272 



XXXVIII.-ADDITIONS TO THE WILD FAUNA AND 

 FLORA OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, 



KEW: VIII. 



I.— MACRO-LEPIDOPTERA 



(with Tortricina). 



A. Langley Simmons. 



The collection of insects belonging to this order progressed 

 steadily during the past year, but the climatic conditions which 

 generally prevailed were anything but favourable to good work. 

 There has not been a season for a great number of years which 

 has been so wholly disappointing, and this scarcity of insects was 

 apparent throughout Great Britain. It is difficult to find a reason 

 for this, even allowing for cold winds in the early summer, and 



retarded vegetation. 



Noctu i, 



dae, were singularly scarce, and all the ordinary baits generally 

 used for their capture were ineffective. Much work has to be 

 done yet to discover the causes which make insects plentiful in 

 one year and scarce in another ; it is a subject of which really 

 little is known. 



In spite of the conditions referred to, however, the records made 

 are extremely interesting, and in the case of Deilephila euphorbias, 

 probably unique. With the two previously published lists, the 

 record is becoming a valuable one, and it is not yet by any means 

 exhausted. The whole of the following records were made between 

 February and November, 1907. 



RHOPALOCERA. 



Papilionidae. 



Papilio machaon, L.— "The swallow-tail butterfly." 



One specimen was taken on the wing in the Palace grounds, by 



" i J? ur £ ess - As this butterfly is now only found in the fens of 



Norfolk, Cambridge, and Hunts., it is probable that the one 

 captured had been allowed to escape by a collector who had been 

 breeding them. They are found all over the world, except Aus- 

 tralasia, four species existing in Europe. The larvae feed on 

 reucedanum, Heracleum. Amnion x, n 



HETEROOERA 



NOTODONTINA. 



Sphixgidae. 



Sphinx pinastri, L.-« The Pine Hawk moth." 



- * ---,-. iuc 4 uib m wK mom. 



in FrfJE ™ a8 D found 1 lln,ler a Scotch Pi ne (Pinus sylvestris) 

 forSme n ;^ ^^ A ' Si ™°n B . It remained very lively 

 'vas 2n °^ *L2!!?"?ft «""«« *> emerge. The pupa 



pin astr 



by Mr. W. J. Lucas, and proved to be 

 The discovery of this insect at Kew is 



