COLLECTING AUTUMNAL LEPIDOPTERA. " 203 



trunks of detached ash trees in fields or parks a couple of hours 

 before and up to dusk, when they may be found drying their 

 wings. The grass for six or eight feet round the trees should 

 not be neglected, for often a stray moth will be found. I never 

 had a second opportunity of working those trees, but I have 

 found these moths in other localities in the same manner, though 

 perhaps in less numbers. In the park at the back of Douglas, 

 Isle of Man, the dark variety unicolor occurs. I never found 

 many, perhaps one in a dozen, amongst the typical forms. 

 C.xerampelina is a generall}'- distributed species, and any detached 

 ash trees should be searched ; those growing in hedgerows are 

 hardly worth the trouble, as the moths get away among the grass 

 and twigs, and are difficult to find. 



In fir woods the trunks of Pinus sylvestris may be examined 

 in the same manner as just described, for imagines of Thera 

 firmata, which comes out much after the manner of C. xeram'pelina, 

 but when drying hangs with the wings over the back much 

 longer than the latter species. The second brood may be sought 

 for towards the end of August. I do not think enough attention 

 has been given to the examination of tree trunks late in the 

 afternoon ; many other species might be found in this way. 



When the feathery trusses of flowers of reeds {Phragmites 

 communis) burst into bloom, a grand feast is set forth for hungry 

 moths. Sometimes half a dozen may be found on a single spike 

 of flowers by the aid of a lantern. These vary in rarity according 

 to locality, and I have often wished I could work this style of 

 collecting in the fenlands, where possibly some good things 

 might turn up. How is our rare Xylina lambda {zinckenii) taken 

 on the Continent ? It has only been found in this country, so 

 far as I remember, in the spring, after hybernation. Where the 

 reeds have been cut, examine the short standing stems if a series 

 is wanted of Nonagria lutosa. Among autumn flowers is ragwort, 

 but everyone knows all about the various species to be taken 

 thereon at night. 



For those who have never worked the blossom of the heather 

 (Calluna) by lamp-light, there is a treat in store. Given, a 

 tolerably still night, especially if the flowers have not become 

 general, but early patches are dotted about, and the exhibition of 

 living Lepidoptera is enough to make the most cynical or misan- 

 thropic moth-catcher thaw into benevolence, for how can he take 



