298 THE ENTOMOI-OGIST. 



Cultivation is responsible for the disappearance of many 

 insects, and it is the cause of the practical disappearance of 

 Cuciillia verbasci, the mulleins which used to be so plentiful 

 along the foot of the downs having been entirely destroyed in 

 the operation of making and plashing the hedges and ditches. 



At the beginning of July I started sugaring on the downs, 

 and at once commenced taking Agrotis corticea and A. lunigera 

 in abundance. A. exclamationis, which was one of the earliest 

 arrivals each evening, was a nuisance, but I got some good 

 varieties, as also of Noctuaf estiva. A. lunigera was exceedingly 

 plentiful, and during about ten days I took some four hundred 

 specimens, about half of which were worth setting, many being 

 in perfect condition, I found it a most uneasy insect when 

 boxed, quickly breaking the cilia and otherwise damaging itself, so 

 much so that I ultimately adopted, with success, a course which 

 I should recommend to all who wish to take this species in grand 

 condition. I took out two good sized killing bottles — one of 

 which I used for boxing, the other as a reserve ; and, after cap- 

 turing and stupifying a few insects, I transferred them to the 

 reserve bottle, and so on. By this means, and with a little care 

 in carrying home the full killing bottles to prevent friction, the 

 insects were kept in perfect condition. 



Amongst other things which came to sugar here were Thya- 

 tira derasa, Acronycta megacephala, Lcucania conigera, L. lithar- 

 gyria, L. comma, Axylia putris, X. rurea, X.suhhistris, Dipterygia 

 pinastri, Apamea ocidea, Miana strig'dis, M. fascinncida, Cara- 

 drina moryheus, C. taraxaci, Rusina tenehrosa, Agrotis cinerea 

 (worn), Noctiia plecta, Hadcna dentina, Erastria fasciana, Acidalia 

 aversata, Euholia palumharia. 



Sugaring along the foot of the downs did not pay. A. 

 lucernea was late ; I did not meet with it, but just before I left 

 a friend took a specimen at the flowers of valerian. 



Day visits to the woods produced Mclanargia galatea (plen- 

 tiful), Limenitis sibylla, Argynnis paphia, &c. ; the downs, Hip- 

 parchia semele, lodis vernaria, E uholia 2)alumbaria , E. lineolata, &c, 

 Strenia clatlirata swarmed at Totland in the afternoons in 

 early July, but, owing to the fresh breeze and the very rough 

 ground, was very difficult to net. I found the best way was to 

 wait until the sun was getting low, and then slowly walk through 

 the thick herbage, placing the net at once over anything observed 

 to be stirring, being careful not to disturb the insects, as in that 

 case they dropped to the ground and were lost, the markings on 

 the wings simulating the crossed stems of grasses to perfection. 

 Another common species at Totland about the second week in 

 July was Enbolia bipunctaria, which occurred on the cliffs under 

 the fort, nnd was somewhat difficult to follow and net. It also 

 occurred on the military road at Freshwater, together with 

 Gnophos obscurata. 



