256 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



last, and a fiue larva was brought me from a potato field near this town 

 early in August. Both have emerged perfect specimens. — (Rev.) A. P. 

 Waller ; Bridgwater, Somerset. 



Acherontia atropos in Shropshire. — At the end of last month I 

 obtained a fine larva of A. atropos; this is now in pupa. It was found 

 feeding on potato leaves in a neighbouring village. — Chas. F. Thorne- 

 will; Calverhall Vicarage, Whitchurch, Salop, Sept. 8th, 1899. 



Acherontia atropos in the Suburbs of London. — On Monday, 

 Sept. 11th last, a friend of mine, who lives at Thornton Heath, brought 

 me a nearly full-grown larva of A. atropos, which he had found in his 

 garden on a cabbage. I knew he was growing some potatoes in the garden, 

 and went to examine the plants on the next evening. I found one or two 

 rows taken up, and the dry stalks lying about. Cabbages were grown 

 between, and the larva had probably strayed on to these when it found its 

 food-plant drying up. On examining the remaining plants, I was delighted 

 to find three more very large larvae of A. atropos. Two of the four have 

 gone to earth since, and the others will follow in a day or two. I have never 

 heard of larvae of this species in the immediate neighbourhood of Loudon, 

 and though I have had larvae on several occasions from the South of 

 England, I have not previously seen such large ones as these, which 

 measure nearly five inches in length. — 0. Lindemann: 16, Chestnut Road, 

 West Norwood, S.E. 



Acherontia atropos in Cheshire. — A fine specimen was taken near 

 Chester about the middle of May last.— J. Arkle; Chester. 



Abundance of Vanessa atalanta in Essex. — V. atalanta seems to 

 be extremely abundant here. I have never before seen them in such 

 numbers. — Alan W. Cardinall ; Manor House, Tendring, near Col- 

 chester, Essex, Sept. 6th, 1899. 



Vanessa atalanta in London. — I saw a single specimen outside 

 Liverpool Street Station on Aug. 31st. — Alan W. Cardinall. 



Vanessa atalanta and Cynthia cardui at Lee. — The former insect 

 has been seen abuudantly even here at Lee, visiting the dry treacle patches 

 in the garden. Cynthia cardui has also been seen or taken on several 

 occasions. I certainlv had not seen a specimen at Lee for several years. — 

 F. M. B. Carr. 



Vanessa antiopa in Yorkshire. — A specimen of V. antiopa was seen 

 on Oliver's Mount on the 10th iust. — J. H. Rowntree ; Scarborough, 

 Sept. 15th, 1899. 



Notes on Vanessa atalanta. — V. atalanta has been unusually abun- 

 dant this season in the Epping Forest district. As early as 8 a.m. on the 

 8th inst., while taking my accustomed morning's stroll through the Forest, 

 en route for Snaresbrook Station, my attention was drawn to several speci- 

 mens of this brilliant butterfly. The centre of attraction appeared to be a 

 small birch (B. alba), the trunk of which was almost alive with wasps. 

 While I watched, nearly a score of V. atalanta were endeavouring to alight 

 on any portion of the trunk unoccupied by the wasps. As soon as one 

 succeeded it was immediately attacked and driven off, to return again 

 undaunted in a few seconds. Although the butterflies must have been 

 repeatedly stung, they did not appear to suffer much inconvenience. 



