YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION. 
Most larvai were scarce in spring" and early summer, but 
autumnal kinds were unusually plentiful, and those of such 
common species as A. lubricipeduy A. inenthrastri^ M. brassicce^ 
H. oleracea^ and P. gamma have defoliated the gardens in many 
places towards the end of September, while the caterpillars of less 
common kinds have been proportionately plentiful. Mr. R. Moor, 
of York, for instance, informs me that on the 29th of September 
he took on Strensall Common 68 larvae of ^V. camelina^ 21 of 
B. nibi\ II of .V. dictceoidcs, 2 oi A, leporma^ and 70 of N, dmme- 
darius. 
I have received many interesting- notes on variation, and 
especially variation in the direction of melanism and melano- 
chroism. Dark forms of A', polyodon^ P. pilosaria^ O. bidentata^ 
A. rumicis, B. repandata, A. Jiebulosa, V. cambriraria, C. viminalisy 
and L. ccesiata, etc., are referred to as becoming- more numerous, 
and in some cases darker. Mr. B. Morley records caesiata quite 
black from Skelmanthorpe, and Mr. L. S. Brady refers to 
repaiidata larvae from Sheffield district producing- 75 per cent, 
of black imagines. Mr. Morley reared a number of larvae of 
A. agathina^ and found the resulting- moths all instances of 
extreme melanism. He also makes mention of indications of 
melanism in odd specimens of C. elingiiaria and A, aprilina^ and 
of melanochroism in B, perla. Mr. T. A. Lofthouse bred two 
perfectly black specimens of A. ligiislri irom Middlesbro' district, 
and Mr. L. S. Brady records two specimens of E. fasciaria of 
a "dull greenish " colour taken near Sheffield. 
Mr. G. Parkin of Wakefield sends me an interesting note 
about the breeding of some exceptionally light-Q,o\owr^<\ sports of 
O. bidcntata from black parents. 
A. ulmata has occurred in unusual numbers at Skelmanthorpe, 
and some interesting varieties have been taken. 
About 200 pupae of A. grossalariata from Barnsley district, 
taken in a garden from which some thousands of specimens have 
been reared during the past few years without showing any 
indication whatever of variation, this season produced 10 var. 
varleyata^ i smoky form, and other exceptionally light and 
dark insects. 
Not many rarities have occurred, Mr. L. S. Brady is to be 
congratulated on the capture of three specimens of E. coronata 
near Sheffield, and Mr. J as. Lee has taken S. convolvuli in 
Bradford. 
Mr. T. A. Lofthouse writes : — Only two correspondents refer 
to Tortrices or Micros in their replies. Mr. L. S. Brady notes 
having taken Tortrix semialbana and Sciaphila shiuaiia at Edlington 
(the former already recorded in the "Naturalist"), and also bred 
Euchromia mygiiidamiy Coccyx iisiomacidana^ and Coleophom 
