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THE

f#NTOMOLOGIST

^n Illustrated |aurnal

GENERAL ENTOMOLOaY,

EDITED BY JOHN T. CABEINGTON, F.L.S.

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF

T. R. BILLUPS, F.E.S.

EDWARD A. FITCH, F.L.S., F.E.S.

RICHARD SOUTH, F.E.S.

J. J. WEIR, F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.E.S. F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D. F.L.S. F.E.S.

" By routual confidence and mutual aid Great deeds are done and great discoveries made."

VOLUME THE TWENTY-SECOND.

LONDON: SIMPKIN, MABSHALL, & CO., STATIONEES' HALL COUBT.

1889,

" The soul and Nature are attuned together. Nature breathes nothing unkind, expands, or cahns, or softens us." — Channing.

♦* When I Nature's wise instruction seek, With light of power my soul shall glow."

— Goethe.

" To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty. The tribes of birds and insects, like the plants, punctual to their time, follow each other, and the year has room for all. — R. W. Emerson,

CONTENTS.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS.

Adkin, Robert, F.E.S., 7

Adye, J. M., 75, 236, 258, 281

Allen, Rev. W. E. R., 185

Anderson, Joseph, 72

Andrews, S. P., 280

Arkle, J., 113, 186, 202, 211, 236, 236,

262, 291 ASHMEAD, W. H., 290 Atmore, E. a., F.E.S., 74 Balding, G., 114 Baxter, T., 47 Belben, Ed. Philip, 237 BiGNELL, G. C, F.E.S., 139, 306 Billups, T. R., F.E.S., 193, 214, 290 Bindley, R. C, 14, 280 Birkenhead, G. A., 74, 256, 259 Blabeb, W. H., 17, 261 Blagg, E. W. H., 162 Blair, J. C. 0., 14 Blathwatt, C. R., 238 Bliss, H. T., 258

Bloomfield, Rev. E. N., F.E.S., 77, 280 BoDEN, C. J., 256 BosTOCK, E., 307 BOULT, J. W., 211 Bridger, Marcus S., R.N., 280 Briggs, C. a., F.E.S., 16, 75, 139 Brunetti, E., 81, 230 BucKELL, Francis John, M.B., 234 BucKLAND, J., jun., 113

BUCKMASTER, W. NORTH, 211

BucKTON, G. B., F.R.S., F.L.S., 269 Butler, W. E., 15, 256, 2«3 Cambridge, Rev. 0. Pickabd-, F.E.S. ,

214 Capper, Samuel James, F.E.S., 14, 236 Cablier, E. W., 19 Carpenter, G. Herbert, 46 Carpenter, H. J., 256 Carr, D. W., 261 Carrick, Wilfred, 307 Carrington, John T., F.L.S., 50, 77,

117, 120, 138, 166, 168, 185, 189,

192, 241, 256, 312 Carthew, R. J., 73 Catto, W., 279 Chamberlain, A. N., 141 Chappell, J., 113

Clark, J. A., F.E.S., M.P.S., L.D.S.,

140, 145 Clarke, J., 47 Clifford, J. R. S., 212 Cockerell, T. D. a., 1, 13, 20, 26, 54,

74, 98, 113, 125, 141, 147, 176, 185,

188, 190, 198, 226, 243, 306 Conquest, H., 160, 163 Copley, Walter, 234 CoRDEAUx, John, 189 Craske, Mrs. M., 255 Cregoe, J. p., F.E.S., 141 Cross, Mrs., 260 Dale, C. W., F.E.S., 12, 214 Dale, Edward R., 17 Davis, W., 211 Daws, Thos., 160 DiGBY, Rev. C. R., 138 Distant, W. L., F.E.S., M.A.I., 144,

308 Dixon, H. J., 306 Druitt, a., 72 Dunning, J. W., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.E.S.,

265 EssoN, L. G., 187, 235, 259 Farren, W., 78 Field, A. J., 72, 77 Fitch, Edward A., F.L.S., F.E.S., 237 Flemyng, Rev. W. W., M.A., 112 Fowler, J. H., 18, 282, 284 Freer, R., 77, 114 Frindell, G. C, 257 Frohawk, F. W., 290 Gardner, Philip T., 160 Gardner, Willoughby, 117 Goss, H., F.L.S., F.E.S., 48

GOSTLING, A., 112

Grapes, G. J., 110, 284, 308 Graves, Spotswood, 15 Griffiths, G. C, F.E.S., 48 Hale, Rev. J. R., 160 Hall, A. E., 15, 77, 161, 212, 213 Harrison, J., F.E.S., 139 Hart, G. W., 162 Headly, C. B., 114, 280 Henderson, T. J., 73 Hewett, G. M. a., 21, 76, 212 Hewett, W., 73, 76

IV

CONTENTS.

HiGGS, M. Stangeb, F.E.S., 211, 256, 260 Hill, H. A., 13, 21, 46, 260, 278, 283 Hodges, Albert J., 212, 307 HoDGKiNsoN, J. B., 114, 164, 212

HOLDSWOKTH, C. S., 281

HovENDEN, Sidney C, 257

Hudson, G. V., F.E.S., 19, 50, 53, 164,

165 Inchbald, Peter, F.L.S., F.E.S., 22, 87,

284 Jackson, Hugh, 77, 186 Jansox, Oliver E., F.E.S., 40, 100 Jefferys, T. B., 114, 164, 188, 233, 235 Jones, Frank M,, 279 KiRBY, W. F., F.E.S., 149 Leech, J. H., B.A., F.L.S.,F.E.S., &c.,

25, 62, 106 Lewcock, G. a.. 114, 237 Luff, W. A., 75 MacSwaine, J. B. S., 237 Mann, Harold, 160, 278 Marindin, L. F., 306 Mason, T. G., 234, 259 Meade, E. H., F.E.C.S., 87 Melvill, J. Cosmo, F.L.S., 235, 236 Merrifield, F., F.E.S., 14t» Miller, Edward Ingleby, 169, 195 Milton, F., 113

Mitchell, Alfred T., 72, 73, 115 More, A. G., F.L.S., 117 MosLEY, S. L., F.E.S., 112 Mullens, F. A., 257 Murray, H., 16, 260, 261 Naylor, Miss Hilda G., 140 Newstead, E., 187, 279 NoRRis, Frank B., 182 Oldham, Charles, Ormerod, Miss Eleanor A., F.E.S.,

F.E. Met. Soc, 190 Partridge, Major C. E., 43, 56, 116 Pearce", W. T., 21 Perry, J. F., 73 Place, H. G., 187, 212 Prideaux, E. M., 88, 186 Potter, E. G., 187 Eaine, W. T., 74 Eobinson, S., 113, 117 Eobinson, T., 237 EODGERS, J. T., 49 Sabine, E., 278

Sansom, T. E., 211

scowcroft, w. e., 47

Searancke,N.F., 212,261

Sellon, Leonard S., 259

Sheldon, W. G., 47, 49

SiMEs, James A., 210

Smallwood, Eev. G. A., F.E.S., 21

Smith, Eev. Bernard, M.A., 101

Smith, C. B., 282

Smith, W. W., 37

South, Eichard, F.E.S., 29, 102, 217, 271, 281

Stares, M. J., 260

Stevens, Samuel, 306

Stiff, A. T., 160

St. John, Eev. J. Seymour, B.A., 49, 50, 162, 165

Stokoe, Cecil G., 211

Stott, C. E., 262, 281

SwiNTON, A., 14, 139

Sykes, H. D., 188. 260

Tarbat, Eev. J. E., M.A., 256, 258

Tearoe, C. a., 160

Thompson, E. H., 15

Thorpe, John, 162

Tuck, W. H., 258. 263

TuNLEY, W. H., 259

Tutt, J. W., F.E.S., 9, 14, 15, 41, 68, 94, 104, 109, 121, 134, 140, 152, 160, 163, 179, 187, 188, 204, 229, 235, 236, 250, 272, 276, 285

Tyrer, J., 46

Wainwright, C. J., 166

Walker, Eev. F. A., D.D., F.L.S., F.E.S., 157, 189, 222, 246, 273, 299

Wall, W. W., 256

Walpole, Thomas, 22

Warburg, J. C, 257

Webb, H. J., 211, 279, 289

Webb, Sydney, 138

Weir, J. Jenner, F.L.S., F.E.S., 73, 288

Wellman, J. E., 278, 279, 282

White, H. J., 235

White, W., F E.S., 116

Whittle, F. G., 150

WiLLsoN, Thos., 259

Winkle Y, Mark H., 282

Winkworth, J. T., 257

Woods, A., 281

YouENS, Clement T., 257

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF SUBJECTS.

