294 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



this variation is a common one, since T captured a similar one last year in 

 exactly the same spot. — G. M. Russell; 14, Plough and Harrow Road, 

 Edgbaston, Birmingham. 



[Judging from our correspondent's description, the variety of E. tithonus 

 referred to appears to be somewhat similar in character to that figured and 

 described in the ' Entomologist ' for 1897 (xxx. p. 253). — Ed ] 



Captures at Street-lamps. — Lepidoptera appear to have been 

 unusually scarce this year in this district, and sugaring more or less of a 

 failure. I made several expeditions to Cfabbe Wood, but, with the 

 exception of one night, my efforts met with such very indifferent success 

 that I abandoned it and directed my attention to the street-lamps just out- 

 side the town. I practically restricted myself to three lamps, though nine- 

 tenths of my captures were made round one, which was in a most favour- 

 able situation ; and these lamps I worked every night regularly, with very 

 fair success considering the poorness of the season. Nor was I alone in my 

 nightly rounds. Every night, with the most wonderful regularity, I found 

 waiting for me, outside the gate, a sleek yellow-and-white cat, eagerly 

 expectant, in anticipation of the fat juicy beetles which she knew would fall 

 to her share ! And if 1 failed to keep her supplied, which I sometimes 

 forgot to do in the excitement of a capture, which in my eyes was far more 

 important, she would remind me with a loud mew; neither did she give me 

 any peace until I made amends for my shortcomings by throwing her down 

 one of the cockchafers which were swarming round the lamp. She played 

 with it for a few moments, and then it disappeared with an ominous crunch, 

 and there was a clamour for more of the dainty morsels. Curiously 

 enough, when I was at Oxford, there was a cat which used to follow me 

 round in the same way ; I wondefr if any other " lamp-workers " have had a 

 similar experience. But " revenons a, nos moutous." I was surprised to 

 find so many Sphingidae coming to light, for, besides plenty of S. popidi, I 

 took single specimens of S. ligustri, 8. convolvidi, S. ocellatus, S. tilicB, C. 

 elpenor and C. porcellus. The following I found in fair numbers : — 

 N. saponaria, H. genista, G. papilionaria, A. corticea, A. cinerea, P. bajn- 

 laria, H. thymiaria, A. imitata, T. amataria, E. venosata, M. galiata, A. 

 rubidata, X. sublustris, D. conspersa, D. carpophaga, A. luctuosa, and N. 

 senex. I also took A. ophiogramma (2), A. subsericeata, C. quadrifasciaria 

 (2), L. viretata (2), M. furva (2), N. dromedarius (1), M. furuncula, H. 

 chenopodii (1), L. straminea (2), Aventia Jiexula (1), E. sobrinata (1), E. 

 satyrata (1), E. minutata (2). E. constrictata (3), E. isogrammata, H.dipsa- 

 ceus (1), C.furcula (1), D. cucubali (2), E. lutulenta (2), A. suffusa (1), A. 

 porpkyrea (1), B. roboraria (1), N. mundana (1), C. miniata (2), L. aureola 

 (2); besides many other commoner species. Quite the commonest insects 

 seem to have been N. /estiva, E. centaurcata, 0. jmdibunda, G. trilinea 

 (I found no less than seventy-eight of the latter on one patch of sugar), R. 

 tenebrosa, H. dentina, and E.jacobceie (which simply swarmed). I took one 

 lovely var. of the latter, in which the usual red marking on all the wings 

 was replaced by a delicate cream, with the faintest suspicion of pink, while 

 the usual dark area of the primaries was of a pale slate-colour ; it was in 

 perfect condition, and appeared freshly emerged. I must not omit two 

 fine E. fuscantaria , which I took early in October. — H. W. Shepheard- 

 Walwsn ; West Downs, Winchester. 



Treacle in September and October, 1898. — My father and I paid 

 several visits to a wood in the neighbourhood of Bexley, Kent, for the first 



