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flower. There, it stops ! What is it ? Taniocampa opima is a good 

 insect, and is one of the principal ones in this locality ; we will there- 

 fore take it. There is another settling ; that is Tceniocampa gracilis, 

 and is prized. There is something on that other flower, but it is too 

 dark to distinguish it, so light the lantern. Look at this specimen 

 which is dark looking and in an awkward position. Put the net under 

 it and shake tlie twig gently. Down it drops, and proves to be 

 Taniocampa rubricosa. Another moth is flying about, but as it is 

 not necessary that all should settle on the sallows, we will net it. 

 This is Taniocampa cruda, the least and most insignificant moth of 

 the genus : there are no more on this bush, so let us examine the next. 

 A crimson speck shines very brightly there in the middle, and may be 

 worth examining, as it will prove to be the eye of a moth, the rarest of 

 the genus in this district, Tceniocampa jjojmleti ; another moth on the 

 same twig is Tceniocampa iiistabilis, one of the most variable and 

 plentiful of British lepidoptera. There are two more very common 

 species, which are, however, less frequent here than in the neighbourhood 

 of oak trees, and these are the Gothica and Stahilis. An Anticlea 

 badiaria sits upon a conspicuous flower further on, with an hibernated 

 specimen of Peronea Hastiana : these include all the vernal species 

 met with in this locality of the hibernated autunm Noctua. One or 

 more specimens of at least one of the above-named species will recur on 

 most bushes visited, besides a few others, as Calocampa exoleta, 

 Phlogophora meticidosa, Scopelo&oma satellitia, Glcea spadicea and 

 O. vaccina. Calocampa vetusta is x'are in the neighbourhood, but as it 

 flies in the spring, it might be found on the sallows here. 



In visiting the sallows, a good light is requisite, otherwise we should 

 pass many things unobserved, and a dark lanthorn is indispensable, 

 since with it the light can be obscured until the moment it is wanted. 

 By this manoeuvre the moths remain on the flowers until the entomo- 

 logist is near enough to catch them ; whereas, if the lanthorn is always 

 shining, the majority of the moths are often scared from the flowers 

 before they can possibly be even seen. Another thing must be recom- 

 mended ; and that is to examine the bushes very carefully, otherwise 

 many specimens, through being in curious positions, would escape 

 detection. 



Our next excursion will be to the very heart of the sandhills, 

 towards the end of April, not in pursuit of many species, but to look for 

 one only which has as yet arrived at maturity. Passing through 

 Wallasey village we arrive at the margin of the hill, where we turn to 

 the left and walk some distance towards Leasowe. In our progress we 

 pass two small plantations of poplar and willow trees, situated on the 



