NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 257 



could be seen in mid-September. I took a specimen of A. bellargus 

 with a blue spot on the underside, also one semi-obsoleta, but aberra- 

 tions were scarce in both bellargus and corydon. Out of a batch of 

 12 C. croceus larvas seven produced females, of which two were of 

 the helice form. I have not seen croceus myself during the last two 

 months but a fair number have been seen in the district. I found 

 about 12 M. aurinia in the spring, all males, but have still to find 

 the headquarters of the insect. — Walter Pierce ; The Bungalow, 

 Terry Eoad, High Wycombe. 



POLYGONIA C-ALBUM IN STAFFS AND HEODES PHLAEAS AB. 



schmidtii.— Mr. Overton, of Fairfield Mount. Walsall, and I took 

 a small copper, ab. schmidtii, in Sutton Park, Warwickshire, a 

 day or two ago ; it was a perfect specimen. Also I took P. c-album 

 in a garden here (Staffs), which I think is rather unusual. — J. D. W. 

 Shedden; 69, Highgate Eoad, Walsall, September 26th, 1921. 



Stauropus fagi in Epping Forest. — I was pleased to find that 

 S taur opus fag i is still to be found in its old locality of Epping Forest, 

 as this year on September 15th I beat out a small larva, and 

 another full-grown specimen on the 18th of the same month. — A. W. 

 Mera ; 5, Park Villas, High Eoad, Loughton. 



Percnoptilota fluviata in Lancashire and Westmorland. — 

 In all six specimens of this species have been taken locally this year. 

 My own Westmorland dates are May 11th, June 5th and June 23rd, 

 taken at light early in the evening (Witherslack). Mr. A. E. Wright 

 has taken three also, at a light in one of his windows. These are 

 Lancashire, therefore. The latest date (July 24th) seems to indicate 

 that the species may have bred in this country this year. Newman 

 and South consider it very rare in the north. Dr. Ellis' old 

 Lancashire and Cheshire list mentions, two specimens only for Lanes. 

 Dr. Forsythe's Lancaster list (Ent. 1905) makes no mention of it. 

 Mr. Wright also has a specimen that was taken at St. Anne's, 

 Lancashire, within the last few years. — Dr. Lowther ; Fernleigh, 

 Grange-over-Sands. 



Scarcity op Spilosoma lubricipeda. — At the conclusion of his 

 notes on Lepidoptera in the Alton District (antea, p. 231), Mr. 

 Stowell says he has seen but one single specimen of S. lubricipeda 

 during the last four years, and asks whether it is getting scarce. 

 During the same period I have not seen even one in this district and 

 the same question has occurred to me. It used to be one of our 

 commonest species. I should like to know if a similar experience 

 has obtained in other parts of the country. — (Eev.) J. E. Tarbat; 

 Fareham, Hants. 



Ichneumons Attacking Cocoons of Cerura bifida.— A few 

 days ago when examining cocoons of G. bifida, pupa' of which I had 

 reared from ova during the past summer, I was surprised to notice in 

 several a tiny hole neatly drilled. Being curious to account for the 

 presence of these I opened the cocoons showing them. Ln nearly 

 every case I discovered the enclosed pupa to he dead and packed 

 with the full-fed grubs of some small species of ichneumon. Ln one 

 of the cocoons opened the parasite had evidently not long made its 



ENTOM. — NOVEMBER, 1922. Y 



