CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 319 



' Entomologist.' I had occasion this year to let the young larvae choose 

 their own pabulum ; and very few plants in my greenhouse escaped 

 their attention, and they were particularly partial to mint and Nicotidua 

 affinis, also to ash, elder, fig, oleander, honeysuckle, wallflower, &c. 

 Privet is really the best food for them, especially during hybernation, 

 as the larvae will feed in mild weather, and produce very early imagines. 

 — Alfbed T. Mitchell ; 5, Clayton Terrace, Gunnersbury, W. 



CAPTUEES AND FIELD KEPOETS. 



Notes and Observations on LEPiDOPrERA during the past Year. — 

 The following extracts from my note-book for 1897 may perhaps prove of 

 some interest. When no locality is specially mentioned the district within 

 a radius of ten miles of Birmingham is intended. 



Pieris hrassicm has been very scarce during the past four years ; this 

 year, however, the species seems to have regained to a small extent its 

 former abundance. 



Pararge egeria. A few examples of the second brood were observed in 

 Northamptonshire during September. 



LyccBiia argiolus. I came across this insect in the lanes, which abound 

 to some extent with holly, around Yardley Wood and Shirley (about seven 

 miles south-west of Birmingham). I fancy this locality is comparatively 

 unknown, even to local collectors. This insect is very restricted in its 

 range in the Midlands, Sutton Park (N. Warwickshire) being its head- 

 quarters, but, curiously enough, only the early brood occurs there ; this 

 fact has been noticed by others. It also occurs around Coleshill and 

 Malvern, and doubtlessly in a few other localities further away. 



Sphinx Ugustri. I found five larvae of this species at Northampton, on 

 or about Sept. 24th, one of which was full-grown, two were rather more 

 than half so, and the other two were very small, but little more than an 

 inch in length; hence these latter two must have come from a late and 

 separate batch of ova, but surely an unusually late date. The first of the 

 five pupated on Sept. 29th, and the last on Oct. 18th. 



Smerinthus ocellatus, 8. tilicB, and S. populi. Larvae of all three were 

 plentiful at the begnining of September at Northampton, 



Nemeophila [Chelonia) plantaginis. This insect was much scarcer than 

 it usually is in Sutton Park ; some examples show a tendency towards the 

 var. hospita. I have never met with specimens showing any development 

 of red from this locality. 



Cossus ligniperda. Young larvaB swarmed around Norwich, attacking 

 oak, elm, aud ash, besides willow and poplar ; but, strange to say, I only 

 found three full-fed ones. I do not think many had spun up then. 



Cerum vinula. Larvae in abundance, and I have come across a great 

 many cocoons lately ; none were more than a foot from the ground. 



Leucania lithargyria. This and Phlogophora meticulosa were the only 

 insects taken at sugar here: though successful in other parts of the country, 

 sugaring proved an absolute failure in this district. 



Neuronia populans. Swarms at gas-lamps; all males with the excep- 

 tion of a single female. 



Hydrcecia micacea. At a light ; September. 



2d2 



