NOTES ON COLLECTING-. 271 



primaries and the row of spots on the secondaries. On the 13th I took 

 a specimen of Brentkis sclene, in Avhich the black marks of the 

 primaries were ahnost obliterated, making it conspicuous even on the 

 wing. — F. C. WooDFORDE, Market Drayton. June 23rJ, 1900. 



Lepidoptera at Reading. — I was collecting beech leaves last week 

 when I found a fertile $ Stmiropus fcujl that laid well, so I packed her 

 off direct with the eggs to Mr. Bacot for description. It is a most 

 unusual time to take wild females of this species in this neighbourhood. 

 The time for the second brood is in October and November, and ayb 

 never find any of the first brood after early June. This evening I 

 have again arrived home with a fall bag — Dnjas papltia, Argynnis 

 adippe, A. aglaia, Limcnitis sibylla, &c., in large numbers and in first 

 rate condition, but I only saw four examples of the second brood of 

 Lcncophasia sinapis, and I am afraid that this insect is being worked 

 out. I captured the var. valcsina among the D. papliia ; it is rare in 

 this district. I really started this morning for wild bees but the heat 

 was so great in the sandpits that I could not continue working for 

 them. — W. Barnes, 7, New Road, Reading. Juhj 2ith, 1900. 



Lepidoptera in the Norfolk Broads. — A visit to the Broads in 

 June after Senta ulrac w^as more or less a failure, only few specimens 

 being taken by the three of us after a w^eek's hard w^ork ; one of these 

 was the ab. hipunctata. The weather Avas about as bad as it could be, 

 and things would not come to light, though we had two big lamps and 

 a moth trap, which w^as nearly burnt up owing to the oil in the lamps 

 catching fire, so we hurled in all the wet stuff we could grab, and put 

 it out at last, Fhibalaptenjx lignata was the most plentiful insect we 

 saw; Lcucania jiammea\s'Q:'S,'S,Cd,xc,Q and in bad condition, whilst amongst 

 others caught at the light were Spilosoma ^irticcw, Arsilonche alhovenosa 

 (including a ? which laid well), Hydrella unca, Xylophasia rnrca, Xoctua 

 piccia, Apaiiwa unaniinis, Lohophora sexalata, Collix sparsata, Enpithccia 

 ralcrianata, Aeidalia immutata and a good many micros, which I have 

 not yet named. Larvae of Calamia phraymitldis were swarming, and 

 we collected some from which I have bred a long series, one or two 

 quite pink. Papilio machaon was on the wing, and we found some ova and 

 a few very young larvte. A fine Sesia formicifovmis and a pupa of 

 PlKsiafestncae were also bagged, whilst larvae of Cosmotriche iwtatoria 

 were in swarms, and those of Taeniocampa gracilis abundant. A second 

 visit in July was exactly the opposite as regards insects. They simply 

 swarmed, and it was as much as three could do to box them off two 

 lamps. Leucania hrevilinea was in grand condition, also Calamia 

 phrarimitidis, and Lithosiamuscerda was plentiful, but getting a bit worn. 

 L. griseola and var. stramineola w'ere plentiful, L. conijdanula (a few), 

 whilst Cosmotriche potatoria was in such abundance as to be a positive 

 nuisance at the lamps. We also took Notodonta ziezac, Noctiia baia, 

 Toxocampa pastinum, Leucania straminca (worn), L. impura, Coenohia 

 rufa (in great numbers), Hydrclia unca (very plentiful), P. lignata 

 (second brood), Geometra papilionaria, Kpione apiciaria (with one nice 

 aberration), and Aeidalia cmarginata, w'hilst Xadaria soiex was scarce, 

 with Strenia clatJirata, Coremia tmidentata, Aeidalia immutata, A.bisetata, 

 Chile phragmitellus, C. gigantellns, and many more. We got a nice lot 

 of pupiE of Nonagria cannae, and larvas of Papilio machaon were very 

 common, and occurred everywhere, whilst those of Arsilonche albovenosa 

 were also obtained, only a few larva? of Halias ehlorana were to be found 



