NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 105 



stridvilating at intervals, for the most part in a very low tone, only 

 just audible at the distance of a few inches. Every now and then he 

 made a single abrupt movement of the thighs, thus causing the 

 short, single note which had first attracted my attention ; this sound 

 was usually made by only one leg. For some minutes the two 

 maintained their relative positions, only altered slightly by small 

 movements of the male. Occasionally the latter extended his low 

 call into the full normal song. Apparently attracted by the last 

 a second male soon came hurrying up, pausing once or twice to call 

 by the way. On his approach the first male moved aside somewhat, 

 later commencing to feed. Number two settled face to face with the 

 female, and uttered the soft call as the other had done. The female 

 now began to show symptoms of boredom, and, cutting off a long 

 stem of grass with her mandibles, proceeded leisurely to munch it 

 up. When finished, she walked slowly off, and was not followed by 

 either male, although number two raised his voice to a louder pitch 

 as the female increased her distance, as if in the vain hope of arrest- 

 ing her attention. A few yards further on the female was accosted 

 by a third and more excitable male, and a repetition of the previous 

 scene took place. For nearly three-quarters of an hour the male did 

 his utmost to please his prospective partner, singing his soft song 

 almost incessantly, and frequently swaying his body from side to 

 side in a most curious manner. The relative positions of the two 

 varied, the male being sometimes face to face with the other, but as 

 frequently by her side. He was always cautious not to approach too 

 closely, as, when he seemed too pressing in his attentions, the 

 female moved abruptly off, although otherwise quiescent. At 

 considerable intervals of time the male broke into the loud song, 

 always prefixing it by the short single note. The incident was at 

 length terminated by the female suddenly leaping off to some 

 distance, leaving the disconsolate male alone. Truly courtship in 

 G. maculatus requires patience! — S. E. Brock; Kirkliston, Lin- 

 lithgowshire, January, 1914. 



Pyrameis atalanta in February. — When walking along the 

 edge of Ironshill enclosure this morning I was rather surprised to 

 see a butterfly which, flying past me, settled on the sandy bank of 

 the enclosure. A nearer approach proved it to be Pyrameis atalanta. 

 I watched the insect for some little time at a distance of a couple of 

 yards or so, and left it still basking in the bright sunshine. — G. 

 Lyle ; Brockenhurst, February 1st, 1914. 



Gloucestershire List op Lepidoptera. — On looking through 

 Hudd's ' List of Lepidoptera of the Bristol District,' I find no 

 mention of Epunda lutidenta in Gloucestershire. I captured three 

 at sugar here in Pucklechurch in September, 1908. I do not know 

 if this is a new record, as Hudd's list is a little out of date. — B. A. 

 Coney; Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire, February 12th, 1914. 



Abraxas grossulariata in December. — On December 14th, 

 1913, I took a freshly emerged Abraxas grossulariata at rest on 



ENTOM. — MARCH, 1914. I 



