166 (July, 



Argyrolepia B aumanniana near BasingstoTce. — Taking the advice of a friend to 

 try for Argyrolepia Baumanniana amongst Soabiosa sucolsa, I did so by brushing 

 about amongst it in the daytime, and so obtained a few, but by going over the same 

 ground in the evening between 6 and 8 o'clock, I found that they were disturbed 

 very readily, and I netted about two dozen in half an hour, whereas, in the day, I 

 could only obtain half a dozen after a couple of hours' work. It was only amongst 

 S. succisa they were to be obtained, which plant grew in such abundance that it was 

 almost the only plant, except coarse grass, that was to be found ; other places in the 

 same locality where the Scabious was scarce failed to produce A. Baumanniana, 

 which fact seems to point to ;S^. succisa as a probable food-plant. — A. H. Hamm, 24, 

 Hatherly Road, Reading : June, 1893. 



Sesia sphegiformis at BasingstoTce. — Whilst brushing about amongst Scabiosa 

 succisa for Argyrolepia Baumanniana near Basingstoke on May Plst, my attention 

 was attracted to what I thought was a large black Ichneumon, which was hovering 

 round a stem of alder some three or four inches from the ground, and it was not 

 until it alighted for a moment that I recognised it as a clearwing ; however, it gave 

 me no time for reflection, for it was off and round another alder stem in the same 

 way, when I fortunately bagged it, and, to my surprise, found I had netted a fine ? 

 Sesia sphegiformis. I at once began to look for if. in earnest, but several hours' 

 work did not produce any more. I spent the greater part of next day in looking 

 for it, but did not take another, although I saw one but unfortunately missed it ; 

 however, it must have been fairly plentiful, for the empty pupae cases could be found 

 readily enough sticking out of the alder stems about three or four inches from the 

 ground, and several times I found two in one stem. — Id. 



Some early dates. — The following images I have myself either captured or 

 bred: — *Cilix spinula, kTpvW^vd. ; *Runiia cr at ceg at a, A^iril 19th; Venilia macu- 

 lata, May 3rd ; Hadena oleracea, May 4th ; *Eadena pisi, May 8th ; Plusia 

 chrysitis. May 9th ; Melanthia ocellafa, May 12th ; Emmelesia albulata, May 14th ; 

 *Arctia Caja, June 5t]i ; Plusia pulchrina, June 10th; Noctua augur {quite worn), 

 June 15th ; Cidaria fulvata {woY\\),3\xr\e 17th; *Cosmia trapezina, June 13th. 

 Those marked * are bred. I have to-day (June 18th) a larva of Vanessa Atalanta 

 hung up preparatory to changing to a pupa ! — P. L. BAEiNGTOlf, Walmer House, 

 Tonbridge : June \Qth, 1893. 



Vespa ariorea, Sm., in Ireland. — A number of female wasps, captured in April 

 and May by Mr. R. M. Barrington near Bray, Co. Wicklow, and kindly forwarded 

 by him, included, besides numerous Vespa vulgaris, V. rufa and V. norvegica, a 

 single V. sylvestris and two examples of the rare V. arborea. This species has not 

 yet been recorded as Irish. Like many northern and mountain forms it may prove 

 not uncommon in this country if looked for. The only British species of Vespidm 

 now unknown in Ireland is V. crabro, the hornet. — GrEO. H. Caepentee, Science 

 and Art Museum, Dublin : June, 1893. 



[I have seen these examples, and they certainly are Vespa arborea ; still it is a 

 very curious fact that both worker and male are unknown. The '^ is certainly 



