NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 67 



non-existent, and I have only seen one insect in hibernation this 

 winter. — Harold D. Ford ; Thursby Vicarage, Carhsle. 



Winter Moths. — Mr. Claxton asks (mitea, p. 17) a question 

 as to the scarcity of winter moths. I do not think such scarcity 

 has been apparent this winter in this district. Ivy blossom was 

 disappointing, but from November onwards the ordinary winter 

 moths were in full evidence here. Chcimatohia brumata and C. 

 boreata were in full numbers ; Hybernia defoliaria above the average. 

 P. populi has visited me at light for the first time, as did Ennomos 

 alniaria for the first time since 1912. On the other hand Hiviera 

 pennaria was exceedingly scarce, while with Hybernia aurantiaria I 

 had a curious experience. Wishing to obtain some females, I dug 

 about fifteen pupaj; from these two males and eleven females emerged. 

 From similar observations with regard to H. defoliaria and Phigalia 

 pedaria I am beginning to believe that the females of some of these 

 wingless species exceed the males in numbers. Can any other 

 collector confirm this observation ? — Harold D. Ford ; Thursby 

 Vicarage, Carlisle. 



Pararge meg^ra in Herts, and North- West Middlesex. — 

 Mr. H. Rowland-Brown made some interesting remarks on this 

 species (' Entom.,' vol. li, p. 233) and its occurrence in 1918 in 

 Herts and Middlesex, and it has been a great pleasure to me to 

 note in 1919 that this species is making steady progress in Herts. 

 My friend, Mr. Chas. Oldham, of Berkhamsted, reports the insect in 

 his district for the first time during twelve years' acquaintance with 

 that locality. In August I saw P. viegcera in several places between 

 Watford and St. Albans, and also in the neighbourhood of Radlett. — 

 Ernest W. Nimmy; 210, Whippendell Road, Watford, Herts. 



Butterflies observed in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, 1919. — ■ 

 These observations were made while I was stationed at the R.A.F. 

 Station, Eastchurch, and I believe I can state that they are fairly 

 comprehensive, all my available spare time having been spent thereon. 

 I found the island very poorly represented in Lepidoptera of all kinds. 

 Many species found on the mainland near by were not represented 

 at all, notably G. rhavmi, A. thaumas, P. egeria, P. megcera, while 

 others were only represented by single specimens. Pieris brassicce ; 

 P. rapcB ; P. napi (not very common) ; Euchloc cardainincs (one 

 specimen only — a male) ; Coiias edusa (one specimen only ; flew over 

 the top of a hangar and evaded capture) ; Vanessa urticce ; V. io (one 

 specimen only) ; Pyrayneis atalanta ; Epinephele ianira (extraordinarily 

 plentiful ; one newly-emerged female was taken on the wing having 

 all the orange replaced by greyish-white and the apical spots barely 

 decipherable); E. titlionus (very plentiful); Ccvnonympha panipJiilus ; 

 Callophrys rubi (one specimen only) ; Chrysophanus phlceas ; Lyccena 

 astrarche ; L. icarus ; Cyaniris argiolns (two specimens only ; both 

 observed in the spring) ; Hesperia malvce, (one specimen only) ; 

 Adopcea lincola (very plentiful on the aerodrome towards the marshes 

 to the total exclusion of A. thaumas); Augiades sylvanus (plentiful). 

 — E. B. Betts ; H.M.S. "Pegasus,'" Rosyth, Scotland. 