Aberrations in the genus Vanessa, notes

on some, 217 Acidalia humiliata, Hufn., on the

synonymy of, 312 Acronycta alni near York, 187, 235 ;

larva of, in Gloucestershire, 260 ;

leporina in Perthshire, 260 Aglia tau, 139, 186 Agrotis agathina at Beading, 15 ; on

the Shirley Hills, 49 ; cinerea at

Brighton, 187; corticea, melanic var., 15, 48 ; lucernea in Kincar- dineshire, 235

Amphidasys betularia, var., 49 ; buff var., 113, l(i2; var. doubledayaria, natural pairing of, 236

Anobium paniceum, destruction by, 140

Anthocharis cardamines, var., from Thame, 72

Arctia caia, 259

CONTEi^TS.

Arctiidffi, description of a new species

from New Zealand, 53 Argynnis aglaia, var., 233 Argyrophinga antipodum, some notes

upon the variation of, 37 Atherix ibis, 193 ; note on parasites, 290 Bactra furfurana in Norfolk, 114 Bedfoedshire — Polyommatus phloeas

(diminutive) at Sandy, 46 Beetle, new Goliath, from Central

Africa, 40 Berkshire — Agrotis agathina at Read- ing, 15 ; Colias edusa, 256 ; hyale

near Reading, 256 ; Epinephele

hyperanthes, var. arete, 257 ;

Sphinx convolvuli, 258 Bombus terrestris in London, 263 Bond, Frederick : in memoriam, 265, 306 Books reviewed : —

' Monograph of the Sphingidae, North

of Mexico,' by John B. Smith, 120 'An Introduction to Entomology,' by

Prof. J. H. Comstock, part i., 120 'Australian Butterflies,' by Sidney

Olliff, 168 'Notes and Descriptions of a few

Injurious Farm and Fruit Insects

of South Africa,' compiled by

Eleanor A. Ormerod, 192 A Contribution towards a Catalogue

of the Neuropterous Fauna of

Ireland,' by Jas. J. F. X. King, 192 The Butterflies of the Eastern

United States and Canada, with

special reference to New England,'

by Samuel Hubbard Scudder, 288 'A Monograph of Oriental Cicadidae,'

by W. L. Distant, 312 ' Notes on an extraordinary race of

Arctia mendica, Linn.,' by George

T. Porritt, 312 British Orthoptera, 169, 195 ; Stratio-

myidse, 83, 130 Buckinghamshire— Deilephila galii at

Eton, 14 ; Lepidoptera, 165 Butalis laminella in Kent, 140 Butterflies, Spring, at Hy^res, 182 Butterfly, description of new, from

Trinidad, 149 ; parasites on, 237 Callicera wnea near Totnes, 77; near

Great Berkhampsted, 77 ; at Guest- ling, 77 Calocampa solidaginis near Sheffield, 15 Calymnia pyralina, 35 Cambridge Fens, a fortnight in, 236 Cambridgeshire — Vanessa antiopa,

16ii; Colias edusa, 278 Cannock Chase, notes from, 114 Cantharis vesicatoria at Wimborne, 284 Caradrina ambigua in the Isle of Wight,

235 ; quadripunctata, 162 ; hyber-

nating, 187, 212 Catocala fraxini in Hants, 260; near

Winchelsea, 261; in Kent, 282;

sponsa near Winchelsea, 261

Catoptria expallidana in I. of Wight, 236

Cecidomyia lychnidis, 284

Celery-fly, 21

Cetoniidie, descriptions of two new spe- cies of the Coleopterous family, 100

Cheshire — Deilephila galii, 211 ; on the Wallasey sand-hills, 14; early ap- pearance of Phigalia pedaria at Chester, 113 ; Colias edusa, 279 _

China, North — New species of Deltoids and Pyrales from, 62

Chcerocampa celerio near Taunton, 113 ; at Hartlepool, 281

Cicadas, note on the classification of, 269

Cicindela germanica, Linn., in Dorset- shire, 214 ; sylvatica in Hants, 237

Cidaria reticulata at Carnforth, 16 ; long in pupa, 261

Cold summer of 1888, and double- brooded moths, 164

Coleoptera near Birmingham, 166

Colorado — Smerinthus occidentalis in, 113 ; Vanessa milbertii in, 185 ; Hymenoptera in, 190

Colias edusa in Cambridgeshire, 278; in Essex, 256; in Kent, 278; in Surrey, 256 ; in Isle of Wight, 256 ; in Berkshire, 256 ; in Gloucester- shire, 256 ; in Devonshire, 256 ; in Wales, 185, 256 ; in Cheshire, 279 ; in Durham, 256 ; in Aberdeenshire, 279 ; var., 13 ; vars., 72 ; in spring, 160 ; hyale near Beading, 256

CoREA — New species of Deltoids and Pyrales from, 62 ; of Crambi, 106

Cornwall— Epinephele tithonus, var., at Perranporth, 306

Crambi, new species of, from Japan and the Corea, 106

Crambus furcatellus in Sutherland- shire, 236

Dasycampa rubiginea in Somerset, 49 ; in Wales, 74

Deilephila galii in Kent, 112, 211; at Eton, 14 ; in Derbyshire, 14 ; in Cheshire, 14, 211 ; in Lancashire, 47 ; In Yorkshire, 234 ; at Glasgow, 73; remarks on forcing pupte of, 202 ; parasites on, 280, 306

Deltoides and Pyrales, new species of, from Corea, North China, and Japan, 62

Derbyshire — Deilephila galii, 14 ; Sphinx convolvuli, 280

Development, abnormal, of Pieris napae, 21 ; retarded, 50

Devonshire — Vanessa urticae, var., at Exmouth, 13 ; Venilia macularia, var., at Lynmouth, 15 ; Callicera aenea near Totnes, 77 ; Leuco- phasia sinapis, 255 ; Colias edusa, 256 ; Sphinx convolvuli, 280

Dicranura vinula, 260, 281; retarded emergence of, 21

Dolomedes fimbriatus in Ireland, 117

VI

CONTENTS.

Doritis apoUo at Dover, 278

DoRSETSHiKE — Notes from Wimborne, 18 ; a year's work in Portland, 43, 66 ; Lepidoptera in, 116 ; Cicindela germanica, Linn., between Bridport and Lyme Eegis, 214 ; Lepidoptera of two chalk-hills in, 282 ; Cantharis vesicatoria at Wimborne, 284

Dragonflies, migration of, 189

DuKHAM — Colias edusa near Durham, 256 ; Choerocampa celerio at Hartle- pool, 281

Emergence, retarded, of Dicranura vinula, 21 ; deferred, of Emmelesia unifasciata, 282

Emmelesia unifasciata, 282

Ennomos autumnaria, 282

Entomological Societies — London, 22,

60, 79, 118, 141, 166, 190, 215, 238,

263, 285, 309 ; South London, 2:^,

61, 79, 119, 142, 167, 191, 216, 239,

264, 286, 310; Birmingham, 24, 143 ; Reference Society, 79 ; City of London, 119 ; Aberdeen Working Men's, 144

Entomology of Iceland, 1 67 ; notes upon a visit in 1889, 222, 246, 273, 299 Ephippium thoracicum, 214 Epinephele hyperanthes, var. arete, 267 ; ianira, var., 279 ; tithonus, var., 306 Epunda lichenea, food of, 139 Erebia sethiops near London, 160 Errata, 22, 50, 66, 117, 130, 198, 202,

263, 286, 308 Essex— Prionus coriarius in Epping Forest, 77, 114; Euchloe carda- mines, dwarf form in, 210 ; Colias edusa, 256 ; Vanessa antiopa, 267 Euchloe cardamines, dwarf form, 210 Extraction of moth from pupa, 50, 76,

141, 188 Fungus parasitic on insects, 284, 308 Geometra papilionaria, life-history of,

110 ; vernaria, var., 212

Gloucestershire — Sesia ichneumoni-

formis, 211, near Dursley, 234;

Colias edusa, 266; Acronycta alni

(larva), 260 ; Forest of Dean, 261 ;

Stauropus fagi in, 212

Guernsey and Sark, Lepidoptera in, 75

Gonepteryx rhamni, late appearance of,

at Berkhampsted, 72 Hampshire — Some Lepidoptera abun- dant in New Forest, 75 ; New Forest notes, 115, 261 ; Varieties of Rhopalocera, 160; Tortrix cratse- gana in New Forest, 163, piceana in New Forest, 236 ; Cicindela sylvatica, 237 ; Limenitis sibylla, var., in New Forest, 256 ; Sphinx convolvuli, 258, 280; Catocala fraxini at Porchester, 260; La- phygma exigua at Christchurch, 281 ; Ennomos autumnaria at Hay-

ling Island and Portsmouth, 282; Vanessa antiopa, 306

Heliophobus hispida, violet colour in, 281, 307

Hesperia actaeon, food-plant of, 138

Hessian fly, 190

Hertfordshire — Late appearance of Gonepteryx rhamni at Berkhamp- sted, 72 ; Callicera aenea near Great Berkhampsted, 77

