82 tHE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA TAKEN IN 1891. 
By Rev. O. Pickarp-Camsprincr, M.A., F.R.S., &c. 
THESE notes on our captures of last season, although rather 
late in the day, may perhaps still be acceptable. The following 
list contains not by any means all, but for the most part only 
the better species met with; and, unless specially noted other- 
wise, all were taken at or near Bloxworth. The Macros were 
almost a dead letter. I have never known a season in which 
the larger moths and the Diurni were so scarce. Sugar, on the 
few nights it was used, produced nothing; hardly even a 
Triphena pronuba. Two Plusia gamma only were seen, hardly any 
Epinephele ianira even, and but two or three Cynthia cardw. As 
an exception, however, Pararge megera was unusually abundant, 
and for the first time for over thirty years I saw two Hipparchia 
egeria. This butterfly used to be abundant, frequenting most 
of our wood and coppice rides and shrubberies; but, until this 
year, it has long been vainly searched for. The two seen were 
in a lane, far away from any woodland. Argynms paphia was 
also more abundant here than usual. 
Callimorpha dominula. Abundant in a few acres of fen-land, 
covered with patches of tall reeds, enormous tussocks of bog-grasses, 
and scattered bushes of birch, buckthorn, and alder. The sight of 
hundreds of this brilliant moth flying in bright sunshine was worth a 
day’s march to see. I can imagine some spots in a tropical region 
might be not unlike it. 
Drepana hamula. One or two from oak. 
Schrankia turfosalis, In great abundance on the heath bogs, and 
in the fen mentioned above. 
Cleora glabraria. One, beat from apple; the first recorded occur- 
rence of this moth in Dorsetshire. 
Emmelesia unifasciata. One specimen. 
Macaria alternata. One beat from sallow. 
Tanagra atrata. Fairly abundant on one evening only. Forty 
years ago it used to be tolerably common, but I have only seen one 
or two, until this last season, for many years past. 
Asthena luteata. Generally a very scarce insect in this district, 
but last season not uncommon in one lane. 
Cryptoblabes bistriga. One on oak. 
Ditula semifasciana. Several, among sallow and alder bushes in a 
swamp. 
Sciaphila sinuana. ‘Two examples only. 
Eupecilia rupicola. Frequent. 
FE. pallidana. Scarce; near Wareham. 
E. geyeriana. Much scarcer than last season. On the chance of 
breeding it, I gathered a quantity of marsh lousewort, Pedicularia 
palustris, growing on the spot where the moth occurs, and from this it 
was bred by both Mr. Eustace Bankes and Mr. N. M. Richardson, but 
a portion reserved for myself failed to produce the moth. This was, I 
believe, the first occasion of its having ever been bred. 
