CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 271 



that while sugaring in the New Forest, on Aug. 15th last, I took a speci- 

 men of the red form of Noctua castanea, of the same tint as those from the 

 north. I am told that this form has not been previouslv taken in the forest. 

 Perhaps this note may bring others to light. — (Rev.) W. Claxton ; Nave- 

 stock Vicarage, Romford. 



[N. castanea, in its typical form, is red ; the grey form is var. neglecta. 

 We believe that the type is not altogether unknown in the New Forest, 

 but it would be interesting to have more information on this point. — Ed.] 



Aplecta occulta in Norfolk. — Oa Aug. 28th I had the good fortune 

 to take a fine specimen of Aplecta occulta on sugar at Paston, near Mundes- 

 ley, Norfolk. The specimen is of the light form, and the markings are 

 extremely well defined. — S. W. Kemp ; 80, Oxford Gardens, Netting 

 Hill, W. 



Catocala nupta on Tarred Posts. — -While walking along the road 

 through Bagley Wood, near Oxford, at the end of August last, I saw 

 on two occasions a considerable number of specimens of Catocala nupta 

 at rest on tarred telegraph-posts. Aiost were high up the posts, and 

 all, I believe, on the southern aspect of them. The posts had not 

 lately been tarred, and though black in some parts were in others, 

 especially on the southerly side, brownish, and often with a marbled 

 appearance, due to the grain of the wood showing. On the lighter 

 parts of their resting-places the insects were not specially con- 

 spicuous, though generally quite easily seen. On one post there 

 were sis specimens, and on two others five each. In some cases, 

 two or more individuals were quite close to each other. — W. J. Lucas ; 

 Sept. 12th, 1900. 



Catocala nupta. — The unwonted abundance of this species during 

 the last two seasons in this neighbourhood has been very remarkable. 

 In August, 1899, it was so common, that at sugar one out of every two 

 or three trees displayed a specimen. But this year it has been still 

 more plentiful ; and the telegraph-poles along the high roads have 

 been adorned with it, many possessing one, two, or even three 

 specimens of this fine insect high up at rest — easy to see, but 

 not so easy to take, as at the first approach of net or bottle away 

 flew skittish nupta. — (Rev.) A. Nash; Standish Vicarage, Stonehouse, 

 Gloucestershire. 



Acronycta alni in Herefordshire. — In the early part of August I 

 received a larva of A. alni, which had been found on alder near here. — J. 

 B. PiLLEY ; Hereford. 



Epunda nigra in Kent. — On Saturday evening, Sept. loth last, I was 

 sugaring in Barnet Wood, Bromley Common, Kent, with my friend Stanley 

 Haines, of Bromley, when I had the luck to take Epunda nigra from the 

 trunk of a pine which I had sugared. This is very uncommon, is it not, 

 for this district, the insect being considered very local ? — A. J. Lavvrance ; 

 8, Cross Roads, Bromley Common, Kent, Sept. 19th, 1900. 



[We do not remember any recent record of the occurrence of E. nigra 

 in Kent, but we believe that the species has been taken in the neighbour- 

 hood of Farnborough. — Ed ] 



