60 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(particularly otf thistles), Agrotis saiicia and A. sulfasa, and one Epunda 

 nigra. Phlogophora meticulosa was so numerous on this occasion as to be 

 a regular nuisance. Hoping to meet with E. nigra again, we tried next 

 night, but never took a single specimen of any kind. However, the second 

 week in October being remarkably fine, we determined to try again, and 

 had no cause to regret it. The experiment proved a record night ; all the 

 common ivy frequenters swarmed at the patches — Miselia oxyacanthce, 

 Anchocelis 2Jistaci7ia, A. rufina, Xanthia ferniginea, P. meticulosa, 

 A. segetiua, IScopelosoma satellitia, Orthosia macUeiUa, O. lota, and others. 

 Epunda nigra was most abundant, and we took nearly forty specimens of it 

 that night in two short rounds. Ivy blossom has been almost a failure, 

 owing, I suppose, to a fearfully wet autumn. Cidaria psittacata here and 

 there, but not numerous. I have taken the pupae of this species at the 

 roots of oaks on this coast. We obtained one pretty insect, of a delicate 

 cream-colour, which I have subsequently been told is A.pistacina. Plenty 

 more E. nigra could have been captured at ivy, but only m that district 

 near the wood ; in no other part of the surrounding country did we see it. 

 A month's almost continual rain then prevented further collecting. Last 

 year Ephyra orbiculana occurred in some numbers at Tiverton (Devon). 

 This year my friend has received, from a friend in that town, both Macaria 

 alternata and Ennjmene dolobraria ; it is a much better locality than this. 

 The extraordinary abundance of Ampldpyra pyramidea last year, and its 

 comparative scarcity in former years, i6 noteworthy, TriplicBna ianthina 

 has hardly been seen here this season, though generally very common indeed. 

 I caught a pretty Rumia cratcegata, with a broad brown band along the 

 costal margin instead of the ordinary spots. It may be mentionea that 

 the blooms of Aralia sieboldii are as attractive as ivy. — 0. M. Mayor ; 

 Paignton, Devon, Nov. 1894. 



Collecting in Gloucestershire. — The following is a list of Lepido- 

 ptera which I have taken in this neighbourhood during 1894. The season 

 has been very disappointing, and seems to have ended little or no better 

 than it began. On the 16th of JVlarch, a warm sunny day, I saw a lovely 

 Grapta c-album, but failed to catch it, as I had not my net with me. A very 

 fine specimen of Amphidasys prodromaria was found at rest on a beech- 

 trunk in the woods ; evidently it had just emerged from pupa about a couple 

 of hours before. Tephrosia crepuscularia and T. consonaria were both 

 common on the tree-trunks, and Epione advenaria, Venilia maculata, and 

 Drepana wiguicula were roused up out ol the bramble in the same woods. 

 In 1893 I took thirty-five Denias coryli in one day, at rest, and in less than 

 a fortnight over fifty ; this last year not one was taken, though the woods 

 were thoroughly searched by several people day after day. Amongst other 

 things A?-gymiis euphrosyne, Thecla rubi, Polyommatus adonis, P. argiolus, 

 Thymele tages, Phytometra anea, Eupithecia abbreviata, and- E. coronata 

 were taken abuuuautly. Melitaa artemis, Arge galatea, Sesia buinby- 

 Uformis, Anlhrocera tri/olii (one perfectly red variety), Procris stalices, 

 Drepana hamula, Emmelesia albulata, and Botys fmcalis, were all taken in 

 a low watery meadow in the daytime. A day's excursion to the Forest of 

 Dean in May only produced Polyommatus argiolus, Argynnis tuphrosyne, 

 Melanippe tristata, Corycia punctata, a peculiarly dark variety of Eubolia 

 plumbaria, and a few other commoner things, including a number of larvae 

 from oak. Of Procris geryon, usually so plentiful here, a single specimen 

 was found after a long search on the hiU-side. Astluna blomeri continued 



