19 



The curious feature connected with the capture of Cucullia 

 artemisicz in this country is the unusual date. Mr. Brooks 

 says he took his two specimens on the 26th of August. On 

 the Continent, where this insect is abundant in its particular 

 localities, it is out in May and June, and the larvae would 

 be feeding on wormwood at the time Mr. Brooks took his 

 specimens. According to Dr. Staudinger Cucullia artemisica 

 and C. absinthii are both found in Germany, Switzerland, 

 Hungary, Central and South Russia, and in the Altai. C. 

 absinthii, however, has a more western range than C. 

 artemisicB, as it occurs in France, also in England. The 

 British counties from which it has been recorded are, Dorset- 

 shire, Devonshire, Cornwall, Somersetshire, Glamorgan, and 

 Berkshire. With the exception of the last-named county all 

 these are on the ccast. The first four adjoin, and Glamorgan 

 is only separated by the Bristol Channel. 



Wormwood {Artemisia absinthium), the foo i plant cf both 

 these insects, has a very wide geographical range. It is found 

 in Europe, N. Africa, Siberia, Dahuria, N.W. India, and 

 N. America. As a British plant it is local, occurring in waste 

 places. It extends from Forfar southwards. In the north 

 and west of Scotland it is rare. It occurs in Ireland, but 

 is probably not indigenous to that country. 



The occurrence this year of some of the rarer Sphinges in 

 England has caused no little excitement among lepidopterisis. 

 I have not the slightest doubt myself as to their origin. Like 

 the Colias they are immigrants in the first instance. Under 

 favourable circumstances they may breed here, but their 

 permanent establishment in England is hardly probable. 



In his article on Anosia ptexippus (formerly known as 

 Danais archippus) Mr. Jenner Weir states (Entom. xviii. 306) 

 that altogether nine specimens of this insect have been re- 

 corded as captured or seen in England this year. He also 

 adds that as regards the four specimens taken, and two others 

 seen in Cornwall (Entom. xvii. 290-292), " there is no reason 

 to doubt but that they were actually bred in this country." 

 Mr. Weir is further of opinion that there is a fair chance 

 of this handsome species establishing itself in England. Such 

 an event is one that would be most gratifying to all British 



