CALLIMORPHA HERA IN SOUTH DEVON. 291 



a more or less bruised condition, and minus much of the " down" 

 from their wings. Although in the district from the 8th to the 

 19th, I only devoted seven days to the species, spending the rest 

 of the time in trips to Torquay, Babbacombe Bay, Dartmouth, 

 Exmouth, Dawlish, Teignmoutli, Powderham Castle and Park, 

 not forgetting to mention a most deliglitful trip down the English 

 Rhine, the Dart, from Totnes to Dartmouth. 



C. liera was discovered in its present haunts by my friend 

 Mr. William Brooks, of Grange Hall, Rotherham, who took the 

 first specimen in August, 1882 (see ' Entomologist,' vol. xvii. 

 page 233). It was he who first inibrmed Mr. Jager of its 

 occurrence there, which will doubtless explain that gentleman's 

 partiality for South Devon as a collecting-ground ever since. 



Mr. Brooks very kindly supplied me with full details of how, 

 when, and where to get hera, so that on my arrival no time was 

 lost in "beating about the bush" for the locality. The late 

 Major Still, of Seaton, Devon, had at first intended joining, but 

 was unfortunately unable to do so. 



I suppose it is hardly necessary for me to mention that the 

 insect is to be obtained during the day-time by beating them out 

 of the hawthorn-hedges, especially where there is an abundance 

 of holly and ivy, as they show a decided preference for these 

 evergreens. The next thing, after getting hera to take to flight, 

 is to capture it, and this, in spite of all reports to the contrary, 

 I did not find a feat difficult of accomplishment. Indeed, without 

 wishing to pose as a " dead shot " with the net, for me to see the 

 moth was in most cases to take it. Of those I saw I only missed 

 three specimens, and I never had a fair chance with one of 

 these. It is generally imagined that fine sunny weather is the 

 best in which to beat out hera, but here again 1 must admit that 

 such was not my experience, as during the first four days, which 

 were all dull and showery — very showery — I had much better 

 luck than during the remaining three, which were unusually fine 

 and sunny ; besides, the heat was at times oppressive, making 

 working for it by no means an easy pastime, and I could literally 

 say I obtained my series " by the sweat of my brow." 



The Rev. Dobr6e Fox, of Castle Moreton, Tewkesbury, 

 informed me that C. hera flies between 8 and 10 a.m.; this, 

 I believe, is its habit on the Continent, but was not my experience 

 with it at Starcross, as, although generally on the ground by 

 9 a.m., I did not notice any so flying, and only heard of one 

 which was seen flying over a turnip-field about noon, I believe, 

 by Messrs. Mitchell and Robson, of London. Mr. Brooks also 

 says that he never saw any specimens on the wing other than 

 those which he disturbed. 



The moth is pretty quiet when netted, and is not difficult to 

 box, or " noisy " when in the box. I kept mine alive in 2-oz. 

 chip pill-boxes until I reached my lodgings, without apparent 



