NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. Ill 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Vanessa antiopa in Gloucestershire. — On September. 12th, 

 1921, a specimen of Vanessa antiopa was captured near Speech House, 

 Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, by Mr. Heslop, of 34, Henleaze 

 Gardens, Durdham Down, Bristol, which was afterwards shown to 

 me. — Geo. C. Griffiths ; Penhurst, 3, Leigh Eoad, Clifton, Bristol. 



Hydroecia micacea /. brunnea at Seaford. — I should like to 

 report the occurrence of H. micacea var. brunnea, Tutt, at Seaford last 

 August. I should be interested to learn if this form has occurred in 

 Sussex before. In general appearance it is very similar to H. pietasitis. 

 — B. H. Armstrong ; 7, Sandford Road, Bromley, Kent. 



Unusual Occurrence of Pieris rap^:. — On March 1st a 

 newly emerged Pieris rapae was brought to me, having been taken in 

 the Head Office of the London County and Westminster Bank, 

 Lothbury. It was a cold day, and the nearest square where the larva' 

 could obtain food is, I think, Finsbury. — Stanley A. Blenkarn ; 

 Burford Lodge, Boxhill, Dorking. 



Early Occurrence of Smerinthus populi, etc. — This morning 

 a $ of S. populi was brought to me which had been taken at light in 

 a barrack-room near Shooter's Hill some time during the last week of 

 January. It was in fairly good condition and had deposited a few 

 eggs which had proved fertile, but the young larvae had died. On 

 February 28th of this year Mr. M. Gaitskell, of Denstone College, took 

 a specimen of G. quaclripanctata, also at light. — Guy Stanton ; 

 Devon Lodge, Green Lane, Eltham, S.E. 9, April 16th, 1922. 



Lyoena astrarche vars. in North Lancashire. — On July 23rd, 

 1917, 1 took a fine specimen of L. astrarche with the full complement 

 of spots on upper side of wings pale canary yellow in colour, in 

 place of the usual reddish-orange spots. The spots are large and 

 well developed. This is referable to var. pallidior, Obth. On July 

 2nd, 1921, I was fortunate in capturing a specimen with the spots 

 white, exactly the colour of the fringes of this species. It is also in 

 first-class condition, but does not contain the full complement of 

 spots. On the fore wings there are only three spots near the inner 

 angle, and five better developed on the hind wings. This is referable 

 to var. graafii, ver HuelL According to Tutt's ' British Butterflies,' 

 vol. ii, p. 256, pallidior does not appear to have been previously 

 recorded in the British Isles. He states that there is a specimen in 

 the British Museum Collection taken in Norway, July loth, 1887, 

 from the Elwes Collection, With reference to graafii, the previous 

 three or four specimens have all been taken in Holland, and this also 

 appears to be new to Britain (v. Tutt, /. c). On July 3rd, 1921, I 

 took a variety of underside. The fore wings have four spots in the 

 series and the usual spot in end of cell, but in the hind wings there is 

 only the white discal spot, and another spot near the upper margin 

 present, the usual row being entirely absent. On July 7th, 1921, 

 another was taken with the fore wings containing the spot in cell 

 well developed, but in the usual series only two very small spots 

 present. On the hind wings only the white discal spot, the spot near 

 upper margin, and the upper spot in usual series, are visible. The 



