19 
sitlerable numbers. During the month of September I did some 
persistent sugaring in the neighbourhood of Torquay, where two 
ritellina fell to my lot. With the exception of those two insects, the 
result of three weeks sugaring was very poor. The next best species 
taken was ambiyua, in quite small numbers; a long and varied series 
of sand a and seyetuni, a few snff'usa, one or two pitta, single specimens 
of alandif'era and pyramidea, a few' c. niynnn, a varied lot of Itowxa with 
pixtacina, and a fair sprinkling of the usual pests, such as zanthoyrapha, 
etc. The day-collecting was quite as unproductive as the night, the 
only species seen were a good number of eyeria, most of the Vanessidae 
including carditi and one or two aryiolns. The species frequently so 
abundant at that time of the year, as second broods, such as phloem , 
adonis, Iranis and ayestis were entirely absent, which seems remarkable, 
as in other localities the second brood of pldoeas has been in strong 
evidence. 
As regards ainhiyna, this insect appears to be decreasing in 
numbers again very considerably. As doubtless most of us know, it 
was formerly considered a great rarity, and was not even mentioned as 
British, when Newman’s British Moths was published. In the year 
1895 I was sugaring with my friend, Mr. A. J. Hodges, at Freshwater, 
when a specimen of ainbiytia was taken, and at the end of the night’s 
catch when the take was divided, ambiyva was a set-off against albi- 
jnincta, which shows in what estimation it was then held. Very soon 
after that, ainhiyna increased greatly in numbers, until by 1900 it was 
one of the commonest insects at sugar during the latter ehd of August 
at Torcross, South Devon. Its range had then extended certainly from 
Hampshire to Cornwall, but apparently it never went far inland. 
Now I am told by the local collectors near Torquay that last year only 
a few specimens were taken, and this year there were even less. My 
own experience bears out the statement, as I only took three specimens 
in three weeks. It is, by the way, a species easy to breed. I had a 
batch of ova sent me during the years of plenty, and the larvae 
would feed on almost anything, and seemed remarkably hardy, which 
makes it all the more unaccountable why it does not firmly establish 
itself throughout the country. 
Among other captures of rareties which are worthy of note, is that 
of Sten ha sacraria, taken by Mr. Edelsten in Devonshire. This is one 
of those insects whose habits are still unknown to the collector. The 
fact of its having occurred at various times in widely diverse situations, 
seems to suggest that it is an indigenous species, and possibly like 
andreniformis, only requires further knowledge of its habits to make it 
an obtainable insect. Two of the rare Sphinyidae have occurred this 
year in the Bournemouth District. Pinastri has been taken by Mr. E. 
P. Reynolds, and enphorbiae by Mr. W. G. Hooker. Both these insects 
have fought hard at various times for a place in our British list, and 
the above-mentioned records should go far to convince those ento¬ 
mologists who may desire their elimination, that they should be 
undoubtedly admitted. Pinastri in the Bournemouth district is par¬ 
ticularly interesting, as it shows that the insect is not entirely confined 
to its Eastern Counties habitat. Another occasional visitor which 
calls for remark is that of plexippus, which was found dead at 
Bembridge, Isle of Wight, by Mr. Heath. This species may possibly 
xviii. 
