ON LEPIDOPTERA OBSERVED IN LONDON. 199 



DiURNI. 



Pieris hrassicce, P. napi, and P. rapce. Colias edusa, some 

 years ago, probably the last ''Edusa year." Vanessa poly chloros, 

 one captured and two seen. V. urticce, common over flower- 

 borders all through the summer. V. cardui, occasionally seen in 

 autumn, with V. atalanta. Polyoinmatus phlceas, scarce. 



BOMBYCES. 



SmerintJms 2yopuli, one at light in a drawing-room (July 1st, 

 1885), and larvse on poplar. Dicranura vmula, larvse on poplar. 

 Arctia luhricipeda. Zeuzera pyrina, noticed years ago, and again 

 this year ; larvse of Sphinx Ugustri, were occasionally found on 

 privet bushes. Phalera hucephala, sometimes found on walls 

 or pavements in the neighbourhood, having dropped or been 

 blown off various trees. Cossus lignijjerda infested a willow 

 tree, which they killed; then they were noticed in an almond, 

 which became moribund, and was also cut down ; the lower part 

 I possessed myself of, but, although I kept it for years and 

 introduced new blood from a colony that was flourishing in a 

 hawthorn tree close at hand, I was only able to hatch out one 

 imago. Orgyia antiqua swarms everywhere, and emerges in suc- 

 cessive broods over a space of several months ; the males I have 

 noticed dancing about in the sunshine all through the summer, 

 and I have captured them by exposing the apterous bred females. 

 I noticed, when breeding them, that the latter always greatly 

 outnumbered the former. I am as cordial a hater, for various 

 reasons, of the useless and mischievous house sparrow as Mons. 

 A. Wailly (Entom. xx. 128) and the would-be growers of spring 

 bulbs, who this year complained in the ' Standard ' ; yet I feel 

 bound to admit that, though the sparrows disregard this insect as 

 a larva on account of its hairiness, tliey devour it largely when in 

 the pupal state. 



NOCTU-E. 



Acronycta psi. A. aceris, larvse on sycamore in neighbourhood. 

 A. megaccphala, frequently found settled on trees ; the larvse freely 

 on poplar, but constantly found crawling on walls, &:c., when full- 

 fed. Mamestra hrassicxe, too common ; larvse very destructive to 

 garden plants. M. persicarm, taken at rest occasionally ; larvae 

 on white jasmine. Agrotis exclamationis, imagines disturbed from 



