Cannock Chase during the first week in August, sitting on the tops of 

 the heather at dusk. The protracted winter caused all the spring 

 species to emerge unusually late, some not making their appearance 

 until three weeks after their regular time. But, on the whole, it appears 

 from the reports given in the various Entomological Magazines that the 

 season has been above the average, and many interesting captures have 

 been recorded in various parts of the country. In our own district the 

 most striking feature has been the abundance of larvae, those of Xanthia 

 citrago in particular being found plentifully on lime trees, while the hand- 

 some caterpillar of Notodonta dicta'oides has occurred in larger numbers 

 than usual on the birches of Cannock Chase. Stilbia anotnala, too, has 

 has again been taken in this latter locality quite as freely as last year, 

 though female specimens are still very difficult to obtain. Cloantha 

 soh'daginis, too, still keeps up its numbers: and this is the more striking, 

 as in Yorkshire and the North of England generally it is becoming scarcer 

 every year. A striking feature in the Entomology of 'the Chase' is the 

 tendency exhibited by many insects there to develop very dark or even 

 positively black forms: and instances of this have been observed this 

 year in the case oi Amphidasys beiularla, of which I bred a magnificent 

 black female, while Mr. Baker and I have each bred a dark variety of 

 Cymatophora duplaris. All this serves to shew how much interesting 

 work remains still to be done in this department of Natural History: 

 and with a larger number of active workers than we at present possess, 

 the Entomological Section would doubtless take a high position among 

 the various departments of this Society. 



CHAS. F. THORNEWILL, 



Chairm.an. 



P. S.— Just as I was sending in this Report (Sept 30th) a fine specimen 

 oi S. convolvuli was brought to me by a friend in the town. It is a very 

 large specimen, but, unfortunately, not m good condition. 



CALENDAR OF NATURE, 1890. 

 By Rev. C. F. Thornewill. 



Feb. 2. — P. pilosaria seen. 



Mar, II. — Bee (.Apis mellifica) seen. 



,, 13. — Rooks building (Woodlands.) 



,, 18. — C. flavicornis, B. parthenias (Oakedge.) 



,, 27. — T. gothica taken. 



,, 31. — T, gracilis em. from pupa. 



