8076 



Insects. 



Cosmia trapezina and C. diffinis. These two species may sometimes 

 be met with at sugar, but C. trapezina is much more common than C. 

 diffinis. 



C. affinis. Common at sugar. 



Dianthcecia capsincola. I have never taken this insect on the wing, 

 but have reared it twice from the seed-vessels of Lychnis. 



Epunda viminalis. I have a rubbed specimen, but it is the only 

 one 1 ever saw. 



Miselia Oxyacanthae. Not uncommon at ivy. 



Agriopis aprilina. Never taken on the w r ing. I found two pupae 

 in the forest, both of which came to perfection. 



Phlogophora meticulosa. Common at sugar and at ivy. I often 

 find the hybernating larvae of this species in moss during the winter 

 months. 



Euplexia lucipara. I have frequently taken this species at sugar 

 and hovering over bramble blossoms. 

 Hadena oleracea. Common. 

 H. contigua and H. Genistae. Not common. 



Xylocampa lithoriza. I have taken this species three or four 

 times. 



Xylina semibrunnea. Rare ; I took a single example at ivy last 

 October. 



Cucullia Verbasci. I have bred this insect twice. The larva is 

 very common, feeding on the yellow mullein, but they are so subject 

 to the attacks of ichneumons that out of thirty or forty larvae I only 

 bred a single moth. It spins a very thick, tough cocoon under 

 ground, and changes to a yellowish pupa, in which state it passes the 

 winter. 



Anarta Myrtilli. This is certainly well named the rt beautiful yellow 

 underwing," as the combination of colours is truly lovely. This species 

 flies in the day time and only in the hottest sunshine. It is extremely 

 difficult to catch ; it will often lead you a great distance, and then 

 by a sudden sort of jerk or darting motion it is lost to your view. I 

 never took more than four. When they are in the net they have the 

 same restless propensity, and will damage themselves considerably 

 even before you secure them. The best plan is to rear them from the 

 larvae (which like the moth is very beautiful), but get them ever so 

 young they have nearly all been ichneumoned. 



Heliodes Arbuti. This minute Noctua was not uncommon in 1859, 

 although not of frequent occurrence since. 



