CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 321 



Oct. 24th, when a few Sympetrum scoticum were also in evidence. On the 

 same day (Oct. '2ith) a fine male jEschna ci/anea was picked up alive in a 

 gutter at Kingston. Its colours faded very little in drying, possibly because 

 it may not have been feeding much just previous to its capture. October 

 24th i look upon as a late date for dragonflies, and it may be guessed that 

 I little expected to see any three weeks afterwards. — W. J. Lucas, B.A. ; 

 21, Knight's Park, Kingston-on-Thames, Nov. 15th, 1897. 



CoLiAs EDUSA, &c., AT FoLKESTONK. — At Folkestone, in the middle of 

 October, while the guest of Dr. Knaggs, I availed myself of frequent 

 opportunities of sugaring for Noctuae in a part where success is generally 

 to be met with. As the evenings were apparently most favourable, it was 

 remarkable how few moths were attracted. Phlor/ophora meticxdosa and 

 Miselia occyacanfha together, a few worn Cerastis vaccinii, and Catocala 

 nupta being almost the only species which presented themselves. Several 

 entomologists of the neighbourhood had sugared during the earlier part of 

 the month with similar results; and the beating of ivy bloom was not more 

 productive. Such being the state of night-work, it was cheering to see a 

 number of diurnal species such as Vanessa atalanta, V. urticcB, and Chryso- 

 phanus phlceas, disporting themselves over the rugged ground of the 

 warren ; and even more pleasing was it, when descending Baker's Gap, on 

 the 30th of the month, to see a male specimen of Colias edusa fluttering 

 by in the mid-day sunshine, It is rather a late date for the latter species 

 to be abroad, and may therefore be worthy of record. — Henry A. Auld. 



AcRONYCTA ACEEis. — On Sept. 2nd last I was spending the day in 

 London, and in the course of my wanderings found myself near West 

 Kensington Station. I had to take shelter for a few moments during a 

 very heavy thunder-shower; and on resuming my walk along a path 

 bordered by a high black paling which divides part of the station from the 

 road, I noticed, to my surprise, a full-fed larva of A. aceris attempting to 

 ascend the paling. Out came the every-ready chip-box, into which I 

 speedily transferred the larva, and had the satisfaction of seeing it spin up 

 two days afterwards. Behind the paling was a solitary dismal-looking 

 sycamore tree, from which the larva was doubtless shaken by the shower. 

 Had I had the time and inclination to dirty myself by scrambling up the 

 grimy paling and still grimier tree, I should probably have found more of its 

 brethren. What singular taste could have led any self-respecting moth to 

 lay its eggs in such uncomfortable quarters? Has this species been 

 previously recorded in the metropolis? — H. W. Shepheakd-Walvvyn ; 

 Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells. 



[Larvae of Acronycta aceris are not by any means uncommon objects, 

 in their season, about gardens and squares in London. Several were 

 observed this year in Chelsea and Kensington. — Ed.] 



Acronycta at Light. — With reference to the Editor's note on A. alni 

 at light [ante, p. 298), see ' Entomologist,' vol. xxiii. p. 262, and ' Record,' 

 vol. iii. p. 132. — F. Whittle; 3, Marine Avenue, Southend, Oct. 10th. 



Note from Portland. — The following captures have been made here 

 by me this season ; — Sphinx convolviUi, eleven specimens between Aug. 14th 

 and Sept. 10th. Colias edusa, five specimens (one var. helice) between 

 Aug. 23rd and Sept. 13th. H. hispidus, fifty specimens between Sept. 2nd 

 and 16th. — J. T. Hyde; The Grove, Portland. 



