NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 31 



Pierids and a few Ccenonympha pamphilus. A fair sprinkling of 

 Pyranieis atalanta was noticed on the flower-heads of Ewpatoriuvi, 

 several Vanessa urticcB, and one or two worn Argynnis paphia. No 

 varieties of E. tithonus similar to the Millook specimens were noted. 

 At sugar the following insects were observed : Axyliaputris, Luperina 

 c(E.spitis, Leucania pallens, L. lithargyria, Acidalia marginepunctata 

 {promutata), Riisina tenebrosa, L^cperina testacea, Charaxes graminis 

 (abundant), Plusia festuca, TriphcBna iantJmia, Noctua plecta (abun- 

 dant), Agrotis saucia, A. segetum, A. suffusa, Plusia chrysitis, 

 Gonoptera Uhatrix, Caradrina cubicularis, Noctua c-nigrum (common), 

 Stilbia anomala (one male), Euplexia lucipara, Eupithecia jasioneata 

 (two worn), E. virgaureata (3), Hydroscia micacea, Calymnia affinis 

 and swarms of Phlogophora meticulosa and Plusia gamma. Neuronia 

 popularis was a pest at light, flying punctually at 9.30 every 

 evening. The dragonflies Gordulegaster annulatus and C. virgo were 

 common along the course of the River Try. One of the former species 

 hovering poised above the water was observed to fly backwards every 

 now and then in small vertical arcs, having a versed sine of about 

 six to nine inches. When performing this evolution the wings ap- 

 peared to vibrate much more rapidly than during the forward flight ; 

 this particular specimen when captured was engaged in eating a small 

 crambid moth (?tristellus). The latter half of the month was devoted 

 to working the cliifs. A sprinkling of Polia nigrocincta, both male 

 and female, turned up at sugar between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. One 

 Bryophila perla and B. glandifera at rest on rocks. Some half dozen 

 larvae of Sesia musciformis (philanthiformis) were extracted from clumps 

 of thrift, three larvae being obtained from one plant. Curiously 

 enough, the dwarf meagre plants did not appear to be tenanted, and 

 many of them growing in chinks of rocks appeared to have succumbed 

 to the heat. Jasionc montana abounds in the district, and several 

 larvae of Eupithecia jasioneata were taken from the seed heads. By 

 far the largest number was met with inland, away from the cliffs. 

 The larvae of this species appear to move from one seed head to another 

 in the evening, commencing about 7.30 in August, but this 

 migration also seems to take place in the morning about 7, when 

 there has been an early shower, and the seed heads of Jasione have 

 become soaked. A tenanted or former tenanted seed head can be 

 instantly detected by the " give " of the crown when taken between 

 the finger and thumb. The larvae varied considerably in colouring. 

 Ivy blossom was all but out on August 30th. The temperature each 

 evening about 8 o'clock varied between the limits of 68° F. and 75° F., 

 the average humidity at the same time being 59. — G. B. Kershaw ; 

 West Wickham, Kent. 



Notes on Lbpidoptera in the Poechester district op 

 Hants. — It might be of interest to record a few of the captures 

 in this locality during the past summer, which has been an un- 

 usually good one for Hght, though sugar was completely useless 

 till the second week in August. At light the most prominent 

 were : Smerinthus ocellatus, June 3rd ; Phragmatobia fuUginosa, 

 July 30th ; Drepana hamula, May 17th ; Notodonta dictcea, May 18th ; 

 N. trepida, May 27th ; Dnjmonia chaonia, May 17th ; D. dodoncea, 



