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attention, and that some, well able to form an opinion, pos- 

 sibly far better than I am, have declared that there is 

 " nothing in it ; " yet, if we are to accept the theory of evolu- 

 tion, surely the frequency of these forms of variation in par- 

 ticular directions must have a significance. 



"Among the Heterocera the number of species that fell 

 to my lot was much smaller than I anticipated. During the 

 earlier part of the time, Zygcsna filipendulce, L., v^as fairly 

 common, and some specimens were in very good order, 

 evidently not long from pupa ; they were, as a rule, 

 below the average size, and in the majority of them the 

 spots were united in pairs, Macroglossa stellatarum, L., 

 was on the wing in September ; and on the 8th of that month 

 I took a female Hepialus sylvanus, L., rather a late date, I 

 believe, for this insect. The Noctuae were not particularly 

 well represented, the only species met with at all commonly 

 being Miana bicolora, Vill. {^fiiriincula^ Tr.), which occurred in 

 countless numbers and endless variety during the greater part 

 of the time. 



"Of the Geometrse, Eupithecia oblongata, Thnb., Melanippe 

 galiata, Hb., Eitbolia bipiincta^^ia, Schiff., and Aspilates ochre- 

 aria, Rossi., were the most common. Acidalia marginepunc- 

 tata, Goze., was in some numbers at rest on a rough stone wall 

 on the sea front ; and among them I secured one in which the 

 inner two-thirds of the base of the fore wings are clouded with 

 black. A few specimens of Gnophos obscuraria, Hb., that were 

 obtained, showed no variation from the usual grey coast type. 



" Among the micros, Stenia punctalis, Schiff., appeared 

 in its usual numbers, and, as is generally the case at that 

 time of year, in wasted condition. Crambiis geniculetcs, Haw., 

 literally swarmed ; and of a Phycis, probably adornatella, Tr., 

 a few specimens were seen. The Pterophori were represented 

 by Pterophorus inonodactyhts, L., of which a solitary example 

 occurred on September 8th. 



" Of the species that appeared to be less common than 

 usual three are especially worthy of mention. Bryophila 

 muralis, Forst., and B. peria, Fb., of which I found but one 

 and three specimens respectively, although I searched dili- 



