270 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



the Moss, as also did about a dozen specimens of N. festiva ; 

 but most of the latter were in poor condition and of the small 

 form generally referred to as var. conflua. Triphcena ^Jfoniiha has 

 been very abundant this year and exceedingly variable, but very 

 few T. comes {=orbo)ia) have been seen. An example of Orthosia 

 suspecta was found at rest on the trunk of an oak-tree at Alderley, 

 but this species, like N. glareosa, did not seem to care for sugar. 

 Larvae of Xantliia fidvago {■=:.cerago) were common in sallow- 

 catkins on the Moss, and produced var.flavesceiis in the propor- 

 tion of 1 in 20. A few Dianthoecia capsincola were bred from 

 larvae feeding in seed-capsules of sweet-william. A number of 

 larvfB of Cleoceris viminalis were collected on the Moss, but only 

 four imagines were bred from them ; these are of a leaden colour. 

 Half a dozen larvae of Agriopis aprilina were found on oak-trunks 

 at Bollington, a place about three or four miles from here. 

 Phlogophora meticulosa was rather common last autumn, and 

 several of the specimens taken have rosy-brown markings instead 

 of the more usual olive-brown. Hadena adiista, H. trifolii, and 

 H. oleracea have all been more or less scarce, but of the latter 

 there are now a number of larvae about. A nice series of darkish 

 specimens of H. thalassina were bred in June this year from a 

 batch of eggs found on a twig of sallow in the beginning of July, 

 1894 ; a few examples of the species were seen at sugar. Plusia 

 hractea has been not uncommon in the district in years gone by. 

 I am told that a collector living in the town some thirty or forty 

 years ago used to take from 12 to 20 specimens in an evening 

 at the flowers of honeysuckle. I have visited the actual spot 

 where he used to work, but neither there nor elsewhere have I 

 had the fortune to meet with this pretty insect. There are 

 sundry odd examples of P. hractea in various cases of insects 

 about the town, but the condition of every one of them is very 

 shocking. 



Among the Geometrse observed in this district the most abun- 

 dant was Rumia luteolata {= cratcegata) . Only two specimens of 

 Uropterijx sambucaria have been seen, and both are below the 

 average size. I was unable to search for Phigalia p>edaria 

 {= pilosaria) at the time this species was out, but a very black 

 female was found on an apple-tree in a neighbour's garden, and 

 from a batch of ova which she deposited I now have a number of 

 pupa, which I hope may produce some dark male specimens 

 next year. From a larva of Aynpliidasys betidaria obtained in 

 September, 1894, an example of the black variety {douhlcdayaria) 

 was reared this year ; this is the only specimen of the species 

 that I have met with here. Two larvae of Geometra p)apilionaria 

 were beaten from birch at Cocks Moss. Acidalia subsericeata 

 occurs in one or two places around here, but it does not seem to 

 be common. Of Abraxas yrossidariata, 1 have only seen four 

 or five specimens, and these were very ordinary. Larentia 



