298 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



with poor result, the total take being three Agrotis exclamationis and two 

 Acronycta ligustri. From July 13th to the end of August sugaring was 

 tried at intervals of four nights — this was along the rides of a wood, com- 

 posed of all sorts of trees and thick undergrowth ; but night after night had 

 the same result — an empty bag. Getting quite exasperated at such profit- 

 less work, my friend Mr. Tait, who always accompanies me on sugaring 

 expeditions, suggested the idea of sugaring the posts of a wire-fence which 

 crosses a piece of moorland near the town. This was done several times 

 during the month of August, and was very successful as regards the 

 number of insects which turned up, although they were of the commonest 

 types. The following species were taken : — Noctua xanthographa (in great 

 variety), N. /estiva (also in great variety), Leucania lithargyria, Xylophasia 

 polyodon aud var. infuscata, Agrotis porphyrea, Charaxes graminis, aud 

 Triphcena pronuba. Larentia casiata was taken on the wing at dusk. By 

 Aug. 1st Erebia blandina was out in plenty in its usual hauuts. I notice 

 that the females are always a week behind the males in making their 

 appearance. It was not till the beginning of September that sugaring 

 began to yield well, and from then up till the time of writing the following 

 insects have been taken plentifully by that means : — Triphana orbona, 

 Amphipyra tragopogonis, Orthosia macilenta, Anchocelis litura, Cerastis 

 vaccinii, Scopelsooma satellitia, Xanthia ferruginea, Cosmia trapezina, 

 Folia chi, Epunda nigra (over fifty specimens were taken), Miselia oxy- 

 acantlue, Agriopis aprilina, Phlogopliora meticulosa, Hadena proteus, Calo- 

 campa exoleta ; also the following : Hydrotcia nictitans (two), Miana 

 fasciuncula (a few), Agrotis sujfusa (one), Noctua glareosa (three), Triphcena 

 fimbria(a. few), and Anchocelis lunosa (oue); and by other means, Diloba 

 cceruleocephala (one), Oporabia dilutata, Cidaria miata, and Chesias sparti- 

 ata — James C. Haggart ; 29a, St. John's Street, Galashiels, Nov. 1st. 



Notes from the Chester District. — Butterflies have been compar- 

 atively scarce this season, the only common ones being Pieris rapes aud P. 

 napi. P. brassica was fairly represented, but local. Dragonflies have also 

 been below the usual number — exceptionally so in the species Agrion 

 puella and jEschna grandis. 



Moths such as Grammesia trilinea and Agrotis exclamationis, with an 

 occasional Thyatira batis, came to sugar in June. At the end of the 

 month this attraction fell off as the plants and grasses blossomed aud a 

 copious houeydew appeared. About the middle of August sugar was again 

 worth trying, and fine varietis of the following species were taken : — 

 Triphcena pronuba ; from pale grey (primaries) to dark, unicolorous chest- 

 nut (var. innuba). Apamea oculea : (1), furca, primaries dark brown, the 

 lower half (or nearly so) pale grey, or, in other examples, coppery, with a 

 broad waved band of the same shade parallel with the outer margin, 

 beginning at the apex and continued to the inner margin ; (2), " rava, 

 brown across centre, base aud hiud margin paler " ; (3), " i-niger, a distinct 

 — -like mark below the stigmata"; (4), " leucostigma, black, with distinct 

 white stigmata." (Hobsou aud Gardner's List, p. 17). Xylophasia mono- 

 glypha (polyodon) : (1), grey, with black shades and wedge-like marks on 

 primaries (an intermediate form); (2), "infuscata, black, or nearly so." 

 (Robson and Gardner). Other moths were Mania mama (local, but plenti- 

 ful), M. typica, Noctua rubi, N. xanthographa, Amphipyra tragopogonis, T. 

 orbona, Xanthia cerago, Leucania lithargyria, Cidaria testata, and Alucita 

 hexadactyla. In September sugar drew X. ferruginea and Anchocelis litura. 



