24 



The Naturalist. 



Rare Lepidoptera at Wicken Fen. — When at Wicken Fen last 

 month, I had the pleasure of seeing tliree specimens of Bydrilla palustris 

 m the local collector's boxes there. I ascertained that at least fifteen 

 specimens of this rare species had been taken this season. I also saw 

 long series of Macrogaster armidinis, Meli-ana flammea, and Nascia cilialis ; 

 at least a hundred of each of these species must have been secured. — Geo. 

 T. PoRRiTT, Highroyd House, Huddersfield, August 12th. 



Awphydasis hetularia (Black Yar.)— On June 1st, whilst walking 

 through Shipley Glen with some friends, my attention was called to two 

 moths which were resting on the trunk of an oak tree. On looking at 

 them I was surprised to find a pair of A. hetularia (black var.). Here 

 this variety seems to predominate, in fact very few indeed of the normal 

 form are seen. — J. W. Carter, Bradford, Aug. 17th. [Out of the only 

 four specimens I observed in this district this season, three were of the 

 black form.— G. T. P.] 



Acromjda alni. — Mr^ Wait Palmer having spent a few hours at Escrick 

 Park, the seat of Lord Wenlock, on July 25th, saw a caterpillar feeding 

 ui)on a lime tree, which he secured and brought home for me. You may 

 be sure I was pleased to see it was a veritable alni. — Thomas Foster, 6, 

 Y^ren Lane, Selby, August 13th. 



Acronycta alni in South Lincolnshire. — On the 2nd of August, whilst 

 botanising in Skegglethorpe Wood near Lincoln, with the Pev. W. Fowler, 

 I was lucky enough to espy, feeding upon the upper side of the leaf of 

 Tilia parvifolia — the small-leaved lime tree — a caterpillar that at once 

 attracted admiration and attention by its unique appearance. Its dead- 

 black velvety body, slashed across the back of each segment with a streak 

 of lemon-yellow, each segment being adorned in addition by a pair of 

 shining black bristles, enlarged and fl.attened at their free extremities like 

 the ear-rests of a pair of old-fashioned spectacles, and unlike anything 

 else in nature I ever saw, made a singular and beautiful picture against 

 the full green of the lime leaf. This was the rare A. alni, as to the food- 

 plant of which Mr. Newman, writmg in 1869, remarks there is consider- 

 able doubt ; although from its specific name it should eat alder (Alnus) 

 in a state of nature. Mr. Newman, in his " History of British Moths," 

 further states that the larva ' ' does not exhibit any symptoms of uneasi- 

 ness when handled but here he was certainly in error, if this example 

 of Alni is not the veriest untamed member of his species, for a more 

 savage larva, pugnacious and intolerant of touch, I never saw. The Rev. 

 W. Fowler can bear me out in saying the slightest touch with the finger 

 or a pencil of one of the hairs (which seem peculiarly sensitive), would 

 cause the creature to curve sharply round laterally, and attempt to seize 

 the cause of annoyance with the comparatively powerful jaws of its glossy 

 black head. It is, moreover, a cannibal, for when I arrived at home I 

 put it into a box with a couple of A . megacepluda larvte for the night ; 



