92 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Mile End: a strange locality, unless gardens there are giveu 

 up to the growth of" ill weeds and rank vegetation. 



Spilodes palealis, W. V. — This formerly rare species has 

 been taken in some plenty in late years. It is commonest at 

 Folkestone, where numbers have been taken and bred from 

 larvae feeding in the seed-heads of wild carrot (Daucus 

 carota). Mr. Hodgson also records having found it nume- 

 rously at Sheerness. Mr. C. W. Simmons bred it in 1875, 

 from Dartford, where the larva was common in 1874, though 

 only occurring there sparingly the previous year or two. Its 

 capture is also noticed from the railway slope, near New 

 Cross; at Manchester; and on the banks of the Mersey, 

 near Liverpool. Dr. Gill took two specimens in Norfolk ; 

 and a few have occurred in North Kent. 



Scopula decrepiialis, Herr.-Sch. — The Rev. VV. Hambrough 

 mentions the occurrence of three specimens in May, 1876, 

 in the Trosachs, Scotland, amongst a profusion of whortle- 

 berry ( Vaccinium vitis-idcea). 



Lemiodes piilveralis, Hub. — Dr. Knaggs records the 

 reappearance of this rarity at Folkestone, in 1874. The 

 year following about a dozen occurred there amongst rank 

 herbage; and in 1876 it was taken in some plenty. 



Mecyna polygonalis, Hub. — A single specimen is recorded 

 from the same favoured locality, in 1875, by Mr. Haggar. 



Scoparia scotica, White. — Must, I fear, stand only as a 

 variety of S. cemhr<B. Even its sponsor is, I think, now of 

 this opinion. 



S. iugratella, Zell. — Mr. W. Machin has reared this 

 species from larvee in the roots of sorrel, collected at 

 Folkestone, in April, 1874. 



1, Duncan Terrace, N., March, 1877. 



ON MELANISM IN LEPIDOPTERA.=i= 



By Nicholas Cooke. 



Mr. Birchall and Dr. Buchanan White have recently 



given us some of their ideas with regard to melanism 



in Lepidoptera, which appear to me far from satisfactory. 



* Kead before the Laucasbire and Cbeshire Entomological Society, at a 

 meeting held at the President's house in February, 1877. 



