NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 301 



on the sand-hills at Southport ; the other species of the genus 

 with them being A. vestigialis [valligera), A. cursorla, and 

 A. preecox. In the daytime Phytometra viridaria {cenea) was 

 common, but very much worn ; the specimens were larger, and 

 the few good ones seen were brighter in colour than I have ever 

 noticed in the various inland localities I have seen the species. 

 Leucoma salicis was common at the lamps, and had evidently 

 occurred in the greatest profusion, for the cocoons containing 

 the empty pupae were to be seen spun up " in bunches " at the 

 ends of the willow shoots ; whilst many larvae had crawled off the 

 bushes and spun up in the dock and other large leaves near, often 

 a number on a single plant. — Geo. T. Porritt ; Huddersfield, 

 October 3, 1885. 



Autumn Sugaring at Christchurch. — Autumnal sugaring 

 has been good here this year ; in one evening I have seen nearly 

 a hundred moths on a small patch. It would be quite unnecessary 

 to mention all I have taken, but the following is a list of the most 

 important: — Xylina socia {petrificata), X. semibrunnea (three\ 

 Agj'otis saucia (numerous), Calocampa exoleta, Aporophyla lutu- 

 lenta, A. nigra, Xanthia flavago (silago), and X. fidvago (cerago). 

 —J. M. Ad YE. 



Xanthia ferruginea feeding on Ash. — On May 3rd, in 

 walking along the road at Box Hill, I passed under a very large 

 ash-tree, the decaying flowers of which had fallen off in quantities. 

 On examining one of these I found a small Noctua larva therein. 

 I collected sufficient to fill a small tin, and on reaching home 

 threw the contents into a jam-pot, with a few of the unexpanded 

 buds of the ash. On examining it at the end of a week I found 

 four larvae, which grew rapidly, and when full fed were put into a 

 small pan filled with earth. Early in September the four moths 

 emerged, much larger, darker, and richer in colour than those in 

 my cabinet. As I believe the seed of the wych elm is given as 

 the food of this species, I thought it would interest the readers of 

 the ' Entomologist ' to know it is also to be obtained from ash. — 

 William Machin ; 29, Carlton Road, Carlton Square, E., 

 October 17, 1885. 



Sound-producing Larv^e. — Can the larva of Acherontia 

 atropos produce a sound ? As this insect has been common in 

 the larval state this summer, evidenced by reports already 



