'08 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



occurrence, considering the lapse of lime ; but he said, " It 

 looks like one of the molhs I used to lake flying about the 

 mugwort that grew so plentifully on the sandhills, about half 

 a mile from the coast." This was circumstantial evidence, 

 indeed, said as it was in ignorance of the species being a 

 day flyer, and having no idea of the food-plant of its larva. 

 The Cumberland locality, especially rich in entomological 

 specimens as it was, has been overtaken by the march of 

 improvement, — the port of Silloth now occupying the 

 ground. 



Though the larva is also said to feed on the common mug- 

 wort [Artemisia vulgaris), A, campeslris appears to be its 

 special pabulum. This plant has a very restricted range in 

 Britain, being wholly confined to sandhills. Watson, in his 

 ' Cybele Britannica,' only gives it as an inhabitant of one, 

 and doubtfully of three, of the eighteen provinces into which 

 Great Britain is there divided. Babinglon says — "Sandy 

 heaths in Norfolk and Suffolk; rare." Hence of all districts 

 we might expect these easteru counties to produce Sciitosa, 

 and it is from Norfolk that the capture of two specimens has 

 lately been recorded by Mr. Thornthwaite (Entom. ix. 18; 

 X. 99) ; and, as an entomologist so experienced as Mr. C. G. 

 Barrett is satisfied with their bo?id Jides, it is needless to 

 remark further on these recent captures. Though the 

 occurrence of Sciilosa at light seems rather at variance with 

 the known habits of the species, still the Heliotliidce is a 

 most uncertain genus in many respects. 



The figure is from a series in my collection, taken in 

 Morocco by the late Mr. Trovey Blackmore. 



Malclon, April, 1877. 



ON THE FORMATION OF A COLLECTION OF 

 FOREIGN LEPIDOPTERA. 



By W. F. KiRBV. 



Author of 'A Manual of Euroiiean Butterrties,' "A Syuouyniic Catalogue 

 of Diurual Leiiidoptera,' Sec. 



When I first commenced the study of Entomology I 

 began, as I suppose is the case with most beginners, bj' 

 collecting insects of all orders, especially the larger and 

 more striking species; but, after making the acquaintance of 



