﻿fcOTES, CAPTURES, EtffJ. 379 



invariably produce the normal form. The " Huddersfield soot theory " evi- 

 dently will not do here. Possibly the nutritious value of the food has 

 something to do with it. Cabera pusaria and Phalera bucephala were both 

 abundant, the latter unusually so. Ragwort yielded Eupithecia absynthiata 

 and E. castigata, and I also got E.fraxinata, E. assimilata, and E. exiguata. 

 One of the chief prizes of the district, viz. Acronycta leporina, was con- 

 spicuous by its absence, which applies also to Panolis piniperda, usually 

 fairly plentiful. I heard that Cosmia paleacea (fulvago) had been turned 

 up on the Chase this year by a Birmingham entomologist. This makes 

 another addition to the already long list of insects to be found there. I 

 believe it is stated that the brown form of the larva of N. dictcea only occurs 

 after the last moult. I have taken a large number of these larvae, and I 

 find, if they are kept in a box or case, the interior of which is not well 

 lighted, every larva, irrespective of size, will become brown, or at any rate 

 much more brown than they originally were : irrespective of size and age, 

 the younger individuals do not assume such a dark and well-marked brown 

 coat as their seniors, but the yellow line on each side disappears, and the 

 whole larva becomes a dirty yellow in colour. At the end of the season , 

 about the beginning of October, when the poplar leaves become scanty and 

 yellowish in colour, the larvae rest mostly on the twigs, and even when 

 feeding they insure their safety by retaining a hold on a twig by means of 

 their anal claspers. These larvae are all, or nearly all, of the brown type, 

 and some will be found that have not undergone their last moult. These 

 larvae may be found full fed from the end of July to the middle of October, 

 and this also applies to the larvas of A r . dictceoides. They do not seem to 

 be double-brooded, as I have never bred the perfect insect in the autumn 

 from the early larvae. I have found the imago of N. dictceoides in good 

 condition as late as the 7th of September. I have never, however, taken 

 an imago of N. dictcea, plentiful though the larvae are about Rugeley. At 

 this present time (October 3rd) I have half-grown specimens of both N. 

 dictcea and N. dictceoides, and I got both full fed the first week in August. 

 — Richard Freer ; St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, W. 



New Forest Notes. — I have read with much interest Mr. E. G. 

 Alderson's notes on his experiences at Lyndhurst during the last week of 

 June (Entom. 258); and now forward a few observations concerning the 

 Lepidoptera seen by me from the 13th to 26th July, in the same neighbour- 

 hood. The weather during the first half of my stay was very unsettled, 

 but it improved greatly afterwards, and the result was, consequently, rather 

 more encouraging than that recorded by your correspondent. Argynnis 

 paphia was fairly common, the females appearing more abundantly towards 

 the end of the mouth ; I only saw two specimens of the var. valesina. 

 A. aglaia occurred sparingly on the heaths, and A. adippe was represented 

 by a solitary specimen. In the enclosures Epinephele ianira, E. tithonus, 

 E. hyperanthes, Hesperia sylvanus and H. thaumas [linea) were abundant and 

 in fine condition. Limenitis sybilla was less common than usual, and the males 

 were mostly worn. I was surprised at only taking three Thecla quercus, 

 and in one enclosure — where this species was abundant in 1880 — none 

 were to be seen. Of the genus Lyccena the only representative was 

 L. agon, which was plentiful on the heaths, and in good condition. Satyrus 

 semele was just appearing when I left the Forest, but I managed to secure 

 a few fine males. Among the Heterocera the Noctuae were, with the two 

 exceptions of Agrotis strigula and Anarta myrtilli, a blank, for I did not 