Homoptera, new views on the suborder, 308

Hufnagel's types, 109

Hybernation of Caradrina quadripunc- tata, 187

Hyeres, spring butterflies at, 182

Hymenoptera in Colorado, 190

Hypsipetes ruberata in Aberdeenshire, 187

Iceland — Entomology of, 157; notes upon a visit in, 222, 246, 273, 299

Index, general, to the 'Entomologist,' 78, 138

Information wanted. 284

Insects, "Mimicry" and "Protective Eesemblance" in, 116; at high altitudes, 141

Insect-life, influence of meteorological conditions upon, 7; -fauna of St. Kilda, 12

Insects, on the variation of, 1, 26, 64, 98, 125, 147, 176, 198, 226, 243

Insects at high altitudes, 141; spring, in Middlesex, 189 ; fungus parasitic on, 284, 308

Investigation of variation, 241, 272

Ireland — Plusia illustris, 46 ; Dolomedes fimbriatus, 117 ; Panolis piniperda, 162 ; Sirex gigas, 237

Japan — Description of a new species of Luehdorfia from, 25; new species of Deltoids and Pyrales from, 62 ; of Crambi from, 106

Java — Vanessa cardui, 211

Kent — Vanessa antiopa, 46, 160; urticae, var., at Eamsgate, 14 ; ab- sence of second brood of LycsBnideB near Chatham, 46 ; Butalis lami- nella at Cuxton, 140 ; Polyommatus phloeas, var. schmidtii, on Plum- stead Common, 211; on Dartford Heath, 257 ; Rhopalocera, 211 ; Deilephila galii, 211 ; Sesia andreni- formis at Dover, 211 ; Sphingidae, - 259 ; Doritis apollo at Dover, 278 ; Colias edusa, 278

Lancashire— Cidaria reticulata at Cam- forth, 16 ; Penthina postremana at Carnforth, 16 ; Deilephila galii near the sea-coast, 47 ; Trifurcula palli- della at Dutton, 212 ; Sphinx con- volvuli near Manchester, 259 ; Stilbia anomala near Carnforth, 260

Laphygma exigua in Lancashire, 281 ^

Larvae, hybernating, 21; rearing in

CONTENTS.

Vll

glass cylinders, 141 ; lepidopterous, destruction by summer frosts, 188

Leicestershibe — Sphinx convolvuli at Leicester, 280

Lepidoptera in Sussex, 17 ; in Guernsey and Sark, 75; late in 1888, 114; near Leicester, 114 ; in Portland 116; at Wimbledon, 150, 212 South Buckinghamshire, 165 : Australian, 166 ; migration of, 189 first appearance of sexes of, 213 hybrid, 237 ; parasites on, 262 ; of two Dorset chalk-hills, 282 ; of New Forest, 283, some, abundant in, 75

Leucophasia sinapis, 255

Limenitis sybilla, var,, 256

Liparis dispar, malformed, 259

Lithosia complana, 14 ; on the coast, 47 ; food of, 47 ; in Norfolk, 74

Luehdorfia, description of a new species of, from Japan, 25

Luperina testacea, var. guen^ei, 235 ; var. nickerlii, 271

Lycaenidii^, absence of second brood of, near Chatham, 46

Lycaena corydon, female var., 160; icarus, hermaphrodite, in York- shire, 211

Meteorological conditions, influence of upon insect-life, 7

Middlesex — Sirex juvencus in London, 17 ; larvit of Uropteryx sambucaria hybernating at Stamford Hill, 113 ; spring insects, 189 ; Sirex gigas at Bowes Park, 237 ; Sphinx convol- vuli, 258 ; Dicranura vinula near Enfield, 260; Bombus terrestris in London, 263

Migration of Lepidoptera, 189; of dragonflies, 189

"Mimicry" and "Protective Eesem- blance " in insects, 116

Monmouthshire — Bhopalocera in, 280

Moth, parasite on, 263, 307

Moths, double-brooded, and the cold summer of 1888, 140, 164

Mould, 122

Nepticula minusculella, 164

Neptunides stanleyi, 40

New Zealand— Early season in, 19; description of new species of Arctiidoe from, 53 ; Psychoda con- spicillata, 164; sugar versus blos- soms, 165

Newspaper entomology, 117

Noctua sobrina in Glen Artney, Perth,235

Norfolk — Lithosia complana, 74 ; Bactra furfurana, 114

Notes from the North-west Counties, 291

Notodontidae, notes on the, 101

Nyssia zonaria, food of, 113, 139, 187

Obituary — Thomas Eedle, 58; Dr. Victor Signoret, 144

Ocneria dispar, 161, 162, 186

Odontopera bid mtata at Gt. Malvern, 73

Orthoptera, British, 169, 195

Oxfordshire — Theclaw-album, 47, near Banbury, 73 ; Vanessa urticse from Thame, 72 ; Sphinx convolvuli, 258

Oxyptilus teucrii, 75, 139

Panolis piniperda in Ireland, 102

Pararge megaera, 289

Parasites on butterfly, 237 ; on Lepi- doptera, 262 ; on moth, 263, 3u7 ; on Deilephila galii, 280, 306; on Atherix ibis, 290

Penthina postremana at Carnforth, 16

Phigalia pedaria, early appearance at Chester, 113

Phytomyza chserophylli, 22 ; notes upon, 87

Pieris brassicas, var., 112 ; with veins of wings green, 138 ; rapae, abnormal development, 21, in February, 112

Plusia chrysitis near Birmingham, 74 ; illustris in Ireland, 46 ; ni, the British, 74

Polyommatus phlceas, diminutive, 46; var.schmidtii, 211; nearDartford,257

Portland, a year's work in, 43, 56 ; Lepidoptera, 116

Prionus coriarius in Epping Forest, 77, 114

"Protective resemblance" and "Mi- micry " in Insects, 116

Pseudo-melanism, 188

Psychoda conspicillata in New Zealand, 164

Pterophori, contributions to history of British, 29 ; notes upon, 102, 104

Pup* of insects, preserving, 77 ; forcing, remarks on, 202

Pyrales and Deltoids, new species from Corea, North China, and Japan, 62

Pyrameis cardui, aberration, 73

Bhopalocera at Wiesbaden, 89 ; in Kent, 211 ; in Hampshire, 160 ; spring, in Surrey, 185 ; in Monmouthshire, 280 ; spring, at the Riviera, 257

Eiviera, spring Bhopalocera at, 257

Eochefort, in August, 19

Sark and Guernsey, Lepidoptera, 75

Scoparia, the genus, 16

Scotland — Insect fauna of St. Kilda, 12 ; Sesia musciformis, 47 ; Deile- phila galii at Glasgow, 73 ; Stigmo- nota ravulana in Eenfrewshire, 114 ; Hypsipetes ruberata in Aberdeen- shire, 187 ; Agrotis lucernea in Kin- cardineshire, 235; Noctua sobrina in Glen Artney, Perth, 235 ; Cram- bus furcatellus in Sutherlandshire, 23(i ; Sphinx convolvuli, 259 ; Acro- nycta leporina in Perthshire, 2(i0 ; Colias edusa in Aberdeenshire, 279

Sehirus dubius. Scop., at Horsley, Surrey, 214

Sericoris urticana, var, rufa, 163

Sesia andreniformis at Dover, 211 ; ichneumoniformis in Gloucester-

Vlll

OOX TENTS.

shire, 211, 234; musciformis in Scotland, 47

Setting, high-flat, 77

Sexes of Lepidoptera, first appearance, 213

Shropshire — Atherix ibis, 238

Sirex gigas in Middlesex, 237 ; in York- shire, 76; in North Wales, 117, 140 ; in Ireland, 237 ; juvencus in London, 17, 117 ; in Cheshire, 117

Smerinthus occidentalis in Colorado, 113

Somersetshire — Dasycampa rubiginea, 49 ; Chcerocampa celerio near Taunton, 113

Sphingidae in Kent, 259

Sphinx oonvolvuli in Middlesex, 258 ; Berkshire, 258; Hants, 258, 280; Oxfordshire, 258 ; Devonshire, 280 ; Glamorganshire, 259 ; Leicester- shire, 280 ; Derbyshire, 280 ; Lan- cashire, 259 ; Aberdeenshire, 259 ; ligustri at Great Malvern, 73

Spring butterflies at Hy^res, 182; Kho- palocera, 185 ; at the Riviera, 257

Staffordshire — Notes from Cannock Chase, 114

Stauropus fagi in Forest of Dean, 212 ; in Wilts, 259

StigmonotaravulanainRenfrewshire,114

Stilbia anomala in Lancashire, 26 J ; in Wales, 281

Stratiomyidse, list of the British, with analytical tables and notes, 81, 132

Sugar versus blossoms in New Zealand, 165 ; unproductive, 212, 262. 3U7

Summer, the cold of 1888, and double- brooded moths, 140, 164

Surrey — Agrotis agathina on Shirley Hills, 49 ; Lepidoptera at Wimble- don, 150, 212 ; Erebia aethiops near London (Brixton), 160; Sehirus dubius. Scop., at Horsley, 214; Colias edusa on Eiddlesdown, 256 ; Vanessa antiopa at Croydon, 257

