NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC 235 



AcRONYCTA ALNi NEAR BRISTOL. — While Collecting in Leigh 

 Woods to-day with Capt. Shelley, I was much pleased at finding 

 a full-fed larva of Acronycta alni on sweet chestnut. This species 

 has turned up in this neighbourhead singly for the last three 

 years.— W. K. Mann; Clifton, Bristol, August 17, 1882. 



Plusia bractea in Co. Clare.— At the end of July last, 

 during a visit to Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, a specimen of Plusia 

 bractea was brouglit to me, caught in the hotel where I was 

 staying. This insect seems uncommon in Ireland. I think only 

 three counties have yet been recorded where it has occurred, 

 viz., Wicldow, Kilkenny, and Sligo. — [Rev.] W. W. Flemyng ; 

 Portland, Co. Waterford, September 7, 1882. 



Successful breeding of Nola centonalis. — I have again 

 succeeded in rearing a fine brood of this delicate and variable 

 species, from the eggs obtained at Deal, in July. They fed up 

 well and rapidly, exclusively on clover flowers ; they commenced 

 hatching first week in August, and were full-fed and spinning up 

 by the first week in September. — W. H. Tugwell; Greenwich. 



Emmelesia blandiata in Surrey, — Whilst entomologising 

 in Sussex on the South Downs, during July, I captured a speci- 

 men of Emmelesia blandiata in perfect condition, and evidently- 

 only just out. Some interest may attach to this fact, since my 

 friend Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson, of Preston, tells me that this is the 

 first known occurrence of the insect in question in the South. — 

 [Rev.] H. T. Hutchinson ; Whalley, Blackburn, Lancashire, 

 August, 1882. 



[Is our correspondent quite sure of his species '? — Ed.] 



Rarity of Lepidoptera. — I have been rather surprised at the 

 unanimous accounts given by your correspondents, in the ' Ento- 

 mologist' for August and September, of the great scarcity of 

 Lepidoptera this season. Mr. Bradbury (Entom. xv. 192) goes so 

 far as to report a " total failure " ; and Mr. Prest, an old' hand, 

 calls it the " worst he ever remembers." I have been for several 

 entomological excursions in different directions, and, although 

 the greater number of both days and nights throughout Jmie and 

 July were most unfavourable for collecting, I found insects quite 

 as abundant as ever before when the weather was favourable. 

 Taking one species for instance, Lithosia i^ygmceola, which has 

 been particularly^ mentioned as being "very scarce" this year 

 (Entom. XV. 191), I found them in the very greatest profusion on 



