NOfES, CAPTUEES, ETC. It3 



added to the menu a decided preference was shown for the primrose, this 

 did not last long, and on the whole the larvae seemed to be equally content 

 with Rurnex or Taraxacum, Primula or Cratcegus. The larvae commenced 

 to go down on May 29th. As has been stated, four caterpillars hyber- 

 nated ; these were supplied with dock and dandelion in March, attained the 

 pupa state at the end of that month, and produced three female imagines 

 between 27th and 29th of April. There is no difference whatever between 

 these specimens and those obtained from the larvae which pupated in 

 October. On the 23rd of May a female was captured at Oxshott, and 

 deposited about thirty-six eggs between that date and the 28th, when she 

 died ; the larvae hatched out June 4th, and are being fed on hawthorn and 

 bramble. — Richard South; June 20, 1891. 



Statjkopus fagi in Oxfordshiee. — I doubt not 1891 will be remem- 

 bered by Reading collectors as a great fagi year ; they have appeared in 

 unusual numbers. My own share has been eleven — six males and five 

 females. I started with two males on the 20th May, and finished up with 

 a female on the 4th June ; my best take was three females on June 2nd. 

 The males were out fully a week before the females. A tree to tree search 

 must be made to find fagi, the smaller trees being the most favoured. Ten 

 moths of the eleven I found on the N. or N.E. side of the trunk ; the 

 eleventh was a cripple, which had chosen the S. side. There is every 

 probability of fagi occurring in all the big beech woods that abound on the 

 borders of the Thames Valley, finding it being merely a matter of 

 thorough and systematic searching. — J. Clarke ; Reading, June, 1891. 



ToRTRix piceana, &c., IN THE EsHER DISTRICT. — Larvas of Tortrix 

 piceana appear to be scarce this year in the pine woods around Esher. On 

 Saturday, June 13th last, the united efforts of four keen hunters resulted 

 in a grand total of four larvae and one pupa. This was rather a poor after- 

 noon's work. However, the time was not altogether spent in vain, as larvae 

 of sundry other fir-feeding Tortrices were obtained pretty freely ; among the 

 insects to be bred from these is probably Sericoris bifasciana. In the 

 evening, high-flying Tortrices were fairly common, and several fine speci- 

 mens of Pcedisca ruhiginosana, Retinia pinivorana, and R. turionella were 

 captured ; whilst a splendid female Bombyx rubi fell to the net of a member 

 of the quartette, who also captured one female specimen of Scodonia 

 helgiaria. — R. Adkin; Lewisham, June, 1891. 



Xanthia citrago Larv^ at Rotherham. — The larvae of X. citrago 

 have been rather plentiful in our district this year. Spring larvae have 

 been fairly numerous ; and altogether I have, so far, had a good entomolo- 

 gical season. — J. N. Young ; Rotherham, June 13, 1891. 



Decoy for Butterflies. — I understand that some collectors of 

 tropical butterflies find it a good plan to use a decoy to facilitate the 

 capture of the shy species of Nymphalidse. When a specimen of a desired 

 species is secured, this is killed and placed with its wings expanded, 

 either on the ground or on a twig, within easy striking distance of the 

 operator, who takes up a convenient position, where he must be, as far as 

 possible, concealed, and there await the arrival of other specimens. 

 Perhaps the would-be captor of Apatura iris may think it worth while to 

 try a decoy in some haunt of H. I. M. Probably a dry set-out specimen 

 would answer the purpose, — Riohakd South, 