Sussex — Callicera aenea at Guestling, 77 ; Agrotis cinerea at Brighton, 187 ; Arctia urticsB in Brighton, 212 ; Vanessa antiopa, 257 ; Cato- cala sponsa and C. fraxini at Winchelsea, 261

Tephritis onopordinis, 21

Tephrosia crepuscularia, 48

Thecla w-album in Oxfordshire, 47, 73 ; scarcity, 185

Thyatira batis, var. mexicana, 306

Tortrix cratsegana, 163 ; piceana in New Forest, 236

Trichogramma, description of, 290

Trifurcula pallidella, 212

Trinidad — Description of new butterfly from, 149

Triphsena comes, Hb., = or bona, Hb., notes on some varieties, 145 ; orbona in Hants, 260

Turf-plates for cabinet drawers, 78

Uropteryx sambucaria, 21 ; larvae, hy- bernating at Stamford Hill, 113

Urtication by hairs of insects, 77

Vanessa antiopa in Cambridgeshire, 160, 3 6 ; in Essex, 257 ; in Kent, 160 ; in Sussex, 257; at Croydon, 257; in Hants, 306 ; variation in, 279 ; cardui in Java, 211 ; milbertii in Colorado, 185 ; urticae, var., 13, 14, in February, 73; notes on some aberrations in genus, 217

Varieties : — Agrotis corticea, melanio, 15 ; Amphidasys betularia, 49, bufif, 113, 162 ; Rhopalocera in Hants, 160; Lycaena bellargus, pale, 160; corydon, female, 160 ; sericoris ur- ticana, 163

Varieties of Nocture occurring in the British Islands, contributions to- wards a list of, 9, 41, 58, 94, 134, 152, 179, 204, 229, 250, 276, 302

Variation of Argyrophinga antipodum, some notes upon, 37 ; investigation of, 241, 272 ; in Vanessa antiopa, 279

Variation of insects, 1, 26, 54, 98, 125, 147, 176, 198, 226, 243

Venilia macularia, var., atLynmouth, 15

Wales — Xylophasia monoglypha, var., at Tenby, 15; Dasycampa rubi- ginea, 74 ; Sirex gigas at Bettws-y- coed, 117, in Montgomeryshire, 140 ; Colias edusa, 185, near Penarth, 250; Zygi»na pilosellae, 210; Ar- gynnis aglaia, var., in Carmarthen- shire, 233; Sphinx convolvuli in Glamorganshire, 259 ; Stilbia ano- mala at Barmouth, 281

Warwickshire — Entomological Society for Birmingham, 24, 143, Coleoptera near, 166

Wet season and ocelli, 20

Wiesbaden, Rhopalocera, 88 ; Aglia tau at, 18fi

Wight, Isle of — Caradrina ambigua, 235; Catoptria expallidana, 236; Colias edusa at Ventnor, 25(i

Wilts— Stauropus fagi near Salisbury, 259

Worcestershire — Vanessa c-album. Sphinx ligustri, and Odontopera bidentata at Great Malvern, 73

Xylophasia monoglypha, var., at Tenby, 15

Year's work in Portland, 43, 56

Yellow tinge of some newly-emerged moths, 188

Yorkshire — Calocampa solidaginis near Sheffield, 15 ; Sirex gigas, 76 ; Acronycta alni near York, 187; Lycasna icarus, hermaphrodite, 211 ; Deilephila galii near Sowerby Bridge, 234

Zeuzera pyrina, 234

Zygsena lonicerse, var., 73 ; pilosellae in Wales, 210

ri^

THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Vol. XXIL] JANUAEY, 1889. [No. 308.

ON THE VARIATION OF INSECTS. By T. D. a. Cockerell.

At all times, and more especially of late years, the various deviations from the type-form presented by insects have excited considerable interest in the minds of entomologists ; and, as a result of this, scarcely a number of an entomological magazine can be found which does not contain some reference to varietal forms. Nevertheless, the attempts to classify these numerous varieties have been very few, the most notable that I can recall being that of Mr. Jenner Weir in the 'Entomologist' (Entom. xii. 153), while little or nothing has been done towards ascertaining the causes of variation, or even recording the obvious accompanying circumstances.

The present paper is intended rather as an indication of the manner in which varieties may be classified than any final arrangement of them, and seeks to stimulate such interest in the matter that its suggestions may be put to the proof, and confirmed or discarded in favour of better ones. The varietal names used are, as far as possible, in accordance with the " Code of varietal nomen- clature," already proposed in the ' Entomologist,' but many forms have had names applied to them by authors which are not the most convenient. These, in obedience to the law of priority, have been retained.

Class I. — Colour Varieties. a. Intensification of Colour. Examples. — Pieris rapce, var. novanglice, Scudd., and var. mannl, Mayer. Vanessa hiiiitera, var., with the (typically white) spot on the inner side of the black patch on the apex of the primaries yellowish (Maynard). Bryophila perla-flavescens, Entom. XX. 240 ; also " an orange variety," Proc. S. Lond. Ent.

ENTOM. — JAN. 1889. B

2 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Soc, 1886, 59 ; and " xanthic forms," toni. city 63. Arctia villica angelica, B., vide Staudinger Catl. — In these examples j^ellow takes the place of white. No evidence is forthcoming as to the precise conditions under which this occurs, except that the yellow varieties of Pieris rapes are said to be much more frequent in America than in Europe, and therefore probably the result of a different climate from that to which the species has always been accustomed in Europe, its native country. Much light, however, is thrown upon the probable nature of the change by the observation of Mr. Coverdale, repeated by numerous subsequent observers, that the white pigment of several species of Lepidoptera may be changed to yellow by the application of a caustic alkali.

Abraxas grossulariata lutea, Entom. xx. 278, is probably due to an extension of the normal yellow markings.

Arctia villica fulminans, Stgr. ; locality, Syria. — This is the only instance I have of the change of the yellow pigment into red, and in this case there is always some indication of red about the typical form. The opposite case, that of a red pigment changing to yellow, is, as I have shown in a previous paper, by no means uncommon; nor is it confined to insects, being also witnessed in birds (Fringillidse), mollusca (Tellinidae), &c. Two other cases of change of colour may be mentioned here, as requiring further investigation, — Ino statices mannii, Ld., and Noctua suhrosea suhccerulea, Stgr., the last, from Livonia and Finland, being rather a geographical race. An extraordinary variety of Arge galathea is also on record (Entom. xvi. 210), in which reddish and greenish take the place of black and white.

The above varieties differ notably from suffused, melanic, and other forms, in that they have their origin in a change in the nature of a pigment equally prominent in the type form, and not in the excessive development of an unaltered colour, as is the case with the following.

Hepialus humuli suhrosea, ^, Ent. Mo. Mag., 1881, 111. — Mr. Barrett, in describing this form, says the apical- third of the silvery white fore wings was distinctly tinged with a delicate pink (an extension of the pink of the apical cilia), which fades after death. This pink colour is evidently what Dr. Hagen (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1872, 78-83) described as hypodermal, the colours of this class being mostly bright and light, and fading after death of the insect. These hypodermal colours are supposed by Hagen to be produced by a photographic process, while the darker or some- times metallic epidermal colours are due to a process of oxidation, and never fade after death.

It is strangely contradictory of this theory, however, that Mr. P. K. Uhier found by experiment that in specimens of the Heteropteron Murgantia histrionica, Hahn., those reared in the

ON THE VARIATION OF INSECTS. 3

dark showed a predominance of the pale red parts, while in those reared in bright daylight the dark blue colour predominated. (Kept, of U. S. Com. Agric, 1884, 309.*)

b. Metallic colours.

Anchocelis pistacina metallica ; near Caterham, Entom. xi. 21. — This remarkable aberration was described as having on each fore wing a large patch of metallic cast, tlius simulating the condition that is normal with some species of Plasia.

Colias edusa purpui'ascens, Entom. xi. 51. — Mr. E. A. Fitch, writing of this species, describes an aberration " beautifully shot with purple or blue," a condition which is quite normal in other species of Rhopalocera, notably some species of Chrysophanus.

c. The development of green pigment.

Venilia maculata virldimacidata, Entom. xi. 103. Lasio- campa quercus olivaceofasciata, Entom. xi. 103. — The change of the black markings to olive-green in the Venilia was accom- panied by their partial coalescence. We know that the green pigment in Geometra papilionayia is firsthrown, &.ndm Pseiidoterpna cytisaria the final change to green frequently does not occur, producing the well-known brownish form of the species. It appears, therefore, probable that the above cases of Venilia and Lasiocampa represent the excessive metabolism of pigments which normally only attain the brown and black stages.

d. Bleached and albino forms.

