Shoet Notes and Queries. 



103 



with good digestion, but the idea of a wrtJi or any of the small birds in 

 Mr. M.'s list (and 80 per cent, of his list are small birds) eating rather 

 more than half a pound per diem is incredible. Yet Mr. M. credits every 

 insect-eating bird in England with an equal daily performance, including 

 in his lists such species as the swallow, the martin, the sand martin, 

 and the snipe ! How are these birds, which spend almost the whole of the 

 day circling in the air, each to obtain 300 caterpillars daily ? The absurdity 

 of accusing these species of such a daily consumption of caterpillars 

 reflects much upon Mr. Mosley's want of sufficient ornithological know- 

 ledge to handle such a subject. The same remark also applies to his 

 wish to have your readers believe that such species as the twite, the 

 quail, the nightjar, the Ray's wagtail, and the woodpecker are equally as 

 common British birds as the chaffinch and the greenfinch. I have no 

 hesitation in saying that Mr. M. will not find many, if indeed any, 

 sympathisers with him, should he wish to have the numbers of the species 

 of birds he condemns in any way diminished : and I also, as a dweller in 

 the country, assert they are not by any means too numerous. In 

 conclusion, I would remark that Mr. Mosley has shown an over-anxiety 

 to make out his case against the birds, as bats, shrews, &c. , must destroy 

 more insects than many of the birds which he has specified can do ; but 

 he himself admits he can scarcely credit the results of his own ingenuity. 

 — Thomas Carter, Burton House, Masham. 



Lepidopterous Captures near York. — C. Porcellus, one specimen. 

 Strensall Common, 1883 ; Z. ^sculi, one specimen, Tadcaster, 1882 ; L. 

 Mesomella, abundant, Sandburn, 1883 ; C. Plantaginis, larvae at bottom 

 of coot's nest amongst reeds in splash on Strensall Common, 1882 ; E, 

 Apiciaria, common at Askham Bogs, and fairly so on Gutter side, Clifton 

 Ings, York, 1883 ; E. Fasciaria, Sandburn, seven or eight specimens, 

 1882, two specimens, 1883 ; P. Syringaria, one specimen at Sandburn, 

 1883 ; P. Cytisaria, one, 'Sandburn, 1883 ; G. Papilionaria, seven 

 specimens, Sandburn, 1883 ; P. Bajularia. seven or eight specimens, 

 Sandburn, 1883 ; A. Blomeraria, two specimens at Helmsley, 1882 ; E. 

 Punctaria, a few, Sandburn, 1883 ; A, Strigilaria, Strensall and Sand- 

 burn, fairly common, 1883 ; E. Minutata, several at Sandburn, 1883 ; 

 T. Firmata, one, Strensall, 1882 ; C. Unidentaria, two or three, 

 Sandburn, 1883 ; D. Furcula, larvae from Strensall Common, 1883 ; H. 

 Popularis, Sandburn and York, 1882 ; G. Trilinea, common at sugar, 

 Sandburn, 1883 ; A. Yalligera, fairly common at sugar, Sandburn, 1883 ; 

 0. Suspecta, seven or eight specimens, Sandburn, 1883 ; A. Apriiina, 

 nine or ten specimens, Sandburn, 1 882 ; H. Protea, fairly common, 1882 

 and 1883. --W, Hewett, 26, Clarence-street, York. 



Entomological Notes. — I have just added to my collection a series 

 of Sussex specimens of Scoparia ingratalis. The species is very 

 closely allied to S. pyralalis, and is probably often passed over as that 

 insect. I have also received specimens of Cryptoblabes bistriga and 



