254 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



diggers, well knowing what might turn up with the tubers. 

 On showing them an old pupa they recognised it at once, 

 stating they had smashed all they had seen, thinking they 

 were something hurtful. I asked them to preserve ihem for 

 me, and they have done so, to the advantage of farmer, 

 diggers, and myself. Arctia caja was picked up, October 

 19th, by one of these men, and brought to me alive. Is not 

 this a very unusual time for the images of this species? — 

 T. West ; Si. Leonard's Terrace, Ashfield Street, Liverpool. 



Lepidoptera in 1878. — The present season is the very 

 worst 1 think on record. Some species, like Nenieohius 

 Lucina (a common thing), have actually disappeared from 

 localities where they were plentiful in 1877. The same tale 

 of scarcity reaches me from America; and during a fortnight 

 in France I did not see a hundred specimens of all kinds 

 together. Colias Hyale, generally so common, was there repre- 

 sented by one. By liie bye, I saw a C. Hyale at the end of 

 July on the Cotswolds, near Wootlon-under-Edge. I also 

 took one LyccBna Arion on June QOth, in a slone quarry on 

 Stinchcombe Hill, on the Cotswolds. L. Alsus was plentiful 

 at the same time. — A. J. Spiller ; Mangotsfield, Bristol, 

 August 24, 1878. 



Captures at Deal. — Amongst numerous species I have 

 met with at Deal during the past summer may be mentioned 

 Lilhosia pygnicBola, Euholia lineolata (pretty varieties), 

 Cratnbus alpiiiellus, Homceosoma sinnella, Nyctegretes acha- 

 tinella, Phycis adoniatella and P. ornalella, Melia auella, 

 Euchromia purpuraua, Sciaphila pertefana, Catoplria 

 fulvana, Eupcecilia hybridellana and E. rupicolana, Argyro- 

 lepin subbauma/iniuHa and A. Dubrisana, Pierophorus 

 pnrviddclylus (one very pale example reminds me oi Leetus), 

 P. zop/todacfylits (Loewii), P. tephradactylus, P. micro- 

 daclyliis, and /-'. baliodactylus. — H. Vaughan ; Bromley, 

 Kent, October 21, 1878. 



Parasites of Depressaria heracliella. — On July 30ih 

 I was passing a bed of cow parsnep {Heracleum sphondylium)y 

 and just above the second joint of one of the largest plants I 

 observed two holes. On cutting it down and opening it I 

 found fifteen pupae of Depressaria heracliella. I opened 

 others and obtained fifty-eight pupae : from them I bred 

 fourteen moths and thirty-seven ichneumons {Ichneumon 

 vacillalorius). Seven pupa^ are s'tanding over, but I believe 

 they are infested. /. vacillatorius does not make a pupa- 

 case, the metamorphosis taking place within the pupa of its 