Epinephele tithonus albidus, Entom. xi. 101. Chrysophanus phloeas schmidtii, Gerh. Eusehia bipunctaria albida, Entom. xvi. 170. Hepialus humidif <^ , type.— In these cases white takes the place of another colour, and they are in no sense analogous to the white spotless varieties of Abraxas, &c. I am strongly inclined to suppose that the male type of H. humidi had its origin in a variety similar in character to the other three enumerated, and I accordingly class it with them.f

Epinephele ianira hispulla, Hlib., Entom. xi. 1 ; near Dover, &c. E. tithonus pallescens, Entom. xi. 229 ; xvi. 234 ; xix. 230. Oporabia dilutata pallescens^ Newman, ' Brit. Moths,' 108. Lyccena corydon albicans, H.-S. Melitcea aurmia sibirica, Stgr. Danais chrysippus alcippus, Fab., " al. post.

* I am inclined to think that this experiment throws light on the reason that the hind wings of Noctme, which are under the fore wings, are nearly always pale, while those of Rhopalocera and Geometrae are generally concolorous with the fore wings.

f In the Mollusca I have shown that albinism, from being excessively rare and aberrational, may become common and even normal, though of course in herma- phrodite species it cannot become peculiar to a sex. Vide " The Variation and Abnormal Development of the Mollusca," in ' Science Gossip,' 1886.

b2

4 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

albidis." Nemeophila plantaginis hospita, Schiff., " al. post, albis, nigro-maculatis." Agrotis ripcB weissenbornii, Frr. Triphmna comes pallescens, hind wings creamy white, Entom. xx. 240. Goccinella septempunctata pallida, pale yellow, Entora. xx. 237.— This appears to be rather a miscellaneous collection of varieties, but the information obtainable concerning them is not sufficient to class them more precisely at present. The pallid forms of Epinephele seem to be due simply to the non-development of brown pigment, whereas the pale Goccinella has almost certainly a different origin in arrest of development of the usually red pigment at its yellow stage, like the brown variety of Pseudoterpna. The var. albicans of Lyccena corydon might almost be called an albino. Mr. A. H. Swinton (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1885, 231) speaks of white L. corydon occurring on limestone plains in Spain, which is interesting as tending to confirm the theory that albinisms are of unusual frequency on limestone soil. In this connection it maybe mentioned that WoUaston found t\mt Bembidium atlanticum, Woll., was dark in Madeira, but much paler in Porto Santo, which is much more calcarious, and is strongly impregnated with muriate of soda.

e. Dimorphism : light and dark forms.

Heliothis peltigera pallida, Entom. xi. 24. H. armigera, a. fusca (Entom. xi. 24) ; b. ochracea (4th. Kept. U.S. Ent. Com., 1885, pi. iii., fig. 7) ; c. umbrosa, Grote, sp. Tceniocampa gracilis ru/escens, Proc. S. Lond. Ent. Soc, 1886, 34, 35. — These are given as examples, but it is well known that many genera of brownish Noctuse present light and dark varieties, which are often more or less local in their distribution ; and a similar phenomenon obtains in certain Coleoptera, such as Meligethes riifipes rufescens (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1885, 217).

Limenitis disippus floridensis, Strecker, ground colour very dark. L, arthemis rufescens, reddish brown above as well as below (Maynard). — The first of these is a southern form in the United States, and it is worthy of note that there also occurs in the Southern States a distinct species, resembling the southern variety of L. disippus in its normal colour, but differing some- what in the markings.

Hydroecia nictitans ; a. typica ; b. erythrostigma, Haw. Anomis texana, Riley; a. fuscostigma (4th Kept. U. S. Ent. Com., pi. ii., fig. 6) ; b. albostigma {loc. cit., fig. 6a).— The dimorphism in the colour of the stigma in H. nictitans is familiar to every British entomologist ; it is, therefore, interesting to find a closely analogous case in a moth from Texas.

f. Dimorphism confined to one sex. Colzas edusa helice, 2 , Hb. G, helice pallida, $ , Entora. xi. 51. G. erate pallida, ? , Stgr. G. aurora chloe, ? , Ev.

ON THE VARIATION OF INSECTS. 0

(7. eurytheme pallida, ? , Ckll. C. philodice alba, ? , auctt. sp. Maynard. C, electra pallida, ? , Graliamstown, Proc. S. Lond. Ent. Soc, 1886, 60. Papilio turnus glaucus, ? , L. Pamphila zabulon pocahontas, 2 , Scudd. Callidryas sennce pallida, ? ', dirty whitish yellow (French, 'Butt, of E. N. Amer.'). — These are all dimorphic female forms, and I think, however looked at, their interest cannot be exaggerated. The first question that arises is, Are they atavisms ? Do they represent the primitive condition of the species ? This at first sight appears not very improbable, but I think we may answer it in the negative. It is not altogether impossible that reversion to the type should be confined to the female, yet it is, I imagine, some- what unlikely ; but what seems to weigh most against the theory of atavism is, that certain species of Papilio are trimorphic in the female sex, and these, at any rate, obviously cannot be explained by atavism.

Now we have seen above, under *' light and dark forms," that some measure of dimorphism may obtain apparently without the slightest reference to sex, climate, or food, of which Hydroecia and Anomis are good examples ; and we shall see below that characters peculiar to the one sex, occasionally appear in the other ; that is to say, one sex, in very rare instances, presents a dimorphic form similar to that which is normal with the other. Suppose, then, a " spontaneous" (that is to say, without reference to general external circumstances) variation to occur, as it is I think certain that they do occur, is it unreasonable to suppose that it might become, either from sexual selection or from physio- logical causes, more prevalent in the one sex than the other ? Further, might it not gradually become peculiar to the sex, until it was the normal condition ? This seems to me the explanation of secondary sexual characters in the Lepidoptera, if not in all other organisms; and I regard the pale females of Colias and Callidryas sennce , and the dark female of Papilio turnus, as fore- runners of what is in the future to be the typical female of each respective species. In one case at least, this final process can be traced. The male of Callidryas sennce is clear lemon-yellow, while the female is either of the same colour as the male, or of a dirty whitish yellow colour. In C. agarithe, the male is clear light orange, while the orange form of the female having appa- rently become extinct, the typical colour of that sex is dirty whitish yellow, like the dimorphism of C, sennce.

Lyccena pseudargiolus {violacea) nigra, ^ , Edw. Lyccena hellargus iiigra, ^ , Proc. S. Lond. Ent. Soc, 1886, 61. — These are cases of dimorphism in the male, a rare condition. Maynard states that black females of L. pseudargiolus are occasionally found, so this condition would seem not to be strictly peculiar to the one sex.

THE ENTOMOLOGIST,

g. A combination of tzvo forms in one insect.

Lycaena cegon duplex, " a specimen having the right-hand wings plain brown, and those on the left-hand blue ; at lirst sight it had the appearance of an hermaphrodite, but was, in reality, a female combining the two forms of that sex." Exhib. by Mr. Bond at Ent. Soc. (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1873, 200). Colias edusa duplex, upper wings like helice, lower typical ; or left side typical, and right helice (Entom. xi. 52, and August, 1876). Meligethes rufipes duplex. Thorax and one elytron typical, the other elytron reddish (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1885, 217). — It seems excessively strange that two forms should ever be combined in the same insect in this manner, yet the very ordinary phenomenon of the upper wings differing from the lower is, in some degree, analogous. And further, a character normally peculiar to one set, may become also abnormally developed on the other* (see for instance the variety of Leucania conigera, with the left lower wing marked like the typical upper wings (Entom. xi. 169, and col. fig). Now supposing this very rare aberration were in any case to become frequent and at length typical, say by the development on all four wings of the spots formally confined to the upper, a specimen reverting to the ancestral type would be in many respects similar to the specimens mentioned above, and entirely so if there existed at the same time a spotless variety.

Looking at the question from this point of view, it even seems remarkable that no permanent variety has been developed in which the right side differed from the left, but doubtless the laws of correlation have prevented this. Mr. S. Webb, however, gave me some very interesting statistics concerning species of LyccBua and Epinephele in his collection, tending to show that a perfect similarity of the opposite wings was the exception rather than the rule ; and my own observations on E. hyperanthes lead me to believe that the ocelli are, on the average, better developed on one side than the other; but until I have ex- amined a larger amount of material I cannot say definitely. I am sure all entomologists would be much indebted to those who have long series of this insect, and of other spotted or ocellated lorms, if they would work out this matter and publish their results.

* Characters peculiar to one side may also be developed on the other; for example, Ejpinephele ht/pemnthes, with ocelli developed on the upper side (Entom. xix. 71).

(To be continued.)

[At the request of Mr. Cockerell, the trinomial system of nomenclature is used in this article. — Ed.]

( 7 )

THE INFLUENCE OF METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

UPON INSECT LIFE.

By Robert Adkin, F.E.S.

