34 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



taken, Cleodora cytisella was no rarity, although it must be 

 considered here, as I suppose it is in most places, a very local 

 species. All my specimens were taken among common brakes 

 (Pteris aquilina), which, I believe, is reputed to be the probable 

 food-plant of its larva. A large tract of the surrounding country 

 seemed similar in every particular, but C. cytisella was only 

 noticed on a few square yards of ground. 



Early in August Gonepteryx rhamni was observed wherever 

 alder-buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) flourished ; the other buck- 

 thorn [R. catharticus) I have not noticed within a radius of some 

 ten or more miles. Towards the end of the month a few fresh 

 Vanessa cardui were seen ; and during September this butterfly 

 was common in clover-fields. Plusia gamma now became very 

 noticeable, its abundance being strikingly apparent on heaths, 

 where scarcely a step could be taken without disturbing one or 

 more specimens ; now and then one, with what I fancied to be 

 rather a different flight from its brethren, succeeded in tempting 

 me into a pursuit, to end of course in disappointment and 

 chagrin upon discovering that I had nothing more than a 

 deceptive P. gamma in the net. About the middle of the month 

 (September), whilst searching heather by night for larvsB of 

 Anarta myrtilli, Agrotis porphyrea, Eupithecia nanata, and 

 E. minutata, all of which were common, a few Thera firmata 

 were captured at rest on the blossoms ; but it was not an easy 

 matter to select this species from among the much more 

 numerous T. variata and Cidaria testata. At the same time I 

 chanced to find A. agathina feasting on the blossoms of ling 

 {Calluna vulgaris), but being late in the season for it only two or 

 three specimens worth boxing and setting could be found ; had 

 the species been noticed a little earlier no doubt a fine series 

 would have resulted. 



Finding now that imagines, which would repay the trouble of 

 collecting, were scarce (not that there was any paucity of common 

 Lepidoptera), I turned my attention, by way of a change, to 

 searching for larvse, which mode of collecting certainly proved 

 more remunerative. Amongst those found I note the follow- 

 ing : — Clostera reclusa very common, with an occasional Notodonta 

 ziczac and Smerinthus ocellatus on dwarf-sallow (Salix repens); 

 Peronea hastiana in the tops, and mines of Lithocolletis quinque- 

 guttella in leaves of the same ; Ypsipetes implaviata, Eupisteria 



