182 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



of a fir plantation, several other Lucina were 

 taken in the course of an hour. I noticed 

 altogether eleven Diurni, including Pamphi- 

 lus, Alexis, Phlcsas, and the Whites, but it 

 was amongst the day-flying moths that most 

 was to be done. Maculata were very com- 

 mon, their bright yellow wings fluttering 

 past at every step. Euclidia glyphica and 

 P. anea, three of each, with a little purple 

 and yellow Pyrale, were the next things 

 taken. A positive swarm of Carpets (M. 

 sociata ) were to be had, and the Heaths, 

 Fidonia atomaria and S. clathrata, were abun- 

 dant, the latter being very fresh and bright. 

 Startling a pheasant from the undergrowth 

 of a copse, I reached a thick wood, getting 

 one Biundulavia on a big tree trunk. 

 Cuckoos were calling their familiar note 

 in several directions, and bird life was 

 abundant enough to satisfy an ornithologist, 

 wagtails, swifts, blue tits, blackbirds, thrushes 

 and a wryneck being noticed. On a hill 

 covered with wild thyme several little moths 

 were flying which I took to be a Tortrix, and 

 after getting some Eupithecia a little rest was 

 indulged in. 



Later on in the day, after a walk over to 

 the front of the famous hill where bank 

 holiday was being celebrated in the usual 

 quiet manner by scores of cockneys — 

 "cheap trippers" as they are called in the 

 north, — a little more time was given to the 

 sides of the hill facing Headley Lane. On 

 a low, spreading branch of a huge beech- 

 tree were a pair of Hook-tips (P. ungiiicula) , 

 and resting lower down on hazel foliage was 

 a good Temerata. Most of the insects were 

 now settled. A fine Pulveraria on the grass 

 and a T. rubi with closed wings added great- 

 ly to the contents of the box. On a purple 

 flower Alveolus was also resting ; but except- 

 ing sociata and maculata, which still appeared 

 occasionally, I did not notice anything 

 worth taking. 



A few larvae off oak and whitethorn with 

 some strange beetles completed the captures, 



A freshly-killed young weasel was lying on 

 a path ; several ringed snakes were sunning 

 themselves in the early morning ; and a 

 lizard scuttled quickly by in the heather. 



Hoping that other readers of the Young 

 Naturalist were equally enjoying themselves 

 on Whit Monday, and that these rough 

 notes of a day in the country will interest 

 those who stayed at home. 



THE "YOUNG NATURALIST 

 ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE 

 OF BRITISH INSECTS. 



LEPIDOPTERA, PI. 7. 



The plate this month represents four 

 more species of the genus Lithocolletis 

 as follows : — 



L corylifolielld — This is a common and 

 distinct species, being found about hawthorn 

 hedges in May and August, the larva mining 

 the leaves of that tree in July and September. 



L. corylella — Another common species, 

 feeding in the larva state upon hazel in July 

 and again at the end of September. The 

 moths are on the wing in May and August. 

 The anterior wings are rather dull and the 

 markings pure white. 



L. sclireberella —This also is not a rare 

 species ; in some districts it is abundant. 

 Like the other species, the larva feeds in 

 July and September, and the moth appears 

 in May and August. The larva mines the 

 underside of the leaves of elm. 



L uhmfoliellcL -—Also a common species, 

 the larva mining the underside of the leaves 

 of birch in July and September, the moths 

 appearing in May and August. Stainton 

 says " From all the allied species it is dis- 

 tinguished by the position of the last costal 

 streak, which lies immediately above the 

 apical black spot," 



