large second 

 brood of Lcucania pallens out, so I worked hard, hoping for some 

 more L. favicolor, but with no success. In September I had 

 little or no leisure, as I was busy changing my residence. On 

 the 29th a specimen of Vanessa antiopa was brought to me, this 

 I have already recorded. The cold winds of October were not very 

 enticing, so that autumn collecting was more or less of a failure. 



I do not know what verdict other entomologists will pro- 

 nounce upon the season 1905, good or bad. I am content to 

 call it a very interesting one. 



AValdringfield Eectoi'y, Woodbridge. 



PHALONIA BADIANA, Hb. 



By Eustace E. Bankes, M.A., F.E.S. 



I have no doubt that Mr. Thurnall's suggestion (Entom. 

 xxxviii. 309-10), that Sorhagen (Kleinschmet. d. M. Branden- 

 burg, 86) erroneously attributed Machin's statement about 

 P. hadiana (Entom. vi. 283) to " Maling," owing to notes by 

 both writers having appeared on the same page, is correct. The 



