NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 21 



the centre of a flower-pot, and sandy earth filled in ; round the 

 inside rim of the pot four or five slender sticks were inserted and 

 tied together at the top. Over all a muslin bag was placed and 

 fastened round the flower-pot by an elastic band. Each time the 

 plant became withered and sodden, and had to be changed, the 

 little larvae had to be diligently sought for, as they have a habit 

 of burying themselves beneath the surface of the ground, and 

 require sharp eyes and some patience to find them. My next 

 essay was in 1881, when seven iniagos rewarded my care. I gave 

 these larvae of Plusia bractea grass as well as groundsel, and they 

 apparently enjoyed it, creeping up the stems and nibbling the 

 blades ; but I have reason to think this food did not agree with 

 them, for when nearly full grown they suddenly ceased feeding 

 and began to spin up : twenty-three cocoons clustered together 

 on the stems of grass, and a few others on the muslin bag ; seven 

 only emerged, and after waiting patiently I opened a cocoon, and 

 found the chrysalis contained a dark fluid ; all the otliers were 

 similarly decayed. A friend, with whom I shared my eggs, 

 reared nine beautiful specimens successfully upon groundsel, 

 young honeysuckle, nettles, and cow-parsley {ClKeropkyllum 

 sylvestre), remarking that in spring the larvse seemed particularly 

 fond of the latter plant. Probably a more varied diet might have 

 saved some of my caterpillars from dying in the pupa state, had 

 I thought of it in time. I am sorry to say I have no duplicates to 

 off"er ; as yet I have been unable to supply even my friends' 

 cabinets with this rare moth, which is so capricious in its appear- 

 ance that during some seasons not even one sj)ecimen is secured. 

 — Frances Isabella Battersby ; Cromlyn, Rathoven, West 

 Meath, Ireland, December 7, 1881. 



Lepidoptera ATTRACTED BY Electric LIGHT. — Noticing in a 

 recent number of the 'Entomologist' that several correspondents 

 had noticed the attractive power of the electric light for Lepi- 

 doptera, it may interest some of the readers to know the result 

 of occasional collecting at the electric light, which is being used 

 in this town (Eastbourne) by the contractor for the new sea-wall. 

 In the middle of June, hearing from a lad " that there was a rare 

 sight of owls at the electric light," I paid it a visit, and found 

 that insects literally swarmed around it. I soon commenced 

 operations, and had my boxes full in a short time. Amongst the 

 species I had were Arctiafuliginosay JNotodonta dictcea, N. ziczac, 



