66 A LEPIDOPTERIST’S NOTES. 
insect, save that it wants the yellow legs, bearing a great resemblance to 
the continental variety Xanthomelas. Perhapssome may not have noticed 
the liability to variation in the spots on the hind wings of Cynthia 
cardui. One which I took on the wing last July has a bright white pupil 
in one of the spots on the left lower wing, and in another the spots 
amalgamate in such a manner as almost to form a band. This butterfly 
and Vanessa Atalanta were as common as any during the past season. In 
one corner—and in that limited situation only—of a field where they were 
discovered many years since by my friend Mr. Jeffery, Lycena Alsus was 
tolerably plentiful when we visited it last Whit Monday. Here were to 
be seen also, in almost as confined an area, any number of the lovely 
Ophrys apifera and Orchis conopsea in full flower. 
During June and the first week of July I bred eight fine Acherontia 
Atropos from larvze found in the preceding autumn, and in the first week of 
October I obtained three equally good imagos from larve found in July. 
All of these were very noisy insects—one especially, which squeaked in 
the three stages of its.existence. With one exception they emerged 
between five and seven o’clock in the evening. 
Geometers were by no means so plentiful this season as last. I can 
record no good species, the best being Anticlea rubidata, Phibalapteryx 
tersata, Asthena luteata, Timandra amataria, and Acidalia emarginata. 
Mr. Jeffery took several Selidosema plumaria, and a splendid melanic 
variety of Boarmia abictaria. 
My sugaring operations were confined to the trees surrounding the 
house, my visitors to the sugary feast prepared for them including 
Grammesia trilinea and Miana strigilis, (very abundant,) the latter in 
every variety. Of the Mianas, indeed, I captured all except Photedes 
captiuncula. Bryophila glandifera came sparingly, but one was a pretty 
variety, having the upper wings powdered thickly with shining metallic 
scales of a bright green. Dipterygia pinastri, Orthosia upsilon, Caradrina 
cubicularis, Caradrina blanda, Hadena oleracea, Amphipyra pyramidea, 
Anchocelis lunosa, Miselia oxyacanthe, Acronycta rumicis, and Mania 
Maura, were tolerably common; Cosmia diffinis, Cosmia affinis, Agrotis 
puta, Noctua plecta, and Xanthia cerago, less so. Of the gaily coloured 
Catocala nupta several put in an appearance for many nights together, 
and of Agrotis saucia I secured a good series both of the type and 
varieties. My most successful evening, however, was that of August 
23rd, when I had the good fortune to “ box” a fine Leucania albipuncta. 
The instant the light was thrown on the tree it fell to the ground, and 
I feared was lost ; but on my second round, to my great delight, there 
it was again, and the next moment safely deposited in my poison-bottle. 
The “ignobile vulgus” Anchocelis pistacina, Phlogophora meticulosa, 
Tryphena orbona, Tryphena pronuba, Leucania pallens, with many others, 
mustered in full force even on the coldest nights. 
Perhaps after this severe weather we may not be wrong in antici- 
pating a good season for Lepidoptera next year, as it seems to be the 
general opinion that cold, hard winters, are more favourable than warm 
oues to the subsequent development of vegetable and insect life. 
a 
