﻿114 [October 



Occurrence of Agrotis saucia at Edgware. — On the 8th instant, I took a pair 

 of Agrotis saucia at sugar in my garden here. I fancy this insect is not often taken 

 in the neighbourhood of London. — Arthur Cottam, Stone Grove Cottage, Edgware, 

 September 15th, 1869. 



Capture of Aplecta occulta at Lee. — I have to record the capture of a single $ 

 specimen of the above-mentioned insect, which I took at sugar, at the end of 

 August. There were two other specimens of the same insect on the tree, but, 

 before I could box them, they escaped. — John T. Scott, 37, Manor Park, Lee, 

 September 7th, 1869. 



Notes on CUsiocampa castrensis, Mamestra abjecta, 8fc, at Oravesend. — On 

 the 10th of July last we paid a visit to the banks of the Thames below Gravesend, 

 for the purpose of collecting the larvse of C. castrensis. To the fact of the day 

 being one of unclouded sunshine, we are disposed to attribute the success which 

 attended our search. 



At 10 a.m. we commenced operations among a clump of their favourite food} 

 the Artemisia maritima. At this time the larvae occurred only sparingly, but, as noon 

 approached, they became much more abundant, crawling up from their retreats to 

 sun themselves on the branches of their food. After one o'clock they became 

 much scarcer, probably owing to the number of our captures, but also in some 

 measure to the circumstance of their retiring again to the root of the plant. 



We found them in several stages of their growth, some quite small and others 

 about to assume the pupa state, several spinning their cocoons on the journey home. 



By searching among the long grass growing near the top of the sea wall, we 

 found the cocoons not uncommon ; many of these, however, especially in more 

 exposed situations, were empty, the pupae having been extracted by birds. 



As none of the larvae captured were ichneumonized, we presume that birds 

 are the agents by which the excessive increase of this species is prevented. 



Having the reputation of being difficult to rear, and not being able to supply 

 the larvae with their natural food, we adopted two modes of treatment towards 

 them ; some we enclosed with muslin on a growing plant of the garden Chrysan- 

 themum, the remainder we supplied with Polygonum aviculare. They did equally 

 well in both cases, and have now all assumed the pupa state. 



Feeding them on the latter plant, however, involves a greater amount of 

 trouble, as they must be supplied with fresh food daily, for if at all faded, they 

 refuse to eat it. It is also necessary that they should be placed in a sunny situa- 

 tion, as they appear only to consume that part of the food to which the sun's rays 

 have free access. The duration of the pupa state is about three weeks, the first 

 perfect insect from the larvae collected appearing on the 4th of this month. 



At sugar at the same locality, and on the same occasion, we took several 

 beautiful examples of Mamestra abjecta .- also a few of Senta ulvce, Leucania obsolete, 

 and a number of Agrotis corticea ; and, by mothing, Acidalia emutaria, Leucania 

 phragmitidis, and L. straminea. — C. Miller and Albert H. Jones, Eltham, 

 August 18th, 1869. 



Captures of Lepidoptera at Witherslach, — On the 13th and 14th August I 



