276 1:he entomologist. 



slowly, and steadily with bellows. I have myself taken many nests in this 

 way. As a rule, the numerical strength of the nest will be found to 

 correspond to the size of the hole, a weak nest being entered through only 

 a small aperture.— F. A. Walker, D.D.; Dun Mallard, Cricklewood. 



CAPTURES AND FIELD EEPOETS. 



CoLiAS HTALE AT Chichester. — On August 14th my brother, Mr. F. 

 Anderson, took two fine Colias hyale in a clover field here, and owing to 

 the cane unfortunately slipping out of the net, and a high wind at the 

 time, which carried the insect out of sight, missed another. On the 16th 

 another specimen was captured. Any notes respecting the genus Colias 

 will this year be especially interesting and valuable, after the abnormal 

 abundance of Colias edusa in the preceding. It is very remarkable that up 

 to the present time not a single Colias edusa, nor its variety helice, has 

 been seen here; in marked contrast to the swarms of last autumn. 

 Equally singular too is the absence of the Vanessas, — atalanta, io, cardm, 

 and urticcB, and of Plusia gamma. — Joseph Anderson, Jun. ; Chichester, 

 August 17, 1893. 



Colias edusa in Cambridgeshire. — On Friday, August 18th, I 

 was walking across a stubble-field about 6 o'clock in the evening, when a 

 specimen of Colias edusa flew up in front of me. I had not a net with me, 

 but I captured it under my hat. It was a male. — (Miss) M. Wilson ; 

 The Vicarage, Guilden Morden, Eoyston, August 21, 1893. 



Vanessa c-album, &c., at Cheadle. — I have just returned from a few 

 days' visit to a place near Welshpool, where I have been taking Vanessa 

 c-album in fine condition, and a second brood of LyccBua argiolus. Amphi- 

 pyra pyramidea came freely to sugar. — E. W. H. Blagg ; Cheadle, Staffs., 

 July 27, 1893. 



AcHERONTiA ATROPOS, — Last Week I received two fine larvae of 

 Acherontia atropos from potato gardens here, and being full-fed they at once 

 buried in the cocoa-nut fibre provided for them. As I have not previously 

 bred this species, I shall be glad to know if it would be better to force 

 them in the spring or to leave them to come out naturally. — Douglas H. 

 Pearson ; Chilwell, Notts, August 12, 1893. 



[Possibly the imagines may emerge in September or October. — Ed.] 



Acherontia atropos. — I bred a fine female of this moth from a larva 

 found on potatoes on August 5th, 1892. It was a very noisy insect, 

 protesting vigorously with loud squeaks when handled whilst being chloro- 

 formed. On the 12th July last, a larva was brought me, which went to 

 earth immediately on being placed in the flower-pot. — Joseph Anderson. 

 Jun. ; Chichester, August 17, 1893. 



Gnophria rubricollis, L.— What is the usual time of appearance of 

 this species? According to Newman the moth emerges in August, and a 

 writer in the 'Entomologist ' for February last (p. 62) states that it used to 

 be taken in Gloucestershire in that month, but that it was taken in June 

 last year in Somerset. I can vouch for its still earlier emergence, as my 



