CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 21 



itself from the surrounding pins, and was slowly revolving on the pin 

 with which it was transfixed, its le^s beating the air. I think it some- 

 what extraordinary that this insect should have revived after a full 

 fortnight's stupor. — Edward Bansom ; Sudbury, Suffolk, Dec. 1895. 



Alpine Variety of Hesperia comma. — In September, 1894, I col- 

 lected a small series of this butterfly on the Wengern-Scheideck Pass, 

 in the Bernese Alps, at the height of about 60U0 ft. above the sea 

 level in the lower Alpine zone or region of conifers. All the specimens 

 differ from the type in being a little larger H^id possessing a mela- 

 nochroic tendency, the dark markings being more intense, and 

 occupying more space at the expense of the orange-coloured blotches 

 and spots. As this appears to be a well-marked climatic variety, and 

 not apparently having had any name attached to it, I beg to propose 

 that it be called the var. alpina. It is quite distinct from the var. 

 catena, which occurs at a greater elevation in the Pennine Alps, and 

 also in Lapland. — W. Harcourt-Bath ; Birmingham, Dec. 8th, 1895. 



Note on Bombyx trifolii. — In Mr. D. P. Turner's note (Entom, 

 xxviii. 277) he speaks of the hybernation of the larva of Bombyx 

 trifolii. My experience is that the larva does not hybernate at all. I 

 have had ova the larvae from which hatched out in the spring, but I 

 have never found larvae in autumn. As to food, the larvEe will eat 

 many things in captivity, and I have reared them successfully on haw- 

 thorn, but the main thing is providing proper ventilation and light ; 

 and without these they are generally failures whatever food they eat. — 

 Geo. a. Harker ; Grand Bassam, W. Africa, Nov. 6th, 1895. 



Entomological Club. — A meeting was held on November 25th 

 last at Wellfield, 4, Lingard Road, Lewisham, the residence of 

 Mr. Robert Adkin, who occupied the chair. Several interesting 

 species of insects were exhibited. The question of the Club's collection 

 was again brought forward, but postponed to the next meeting for 

 settlement. Two members and some fourteen visitors were present. 



CAPTURES AND EIELD REPORTS. 



Xylina zinckknii in Suffolk. — On Sept. 30th I took a very perfect 

 specimen of X. zinckenii at Copdock. It came to sugar at 6.45 p.m. The 

 wind was east, and the moon very bright, only three days from the full. — 

 John H. Hocking ; Copdock Rectory, Ipswich, Nov. '^3rd, 1895. 



Xanthia ocellaris in Britain. — The Rev. John H. Hocking captured 

 a specimen of X. ocellaris at sugar in his grounds at Copdock, Suffolk, on 

 Sept. 7th, 1895, and another exanaple came to light on the 17th of the 

 same month and was secured. Three specimens of this insect were taken 

 in 1893 and one in 1894 (Entom. xxvih. 133); it seems probable therefore 

 that X. ocellaris, like Plusia moneta, has come to stay. The species is 

 widely distributed throughout Central Europe, but is nowhere so common 

 as X. gilvago. The larva is said to feed on the buds of poplar. It would 

 be exceedingly interesting if the claim of the species to a place in the 



