32 



August last, and to find it in the species figured by Couch as 

 G.niger. The lesson of such a discovery seems to be that our 

 flora and fauna is not so certainly worked out as we 

 commonly take it to be, and that there are still rewards for 

 those who will set themselves to the thorough exploration of 

 a particular restricted area. 



Coming to the additional species of insects, which will 

 probably have greater interest for you, we have no less than 

 three species of Lepidoptera. 



Ophiusa stolida, Fab., is a beautiful Noctuid whose habitat 

 is in Asia Minor, North Africa, and Southern Europe. It 

 was taken at sugar by our member, Mr. Jager, near Dart- 

 mouth, in September. Its very fresh appearance when 

 exhibited at our meeting points to its having at least emerged 

 from the pupa in this country, and as Mr. Jager took it in 

 the neighbourhood of its usual food-plant (bramble), it seems 

 probable that it may have passed through all its stages in 

 this country. The capture is recorded in ' E. M. M.' p. 269, 

 1903, and a photograph and description appeared in " The 

 Queen " of December 19th, 1903. 



Thalera fimbrialiSj^Scop., a Geometer of Central, Southern,, 

 and Eastern Europe, was taken by the small son of Mr. 

 Charles Capper at Beachy Head, in August, 1902, and has 

 since been identified by Mr. C. G. Barrett {" E. M. M.," p. 

 216, 1903). 



Nephopteryx similclla, Zinck., is a new British Phycid, taken 

 by Mr. Bernard Piffard in the New Forest in June, 1901, and 

 later by Mr. C. Gulhver in the same locality. It is recorded 

 by Mr. C. G. Barrett in " E. M. M.," p. i., 1903. 



In addition to these new species it is worthy of note that 

 this has been a Cardni year, the species being specially 

 abundant during the fourth week in September, and Mr. W. 

 Eagle Clarke's experiences on the Kentish Knock Lightship 

 point to the probability that the insects came on a light 

 S.E. wind from the Continent. During the period of this 

 visitation, Mr. T. Ashton Lofthouse took at Middlesborough 

 a specimen of the Noctuid, Xylophasia zollikofcri, only 

 twice previously recorded in this country (" E. M. M.," 

 p. 290, 1903). 



Deilcphila livornica, a species of rare occurrence, has been 

 bred by Mr. Jager from a larva obtained in Devonshire, 



CoLEOPTERA : — Fivc species new to Britain have been 

 recorded. 



CEdcmera virescens, L., though taken by Mr. Jas. Edwards, 

 F.E.S., in central Norfolk, as far back as June, 1884, and 



