Field Xotes. 



157 



LEPIDOPTERA. 

 Biston hirtaria at Scarborough. — Mr. A. S. Tetley writes 

 me that he took a fine male specnnen of Biston hirtaria in Rain- 

 chff Wood, Scarboroug-h, in April 1902, thus confirming- the 

 old record for the species in that locality. It is rarely met with 

 anywhere in the North of England, though it occurs in Scotland 

 and in the southern counties of England, especially in the 

 London district, where it is abundant. — Geo. T. Porritt, 

 Huddersfield, 4th April 1904. 



Gonepteryx rhamni in North-west Lindsey. — On Easter 

 Day morning, 3rd April, returning from Howsham Church, 

 I passed along the north side of Howsham Wood to see if the 

 violets were yet empurpling the ground as in some former 

 springs, and saw a perfect male specimen of Gonepteryx rhamni, 

 no doubt drawn from its hybernating place by the bright sun- 

 light. Though common enough all along the wooded portion 

 of the Lincolnshire Limestone, where Rhaninus catharticiis is 

 fairly rare, I have never seen a sign of it here, though I have 

 looked out for it early and late during the last 13 seasons 

 where its food plant abounds on the boulder clay. It seems 

 strange, but in this part of Lincolnshire I only know as a matter 

 of fact that one female has been taken. Mr. F. George, of 

 Kirton-Lindsey, took it years ago. Neither my father nor 

 I have ever seen it on the wing in Lincolnshire. — E. Adrian 

 WooDRUFFE Peacock, Cadney, Brigg, 4th April 1904. 



Dicranura bicuspis as a Scarborough Moth. — The late 

 Mr. Thomas Wilkinson used to take this rare and beautiful 

 species regularly and in some numbers at Scarborough : and up 

 to about 1870 it was occasionally taken by other lepidopterists 

 in the district from York to the East Coast, and also in Cleve- 

 land. Mr. Wilkinson died in 1876, since which time, so far as 

 I know, no one has ever seen the species in our large county. 

 What has become of it ? No one can doubt that it is still with 

 us, and it is almost certain that it only wants well working for 

 to be turned up again. Mr. Wilkinson gave me the species 

 from Scarborough, and used to tell me he could always find it. 

 I made several attempts to discover its larva myself when at 

 Scarborough last August, but without success. Its food, alder, 

 however, is so abundant almost everywhere in the district that 

 one felt it was almost like looking for the proverbial 'needle in 

 a haystack.' In all probability Mr. Wilkinson used to find it in 

 one particular spot, and it is to try to induce the Scarborough 



1904 May 1. 



