CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 291 



by giving localities where they can be found ? To be of use to me in 

 dissecting they must be freshly caught or alive. — Herbert H. Clarke ; 

 Watlington House, Sidcup, Kent, Oct. 6th, 1903. 



Geometra vernaria. — I read Mr. Russell's article {ante, p. 227) with 

 great interest ; I obtained a quantity of these larvae in the spring by 

 beating. One thing I noticed, which may only have been chance : all 

 the males spun up and emerged at least ten days before any of the 

 females. I should like to know if Mr. Russell had the same experi- 

 ence. — Herbert H. Clarke ; Sidcup, Kent. 



Eupithecia togata. — The strong winds which prevailed in Scotland 

 towards the end of August had the effect of making the larva of this 

 insect an easy capture. When in Argyleshire, in a locality where a 

 single imago was taken four years ago, I found the ground strewn with 

 spruce cones, many of which contained larvae. Nearly every cone, 

 however, had been more or less completely eaten by squirrels in the 

 two days which had elapsed since the gale had brought them down, 

 and I should fancy that a large proportion of larvte must have been 

 destroyed.— John A. Nix ; Oct. 5th, 1903. 



SiREX juvENCus AT Weybridge. — This beautiful species has been 

 emerging in some numbers during the past month from a fir-tree 

 which was felled and split up at Weybridge, Surrey. As notices are 

 often published of the occurrence of S. gigas in different parts of the 

 country, and I have seen it stated that juveucus is the more abundant 

 of the two, I should like to mention that in my experience S. gigas is 

 by far the more common in Britain. Every year I hear of many of 

 the latter appearing in different places, but not so with juvencus, having 

 only occasionally received specimens or notices of its occurrence. — 

 F. W. Frohawk. 



CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 



Vanessa antiopa in the Isle of Vv'ight. — In the ' Field,' Sept. 26th, 

 W. T. records having seen, on Sept. 17th, a specimen of F. afitiopa fly 

 past him quite close, but not having a net was unable to capture it. 

 Before he saw it, a friend of his had watched the butterfly for several 

 minutes, and as it pitched several times close to him, he was able to 

 identify it without difficulty.— F. W. F. 



Species of the Genus Plusia in Kent. — Apropos of the notes 

 on the scarceness of P. chrysitis I may say that at Sidcup, during last 

 July, I could have taken without any great trouble a dozen or two a 

 night, flying over bramble and other flowers ; I procured ova from 

 one of them, the larvfe appeared in due time, and a good proportion fed 

 right up, and the perfect insects are now emerging. I took P. pulcluina 

 at the same time, and from the ova obtained one hundred and forty 

 larvfe, but from some unexplained reason they all died when about 

 half an inch long. P. gamma at the present time is flying in great 

 numbers. — Herbert H. Clarke ; Sidcup, Kent. 



