3§ 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



threads, these being covered with countless numbers 

 of larvae, having been dislodged by the wind, and 

 which were endeavouring to reach the higher 

 branches, where a few green leaves remained, 

 before succumbing to starvation. It was evident 

 that many had perished en route. The species 

 comprised, consisted chiefly of the geometrid genus 

 Hybernia, together with Cheimatobia brumata, Oporabia 

 dilutata and Phigalia pedaria (pilosaria). Among 

 Noctuid larvae, Tceniocampa stabilis was present, and 

 an unusual number of T. mundi. The following 

 day, it was observed that the young beech, near 

 Dorking, was showing signs of being severely 

 attacked by C. brumata. 



On May 27th, a cold windy morning, I visited 

 some localities for Lycana bcllargus (adonis). They 

 were just emerging in profusion, being littered all 

 over the patches of Hippocrepis comosa, but owing 

 to the violence of the wind, many were unable to 

 dry their wings properly, several cripples result- 

 ing. Among species bred this month, may be 

 noticed a few Coremia quadrifasciaria, from ova 

 laid by a female captured at Grays, Essex, 

 the larva; having been hibernated on dead-nettle. 

 Also a few Drepana harpagula (sicula) from larvae 

 obtained the previous autumn at Bristol. One of 

 these emerged from the pupa, but was unable to 

 force an exit through the cocoon. 



Early in June the effects of the bitter weather on 

 young tree vegetation became everywhere visible. 

 This was specially in evidence in a wood a mile 

 south of Claygate, where there were acres of young 

 ash trees, all the recent shoots hanging limp and 

 blackened. 



On June 8th Nemeobius lucina was still to be seen 

 in its favoured localities. Towards the end of the 

 month a visit to South Devon showed things in a 

 better light. The cliff vegetation near Salcombe, 

 apt at this time of year to be parched and brown, 

 was in unusual luxuriance. The butterflies by this 

 time were conspicuously late in appearance. 

 Argynnis selene was just appearing on the 26th. 

 when Thecla rubi was still abundant. The most 

 abundant species by far was Vanessa cardui, hiber- 

 nated specimens of which were everywhere. It was 

 difficult to find a thistle on the coast, which, on search- 

 ing, did not reveal the presence of ova of this species. 

 Eupithecia venosata and Acidalia subsericeata were met 

 with at dusk, and Dianthcecia nana (conspersa) came 

 to light, while Arctia villica might be seen dashing 

 about among the bracken on the coast in the sun- 

 shine. Among larvae, a specimen of Argynnis 

 paphia was found, sunning itself on a stone, Bombyx 

 quercus was common everywhere, and a few B. tri- 

 folii were met with. On June 30th, Lycana cegon 

 was just appearing on the cliffs near Exmouth. 



On returning to Surrey in July, lepidoptera 

 generally were found more abundant. In a chalk 

 pit, well-known to me for producing unexpected 



species, Toxocampa pastinum and Aventia flexula were 

 met with, the latter having been taken in the same 

 spot five years previously. Vanessa io seems to 

 have been remarkably scarce everywhere this year. 

 No larvae were noticed by myself, and only two 

 imagines, one near Betchworth (Surrey) in August, 

 and one here (Isle of Wight) on the 30th of 

 September. On August nth, a specimen of 

 Lycana argiolus was observed to alight on an ivy 

 spray, about ten feet from the ground, and presently 

 fly off. On reaching down and examining the 

 spray, an egg was found to have been laid towards 

 the centre of the immature flower umbel, on the 

 side of one of the buds. This egg unfortunately 

 proved infertile, nor would the insect (subsequently 

 captured) be persuaded to deposit any more, when 

 confined over the plant. 



About August 26th, Plusia gamma began to be 

 much in evidence, and, during the remainder of 

 the season, which was spent by me in the Isle of 

 Wight, continued to abound, by day and at dusk, 

 till the middle of November. The cocoons I 

 found commonly spun up amongst various leaves, 

 principally nettle. Colias edusa was fairly common 

 in the Isle of Wight ; not conspicuously more so 

 on the coast than in suitable inland localities. 

 A fine male specimen was boxed off Scabiosa 

 succisa as late as September 6th, and the last seen 

 on September 29th. Vanessa cardui though common 

 was not nearly so abundant as the prevalence of 

 hibernated specimens earlier in the year would 

 have led some to expect. Vanessa atalanta was an 

 abundant species in all its stages last Autumn, the 

 last specimen seen being on November 4th, on 

 ivy-blossom. A curious freak of Triphana pronuba 

 was observed on September 12th, when a specimen 

 was seen to fly to successive blossoms of hemp and 

 agrimony and extract honey from them, at mid-day, 

 in broad sunshine. 



Larvae of various species were late. A cluster 

 of Phalera bucephala only half-an-inch long, were 

 feeding on sallow near Cowes, on September 15th. 



Sugaring proved vastly attractive here, during 

 the first half of October, before the much-delayed 

 ivy-blossom was in flower. About twenty species 

 of common autumnal Noctuce showed up in 

 abundance, but nothing of any rarity was observed. 

 One of the commonest species vjz.sAnchocelis rufina. 



A very good plan for attracting specimens of the 

 genus Xanthia, I found to be to gather up a handful 

 of the taller grasses, and secure them — sheaf-fashion 

 with a circle of wire — under the flowering portion, 

 and then sugar them. 



The bulk of moths had disappeared, or were 

 much the worse for wear, by the time the ivy- 

 blossom was at its best. To my surprise, a few 

 full-grown larvae of Lobophora viretata were beaten 

 from the ivy late in October ; they quickly spun up. 

 Carisbroohe, Isle of Wight ; January 22nd, 1895. 



