1875-1876.] x 95 



my note book the following entry regarding an evening's capture 

 at sugar — "17th June. Sugared eight trees — on visiting them 

 found 96 moths, amongst which were T. derasa, A.putris, A. suf- 

 fusa, A. exclamationis , corticece, G. trilinea, T. pronuba y M. 

 oleracetz, Brassicce, thalassina, C. cubicularis, L. cotnma, P. meticu- 

 losa, H. protect, X. rurea, polyodon, N. plecta. At flowers the 

 same evening C. umbratica in considerable numbers, and C. Elpenor" 

 Light is another trap for catching moths. The plan I have found 

 best is a moderator lamp on a small table at the window, with a 

 looking glass behind to reflect the light. Candles are apt to be 

 blown out, and many moths will singe their wings unless the light 

 is protected from them. Two inverted tumblers on the table, with 

 a piece of cotton wool dipped in chloroform, to which each 

 moth as captured is at once transferred, will enable the collector to 

 examine at rest each specimen, and reject any that he may not re- 

 quire before life is extinct. If the moths are coming in thickly, as 

 they sometimes do, it is very difficult to examine each one in the 

 net without letting many escape, and the moths are excited and 

 restless, and without the chloroform will not remain sufficiently 

 quiet to permit of an inspection. I have read an extract from my 

 note book about sugaring, I will now read one about an evening's 

 captures at light. "June nth — Found at 8^ this evening, a fine 

 specimen of Colias Ednsa upon the under side of a leaf of digitalis 

 on the road side. A great deal of thunder and lightning with 

 rain throughout the evening, during which the moths came into the 

 room in immense numbers. I am sure there were not less than 

 50 of the Ermines, 6". menthrasti and lubricepeda, in the room at 

 once. Captured specimens of C. Chamomillce, R. tenebrosa, A. 

 triplasia, L. co?nma, M. protea, and oleracea, A. Rumiris, and M. 

 Atrip/iris." Both these extracts are concerning captures in the 

 County Wicklow, where I was curate at the time. I have, however, 

 a note of an evening's sugaring last year, late in the season, in the 

 neighbourhood of Belfast. "30th Sept., 1875. At sugar at Chi- 

 chester Park. A. Saucia and suffusa, very fine, also M. Oxyacan- 

 thce, O. Iota, and macticnta, N. xanthographa, and P. metuutosa. 



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