1893.] • 113 



that are among beech trees, since we have thousands of wych elms in the vale where 

 thei'e are no beeches, but find no ulmata amongst them. — A. Nash, Standish Vicarage, 

 Stonehouse, Gloucestershire : April, 1893. 



Uarly Lepidoptera. — On the day of the visit mentioned above (Easter Monday, 

 April 3rd) we had abundant proof of the peculiar forwardness of the season. Pier is 

 brassiccB, rapm and napi, and Anthocharis cardamines, were numerous. On the 

 high ground Thecla rubi was met with in several places, and Pararge ^geria was 

 flitting down all the woodland rides. In the woods themselves Demas coryli was 

 found at rest on a stump, and on the trunks of the beeches TepTirosia consonaria 

 and biundularia. Many of the Tineina were enjoying the bright sunshine ; indeed, 

 , the insect world appeared to imagine it was May. — Id. 



Pieris rapce in March. — It is perhaps worth recording that I to-day (March 

 26tli) captured a fine male specimen of Pieris rapa. Is not this an usually early 

 date for the appearance of the perfect insect ? We have had splendid weather here 

 the last ten days ; Vanessa urticce and lo and Phodocera rhamni have been on the 

 wing pretty continuously since March 8th. Of the Heteroeera, Brephos Parthenias 

 has been fairly common, but local. — P. L. Babington, Walmer House, Tonbridge : 

 March 2Qth, 1893. 



[I once saw P. rapa: on the wing on March 2nd, but am convinced the indivi- 

 dual was the result of a larva that had crawled into some exceptionally sheltered 

 position in order to metamorphose. — R. McL.]. 



Retinia retiferana, Hein. (vice margarotana, H.-S.J, a British species. — Among 

 some specimens of Continental species, received last winter from Hei'r August Hoff- 

 mann, were two Tortrices, labelled respectively Betinia margarotana and 22. 

 retiferana. At a glance it was obvious that the insect under the former name was 

 not that which was obtained in this country a few years ago by Mr. Hodgkinson ; 

 but the second species agreed well with it. Upon referring to Herr Hoffmann he 

 obligingly called my attention to a paper by Dr. M. P. Wocke, in the " Zeitschrift 

 fiir Bntomologie," Breslau, 1879, in which it is stated that the species described as 

 margarotana by Heinemann does not agree with that previously figured, but not 

 described, by Herrich-Schaffer, under that name. Dr. Wocke takes upon himself 

 the responsibility of the error, he having reared and forwarded to both Heinemann 

 and Ratzeburg specimens of what he then supposed to be margarotana. More 

 recently he reared from cones of Pinus sylvestris, found in Bohemia, specimens of a 

 much darker species, which he recognises as agreeing with the figure of margarotana, 

 H.-S., from the colour of the head and palpi, the dark colour of the fore-wings, and 

 the white cilia of the hind-wings. He, therefore, proceeds to give the species which 

 he had formerly obtained the name of retiferana, but, somewhat inconsequently, 

 does not describe it, being satisfied with Heinemann's accurate description, but goes 

 on to describe the other, which H.-S. had merely figured. He, however, says that 

 retiferana feeds in spruce fir, that it is recognisably described by Heinemann, and 

 that all that it is necessary to add is, that the hind-wings are light grey, with still 

 paler grey cilia. I need not go further into the description of this species, as that 

 by Heinemann is given in Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xxvi, p. 49. 