Mr. White suggests, in his notes on this subject (Entom. vol. xxi. p. 217), that the influence of irregular or intermittent temperature upon the emergence of insects has received less attention than it deserves. No doubt this is so, and probably one great reason for such being the case is the difficulty of obtaining reliable data to work upon. Accurate meteorological records, it is true, are accessible in a conveniently tabulated form for reference, not only temperatures, but also the amount of sun- shine, rainfall and other matters calculated to affect insect deve- lopment being given in detail. But can we place equal reliance upon our entomological observations ? Are there not manj^ other conditions, besides those meteorological, that may escape our ob- servation and yet have an important bearing upon the question ? Notes of emergence in our breeding-cages, for instance, appear to me likely to be particularly misleading. The con- ditions under which insects are so kept, are to a greater or less extent artificial. This is especiall}^ so in the case of sub- terranean pupse. In nature these are surrounded by a consider- able body of earth, which serves as a natural protection against rapid changes of temperature, whereas under the artificial condi- tions of the usual breeding- cage they have at best but a few square inches of soil around them. Further, given, as is frequently the case, that this soil is contained in a porous earthen pan, which from any cause has become moistened, it is probable that a refrigeratory action would be set up by evaporation, which would create an abnormally low temperature in the interior of the vessel containing the pupae, possibly resulting in late emergences from purely artificial causes. As an example I will give the following tabulated statement of the behaviour of three con- secutive broods of Ptilophoi'a plumigera, a species that performs the whole of its metamorphoses during what are usually the warmer months of the year. They were reared under as nearly as possible similar conditions ; the cages containing them being kept in a well-lighted outhouse, fully exposed to the air, but sheltered from rain : —

1886.

Ova hatched April 26.

Larv« full-fed May 28.

First imago emerged... Oct. 9.

Chief emergence ... Oct. 24,

Last emergence Nov. 21.

Assuming for the sake of argument that warm seasons induce early emergences, we should expect to find the appearance of

1887.	1888.
April 21.	May 6.
June 9.	June 10.
Nov. 9.	Oct. 26.
Nov. 26.	Nov. 3.
Dec. 3.	Nov. 11.

8 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

imagines in the past admittedly cold season later than in the former years, whereas it is considerably earlier than after the warm summer of 1887, and in the average hut little later than in 1886. On the whole such data appear to me calculated to mislead, and should be accepted, if at all, with great caution.

Field notes are not open to the same objections. Carefully recorded observations of the appearance of many species under their natural conditions should be of considerable value in elucidating the question, and not difficult to obtain from those who are able to make frequent notes in a locality at stated periods. Species that usually occur in considerable numbers should be the best for observation, and comparison between the times of appearance of the same species in different localities must not be taken to indicate an earlier or later general emer- gence. I may perhaps best illustrate my meaning in regard to this suggestion with notes extracted from my diary, of the appearance of the second brood of Lyccsna hellargus, for the years 1887 and 1888. The first note I have in 1887 is that it was taken at an inland locality on August 8th, by a friend with whom I was in frequent communication. At this date I was staying on the Sussex coast and daily expecting to meet with the species, but it did not appear until the 28th of the month. This year I was on the same coast-ground througliout the month of August and until September 12th; a sharp look-out was kept during the whole time, but up to the last date not a specimen was to be seen. It cannot be supposed that the brood was this year completely suppressed ; and although the record is in- complete by reason of the species not being found, it appears to be clear that in this one locality it was at least fifteen days later than in 1887, but it would be manifestly unfair to draw a comparison between the inland and coast localities. Insects that have a rapid succession of broods are difficult to deal with, as there is with them the possibility of the end of one brood so overlapping the commencement of another as to render com- parison untrustworthy.

Mr. Griffiths's note (Entom. vol. xxi. p. 283) affords me an opportunity of illustrating the difficulty of dealing with suc- cessively-brooded species. Is he right in assuming that the capture of " three fresh specimens " of Tephrosia cr&puscularia on July 5th is indicative of a comparatively late emergence ? There is, I believe, no doubt as to the double -broodedness of this species, the first brood appearing in March and April, the second at the end of June and early in July. Is it not then quite as likely that these specimens should be referred to the second as the first brood ? and in that case their time of appearance would be normal.

The difficulties in the way of working out so interesting a

VARIETIES OF NOCTURE IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 9

subject should not, however, be insurmountable ; and there ought to be, with some little care in the selection of suitable observations, a sufficiency of reliable data forthcoming to enable Mr. White to prosecute his task to a successful conclusion. Lewisham, December, 1888.

CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A LIST OF THE VARIETIES

OF NOCTURE OCCURRING IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS.

By J. W. TuTT, F.E.S.

(Continued from vol. xxi., p. 313.)

AxyliOy Hb., j)utriSf L.

The type of this species is described by Linnaius as : — *' Noctua spirilinguis cristata, alis deflexis obsoletis subpunctatis, margine exteriore fusco adjecta macula subocelhiri." " Color ligni putride, ut in exsoleta s. verbasci, sed brevis." (* Systema Naturie,' p. 850, No. 152). Haworth describes the species as, " Al£e pallidse sive llavicantes costa late fusca," &c. ('Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 172, No. 34); and Guenee, again, describes it as, " Superior wings of a very clear, pale yellow, with the costa broadly brown," &c. (' Noctuelles,' vol. v. p. 134). Hiibner figures the species under the name of lignosa, and his figure (245, by error 215) is not quite typical, the anterior wings being " yellowish ochreous with black markings." Newman, in his 'British Moths,' p. 282, describes the species as "pale wainscot- brown with dark umber-brown markings." These seem to be the chief points of variation, viz., the ground colour varying from whitish or pale yellowish to dark ochreous or wainscot-brown, and the markings from brown to black. I have both forms in my cabinet. Those with typical pale yellow wings and black markings would appear to be the sicca of Guenee. Mr. Russ has sent me a specimen from Sligo with a distinct dark shade, reaching from the base of the reniform to the inner margin.

a. var. lignosa, Hb. — Ground colour yellowish-oclireous instead of pale yellow or whitish ; the ordinary markings black instead of brown, much irrorated with fuscous dots. A lull description of Hiibner 's lignosa would be, *' Anterior wings with the ground colour of a yellow ochreous shade, with a black basal streak, the orbicular and reniform outlined in black ; a double transverse line of dots beyond the reniform ; the median uervure continued through the wings as a dusky shade; abroad black costal streak runs along from the base of the costa to the apex where it ends ; two short dusky shades are placed in the upper part of the outer margin. Hind wings grey, with the outer margin slightly ochreous." Newman's figure, * British Moths,' p. 282, is much too dark for the type, and apparently belongs to this variety.

i?)P. var. sicca, Gn. — Guenee describes a species under the name of sicca us follows; — "A little smaller than putris, the superior wings of which

10 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

species those of sicca much resemble, if it were not that the costal streak is more black than brown, above all between the two stigmata, where they form a distinct black spot. Inferior wings entirely pure white. Head, thorax and palpi pale yellow. I have only a single male of which I am ignorant of its locality " (' Noctuelles,' vol. v. p. 135). The pure white hind wings leave me in doubt as to the specimen being a variety of this species.

Xylophasia, St., sublustris, Esp.

This species has been much mixed up with lithoxylea, many of our early authors treating them as the same species. Hiibner figures (240) a red variety oi siihlustrisy which he calls lithoxylea; and Haworth, in his *Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 169, No. 25, writes with reference to this figure, comparing it with lithoxylea^ " at magis ferruginea " ; but as he does not attempt to separate it from lithoxylea, British sublustris may not have been known to him. Guen6e, in his 'Noctuelles,' vol. v. p. 139, states that " Treitschke has confounded the two species, and has cited their synonymy very indistinctly." On p. 140 Guenee also writes, " Is this a separate species, or only a variety of lithoxylea .^ .... It is constant in markings and character." He then writes : — " Its colour is always more red, and the discoidal spots much better marked; the inferior wings have a very distinct brown discoidal line between the lunule and the hind margin." These characters are distinct, and I think the difference in the hind wings of lithoxylea and sublustris well worthy of notice.

