NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC 161 



species, so busily engaged disporting themselves on tlie honey 

 that they could be easily captured with tlie fingers. Towards the 

 latter end of last year, in the Forest of Dean, I well remember 

 witnessing a glorious sight, for on one flower-head I counted 

 nearly thirty butterflies all at once, and of these ten were 

 Vanessa io. It was a sight which could not soon be forgotten. 

 What has induced me to write this is that I wish to recom- 

 mend the cultivation of the hemp agrimony {Eupator'mm 

 cannahinum) to all entomologists on account of the attraction it 

 offers to insects. It is a tall plant, sometimes exceeding three 

 feet in height. It grows principally in damp situations, preferring 

 open spaces in w^oods in the vicinity of water. Its flowers, which 

 are of a purplish hue, give off a rather sickly odour. When once 

 seen it cannot easily be mistaken by anyone. It would, perhaps, 

 be a good idea to sow the seeds of the plant everywhere in 

 suitable localities, by the entomologist, near his hunting-grounds. 

 He will be certain to reap a rich harvest with very little trouble. 

 The plant used to occur in Sutton Park some years ago, but is, 

 unfortunately, now extinct. Mr. J. E. Bagnall, our local leading 

 botanist, informs me that it is found in several stations 

 throughout the district. I think, however, that it must be very 

 rare in the immediate neighbourhood of Birmingham, as I have 

 never observed it growing there. — W. Harcourt Bath ; Lady- 

 wood, Birmingham, May 16, 1887. 



The Backward Season. — On the 23rd of May I took a long 

 walk, extending over about four hours, through sheltered woods 

 in Hampshire. Although the sun shone brightly, and the air 

 was warm in protected places, during the whole time I saw only 

 Pieris hrassicce, one or two common hybernated Vanessidge, and 

 a single female Diurnea fagella among Lepidoptera. All other 

 orders of insects were equally scarce. Spring flowers were in 

 extraordinary abundance in the woods, there being in places 

 perfect gardens of primroses, cowslips, oxlips, orchids, hyacinths, 

 Solomon's-seal, germander-speedwell, tway-blade, and others in 

 profusion. Not a sign was there of any spring butterflies beyond 

 the common whites. — John T. Carrington; May 25, 1887. 



Blennocampa atterima, Klug. — A female of this very rare 

 species of Tenthredinidse was taken by myself at Chobham in 

 June last, clinging to the bloom of Solomon's-seal {Pohjgonatum 



ENTOM. — JUNE, 1887. Y 



