NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 23l 



was lamentably defective. In the first instance many specimens 

 showed signs of rough usage, possibly at the time of collection ; and 

 secondly, the collection itself had for some years been dreadfully 

 neglected, mites, grease, and mould having been allowed to accumu- 

 late to a deplorable extent. These facts coupled with the time of year 

 will fully account for the prices realised. Two specimens of PieHs 

 daplidicc, both taken at NeAvmarket in August, 1872 — the (laplidicc and 

 antiopa year — realised 16/- each. A fine variety of Ari/i/nnis ai/laia, 

 figured in Barrett, and in which the marginal spots on all four wings 

 had developed into streaked markings, taken at Hickling Broad in 

 1871, fetched £2 10s. Eight Va7iessa antiopa, mostly taken in the 

 fen district in 1872, made an average of 8/- each. There were only 

 four Chrysophamis dispar, all more or less imperfect ; a male realised 

 21/-, a female £3 10s., and two males set to show the under surface 

 £2 15s. the pair. Lot 34 contained six Lyccena acts from Evan John, 

 of Llantresaut, and were cheap at £2 ; whilst Lot 35, containing 

 a like number, some with a history and some without, went for 25/-. 

 L. ((lion is evidently going up in price instead of receding, as one 

 might expect from the number of specimens so recently captured in 

 the South. Two lots of eight and nine fetched £2 2s. and £2. The 

 Sesiidte were a poor lot. Three Eannoch Sesia scolii/orinis (1892) 

 fetched 26/- ; two single specimens of the same species, with other 

 things, 10/- and 9/- each. Lithosia caniola, very moderate examples, 

 fetched about 2/- each. There were seventeen Lcelia cccnosa, and 

 the prices varied even more than the condition ; pairs fetched respec- 

 tively 26/-, 18/-, 12/-, and as low as 6/- ; three males 8/- ; four 

 males, fairly good ones, 13/-. The female of this species seems to 

 bring more than the male, no doubt on account of the latter being 

 so much more freely attracted to light. No specimen, however, of 

 either sex has, as far as I know, been taken for many years. Two 

 Lasiocampa ilicifolia, viz., a very tiny male fetched 12/-, and a nice 

 female, from Castle Eden, 32/6. The collection was rich in Cleora 

 viduaria ; six pairs made 12/-, 22/-, 24/-, 18/-, and 8/-. Two unusual 

 vars. of Abraxas grossulariata, the first asymmetrical, and the second 

 fore wings black with white band and hind wings rayed, brought 20/- 

 and 30/-. Four lots of Phibalaptenjx polygrammata, four in a lot, 

 realised 21/-, 12/-, 12/-, and 16/- ; their condition, however, as before 

 stated, was very poor, some of the bodies being either mere shells from 

 mites, or wanting altogether or in part. Three lots of Drepana sicida, 

 three in a lot, went for 21/-, 13/-, and 18/-. Six pairs of Dicranura 

 bicuspis, all bred from Tilgate Forest, 26/-, 20/-, 18/-, 10/-, 18/-, and 

 17/- a pair. A nice variety of Pygcera curtula, 21/- ; a ditto of Nolo- 

 doiita ziczac, 30/-. The "wainscots," in which one would have 

 expected the collection to have been especially rich, were not remark- 

 able, except perhaps as regards Senta ulvce. One lot of seven of the 

 latter, containing the vars. niyrostriata and bipnnctata, with several 

 inieriov MelianaJIaiJiinea, fetched 16/- ; a similar lot, 12/-. A lot of 

 seven containing the above two vars., with a fine and interesting inter- 

 mediate var. between bipunctata and wesmariensis, fetched 32/6, and a 

 fine specimen of the latter variety, 26/-. Xylomiges conspicillaris were 

 a drug, and went (with others) for about half-a-crown each. Pairs of 

 Crymodes eccidis, dark form and good specimens from Perthshire, made 



