NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 141 



shore, at rest, on a piece of wood. — T. Brunton ; Glen arm 

 Castle, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland, May 9, 1878. 



ACHERONTIA AtROPOS AND DeIOPEIA PULCHELLA IN DeVON. 



— I think the following two captures by one individual in 

 one week during this month worthy of record, viz. — on May 6th 

 a very good specimen of Acherontia Atropos was found ; on 

 May 11th was captured an example of Deiopeia pulchella, 

 which was slightly worn, but otherwise in a good state of 

 preservation, and now in my possession. Both were taken 

 on the South Devon coast by a gentleman's servant, who, 

 although no entomologist, was struck by their appearance ; 

 and he says that the former cried like a child. 1 may add 

 that in September, 1875, 1 was fortunate enough to procure 

 seven specimens of D. pulcliella in this same locality. — 

 Arthur H. Walker; Southgate, Middlesex, May 22, 1878. 



AcRONYCTA ALNi. — I have bred two splendid specimens 

 of this rarity from larvae beaten from oak in Kent, last 

 August. — Wm. Machin ; 22, xArgyle Road, Carlton Square, 

 E., May 23, 1878. 



Description of the Larva of Noctua ditrapezium. — 

 On the 19lh of May, 1877, I received larvae of this species 

 from Mr. T. W. Salvage, of Brighton. Length about an inch 

 and a quarter, and tolerably stout in proportion. Head 

 polished ; it has the lobes rounded, and is narrower than the 

 2nd segment. Body cylindrical and of nearly uniform width 

 throughout, only tapering slightly towards the head; segmental 

 divisions distinct, but not deeply notched ; skin soft and 

 smooth, having very few, almost imperceptible, short hairs. 

 The ground colour is of various shades of ochreous-brown ; 

 in some being almost yellowish, in others of a strong purplish 

 tinge ; in all cases on the centre of the dorsal area the ground 

 colour is almost obliterated by a series of large, lozenge- 

 shaped, dark brown blotches, one on each segment ; this 

 dark brown colour is also suffused along the sides, a series of 

 still darker oblique marks, one extending upwards and forwards 

 from each spiracle, being very noticeable. Head yellowish 

 brown, with a very dark brow^n stripe extending from tlie 

 summit of each lobe to the mandibles. A very fine pale gray 

 line, extending through the lozenge-shaped marks, forms the 

 dorsal stripe ; along the subdorsal region is a series of short 

 black stripes, becoming more conspicuous towards the 

 posterior extremity, and forming on the 12th segment two 

 distinct attenuated triangular marks, the apex of each pointed 

 anteriorly, and joined at their bases by a transverse black 



