LEPIDOPTERA IN 1896. 107 



their variations may become stereotyped into local varieties, as 

 with the melanic form. But this, in conjunction with a different 

 period of emergence, which is the most important matter to 

 place beyond controversy by long series with full data, would 

 decide the question. The moth is abundant in almost every 

 wooded district I have visited in Ireland, both in the north, 

 south, and west. The females appear to be paler generally than 

 the other sex, and the emergence is continuous from toward the 

 end of April to about the first of June. Occasional examples 

 are met with in mid April or earlier in favourable seasons. A 

 smoky form was found on Slieve Donard, above Newcastle, Co. 

 Down, by Mr. Watts, which is heavily charged with dark scales, 

 but is not at all so black as the melanic Yorkshire variety, and 

 is characterised rather by the partial obsolescence of pattern. 

 I have seen nothing similar elsewhere. Some localities in which 

 this moth occurs are as follows : — Powerscourt, Co. Wicklow ; 

 Cappagh, Portlaw, and Dromana, Co. Waterford ; Glengarriff, 

 Kenmare, and Killarney ; near Limerick; Clonbrock and Mount 

 Bellew, Co. Galway ; Markree and Eockwood, Sligo ; Favour 

 Pioyal and Altadiawan, Co. Tyrone ; Drumreaske, Monaghan ; 

 Enniskillen, Newcastle, Co. Down ; Farnham, Cavan ; Knock 

 Ion and Killynon, Co. Westmeath. 



(To be continued.) 



LEPIDOPTEEA IN 1896. 

 (Continued from p. 74.) 



Notes from Ringwood. 



The season from March to the end of August here was exceptionally 

 dry and sunny, with a very slight rainfall ; the entomologist was con- 

 sequently on the alert, as many insects were only out for a very limited 

 time, a week's delay in some instances, and captures would be most 

 unsatisfactory. Emydia cribrum only lasted for a few days. The season 

 after August was rainy, and rarely fine enough for collecting. Common 

 larvte upon the oaks were extremely abundant; by quietly standing under 

 the trees, the movements and droppings of the larvae falling upon the 

 shrubs sounded like a shower of rain ; the trees in many cases were almost 

 bare, but the second growth of foliage in June put them in trim again. 

 The following is a partial account of insects taken or bred : — 



Jan. 22nd. Hybernia j)roi^einitmria. ^8th. Vanesa io. 29th. G. rhamiii. 



Feb. I llh. Vanessa iirtwcE. I2th. Amphidasys prodromaria bred. 17th. 

 TepJiroda crepnscularia. 26th. Sallows out; also the usual moths upon 

 them. 28th. Hyhernia leucophaaria, abundant. 



March 2ud. Trachea piniperda, Taniocampa tniniosa, and Cymatophora 

 ridens, in numbers; also Arctia mendica. 14th. First Notodonta chaonia, 

 seven in all bred. 17ih. One Ve7iilia maculata. 21st. Gonepteryx 

 rhamni, very common. 23rd. Phibalapteryx tenala, emerging daily, larva 

 found upon clematis. 24th. Piens rapa out. 25th, Saw two or three 



