'X14 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Closteea anachoreta. — Thirty years' experience in the work of 

 Entomology has led me to think the Clostera anachoreta should retain 

 its place in the list of British Lepidoptera, notwithstanding since the 

 year 1863 it has, either on account of its seclusive hahits escaped the 

 observation of collectors, or something has occurred to remove it from 

 the locality in which its capture was first recorded. If every species 

 which comes and goes is to be expunged from the list, surely Polyom- 

 matus dispar, Ocneria dispar, and Aporia cratcBgi can no longer rank with 

 our indigenous species. Nola albuJalis presents a ease almost parallel 

 to that of C. anachoreta. Here we have an insect the habitat of which 

 barely exceeds three acres in extent. Thirty years ago it could have 

 been taken in abundance ; now it is so scarce that it would be difficult 

 for a hard-working collector to secure a series for his collection. If, 

 then, iV. albulalis soon disappears from this country (which is more 

 than probable), shall we have to regard it also as an "imported" 

 species. Dr. Knaggs's friend, to whom he so liberally presented the 

 larvae of C. anacJwreta at the time of making the discovery at Folke- 

 stone, does not seem to be over grateful to him ; when having bred a 

 sufficient number of specimens to find it a " drug," he mildly suggests 

 that the species had been "imported." Since the year 1863 C. ama- 

 choreta has apparently disappeared from Folkestone, and with it, Mr. 

 'T. H. Briggs informs us, went curtula, rechisa, and other species. Now 

 on the 19th of December, 1863, an awful gale blew the plantations to 

 " smithereens." It is recorded in the ' Folkestone Chronicle ' of that 

 -date, when two colliers went down with all hands. The poplar planta- 

 tions were on the beach. Mr. Greene pays a high tribute to the 

 entomologists of his early days. No doubt at that time they were 

 becoming more enlightened ; but who will grant him that they knew 

 as much as the ardent young students of the present day ? They had 

 not the facilities we now possess. About the year 1841 the lepido- 

 pterist is recommended to take a well-warmed empty sugar hogshead 

 into a wood or meadow, as an unfailing lure for Noctuae (Newman's 

 ' Grammar of Entomology,' p. 99). Things are managed rather differ- 

 ently now. If C. anachoreta has gone from Folkestone, it rests with the 

 lepidopterists working in the neighbourhood of Deal and Walmer, — its 

 other recorded localities, — to decide whether it no longer exists with 

 us in its wild state. Let us hope that further search will prove that it 

 is not yet extinct. — H. A. Auld. 



AN EASILY CONSTEUCTED MOTH-TEAP. 



By E. F. Studd. 



First, make a flat bottom of wood, 24 by 12 inches. To this 

 bottom fasten two sides of wood, shaped as in fig. 3 ; from a to b 

 and c to D being 20 in., rising to 24 in. at e, the point e being 

 exactly in the centre. From b to c is of course 24 in. In each 

 side make a square hole large enough to insert the arm (with coat- 

 sleeve) ; the side nearest the front being about 8 in, from the front. 



