MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES AND OBSERVATIONS. 381 



Bonito. — A specimen of this fish was hung up, some few 

 months ago, in the shop of a Sunderland fishmonger, who in- 

 formed me that it had been taken in the herring nets in this 

 neighbourhood. This fish appears to be of rare occurrence in 

 the British seas, and specimens found so far north must be 

 looked upon merely as wanderers. Mr. Couch, in his "History 

 of British Fishes," notes its occurrence in the Forth, Clyde, and 

 at Whitehaven. I found it so good eating that I could v/ish its 

 wanderings were more frequent ! — Ihid. 



Notes of Local Lepidoptera. 



Sesia hembeciformis. — Plentiful. Larva numerous in old pop- 

 lars near the town. 



G. porcellus and M. stellatarum. — Larvae on yellow bed straw, 

 on the coast. 



S. 23op)uli. — Larvae numerous on poplars and willows. 



Hepialiis sylvinus and velleda. — The latter in Jesmond Dene : 

 the former numerous at Newbiggen-by-the-Sea. 



M. tristata (local). — Plentiful near Hexham. End of June. 



C. munitata (very local.) — Four specimens at Newbiggen : 

 took sixteen the year previous on the same spot. 



L. littoralis. — Four or five at Newbiggen. 



X. polyodon. — Several of the dark variety with markings al- 

 most imperceptible ; indeed., every degree of colour from light 

 bone to nearly black. 



C. graminis. — Plentiful on flowers of ragwort at Newbiggen. 



Agrotis valligera, tritici, and cursoria. — Very numerous. 

 Marsden. 



A. obelisca, about twenty, and A. aquilina, three or four at 

 Marsden (both local). 



Tripheyia suhsequa (very local). — One specimen at Newbiggen. 



CirrcBdia Xerempelina (very local). — Found one larviB at Wit- 

 ton-le-Wear on lichen on the trunk of a large ash tree on the 

 10th of May. It spun up in about ten days, and the imago 

 made its appearance on the 26th of July. 



Cramhus Warri}vj1nnelhif^ (local). — Three or four at Newbiggen. 



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