338 THE entomologist's eecoed. 



could be said to approach black. Hypenodes costaestrigalis was 

 commoner than I have ever before seen it and I set some fifty 

 specimens. Of species hitherto unrecorded for North Staffordshire, I 

 took two, viz., Agrotis obscura and Pyralis f/laucinalis, whilst Xylophasia 

 scolopacina was taken, a species, of which only one example had 

 hitherto been recorded. Besides Venusia cambrica and Eiqyithecia 

 debiliata, Eucosmia undtdata was in much greater numbers than usual. 

 From August 9th-12th I visited Cannock Chase for Stilbia anomcda 

 and Melanthia bicolorata, which, strange to say, were both below their 

 average numbers. As sugar towards the end of August was of little 

 use, I used, as I have before noted (ante., p. 273), a strong light in a 

 peat-bog with much success, and obtained — on August 28th, three 

 Luperina ccqntis, one Epione apidaria, and numbers of Noctua rubi 

 and Phibalapteryx vittata ; on the 29th, one Trichinra crataeyi, one 5 

 Ennomos tiliaria and many P. vittata and N. rubi (unfortunately on this 

 night I was obliged to leave the spot at 9 p.m., before L. cespitis began to 

 fly) ; on August 30th, a very cold night and rather starlight, only a few 

 P. vittata and N. rubi occurred, and moths ceased to fly at 9 p.m. ; on the 

 31st, wind west and very rainy, twenty-two L. cespitis, two T. crataeyi, 

 and many N. rubi and P. vittata ; on September 1st, wind north, 

 twelve L. cespitis, eight or ten P. vittata and N. rubi, but nothing 

 came after 11 p.m., whilst nearly all the L. cespitis appeared to be quite 

 freshly emerged specimens. With the exception of one specimen 

 the insect has not been recorded from here before, and the date strikes 

 me as being very late. For attracting the moths, I used a large duplex 

 petroleum lamp in square glass box, something like a street lamp, and 

 no upright sheet. Many of the insects settled or fluttered on the 

 glass and were easily boxed. On the ground in front, I had a large 

 white sheet on which most of the L. cespitis dropped and waited to 

 have the box put over them ; they then immediately walked up and 

 rested on the side of the box. Most of the A^ rubi, too, were quite 

 fresh specimens, and certainly belonged to a very late second brood. 

 Of the Plusias all but P. yamma have been unusually scarce this year in 

 this neighbourhood. I may further add that since my note [antea, 

 p. 273) I have had two larvfe of Aclierontia atropos brought to me, one on 

 October 5th, and one on October 10th. The latter does not seem 

 healthy, as, though it has turned colour, it has not yet gone down, 

 and seems sluggish ; I expect it has been hurt. The former is still small, 

 and feeds on jasmine, as potato leaves are now hard to get. On the 

 evening of October 9th it poured, but sugar was exceedingly good for 

 moths : — Eighteen Calocaiiipa exoleta, six Misclia oxyacantiiae ab. 

 capucina, two Ancliocelis macilenta, A. rujina abundant, and in all 

 manners of condition ; Orrliodia vaccinii swarming, a few Scopelosnma 

 satellitia, and two quite fresh Peridroma saucia, a species I have only 

 taken here once previously. We get no really good autumn moths, even 

 Calocampa vetusta has only been taken three times. Larva-beating has 

 been profitable, in two days I obtained over 70 larvte of Hadena con- 

 tiyua, besides about a dozen of those of Leiocawpa dictaeoides, a great 

 many (Jymatopjhora duplaris, a fair number of Notodonta dnnnedarius, 

 N. camclina, Hypsipctes impluviata and Eupisteria heparata, whilst 

 Auiphidas>/s betularia larvffi were especially abundant. — F. C. Woodforde, 

 Market Drayton, Salop. October lOtli, 1900. 



Autumnal Lepidopteka l\ Guernsey. -^On July 24th I watched 



