NOTES ON OOLLECTINO. 847 



Odonestis potatoria larv^ hibernating a SECOND WINTER. — I have 

 a caterpillar of the above, which I took with others in May last, at 

 Chichester, which were nearly half-grown, having hibernated through 

 last winter. Some died whilst others fed up and the imagines duly 

 emerged, but the caterpillar in question fed very slowly, and since 

 September 28th has eaten nothing. It is perfectly healthy-looking, 

 and its body firm. It has now been dormant nearly two months. Is 

 this not a singular occurrence ? — Ibid. 



Malacoso.ma neustria in 1899. — I have taken the caterpillars of 

 this species at Snodland, near Rochester, Portslade, Folkestone, Hythe 

 and Chichester. Imagines emerged from July 19th, 1899, to August 

 1st, 1899.— Ibid. 



NoCTUA DITRAPEZIUII L.-UlViE COJIMON ON HaMPSTE.U) HeATU. It is 



several years ago now since I first bred Noctua ditrapeziam from larvaa 

 taken on Hampstead Heath, bat then it was only one or two moths 

 each season. Last year I was more fortunate, breeding just two dozen 

 imagines, but this season, 1899, the larv;e were quite common. I have 

 bred more than forty imagines and my friend Mr. Riches about three 

 dozen ; we also know of other collectors who have been breeding 

 the insect from larvae taken on the heath. The larv;B seem very 

 general feeders, we have found them on birch, apple, whitethorn, 

 sallow, bramble, bracken, and even stinging-nettles. The best time to 

 look for them is about midnight, especially if the night should be a 

 windy one. We have found more larvie on stormy nights and on the 

 more open and exposed parts of the heath during the month of May. — 

 W. A. SouTHEY, 51, Crossley Street, Liverpool Road, N. 



Collecting Lepidoptera in 1899. — I did not really start the 

 season until May, except for a few evenings at sallow, and these were 

 without much success, as the nights were so cold. Insects have seemed 

 to emerge very erratically this year, and larvae were terribly stung. 

 Larvffi of Apamca ophiogramma were very common this year in the 

 garden, not so Plusia moneta, however, of which I only got one. I 

 think the cold must have killed a good many, as I found traces of 

 others. Cuciillia chamomillae occurred again this year; I captured six. 

 A visit to Lyndhurst early in June did not produce such good results 

 as usual, beating was very slow work. Larvae of Zcji/n/rns (jnercns were 

 common, also those of A(/rotis agathina (which have since hatched well). 

 Lasiocaiiijia tri/ulii fairly plentiful on the heaths, also Anarta wi/rtilli, 

 Sdidoscma pluinaria, Noctua mylecta, Eupithccia nauata, Pachycnctnia 

 hippocastanaria, a few Catocala prornissa and C. sponsa ol'f the oaks, alto 

 Asphalia ridens, Nola Htriyula (8), Amphidasi/s prodromal ia, Knnomus 

 erosaria. Nothing came to sugar worth mentioning, while. Macaria alter- 

 nata, Hyp^ipeU-s iinplunata, Eupisteria heparata, Liydia adiistata, Drcpana 

 falcula, Cidaria rassata, Kpione advenaria, Litliosia inetunnella, Sec, Hew at 

 dusk. One <? Stauropusfa</i on a tree trunk, and cases of aPsychid (I think 

 Taleporia tubulosa (jiscudobo)nbijcdlaj, were found on tree-trunks, logs, 

 and bracken. I bred a large number of Portlusia chri/sorrhoea from 

 Southend larvae. I had a week at the Broads in August ; we were late 

 for Xoiuviria cannac, but got a few between us. The moorhens had 

 pecked out some ten examples from every dozen pupjp, whilst the 

 attacks of ichneumons, &c., leave one in doubt as to how the insect 

 can possibly exist. Lcueania hreriUnea was fairly common at light, 

 also Tapinoitola fulca, Coembia riifa, Nonagiia cannae, Hydroccia 



