FORTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT, FOR I908. 
19 
vibex in fair numbers at Skelnianthorpe as usual. Messrs. G. 
T. Porritt and J. W. Carter found a few line Didyopteryx 
mortoni and an exceptionally early Glossosoma vevnale by turning 
over stones on the River Wharfe at Grassington, on April i8th. 
Lepidoptera. — Mr. B. Morley, one of the Secretaries, reports 
for Lepidoptera that the insects comprised in the order have been 
more common g-enerally during the past season than in 1907. 
Spring larva are reported as having been common, especially 
herbaceous feeders. " Sugar " vuas very attractive from mid-June 
to mid-September. In the West Riding the commoner species 
swarmed, while many of the more local species were not uncommon. 
After mid-September sugar was not of nuich use. The flowers of 
ragwort, campion, wound-wort, and especially heather were well 
visited by many species, and many noctuae that are not attracted 
by either " sugar " or flowers have been found common. 
The geometrse have not, however, been as much in evidence 
as the noctuae, and perhaps always below the average. 
Melanism has been very noticeable in many species as becom- 
ing more frequent. 
Records of the following are worthy of special note : — 
Acherontia ah'opos, many from various parts of the county ; Sphinx 
convolvidi^ at Leeds and Horbury ; Agroiis obscura and Cirr/uiedia 
xerampelina^ at Hull ; Epione paralellaria, scarce at York ; Dasy- 
polia tevipli^ at Lartington, and common at Skelmanthorpe ; 
Hydroecia petasitis, common at Huddersfield and Normanton ; 
Cymatophora fluctuosa^ at Wakefield ; and Agroiis agathiiia^ at 
Skelmanthorpe. 
Abraxas grossulariata claimed the attention of many lepi- 
dopterists in the county, immense numbers of larvae having been 
gathered and reared in captivity, the result being the addition 
of some very fine varieties to collections. 
The following Officers were elected for 1909 : — 
President — B. Morley, Skelmanthorpe. 
Secretaries — (For Lepidoptera), A. Whitaker, Barnsley, and 
W. Hewett, York ; (Hymenoptera, Hemiptera and 
Diptera), W. Denison Roebuck, Leeds ; (Neurop- 
tera, Orthoptera, and Trichoptera), G. T. Porritt, 
Huddersfield; (Coleoptera), H. H. Corbett, Doncaster. 
Representative on Executive — W. Hewett. 
Representative on Committee of Suggestions — W. Hewett. 
Coleoptera Committee. — The work accompHshed by the 
members of the Coleoptera Committee of the Yorkshire Naturalists' 
Union during the past season is very satisfactory in both quantity 
