THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



5 



females as near alike as they could be. T have been pretty successful. I 

 have a series in which you can hardly tell where the males end and the 

 females begin, the difference in structure only telling where. I examined a 

 large number of males in the hopes of findiug varieties, of course the light 

 portions varied from clear white to yellow, but what I wanted was to see if 

 I could meet with anything striking, but out of some hundreds I only met 

 with three worth calling varieties. The female, as I said before, varies from 

 specimens nearly like the males (and which are rare) in marking, to orange 

 without any markings, and to quite a smoky colour. 



I have also seen remarks about Anarta Myrtilli being very difficult to 

 catch. I find that by searching the heath in the evening at the time stated 

 above, you may find them at rest on the tops of the heath, and as a rule in 

 splendid condition. Whether they only emerge in the latter part of the day, 

 and crawl up the heath to dry their wings and stop there till next day, I am 

 unable to say, but I find it a great deal easier to pick them off into the 

 killing-bottle, then to run after them in the hot sun. 



Below is a list of insects I have met with by this method : — 

 H. hectus. — I have met with specimens where the silvery markings are carried 



on to the hind wings. 

 H. lupulinus. — Not so common as the next. 

 R, velleda. — Common. 

 H. hamuli.-— „ 

 U. sambucata. — Once. 

 B. cratcegata. — Common. 



M. margaritata. — Commonly, and frequently before the green colour has 

 faded. 



E.fasciaria. — Frequently. I met with a splendid dark variety this year. 

 E. dolabraria. — Twice. 



S. illunaria.— Occasionally. The summer brood. 

 8. lunaria. — Once. 



0. bidentata. — Very common, sometimes a dark variety of the male. 



A. betularia. — Occasionally, sometimes the black variety. 



B. repandata. — „ 



T. biundularia and punctulata. — These are common on the tree trunks, but 

 I frequently find them on the grass just emerged. Biundularia occurs 

 all shades, from the light form to nearly black. 



/. lactearia. — This as a rule is bleached when you find it, but I met with one 

 this year before that process had taken place. 



E. punctaria. — Occasionally. 



A. aversata. — Frequently, sometimes the dark-banded red variety. 



