NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 279 



without exception, of the commonest species ; the only repre- 

 sentative of the large number of this family, which are on the 

 wing at this time of the year, and which was at all common, 

 being Miana furuncula. During these two months, in which 

 more than half the Noctuae are out, not more than two dozen 

 species came to sugar ; and this surely cannot be put down to a 

 want of warm evenings, as in the latter part of June, and again in 

 July, the temperature was higher in London than it had been for 

 some years past, and the days were followed by close, sultry 

 evenings ; but whether this was the case or not it did not seem 

 to make any difference to the number of these Lepidoptera, of 

 which there seemed a complete dearth, with the few exceptions 

 mentioned above. During the first ten days in August a bright 

 moon was visible in the evenings; but on the 11th, an intensely 

 hot night, I sugared, and was much surprised at the result. On 

 that evening at the trees there were more insects than I had seen 

 on all the evenings of the two previous months put together : — 

 Apamea oculea, Miana strigilis, Trypluena pronuba, Cosmia trape- 

 zina, and Xylophasia polyodon were abundant ; and Tryphcena 

 janthina, Leucania lithargyria, and Amphipyra tragopogonis were 

 also fairly represented. On the 15th, besides increased numbers 

 of the above, Noctua xanthographa began to be a pest ; and 

 single specimens of Tethea subtusa, Cerigo cytherea, and Catocala 

 nupta put in an appearance. During the next few days Noctua 

 xanthographa was very abundant, as many as twenty often coming 

 to one patch of sugar, and the following were noticed for the first 

 time: — Amphipyra pyramided, Cosmia affinis, Mamestra brassicce, 

 Noctua c-nigrum, N. rubi, Phlogophora meticulosa, Gonoptera liba- 

 trix, and Agrotis segetum. Towards the end of the month the 

 weather became much colder (one day being 27° Fahr. lower than 

 the previous one), and Nonagria lutosa was the only fresh species 

 at sugar ; while at the lamps Luperina testacea was common ; 

 and I also took specimens of Heliophobius popularis, Hydrcecia 

 micacea, and Tapinostola fulva. I was away from Bromley 

 during the first fortnight in September, so did not sugar until 

 the 15th of that month : the result on that evening was one 

 Amphipyra pyramidea and one Catocala nupta at the sweets ; one 

 Triphcena pronuba and one Xanthia silago on the wing ; and 

 nothing fresh at the lamps ; this, too, on an exceptionally warm 

 evening for the time of year. Soon after this the weather turned 



