174 



NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA. 

 Lepidoptera near York in 1884— r send you a few notes of my 



doings during 1884. which I hope will interest some of your readers. Macroglossa 

 stellatariim does not visit this locality every season. It may therefore be worth 

 putting on record that I noticed one example, and had a second given to me which 

 had flown into a dwelling-house in this neighbourhood. Orgyia gonostig7na. I 

 secured a few larvse of this species in Askham bogs. From these I bred male and 

 female ; they paired ; and from them I had a batch of eggs, which hatched in due 

 course, and from which I have some two or three hundred larvae hybernating. 

 Dj-epana falcata7-ia has been rather common in the larval state this season, on 

 birch, in Askham bogs. Aniphydasis strataria from a gas lamp. Tephrosia crepiis- 

 cularia from the bole of an oak. Gcenietra papilionnria. T was successful in 

 beating from some hazel bushes a female, which laid a supply of eggs; these hatched, 

 and the little fellows fed well enough until they passed their second moult, when 

 they stopped feeding, and showed signs of hybernating. This is a very difficult 

 process for the breeder, as I know by experience, having had several clutches 

 through my hands. It has always been the case that when feeding time comes 

 round again their numbers wei-e sadly diminished. It must be owing to the delicate 

 nature of the larvje. Eiipithecia vaierianata. In one of my rambles after insects, 

 I accidentally met with a batch of the larv^ of this species. Having had a good 

 two hours' beating after them I was just turning to return home when I pulled a 

 handful of the valerian, and lo ! to my surprise, several larvse were amongst it. I 

 had often before looked for it, but always without avail. After this I worked well 

 for it, and was highly pleased with the results. 



The Tortrices have not met with that attention which they deserve, owing to 

 the greasy nature of the imagos after being set. I have, however, taken a few 

 Penthina corticana and P. ockroleucana, which two species I met with by beating. 

 Tortrix viridana was exceptionally abundant, and stripping the oaks of their 

 leaves. Of Tortrix costana I bred several fine varieties from larvae found feeding 

 on Iris pseiidacoms in Askham bogs. EphippipJiora similana I bred from larvae 

 beaten out of birch. Stigmoiiota gerniarana I found amongst my captures. On 

 referring to Mr. Porritt's 'Yorkshire List,'* I find that this species has not been 

 recorded from York before. EipcEcilia nana, found here for the first time ; a new 

 record for York. Bcdya servillana. Being in Askham bogs in May, beating for 

 lepidoptera and hymenoptera, I turned this insect up amongst sallows. It is new 

 to Yorkshire, as I do not find it mentioned in Mr. Porritt's list. Pyrodes rheediana 

 I turned up amongst hawthorn by beating ; not recorded from York before. 



Of the interesting group Tinese, I met with a few which I had not previously 

 turned up in this locality. Fwnea intermediella. Beat a case of this species out 

 of birch in Askham bogs. Lampronia prcBlatella, in the middle of the day in an 

 orchard, at rest on a plum-leaf. Incurvaria niuscalella. rather common ; by beating 

 amongst hawthorn. Szoamnierdamia griseocapitella^ out of birch in Askham bogs. 

 Cerostoma vittella, found at rest on the trunks of elm and oak, in the chinks of the 

 bark. Of Depressaria pimpinellce, I met with the larvae in the flower heads of 

 Pinipiitella magna, and reared therefrom a long series. In Mr. Porritt's ' York- 

 shire List ' Stainton is given as the Yorkshire authority, the species not having 

 been recorded since his work was published in 1857. Gracilaria stigmatella, 

 several examples bred from larvse taken in September 1883. Stainton's 'Manual' 

 the last authority for York. Or nix loganella, by beating. Coleophora liinosipcn- 

 nella, cases from birch and gale, and also the imago beaten from birch in Askham 

 bogs. C. discordella, by mothing. Bedellia so7nmilcntella, caught on the wing. 

 Elachista apicipniictella beaten out of the lower branches of oak, in Acomb Wood. 

 I may say that in the naming of some of the above, I had the help of Morris's 

 'British Moths.' — Thomas Wilson, Holgate, York, February lo^h, 1885. 



Satyrus tithonus in Lincolnshire.— As Mr. j. w. Carter, in his 



note in the December Ahitiiralist, after mentioning that Newman gave no records 

 of the occurrence of this generally common species in Lincolnshire, gives only 

 Owston Ferry and Gainsborough as localities in which he has observed it, I may 

 state that in the neighbourhood of Louth and on the sea hills at Mablethorpe it is 

 abundant. In this latter situation S. tithonns and Cxnonyinpha pamphihis are 

 the commonest butterflies. — H. Wallis Kew, Louth, 22nd December, 1884. 



Naturalist, 



