1916.] REPORTS. 277 



On August 30th, Mr. Frank Drake, of Monnaie de 

 Haut, brought me a full-fed larva of Notodonta Ziczac 

 to identify. Mr. Luff and myself have each taken one 

 specimen of the imago of this moth. These I believe are 

 the only records. From the point of view of rarity, the most 

 notable entomological event was the taking of Leucania 

 L. album at sugar in my garden. We must travel back 

 45 years for a record of a visit to our Island of this species. 

 Mr. Luff took a specimen near Fermain Bay in 1871. I 

 have said " a visit," because there is little doubt that 

 specimens of this rarely taken insect, both in England and 

 here, are immigrants from France. I have a series taken 

 in Switzerland and France where it is common. 



Another moth, the geometer Melanippe rivata (the Wood 

 Carpet), appears to be very scarce here. I took two this 

 summer in the Torteval lanes. Mr. Luff took two in 1874 

 at Fermain. 



Three other insects reputed very scarce in Guernsey 

 I found to be tolerably common when you know where 

 and when to look for their larvae. The pretty little lichen 

 feeder, Cleora Tichenaria, larvae, I beat in some number from 

 an old hedge when I was unconsciously trespassing on Mr. 

 J. Bonamy Collings' ground, above his new house. The 

 owners came upon me and courteously invited me to continue 

 my hunt ; in consequence I bred about 20 specimens of the 

 moth. Agrotis strigula or " True lover's knot," is to be 

 obtained easily in the pupal stage in mid-July — under the 

 heather above Gull Rock — and near Pleinmont Point. On 

 one occasion I got seven in less than a hour. The larvae 

 of Dianthoecia Conspersa (nana), as well as D. Capsophila, 

 are to be had in some number by searching the sea campion 

 on the cliffs, with larvae of Eupethecia venosata and others. 



This year I found one solitary larva- of Lasiocampa 

 trifolii, which, as I reported last year, I had not seen for 

 a very long time. It unfortunately escaped from the breeding- 

 cage a day or tAvo later. I was more successful with our 

 Guernsey form of Dianthoecia Barrettii — var. Loioei, for 

 I bred a dozen fine specimens from pupa obtained by hours 

 of patient and exhausting labour. 



In conclusion I wish to express regret that our Society 

 does not create any new enthusiasm for the study of ento- 

 mology. We want many more observers and collectors if 

 we are really to make anything like a complete list of 

 our Island insects. There is special need of resident col- 

 lectors in the parishes of S. Peter's and the Forest. The 