This interesting species is very variable on the coast of Kent, and specimens exhibit much dili'erence both in the ground colour and the depth of the markings. Most of the specimens have the anterior wings of a pale ochreous-grey ground colour ; others are decidedly yellowish ochreous, and these lead up to a very distinct form with the ground colour decidedly tinged with red. With respect to the markings, there is also a very great difference. Some specimens have the characteristic markings in the central part of the wing and on the outer margin very faint, and merging into the ground colour; others have them distinctly marked in dark greyish brown ; others have them marked in deep brown ; while the form mentioned above, with the red ground colour, has them in a clear reddish brown or rust-red, shaded off into the paler ground colour. The specimens also vary with regard to the transverse row of spots parallel to the hind margin ; some speci- mens have these spots absent, some well developed, and some have them joined by curved arches, making a wavy line exactly of the same character and shape as the second transverse line in the allied species polyodon, L. {monoglypha, Hufn.). But the most remarkable specimen I have is one with the whitish ground colour of lithoxylea, with all the markings of sublustris most clearly developed, even to the wavy line mentioned above. There is a great amount of difference also in the quantity of dark scales

VARIETIES OF NOCTU^ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 11

with which the anterior wings are sprinkled. This makes some specimens look quite nielanic compared with others. But dark as some of our specimens are, we do not appear to obtain (after making all due allowance for the artistic demerit) any specimens so dark as Esper's type. Esper's fig. 1 ('Die Schmetterlinge,' &c., pi. cxxxiii.) is the type, and, although bad enough, is recognisable at once as an exceedingly suffused form of this species. I have made the following description of his figure : —

** Probably a female (Esper calls it a male). Anterior wings dark ochreous, entirely suffused for two-thirds of the wing from the base with dark fuscous, except along the inner margin, where the ground colour is more noticeable ; the outer one-third of the wing, from the apex to the inner margin, paler ; this paler area with a double transverse row of dots parallel to the hind margin, and also a pair of dots near the edge of the inner margin at about one-third from the base;* the nervures with a slight purplish tinge ; the hind margin dark fuscous. The hind wings dark grey, the base a little paler, with a slight purplish tinge."

It will at once strike those who have a short series from our south coast how unlike this description is to our usual forms ; and yet when one looks at Esper's figure one recognises at once that it is sublustris. I have only seen one Irish specimen, and that is quite as dark as, perhaps a little darker than, the darkest I have from Deal. Besides this very dark type, we in Britain appear to get two very distinct forms, which are comparatively rare, these extremes being joined by intermediate specimens, which vary much, ijiter se, both in the depth of the ground colour and markings, although of a general greyish ochreous hue. These forms I shall call : —

a. var. pallida, milii. — Ground colour vvhitish-ochreous, incliniug to the pale colour of lithoxylea, the dark shades very distinct and standing out clear in the pale ground colour ; the transverse markings very distinct, a transverse wavy line being formed by the union of the transverse row of dots parallel to the hind margin, with lunular arches. Hind wings dark grey, with a distinct lunule, a pale transverse line outside the lunule, tlien a dark transverse shade followed by another pale marginal line. 1 have only occasionally captured specimens of this variety at Deal.

/3. var. intermedia, raihi. — Intermediate between var. pallida and the red var. lithoxylea of Hiibner. Ground colour yellowish-ochreous, with a dark grey tinge, the typical shades variable in depth of colour, and the transverse lines also variable in the extent of their development. This is the ordinary British form.

y. var. lithoxylea, Hb. — This must not be confounded with the lithoxylea of I'ab., which is a distinct species. HiJbner's fig. 240 may be described as follows : — " Anterior wings bright ochreous with a reddish tinge, a bright red shade between the stigmata, and another bright red shade along the

* These two dots are very unusual in subUistris, although common in lithoxylea. I have one specimen of sublustris with both developed, many with one, but the greater number of my long series have neither.

12 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

hind margin ; a series of black dots on the pale nervures beyond the reniform area. Hind margin of the bind wings dark ochreous, with a dark transverse shade and lunule." This is a very distinct form, with the ground colour redder tlian the type, and the ordinary dark shades of the type of a distinctly bright rust-red colour. I have looked over and captured a large number of this species at Deal, but this form must be considered rare there, as I have taken but few of them. I have seen odd specimens amongst those taken by the Folkestone collectors, and I dare say a larger number would occur there, as the species is very abundant.

Xylophasia, St., lithoxylea^ F.

So much uncertainty prevails with regard to the lithoxylea of the * Vienna Catalogue,' which gives no description, that the lithoxylea of Fabricius ('Mantissa,' p. 182) is generally accepted as the type of the species. This description is as follows: — " Noctua cristata alls deflexis dentatis, cinereis fusco maculatis ; margine postico fusco." " Corpus cinereum. Thorax dorsali brunnea. Alse anticse dentatse cinerese maculis punctisque obsoletis fuscis. Margo posticus tenuissime fuscus. Subtus cJnereie margine tenuiori nitido. Posticse cinereee margine postico fusco, subtus immaculatse."

Hiibner figures the very red form of sublustris as lithoxylea. It is a species which varies but little, so far as I know ; some specimens appear to be a little more suffused with dark scales than others, but generally the paler specimens show undoubted traces of wear. The specimens which I have from Greenwich, Strood, Deal, Sligo, and northern British localities, show no variation worth mentioning. Haworth, in his * Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 169, gives a good description of this species; but he accepts Hiibner's fig. 240 as this species, with the remark " at magis ferruginea," although it is undoubtedly sublustris. Guenee also states in his * Noctuelles,' vol. v. p. 139, that " some lepi- dopterists have supposed lithoxylea a variety of polyodon." This will give some idea of the closely -allied character of this group when studied through their varieties.

(To be continued.)

THE INSECT FAUNA OF ST. KILDA. By C. W. Dale, F.E.S.

At the September meeting of the Entomological Society, Dr. Sharp recorded a list of nine species of Coleoptera from St. Kilda. To that list I can add seven others.

The Coleoptera of the Isle now consist of: — Elaphms lapponicuSy E, cupreus, E. uliginosus, Carabus cateiiulatus, C7. granulatus, Nebria brevicollis, N. gyllenhalii, Calathus

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 13

cisteloides, C. fuscus, C. mollis, Pristonychus terricola, Pterostichus mgrita, P.niger, Amara aulica, A. communis, Ocypus olens, Byrrhus ceneus, and Geotrupes sylvatica.

The Lepidoptera are : — Coenonympha pamphilus (the only butterfly), Anaitis plagiata, Crambus ciilmellus, Bactra lanceolana, and Glyphipteryx cladiella.

The Trichoptera are: — Limnophilus auricula, Polycentropus irroratus, and Bereea pygrrKsa,

The Diptera are: — Microphorus crassipes, Dolichopus atratus^ and D. nuhilis.

The Hemiptera are: — Lygus pratensis and Athysanus ohscurellus.

The Orthoptera are represented by only Forficula auricularia.

I can fully endorse Dr. Sharp's remarks of the specimens showing no signs of depauperation, and being scarcely distin- guishable from ordinary English specimens.

My information comes from an account of the Isle of St. Kilda, by John Macgillivray, 1840; and also from a visit paid there by myself on July 28th, 1883. St. Kilda is the most westerly of the Hebrides, and is situated far out in the bosom of the broad Atlantic, eighty miles west of the Butt of the Lewis, and belongs to Macleod of Macleod. The isle is very bare, being closely fed down with sheep and cattle, and I did not find a single bramble. The cliffs are of stupendous height ; one of them, Conacha, is about 1300 feet high. There are about seventy or eighty inhabitants. An innnense number of sea-birds make it their head- quarters, such as solan geese, fulmar petrels, puffins, &c. In 'The Zoologist' for 1886, p. 333, is an account of a new species of wren. I saw it when there, but did not know it was different from the common one. Amongst plants I observed the corn-marigold, primrose, bog-pimpernel, and cotton-rush.

Glanvilles Wootton, Sherborn, Dorset, Nov. 5, 1888.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES, CAPTURES, &c.

CoLiAS EDUSA var. — Mr. J. Anderson, jun. (Entora. xxi. 27'2), speaks of a " primrose-coloured " CoUas edusa var. helice in Sussex. It is true that helice is not an albino, but it is not of the vivid yellow characteristic of a well-coloured priun-ose. Will Mr. Anderson give a fuller description of this insect ? for if it proves to be a yellow var. of C. edusa, comparable to the var. erlphyle of the American C. eurythenie (see Entom. xxi. 189), I need hardly say, that its interest and value from a biological point of view is very great.— T. D. A. Cockehell ; West Cliff, Colorado, November 27, 1888.

Vanessa urticj2 var. — On the 16th of October last my mother caught at Exmoutb, S. Devon, a specimen of Vanessa urtica which strongly resembles the first variety figured in Newman's ' British Butterflies.' The insect is

14 ' THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

rather smaller than the type, and the two black spots in the centre of the anterior wings are very indistinct, the upper one being very nearly invisible, and the lower one much smaller than in the typical form : the black spot on the inner margin of the fore wings is also smaller than in the type. I have also a specimen of this insect in which the right hind wing is darker than the other wings, and is without the usual marginal row of blue spots. I am unfortunately unable to give the date or place of capture of this latter insect. — Henry A. Hill ; 20, Fellows Road, Hampstead, N.W., November 16, 1888.

Vanessa urtic^ var. — I captured a Vanessa urticcB with the left fore wing of a white colour and the rest of the butterfly presenting the usual appearance, in the old chalk-pit known as " Thunor's Leap," on August 1st, 1888. Vanessa cardui was a common butterfly at Kamsgate during the past season. In 1887 I did not notice it at all. — A. H. Swinton ; Tudor Villa, Gery Street, Bedford.

