254 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 



DlANTHCECIA LUTEAGO VAR. BARRETTII IN NORTH WALES. — 1 Captured 



two examples of D. barrettii in .North Wales last June, about the beginuing 

 of the month. In 1897 I took a specimen of this insect in Carnarvonshire 

 (Eutom xxx. 222). I may add that Sesia musciformis (philanthiformis) 

 seemed to be common on the sides of the steep cliffs. — F. C. Woodforde ; 

 Market Drayton. 



Plusia moneta in Sussex. — On the evening of July 17th last I took 

 a beautiful specimen of P. moneta at Cuckfield. It came into the sitting- 

 room, attracted by the lamp, and settling on the table I easily secured it. 

 The species has been identified by an authority. I think it may be 

 interesting to mention that I have kept up the brood of Clostera anacho- 

 reta (with the help of a friend), the ova of which I found at St. Leonards- 

 ou-Sea in 1893. The moths of this season are as fine as any I have bred. 

 (Miss) A. D. Edwards ; 55, Gildredge Road, Eastbourne, Aug. 26th, 1899. 



Callimorpha hera in Devonshire. — During a fortnight's stay in 

 South Devon, this month, I obtained several specimens of C. hera. I took 

 two specimens of the type in very fair condition, and four specimens of the 

 variety known as lutescens, three of which are poor, the fourth being good. 

 With one exception the specimens were taken on the wing, in sunny lanes 

 and paths in woods, or at rest. The exception was one lutescens, at ten 

 o'clock one uight by lamplight. — G. Morel-de-Ville ; Liverpool, Aug. 

 31st, 1899. 



Lepidopterous Larvae on Clematis. — With reference to Mr. A. D. 

 Imms's note {ante, p. 240), I took a large number of the larvae of Mamestra 

 persicaricR on clematis (one of the cultivated species) one year during my 

 residence in Burton-on-Trent, including both the varieties mentioned by 

 your correspondent. Ard this year I have had three specimens sent to me, 

 which were found feeding on a " cactus-dahlia," showing a special preference 

 for the blossoms. — Chas. F. Thornewill ; Calverhall Vicarage, Whit- 

 church, Salop, Sept. 8th, 1899. 



Ennomos autumnaria (alniaria), &c. — At Margate, in September, 

 1898, I captured a female specimen of this insect on the gas-lamp at my 

 front garden gate, and got a batch of eggs, which I divided between some 

 friends and myself, in order to gain experience. The success of my friends 

 has turned out nil. My share was fifty eggs, and in the spring I was 

 alarmed by their shrinking in the middle so much that I concluded they 

 were infertile. But I kept them on, hopiug against hope. However, forty 

 larvae emerged, and I fed them upon poplar, dividing them into three 

 batches. I lost one batch almost entirely — those that emerged last; but 

 the others kept healthy, and eventually twelve to fourteen turned into 

 pupae. On Aug. 29th a lovely female emerged, and I tried unsuccessfully 

 for a week to attract a " wild " male before killing her. She never seemed 

 to make any attempt at flight. On Sept. 6th and 7th I bred one male and 

 two female specimens. Each female has now deposited a batch of eggs ; 

 the male is in a battered state, but the females are still in good condition. 

 To-day I bred a second male, and promptly killed him, to secure at least 

 one good specimen of this sex. 



Last Friday (the 8th inst.) my gas-lamp attracted E '. fuscantaria, male; 



