ON The Lepidoptera of the chiltern hills. o 



tenebrosa, Agrotis puta, Triphcena ianthina, Noctua augur, N. 

 plecta, N. c-nigrum, N. triangulum, N. hrunnea, N. umbj'osa, 

 N. haia, Anchocelis pistacina, A. litura, Xanthia cerago, Hecatera 

 Serena, Miselia oxyacantJicB, Aplecta aclvena, Haclena adusta, H. 

 suasa (1), H. thalassina, Xylina lithoriza, Hahrostola iirticce, H. 

 triplasia, Plusia iota, Epione apiciaria, Eurymene dolohraria (1), 

 Pericallia syringaria, Odontopera bidentata, Crocallis elinguaria, 

 Ainphidasys hetularia, Hemerophila abruptaria, Cleora lichenaria, 

 Geometra vernaria, Zonosoma ojiiicronaria, Asthena luteata, Aci- 

 dalia scutulata, A. osseata, A. incanaria, A. emarginata, A. imi- 

 taria, Timandi'a amataria, Strenia clathrata, Ligdia adustata, 

 Eupithecia venosata, E. centaureata, E. satyrata, E. absynthiata, 

 E. assimilata, E. coronata, E. rectangidata, Melanthia rubiginata, 

 Melanippe proeellata, Anticlea derivata, A. rubidata, Coremia 

 propugnata, C. unidentaria, Phibalapteryx tersata, Triphosa dubi- 

 tata, Cidaria miata, C. prunata, C. pyraliata, C. dotata, Anaitis 

 plagiata, very many more common Noctuse and Geometrae, and 

 numerous Micros. From long experience, I can confidently 

 recommend "light " as an attraction for many species of moths. 

 The conditions for the successful working of light are (1) a wide 

 uninterrupted view, (2) a dark, damp evening, (3) a thoroughly 

 good light, three or four lamps with reflectors being " the thing," 

 (4) no other light near, the consequence being that in the country, 

 where there are no gas-lamps, or, where they exist, are put out 

 at midnight, this mode of collecting can be followed with success 

 nearly all the year, whilst in or near large towns this plan is 

 almost invariably a failm-e. 



Fidonia atomaria occurs on the heathy portions of the 

 Chilterns, and I have taken two specimens so remarkable in 

 appearance that they seemed to be a new species. They have, 

 however, been inspected by some half-dozen entomologists of 

 experience, and the verdict is that they are extraordinary vars. 

 of this species. No. 1 is a male, unicolorous, dark smoky brown, 

 a little darker than the ground colour of Minoa euphorbiata. 

 The wings and fringes are exactly alike in tint, and the only 

 other markings are the suspicion of a central lunule on each 

 anterior wing. No. 2 is a female, entirely smoky black. 



During a visit to Thrapston, in Northants, I beat dozens of 

 willows without taking a single larva. On my return, on 

 Sept. 8th, I at once set to work to collect autumnal larvae. 

 I found beating the oaks here to be equally a failure, and the 

 elms seemed only to produce numerous colonies of P. bucephala. 

 I then turned my attention to the beech, and was surprised at the 

 difference, for, although the species taken were few, yet their 

 numbers made ample compensation. Demas coryli larvae appeared 

 in numbers ; I often beat as many as twenty lull-fed larvae from 

 one beech. Altogether I captured hundreds of this species, most 

 of them having now safely spun up. Hylophila prasinana were 



