*0 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
has for settling on the rough concrete with which. the sides of some houses 
are coated. In this position the marbled greyish colour of the anterior 
wings corresponds very closely with the dull grey of the conerete, and the 
insect, especially if a considerable height above the ground, is compara- 
tively difficult to detect, and might readily be passed by unnoticed. I used 
to consider C. nupta a rarity in Enfield, but last September—from the 8th 
to the 29th of the month—lI took six specimens on our house alone, and 
another on a house not far from here which I happened to be passing. The 
best days were the 28th and 29th of September, as I saw three specimens 
on each morning. I never took a specimen in wet weather, and, I may 
also remark, all the moths seen were on the N.E. side of the house. The 
moths of this genus are well known to be shy and difficult to capture, and 
it was only by taking great caution not to frighten them by approaching 
the ladder too near that I managed to secure seven specimens of this insect 
out of nine seen altogether. I found the best method of capturing them 
was to creep slowly up the ladder till within range, then to clap the net 
quickly over them; they almost invariably dart off in a direction at right 
angles to the wall, usually before even the net touches the wall. T sugared 
throughout September and October at intervals, but only took one C. nupta 
in this way; so from this circumstance I am disposed to think that, by 
searching similar houses and buildings, more specimens of this species 
could be taken than in any other way. To show how thoroughly the moth 
harmonizes with its surroundings in this position, and what a good instance 
of “protective resemblance” this is, | may mention that on one occasion I 
pointed out one of these moths, which had settled near the top of the 
house, to a friend; but even when he saw it he could not believe that it 
was a moth, and was not convinced till he saw it fluttering in my net.— 
Henry D. Syvxes; The Cedars, Enfield, Feb. 11, 1892. 
Danats (ANosIA) PLEXIrpus at Asupurton, N.Z.—On the 17th of 
the present month I observed a perfect and apparently newly-emerged 
specimen of this beautiful butterfly flying ina garden here. It flew rapidly 
about the garden for several minutes, and ultimately disappeared over a 
small plantation of young pine trees. It was the only specimen I have seen 
on the wing during the last fourteen years. The day was intensely hot, and 
I am of opinion that it had not long emerged. On the same day I observed 
the first fresh specimens of the season of Pyrameis gonerilla.— W. W. 
SmitH; Ashburton, N.Z., December 29, 1891. 
Sueartne In NortH SrTaFrorDsHIRE.—Although in the New Forest 
and at Sherwood sugaring last year appears to have been a failure, yet in 
North Staffordshire it was more successful than it has been for several 
years past. Ina large tract of heathy woodland, not far from the Shropshire 
border, my friend Mr. F. C. Woodforde had a very good time of it in August 
and September. 0. suspecta* was as abundant as it was in 1875, the only 
year in which I met with it in this district, and as varied in colour—from 
dark red suffused with a purple gloss to brown marbled with ochreous 
markings. N. neglecta was also common: the usual colours are brick-red 
and grey, with many intermediate shades ; but some specimens taken were 
of a pale yellow, and one in particular deserves special notice. It is adeep 
* Mr. Hewett also records this species as having been unusually common 
in the York district last year. Vide Entom. xxiv. p. 269.—ED. 
