RURAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
I 89 
Argiolus. Is it not a very early occurrence ? [Not very.—Ed.] Can any of 
your readers give me any information as to the collection and preservation of 
larvae, also as to the breeding of them.—S. E. Allingham, 84 New Road, 
Gravesend. [We shall very shortly give an article on the breeding of larvae. — Ed.] 
Notes on Lepidoptera in Spring of 1894.—My first evening in search of 
Hybernidae was on January 25. Mild, damp evening, took several, male 
rnp icap ra ria. 
Feb. 12. Cool and blustering. Several £ rupicapraria and progemmaria. 
Latter good types mostly about five feet from the ground ; frost later. 
Feb. 19. Saw first $ A. cescularia. 
P"eb. 26. Mild and dull; took $ A. cescularia on paling. 
Feb. 27. Obtained 9 P- meticulosa which laid freely. 
Feb. 28. Several f H. rnpicapraria and progemmaria. 
March 2nd. Eggs of meticulosa changed from white to dull pinkish. 
March 7th. Eggs of meticulosa hatched; obtained in evening, besides 
cescularia and progemmaria, T. stabilis at light. 
March 9th. Larvaeof meticulosa loop in progression ; varied colours, tendency 
to dark green ; tried with several plants ; preferred pimpernel foliage. 
March 14th. First moult of meticulosa larvae ; saw good var. of leucophearia. 
March 19th. C. fagella on tree trunks in morning, got one dark var. 
March 21st. Saw first G. rhamni , cold wind, bright sun. 
March 22nd. Saw V. urticce on sallow, C. fagella on tree trunks. 
March 23rd. Mild evening, X. rhizolitha on paling. 
March 26th. Took on “ Darwin’s Barberry yellow blossom,” T. gothica, 
S. satellitia and A. bad lata. 
March 27th. Mild evening, got at blossom about 8 p.m. L. polycommata, 
C. miata, T. gothica , lithorhiza and pterodactylus. Also B. repandata larva. 
March 31st. Saw first P. brassicce, in even; got libatrix and illunaria ; 
larvae of meticulosa moulted for second time. 
April 2nd. Caught first £ A. cardamines in even, 'awe progemmaria, A. 
badiata and T. gothica. 
April 3rd. Got, T. gothica, C. suffumata and pterodactylus ; also C. uni- 
dentaria. 
April 7th. Saw Badiata , derivata and cescularia. 
April 10th. Saw Cardamines, M. stellatarum, G. rhamni. Larvae of 
meticulosa began to hide by day. 
April nth. Obtained M. fluctuata, A. polydactyla T. instabilis, E. saty- 
rata : larvae of meticulosa, which had hitherto rested curled up, now rest in 
straight line. 
April 13th. At light, S. dubitata , C. suffumata. 
April 14 th. Larvaeof meticulosa changed to brown. 
April 21st. Saw first yL caja and O.potatoria larvae ; also first S. me gar a 
out. 
April 25th Obtained several larvae of T. orbona, N. xanthographa , triangu- 
lum and B. repandata , also brumata larvae.—E. H. Porter, Trinity College, 
Cambridge. 
Spring lepidoptera at Hastings. —The present season is without doubt an 
early one, like last, as regards show. Since February 24, when I began working 
the fences I have taken H. leucophearia ( f common, only one f), X. Lithoriza 
(very common), P. pedaria, H. progemmaria, A. aescularia, D. fagella , 7 ’. 
hyemana T. stabilis (1) and one T. cruda on a water butt, B. quercus larvae 
(2). I only visited the sallows on one or two occasions and then T. stabilis 
and cruda simply swarmed. I also took T. munda, rubricosa , and instabilis 
in addition to S. satellitia. Probably if I had worked them more I should 
have added several to this list but owing to the exceptional weather they were 
quickly spoiled. I sugared on three occasions for C. Jlavicornis but without 
