MAY. 77 



the banks of the Paddington Canal, near Old Oak 

 bridge. 



In order to obtain this latter insect (Argyrolepia 

 JEneana) the tyro has no occasion to use a net either 

 for sweeping or beating, but only to furnish himself 

 with a good supply of pill boxes. Having arrived at 

 his hunting-ground a little before dusk some evening, 

 in the latter end of May, let him narrowly watch the 

 bottom of the clumps of ragwort, and the tufts of grass 

 and herbage surrounding them ; as soon as it is dusk 

 he will see the insects come out from among the roots 

 and herbage, in order to commence their evening ex- 

 cursion, and as they successively make their appearance 

 all he has to do is to box them ; they are by no means 

 active in their movements, keeping very close to the 

 ground, flying but a short distance at a time, and 

 alighting upon blades of grass, the leaves of the rag- 

 wort, and upon the ground ; so that with a little care 

 they are very easily taken. 



In the moist places in woods, among bugles, Sesia 

 Bombyliformis and S. fuciformis occur ; while Tro- 

 chilium Cynipiforme is only to be obtained in Hyde 

 Park. Among the willows Smerinthus Ocellatus and 

 Tilice occur, together with Clostera curtula ; and in 

 the evening, on grassy banks, we shall see the pretty 

 Hepialus lupulinus practising his rapid and eccentric 

 flight. 



In the wet places we shall find the conspicuous 

 Phragmatobia mendica and P. menthrasti ; while on 

 tree trunks and palings, among Lychnis dioica, we 

 may perhaps find Cloantha conspicillaris. On garden 

 palings we shall find Hadena oleracea and . Bras- 



