788 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



of the species not having been hitherto met \vith nearer than Kil- 

 larney or Wicklow. 



The follo-ndng are some of my most interesting captures, many 

 of them having been recorded only once before in Ireland, and the 

 first three are quite new to our list. 



(F. E., Favour Royal ; F., Farnliam) : — 



Hypsipetes ruberata, F. E. 



Emmelesia affinitata, P. R. and F. 



Acentropus niveus (Pyralidse), P. 



Hypsipetes impluviata, F. E,. and F. 



J^umeria pulveraria, ,, ,, 



Lobophora hexapterata, ,, ,, 



Lobophora viretata, F. 



Lobophora lobulata, F. E,. 



Ptilodontis palpina, F. 



Cymatophora duplaris, F. E. and F. 



Cymatophora or, F. 



Xylophasia hepatica, F. 



Taeniocampa gracilis, F. E. 



Biston hirtaria, F. ' ■ 



Xola cristulalis, F. E. 



INIiana arcuosa, F. E. and F., and several othei's. 



The specimens taken quite confirm the observation of ITr. Birchall, 

 that our Irish Heterocera are frequently characterized by more strik- 

 ing pencilling and brighter colouring than those of England. "WTiether 

 this proceeds from insular variation, or heredity, is a question which 

 the formation of a good Irish collection might cast some light upon. 

 And it appears to me that a comparison of a good series of our insects, 

 which have apterous females, with those of the Continent would afford 

 some approximation to a test of variation ; seeing that their introduc- 

 tion hither must, with little doubt, have taken place at an enormously 

 remote period. 



Among the sun-loving Ehopalocera, southern latitudes or warm 

 situations produce brighter colouration, and as we approach sub-arctic 

 regions or higher mountain altitudes paler colours and blurred delinea- 

 tion characterize the specimens. With the Heterocera, however, the 

 contrary, to a certain extent, seems to obtain. Some variations of 

 interest occurred at both localities. The variety "combusta" of 

 Xylophasia rurea was somewhat abundant ; and at Farnham I took 

 two specimens of the ab. Gallicus (Lederer) of Hepialus velleda. The 

 type of Melanippe montanata, taken in Shetland (var. Hethlandica), 

 seems identical with some taken at Farnham. 



