182 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 



Vanessa polychloros in Surrky. — Seeing that Mr. Grover, of Guild- 

 ford, states in his article {ante, p. 150) that Vanessa polychloros is rare in 

 the immediate vicinity of Guildford, it may be of interest to know that 

 here in Cranleigh (situated about eight miles to the east of Guildford) the 

 above insect is far from being rare, it being especially abundant in 1894 ; 

 the chrysalids were quite common objects, hanging under eaves, porches, 

 &c., anywhere in the neighbourhood of limes or elms, although I believe 

 many fell a prev to ichneumons. — Harold E. Winser; Kent House, 

 Cranleigh, April 27th, 1895. 



Notes from Reading. — The season has opened well here for the ento- 

 mologist, though about ten days later than last year. Such Lepidoptera as 

 Hyhernia rupicajnaria, H. leucophaaria , H. progemmaria, and Anisoptenjx 

 ascularia have been plentiful on lamps, pales, and tree-trunks. Cymatophora 

 flavicornis, abundant on the young birch-stems. Amphidasys prodromaria, 

 not very plentiful this year. Nyssia hispidaria, scarce; I only took five 

 males, this being the third vear of its capture in this district. Larentia 

 mulUstriyata and Pachycnemia Juppocastanaria, fairly plentiful. Brephos 

 parthenias, in abundance, flying over the tops of birch-trees. Lobophora 

 lohulata, beaten from birch in fair numbers. April lOth, I searched for 

 Endromis versicolor ; saw only one male flying, but was fortunate enough 

 to capture three females on the birch-twigs, one of which laid a large batch 

 of fertile ova, from which T am rearing a fine colony of larvae, now in their 

 third coat. Sallows did not pay about here, but sugar did; I took Tmiio- 

 campa gothica, T. cmda. T. stahilis, T. instahilis, and T. munda ; T. cruda 

 literally swarming one or two nights. I worked well for a fortnight, sugar- 

 ing for Dasycampa rubiginea, but failed to take it this spring, although I 

 have taken it here for the last five years; one at sugar, autumn, 1891 ; three, 

 autumn, 189Q; nineteen, autumn, 1893; one last spring. I captured 

 two females at sugar, from which I reared considerably over 200 imagines. 

 I have also taken Notodontu chaonia, Stauropus fagi, and Psyche opacella 

 larvae. Leucophasla sinaptis is very plentiful again this year in its usual 

 haunts.— W. Barnes; 7, New Road, Southern Hill, Reading, May 13th. 



Orgyia gonostigma. — On May 14th I was out with a friend, looking 

 for larvae, when I was greatly surprised to find a beautiful larva of Orgyia 

 gonostigma, sunning itself on a leaf of the common meadow-sweet. Further 

 search revealed seven more, two of which were feeding on meadow-sweet 

 and five on dwarf willows. This insect must be a somewhat general feeder, 

 as I am now feeding the larvae on elm ; and last summer we found one 

 about a mile from the same place feeding on wild apple-leaves. — H. W. 

 Shepheard-Walwyn ; Hertford College, Oxford. 



Note on Asphalia flavicornis. — Mr. Arkle, in speaking of A.fiavi- 

 cornis {ante, 163), says: "Yet the moth is seldom found in spring." We 

 certainly take it here plentifully enough during the first or second week in 

 March, by searching the low birches or underwood. I know of no moth 

 more easy to find in such situations, but on the old birches it is certainly 

 difficult to see ; we also take it at sugar. Perhaps Mr. Arkle's remark 

 applies only to the district in which he usually works ; yet I cannot help 

 thinking if it was worked for svstematically it would be found in some 

 abundance even there.— A. H. Hamm ; Reading, May 2nd, 1895. 



