OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1903. 
113 
jlavicincta was especially abundant, a score of them being taken 
on one round on the few patches of sugar spread on my-apple-trees, 
and among other species which appeared at the same time in some 
abundance may be named Noctua C-nigrum, Anchocelis pistacina , 
A. lunosa, A. litura , Cerastis spadicea , C. vaccinii , and Hypena 
rostralis. Of the last-named a long and variable series was taken. 
Other insects which came in smaller numbers to sugar in October 
included Noctua plecta r Mania maura , and the common red 
underwing, Catocala nupta, which has a habit of settling on the 
bark of trees or on a fence, the mottled greys of its fore-wings 
harmonising remarkably well with its surroundings and rendering 
it almost invisible except to the trained eye of the experienced 
entomologist. In order to illustrate this curious instance of 
protective colouration I have brought for inspection a specimen 
taken last Autumn on an old apple-tree in my garden ; and when 
viewed from a short distance, sitting as it is with its wings closed, 
I think that you will not find it easy to detect its presence. With 
it are some examples which have the wings expanded, showing 
the brightly-coloured posteriors, and in this attitude the moth is 
a striking object. 
At this same period of bright autumn weather there occurred 
a great immigration of the painted lady butterfly ( Vanessa cardui). 
This beautiful insect was to be seen in abundance almost every¬ 
where, even I am told in Hyde Park and other open spaces in 
the Metropolis. There is a curious feature about this influx of 
painted ladies—they were of a much lighter colour than they 
usually are with us, a fact which Mr. Barrett thinks shows them 
to be migrants from some warm country where bright sunshine 
forced them forward and prevented the deepening of their hues. 
They were present in Hertfordshire as elsewhere, delighting the 
eye in all our gardens as they flew from blossom to blossom. 
Lord Aldenham wrote to me on October 12th, drawing attention to 
the abundance of V. cardui in his grounds. He informed me that 
among them were four very beautiful insects which he thought 
might be V. huntera , a North American species which has occurred 
several times in England. Having no net with him, Lord 
Aldenham could not capture them, and therefore it is impossible 
to say with absolute certainty that we have been favoured with 
a visit from this interesting Nearctic species. An unfortunate 
break-up of the weather—for the bright spell did not last long— 
prevented me from availing myself of Lord Aldenham’s kind 
invitation to investigate the matter for myself. Another butterfly 
which was particularly numerous at this time was the red admiral 
( V. atalanta ), which settled on the michaelmas daisies, opening 
and closing its scarlet-banded wings with a fan-like rhythmic 
motion after the manner of its kind. The patches of sugar which 
had served as allurements to Noctuse on the previous night proved 
very attractive, and I could have easily captured dozens, sitting- 
on the tree trunks sunning themselves and sipping the attractive 
sweets. 
VOL. XII. —PART in. 
