﻿NOTES AND CAPTURES. 257 



three species of Arachnida — Marpera nervosa, Clerck ; Dysdera cambridgii, 

 Thor. ; and Nemastoma bimaculata, Meig. 



A Day in Hertfordshire. — The Metropolitan Bailway extension to 

 Chesham affords a convenient means of reaching some very excellent 

 collecting-ground in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Since this line 

 has been opened I have explored the country around the two stations between 

 Bickmansworth and Chesham. Although, so far, I have not been able to 

 properly investigate its entomological fauna, I am satisfied that the whole 

 district is one which would well repay careful work, and, considered from a 

 collector's point of view, may be regarded as a land of promise. The 

 following notes refer to the Bickmansworth section : — During an autumn 

 stroll in the direction of Harefield, I last year took a good number of the 

 larvae of Eupithecia albipunctata from off flowers and seeds of Angelica 

 sylvestris. On the 28th of May, of this year, I made the same journey, 

 accompanied by Mr. B. W. Thompson. VVe commenced work by searching 

 for ova of Euchloe cardamines, and by close and careful examination of the 

 flowers of Cardamine pratensis, and another member of the Cruciferse of 

 whose name I am unfortunately ignorant, we found the little orange eggs 

 singly here and there. By the time we had tired ourselves with this back- 

 aching amusement we had obtained a fair number of ova. We next tried 

 our luck at beating the herbage for larvae, but the only species obtained in 

 any quantity was Cidaria dotata (= pyraliata) from Galium. The larva 

 of Plitsia chrysitis being a desideratum, we paid particular attention to 

 likely-looking patches of nettles, but only obtained four chrysitis and two 

 iota, — a poor return, certainly, for the amount of energy put into the work ; 

 so we determined to cease operations until we arrived on the heath across 

 which the road we were following would pass, and where we hoped to find 

 plenty of occupation. The first moth to engage our attention on reaching 

 the heath was Stigmonota inter nana; hundreds of these pretty little insects 

 were flying about the furze bushes in company with Catoptria idicetana. 

 Farther on an occasional Eupcecilia macalosana was netted as we passed 

 near some wild hyacinths. An attack was then made on the trees for larvae, 

 but the beating-stick failed to persuade anything better than Phigalia 

 pedaria, Oporahia dilutata, and Hybemia defoliaria to drop into the 

 umbrella. Searching rewarded us with larvae of Tethea subtusa between 

 leaves of white poplar ; T. retusa, on sallow ; Phycis betula, in a web at the 

 ends of birch twigs ; and Pcedisca opthalmicana, on white poplar. After 

 leaving the heath we noticed some yellow rattle {Rhinanthus crista-gatli) in 

 a grass meadow : as there was a convenient footpath through this field, we 

 entered, and were pleased to find Emmelesia albulata just out, and in some 

 abundance ; some pretty forms were secured. One or two examples of 

 Ilcliaca tenebrata (= arbuti) were also observed. Altogether very few 

 imagines came under our notice during the morning, but, in addition to 

 those already mentioned, we saw Venilia macularia, Panagra petraria, and 

 Melanippe sociata. Towards evening, when we returned to the heath, the 

 last-named species appeared in considerable numbers, and, at the same 

 time, odd specimens of Emmelesia decolorata, E. affinitata, and Coremia 

 unidentaria, were captured, as also were single examples of Argyrolepia 

 lutrtmanniana (= baumanniana) and Catoptria albersana. As the light 

 waned we packed up our traps and turned towards Bickmansworth. At 

 one time we were disposed to think that wo had been unwise in not 

 providing ourselves with lamps and sugar; but after sunset there was a 



ENTOM. — AUGUST, 18 ( J0. T 



