62 ' THE entomologist's record. 



believe, 28 specimens in a single night on this actual ground. As it 

 was, the only Gymatophorid to turn up was a fine C. ocularis, which 

 was gratefully boxed. Other species out of the common herd that 

 occurred not infrequently were Acronicta leporinaandi Hadenacontigiia, 

 and Pharetra ruuncis was so common and fine that I was tempted to 

 box a renewal series. There was nothing else of any rarity, but with 

 series of those already named, and good forms and well-marked 

 specimens out of the host of commoners, my supply of boxes soon gave 

 out, and I had to return to the farm and kill my captures between 

 rounds. 



Just before putting on treacle, I took eight beautiful Boarmia 

 rohoraria from oak trunks (2' (J and 6 ? ), of a form paler than those 

 from the New Forest, and therefore strikingly different from my dark 

 Ongar specimens, taken a few days later. 



My second evening was also snatched from a business trip to 

 Leeds, when rather than spend the night in a hotel in that smoky city, 

 I ran across to Warthill, just outside York, only in time to get a meal 

 and put on treacle. I had about a quarter of a pound of golden 

 syrup with me, and this I diluted with rum and water to such an 

 extent that I managed a round of some 100 trees. I was afraid I had 

 overdone it, as when I came to the end the first patches were 

 practically invisible. 



But the moths found them out all right, and from the first tree, I 

 saw I was in for a good night of it. Thirty, forty, fifty and more 

 moths were on and around every patch. I had about a hundred boxes 

 with me, but with very poor killing facilities I had to pick my 

 specimens carefully, and thus left hundreds that I would have gladly, 

 taken. The two outstanding species were Orthosia suspecta (eight and 

 ten on a tree, but many worn), and Cosmia paleacea. I brought away 

 35 picked specimens of the latter and could have taken many more. 

 Four beautiful Aplecta occulta were also very acceptable. 



In striking contrast with Wyre Forest, Cymatopliora duplaris was 

 here perhaps the commonest moth, often twenty or more on a tree, 

 but wanting much picking over. Both the dark unicolorous and 

 typical forms, with intermediates, occurred, but the prevailing tendency 

 was in the dark direction. Another most abundant species was 

 Calymnia trapezina, from which I picked out one very striking variety, 

 in colour a dull, dark brick-red, quite different from anything I have 

 seen before, with the stigmata and transverse lines much paler. 

 Another moth puzzled me at first. It was quite fresh and had a 

 strange, yet somehow familiar, look. I eventually realised that it must 

 be an abnormal second-brood specimen .of Apamea basilinea— very 

 small, dark and grey, but with quite the characteristic markings. 



Three fine black Xylophasia monoglypha were taken and soma 

 mahogany-coloured Triphaena fiDibria, shaggier and darker than our 

 southern specimens, while late in the evening Ayrotis tritici began to 

 appear in some numbers, when my boxes were all full. I was sorry at 

 having to leave these, but it could not be helped. Cleoceris viminalis 

 occurred not very commonly, including one or two almost black, and 

 such things as Noctiia haia, Caradrina taraxaci, C. alsines, Lencania 

 pallens, L. impura, and many others helped to swell a huge total.. 

 Among a few Geometers that appeared were two nice male Epione 

 piaraUelaria. Lophopteryx camelina flew up to my lamp, and before 



