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HEREFORDSHIRE LEPIDOPTERA IN THE NEK 111 

 BOURHOOD OF LEOMINSTER. 



BY THE FAMILY OF THE REV. THOMAS HUTCHINSON, M.A. 



We have at last found time to draw out a list of the Lepidoptera we have 

 found in the county since your list was published in 1866. 



The number of newly found species is not large, but those recorded you 

 may rely upon. 



A few are of great rarity, and we have reason to consider the last two 

 seasons as more than commonly good. Many of those recorded before, of 

 which, only single specimens had then been taken, have been again captured 

 in fine condition. In 1866 1 informed you of the capture of Eupithecia consignata, 

 and can now, with pleasure, record that, since we have been able to place 

 specimens in the collections of many friends, and other noted Entomologists, 

 having reared many splendid moths from the ova. We have also captured 

 several other species of Eupithecia, amongst them, the very rare irriguata, 

 and, if spared to see it appear again, we trust to procure ova of this lovely 

 little moth. We hope the food has been discovered, as last year we found a 

 larva on oak, which we instantly sent to one of our first authorities, and he 

 agrees with us in considering it will prove to be that of irriguata ; it is now in 

 pupa and may be expected to emerge in April. I also mentioned, in 1866, 

 that my eldest son had taken a larvje of Dicranura bicuspis, at Dinmore — the 

 moth never emerged ; but last May, he captured, nearly on the same spot, a 

 noble female moth of that species, newly emerged from cocoon and resting 

 upon it. The cocoon was attached to a birch trunk. 



Sterrha sacraria, another very rare and beautiful species, was taken at 

 night, attracted by a candle burning in the kitchen May, 1867. 



The grand Hawk-moth, Deilephila Galii, was taken by my son, flying over 

 a petunia bed last August. 



Notodonta dictceoides. We have taken the three last years in the ova 

 and larval stages, and we had the satisfaction of rearing a very fine series. 



A lovely specimen of Cymatophora ridens was taken by my second girl, 

 a_ larva of Acronycta tridens by my second boy, who also had the good fortune 

 to take a fine example of Colias hyale in 1868, when this usually scarce south- 

 coast butterfly was taken in some numbers in many parts of the kingdom. It 

 may interest you to learn that during last season I set 1026 butterflies and 



