CAPTUEES AND FIELD REPORTS. 281 



of all ages, and pupae being readily obtainable at one and the same time, 

 and in almost any numbers too, especially larvae. But there has been little 

 or no variation in the perfect insect, as far as my own experience goes. Out 

 of some six hundred that I have already bred, I have met with hardly any- 

 thing worth recording; and yet, wonderful to relate, a friend, till lately 

 a resident here, Mr. B. P. Kemp, obtained a grand var. from one of (only) 

 three larvae that he had casually found in this neighbourhood ! It much 

 resembles that figured in Entom., August, 1878, but the bands on hind 

 wings are without spots, and it has a small white spot on the black discs of 

 said wings. The under side is really magnificent. Through the kindness 

 of my friend I am enabled to add this beautiful specimen to my series. I 

 have still quite a number of pupae and some larvae, and doubtless, if weather 

 is at all favourable, more will be readily obtainable. I observe that Mr. 

 Frohawk, in his note (ante, p. '257) states that he found the larvae in October, 

 I have taken them in November (see Entom. xxvi. 1 6). I would only add 

 that some of our more immediate neighbours, who are aware that I am an 

 entomologist, have lately been loud in their praises of the numbers of very 

 beautiful butterflies they have seen in their gardens this autumn, and have 

 been unable to account for their great abundance, until informed that they 

 had mostly been captured or bred, and, after examination, released by 

 myself. Some of our friends were greatly surprised and interested on 

 seeing the various stages of the breeding process in my cages. — E. Sabine ; 

 Oct. 2nd, 1899. 



Vanessa c-album. — This species appears to me to be getting scarcer 

 every season where it formerly was plentiful ; in the hop-grounds iu this 

 locality I have visited several large plantations within the last week with 

 small results. I attribute the scarcity to the different washes, &c, used for 

 cleansing the plant during the period of growth. — W. Edwards ; Malvern. 



LycjEna bcetica at Winchester and Deal. — Mr. H. W. Shepherd- 

 Walwyn, of Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells, reports the capture of a speci- 

 men of this species at Winchester, on Sept. 1st, this year. Mr. James H. 

 Parry, of St. Augustine's College, Canterbury, informs us that he has 

 taken one at Deal on the 16th of the same month. Curiously, each of 

 these specimens was sitting on a window. 



Lycena argiolus at Erith. — In common justice to this delicate little 

 species, I think I ought to record its great abundance here this season. 

 Both broods were exceedingly numerous, even in our garden, several being 

 on the wing at the same time, to my mind adding much to its charm, 

 especially in the earlier part of the summer. I have heard, too, that it was 

 exceedingly plentiful at Bexley Healh and other places round about the 

 neighbourhood. — E. Sabine ; October, 1899. 



Acherontia atropos in Bucks. — A friend of mine caught one speci- 

 men at Marlow in August. It fell from the top of the door of a room in a 

 friend's house, and he immediately caught it. — Alan W. Cardinall ; 

 18, Cromwell Road, Hove, Oct. 1st. 



Acherontia atropos in Devonshire, &c. — Two specimens have been 

 sent me by correspondents during the last week — one from Turnchapel, 

 near Plymouth ; another — a grand moth, five inches from tip to tip — from 

 Bishopsteignton. Further captures are reported from Braunton, by a 

 correspondent who has taken four. One was also taken at Lostwithiel 



ENTOM. — NOVEMBER, 1899. 2 C 



