i893.] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



Mr. Tutt gave his experience of a day amongst the Lepidoptera in the suburbs of 

 Paris at the beginning of August, when Colias hyale was in numbers, with Agrophila 

 sulphuralis, Acontia luctuosa, &c., &c., and many other species in great numbers. Mr. 

 Enock exhibited wheat stems containing pupae of the Hessian Fly, from Sidmouth, 

 where he found it infesting the wheat and barley, also examples of Chlorops tcemopus, 

 the destructive Ribbon-footed Corn Fly.— H. Williams, Hon. Secretary. 



General Notes. 



" Strange Butterfies : A Note for Naturalists. — During the 

 hottest part of the weather four or five weeks ago, a number of large, 

 beautiful and strange butterflies were seen in the district lying between 

 Victoria Square and Kilton Fields, and several were captured, in some 

 instances with much difficulty, as the butterflies were nearly as large 

 as birds, measuring from tip to tip of the wings five and a half and six 

 inches. There were two kinds noticed, one a pale green with beauti- 

 fully tinted moon-shaped spots, and the other, somewhat larger, brown 

 in tints, and hardly so handsome, yet possessing great heauty. About 

 a dozen of the two kinds were known to have been caught, and much 

 curiosity was shown about them as it was evident they were not English 

 butterflies. Two of these came into the hands of Mr. Robert Kirk, 

 94, Newgate Street, who, sketching them in colours, sent the drawings 

 to a naturalist in London, who in reply said he recognised the pale 

 green one as the Luna moth, and the other as the Silk Spinning moth, 

 both natives of the United States. The probability is that the pupae 

 of both moths came to England in some timber to one of the wood 

 yards in Worksop, and lying fully exposed to the heat of the hot 

 summer, the chrysalides developed into the perfect moths. Mr. Kirk 

 will be glad to show his moths, and one, the pale green Luna moth 

 may be seen at the " Times " Office, Worksop, by anyone interested 

 in this note. All the specimens are in a damaged condition." 



A correspondent has forwarded us the above cutting from the 

 " Retford and Gainsborough Times " of 8th September. The green 

 moth is no doubt Actias luna, but the other is more doubtful. The 

 conjecture as to their origin is absurd, most likely they had escaped 

 from the breeding cage of some Entomologist. Many of the American 

 Bombyces may be reared in the open air in this country. — Ed. B.N. 



The Season. — On ist September I found a young Spink just out 

 of the nest, and unable to fly. Yesterday (15th September) I saw wild 

 roses, the ordinary pink, and the small white one, both surrounded by 

 ripe hips. The Red admiral has been very abundant, and Stcllatavum 

 common. — W. A. Gain, Tuxford. 



