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attention, and that some, well able to form an opinion, pos- 

 sibly far better than I am, have declared that there is 

 " nothing in it ; " yet, if we are to accept the theory of evolu- 

 tion, surely the frequency of these forms of variation in par- 

 ticular directions must have a significance. 



"Among the Heterocera the number of species that fell 

 to my lot was much smaller than I anticipated. During the 

 earlier part of the time, Zygcena filipendulce, L., was fairly 

 common, and some specimens were in very good order, 

 evidently not long from pupa ; they were, as a rule, 

 below the average size, and in the majority of them the 

 spots were united in pairs. Macroglossa stellatarum, L., 

 was on the wing in September ; and on the 8th of that month 

 I took a female Hepialus sylvanus, L., rather a late date, I 

 believe, for this insect. The Noctuae were not particularly 

 well represented, the only species met with at all commonly 

 being Miana bicolora, Vill. (furuncula, Tr.), which occurred in 

 countless numbers and endless variety during the greater part 

 of the time. 



"Of the Geometrse, Eupithecia oblongata, Thnb., Melanippe 

 galiata, Hb., Eubolia bipunctaria, Schiff., and Aspilates ochre- 

 aria, Rossi., were the most common. Acidalia marginepunc- 

 tata, Goze., was in some numbers at rest on a rough stone wall 

 on the sea front ; and among them I secured one in which the 

 inner two-thirds of the base of the fore wings are clouded with 

 black. A few specimens of Gnophos obscuraria, Hb., that were 

 obtained, showed no variation from the usual grey coast type. 



" Among the micros, S tenia punctalis, Schiff., appeared 

 in its usual numbers, and, as is generally the case at that 

 time of year, in wasted condition. Cr ambus geniculeus, Haw., 

 literally swarmed ; and of a Phycis, probably adornatella, Tr., 

 a few specimens were seen. The Pterophori were represented 

 by Pterophorus monodactylus, L., of which a solitary example 

 occurred on September 8th. 



" Of the species that appeared to be less common than 

 usual three are especially worthy of mention. Bryophila 

 muralis, Forst, and B. perla, Fb. ; of which I found but one 

 and three specimens respectively, although I searched dili- 



