NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 165 



a fair number of cocoons containing pupae and larvae — the larvae 

 varied in size from quite small to full fed — on both aconitum and 

 delphinium. — A. K. Ing ; 57, Dunstan Eoad, Kingston-on-Thames. 



Brephos parthenias. — This moth appeared in this district as 

 late as April 24th. I notice that in last month's ' Entomologist ' 

 its appearance on April 5th was commented upon, but we evidently 

 beat that record here. Our weather accounts for this ; on April 11th 

 we had a blizzard followed by hard frost. Heavy snow upon the 

 14th ; snow and frost again upon the 16th, a few days later warm 

 weather came, and upon the 24th B. parthenias were flying in 

 numbers. — H. D. Ford ; Thursby Vicarage, Carlisle. 



Abundance of Thanaos tages, Linn. — In the Headley and 

 Box Hill District, the Dingy Skipper was particularly common on 

 May 26th. In fact, it was flying about everywhere, one being 

 friendly enough to settle on my luncheon tin as I was eating lunch 

 in Ermyn Street. — L. C. E. Balcomb ; 26, Hardman Road, Kingston- 

 on-Thames. 



Influx op Libellula depressa, L. — This large and handsome 

 Dragonfly has been very scarce in Suffolk during the last twenty-five 

 years. Paget considered it common about Yarmouth in 1834, whence 

 probably comes Stephens' record from that county; I saw a few 

 along with L. fulva (as recorded by me at E.M.M., 1897, p. 106), 

 at Beccles in 1892 ; and only one at Ipswich — on July 30th, 1897 — 

 in the course of twelve years' collecting thereabouts. Recently 

 Colonel Nurse has noted the species at West Stow and Timworth, 

 near Bury St. Edmunds. I have collected at Monks Soham for 

 thirteen years and had never seen the species until May 31st last, 

 when a ? appeared, with a second on June 4th. Dr. C. H. S. 

 Vinter also saw one at Apsey Green on June 2nd ; subsequently 

 both sexes occurred on his garden moat at Framlingham ; and he 

 found the species on June 11th in Parham Wood, where we both 

 found several on the 14th inst. Where else has it occurred this 

 year ? — Claude Morlry. 



[In the New Forest, during the first half of June this year, two 

 or three specimens of Lihelkda depressa were noted flying over and 

 about water in many parts of the district. — R. S.] 



Some Caterpillar! — "The caterpillar plague in the Peak district 

 has extended to Yorkshire and Westmorland, the pests evidently 

 having travelled from the mountain-tops in search of food." The 

 above gem is extracted from "Day by Day" in the 'Daily Telegraph,' 

 June 16th. Perhaps our Yorkshire and Westmorland correspondents 

 will determine the species of this devastating horde ! — H. R.-B. 



Celastrina argiolus : a Comparison. — On April 2nd, 1916, the 

 first specimen of Celastrina argiolus of the year was seen on the wing 

 in the garden here. This year (1917) it was not until May 2nd that 

 one was noted. A pretty close watch is kept in the garden for the 

 first appearance of this species in the spring ; moreover, on each 

 occasion a single specimen was seen on the dates mentioned, on the 



