170 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



The National Collection of British Lepidoptera. — As this col- 

 lection in the Natural History Museum at South Kensington is now 

 being rearranged, revised, and augmented, a convenient opportunity is 

 afforded for making it what we all wish it to be, that is, thoroughly 

 representative of the Lepidoptera of the British Islands. 



One very important improvement would be the addition, in as much 

 detail as possible, of the early stages of each species. It is hardly to 

 be hoped, however, that this desirable end could be attained in any 

 way approaching completeness without the assistance of the entomo- 

 logical public. We therefore venture to ask our readers to help the 

 Museum to effect this useful work by contributing whatever material, 

 either living or preserved, that they may have to spare. There are 

 already larvse and pupae of a few species in the collection, but all the 

 examples are not good, so that gifts of ova, larvae and pupae of any 

 species would be acceptable. Lists of presentations, with names of 

 donors, will be published in this Journal each month. 



Hepialus humuli var. thulensis, Newman. — In these days of 

 priority names, why should not justice be done to the distinguished 

 first editor of the ' Entomologist ' ? Mr. Newman first named the 

 Shetland form of H. hamuli (Entom. ii. 162), and his name was 

 accepted by Mr. Crotch in the same- vol. p. 176. I often wonder why 

 Mr. Jenner Weir, in the ' Entomologist,' vol. xiii. p. 250 (plate of 

 H. humuli vars.), adopted the name hetldandica, Stgr., 1871, in pre- 

 ference to thuliemis, Newman, 1865. — C. W. Dale ; Glanvilles Wootton. 

 May 5th, 1902. 



[See also Entom. xxvi. 100 ; and Staud. Cat. (3), i. 410.— Ed.] 



CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 



New Forest Notes (1902). — The last week in April this year was 

 spent in the New Forest. We were favoured with wonderfully tine 

 weather on the whole, but, though tine, a strong east wind prevailed, 

 which was very bad for collecting. Treacle was tried on two occasions, 

 but, except for a very few Cerastis vaccinii, and a large army of beetles 

 and earwigs, nothing was attracted. Blackthorn blossom, of which 

 there was plenty, was a trifle better, but very little. A few each of 

 C. vaccinii, TiEniocampa cruda (worn), T. stabilis (worn), and T. gothica 

 (in tine condition) were observed at the blossom, with single examples 

 of Trachea piniperda, Xylina socia, Scopelosovm satellitia, Anticlea ba- 

 diata, A. 7ii(jrofasciana (derivata), and Hybcrnia marginaria (worn). 

 Eupithecia abbreviata common. On the wing the following additions 

 were made : — Pachnobia nibricosa (one, in good condition), Llgdia 

 admtata (one), Selenia illunaria (three males), 8. tetralunaria (one male, 

 unfortunately badly damaged), and Anticlea nigrofasciaria (one). 



Day-work was none too good either. 13utterflies were in fair 

 numbers, especially the hybernated species. Oonepteryx rhamni was 

 much in evidence, both sexes being well represented. Vanessa poly- 

 chloros, common. V. io, tive examples seen, the two specimens netted 