Deilephila GALii IN CHESHIRE. — From September 4th last to the 19th, I sent two or three of my family to the sand-hills, Wallasey, to search for larvsB of Deilephila yalii. They were there on eight occasions, and col- lected thirty-five larvae. Between a friend and myself I kept twenty, dis- tributing the remainder amongst my entomological friends. The twenty I kept in a warm kitchen, and on October 29th the first imago emerged, a splendid specimen. Others shortly followed, but early in November three cripples appeared, one after another. This somewhat alarmed me, as I was afraid I was drying them too much. I however sprinkled a very little warm water over them, but only did this once. Since then all have emerged in splendid condition, with the exception of three still in pupa. The last to emerge was on December 9th. The result of the twenty larvse was fourteen fine specimens, three cripples, and three still in pupa. — Samuel James Capper; Huyton Park, Liverpool, December 16, 1888.

Deilephila galii at Eton. — At dusk on the evening of July '23rd, 1888, a student brought me a fine D. galii he had just captured in a corridor on the first floor, into which I presume it had flown through the open window. It appeared to be newly emerged, being quite perfect. Can any reader inform me if it has been taken in this district before ? — J. C. O. Blair ; Mr. Tarver's, Eton College, Windsor. [Among the many places of recorded capture of this insect in 1888, Reading appears to be the nearest locality to Eton. — Ed.].

Deilephila galii in Derbyshire. — On July 21st, 1888, my son, aged eleven, caught a female D. galii hovering over flowers in our garden here. He also took a male specimen, within ten minutes later. I have been collecting for the last twelve years, but never before heard of the species occurring in this county. I have a specimen of Sphinx convolvuli measuring five inches, taken near here in 1884, which is the only one I have heard of in this district. — R. C. Bindley; Mickleover Vicarage, Derby, November 30, 1888.

LiTHOSJA complana. — With regard to Mr. Jeff'ery's query (Entom. xxi. 322) as to Lithosia complana being captured on the sandhills of the Carmarthenshire coast, and asking whether this was not an uncommon

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 15

situation, I should say, as far as my experience goes, that it is nearly its only situation. The whole of my series of some ten specimens are all labelled "Deal coast"; and although I have had a number of specimens sent me from inland localities, I have never had any hesitation in rejecting them as complana, and putting them in my series of lurideola (com- planula). I have seen complana (female) drying its wings within twenty yards of the sea, and probably one to two miles distant from any trees, and certainly in this case complana did not feed on tree lichens, although it may have done so on rock lichens. I feel pretty well satisfied that pygmceola is not a lichen feeder, although I have hitherto failed to breed it. In the ' Entomologist,' x. 40, 47, is an interesting account of the life-history of L. molybdeola, and there the Rev. P. H. Jennings gives lichens, chickweed, lettuce, dandelion and sallow as food-plants for this species. I think our LithosidcB are much more general feeders than they are usually considered to be. — J. W. Tutt ; Rayleigh Villa, Westcombe Park, Black- heath, S.E.

Melanic variety of Agrotis corticea. — In the * Entomologist' (xxi. p. 285) is a statement that "Mr. Goss exhibited, for Mr. W. J. Cross, an extraordinary melanic variety of Agrotis segetum, caught by the latter gentleman near Ely, in July last." Mr. Cross, dissatisfied with the result arrived at in the meeting, sent the specimen on to me. There is not the slightest doubt that the specimen is Agrotis corticea, not A. segetum, and although the variety is perhaps, in a small degree, *' extraordinary," I have repeatedly captured specimens of the same form, with a large number of other varieties of the same species, at Deal, during the month of July in the years 1884-88.— J. W. Tutt.

Agrotis agathina. — On Sept. 3rd I took a fine specimen of Agrotis agathina at sugar. As I have never taken it before, and as several of my correspondents have never known it taken in that way, I should like to know how it is usually taken. — W. E. Butler; 91, Chatham Street, Beading. [By searching the flowers of heather-bloom with a light at night. They prefer bloom sheltered by tress. — J. T. C]

Calocampa soLiDAGiNis. — We take this species in the same manner as that mentioned by the Rev. C. Thornewill (Entom, xxi. 277), and it also comes freely to sugar. I met with it in the latter way for the first time this season on August 25th. In the locality where C. solidaginis is most frequently met with, there are only three birch trees, the moths either resting on bracken branches, heather stems, or on some palings there, which are about a foot from the ground, and rarely on the trunks of the birches. — A. E. Hall; Norbury, Sheffield, November, 1888.

Xylophasia monoglypha var. — While sugaring here on July 10th I took a fine da.Yk variety of Xylophasia monoglypha; as far as I can see, the same as the second figure in Newman's 'Natural History of British Moths.' I have not known this variety to occur in this locality before, though I have collected here for three years or more, and seen many hundreds of the type. — Spotswood Graves ; 29, Victoria Street, Tenby, July 25, 1888.

Venilta macularia var. — During a short visit to Lynmouth, North Devon, in July last, I took a specimen of Venilta macularia, of the variety

16 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

>MPSON'?"

described by the Rev. J. S. St. John (Entom. xx. 41). — R. H. Thompsoj 50, Parsonage Road, Withington, near Manchester, December 8, 1888.

Ctdaria reticulata. — I come to the conclusion, that the reason Cidaria reticulata is so rare an insect is owing to the larvae feeding so late in the autumn on a food-plant so tender as Impatiens noU-me-tangere. I could never get the larvae to eat any other plant, and would not at all be surprised if this species soon becomes extinct, owing to early frost and anew : with us notably on 1st October, 1888. I have never been able to succeed in rearing the larvae of C. reticulata, although I have tried hard, and have gone almost daily for the food for them. I was successful in breeding it this season, for knowing they made up amongst the loose rubbish about the plants, I determined to try another plan. 1 went late in the season and collected bags of rubbish from about where I knew the plants had been growing, and was rewarded by rearing a very nice series. I am afraid it will be no use trying the same this winter. I went on the 28th of September to see if there were many plants, and found one corner had a nice bed of them in it. I had a good look for larvae, and found three, but not nearly half- grown. Being so small, I placed them on a marked plant, and left them. A few days later the frost and snow came, so I w^ent up again at once, knowing the plant was so easily killed, and found every plant cut to the ground. After some looking, I came across two larvae wandering about. Not knowing what to do with them, I came to the conclusion forthwith to send them to the Rev. B. Smith, of Marlow, who had written to me that he could not help thinking the larvae might be got to eat something else. I have had a note from Mr. Smith since, lo say he had failed with those I sent. I can see one chance for C. reticulata, which is that some may stay more than one year in the pupa state; otherwise there is but little chance for it. — H. Murray; Lowbank Villas, Carnforth, December 5, 1888.

PfiNTHiNA posTREMANA. — I was fortunato enough to breed a very nice series of P. postremana from Impatiens noli-me-tangere. last season. — H. Murray ; Lowbank Villas, Carnforth, December 12, 1888.

The gknus Scoparta. — Two more seasons have passed since my last note on this subject (Entom. xxi. 17), and little or nothing has been done towards further elucidating this genus, except that Mr. P. B. Mason and Mr. G. C. Barrett have at length given in their adhesion to the opinion I expressed (Entom. xviii. 130) that S. gracilis should be merged in S. alpina. Will none of my brother entomologists in Scotland assist me in working out the question of the specific identity of S. amhigualis and 8. atomalls ? Convinced as I am of their identity, 1 cannot satisfactorily prove it from lack of material. We know that S. amhigualis is abundant throughout England and Scotland, up to the Highlands, where, as in the Hebrides, the Orkneys, and the Shetlands it disappears, and its place is taken by 8. atomalis, which has never occurred in the south, with the exception of a single specimen recorded from Wales by Mr. Gregson (' Intelligencer,' i. p. 31); and this we are particularly told was much lighter in colour than the Scotch specimens. On the west coast of Argyleshire and the small islands in the Sound of Jura, Mr. Howard Vaughan and I have taken, nearly on the sea-level, specimens of an intermediate character ; and if entomologists working in Scotland, especially near the junction of the Highlands and Lowlands, would but collect these species for comparison,

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 17

the matter would speedily be settled. I have worried all my friends and correspondents, and also advertised, but all to no purpose. As regards the rest of the genus, nothing has been done to show whether S. crat<Bgella is, or not, anything more than a local chalk form of 8. mercurella; while the links that appear to bind S. haslstrigalis to S. amhigualis seem to strengthen every day. With a little united effort these questions might easily be settled next year, and the genus put in a thoroughly satisfactory condition. — C. A. Briggs; 55, Lincoln's Inn Fields, December 10, 1888.

SiREX JuvENcus IX LoNDON. — Might not the insect (Entom. xxi. 982), have come out of a telegraph pole, or some other imported pine timber? I found a very fine specimen in a plantation of mine here in 1881. — Edward R. Dalk ; Glanville's VVootton, Dorset, November 3, 1888.

Lepidoptera in Sussex. — I did but little during last season, on account of the very damp summer, which made collecting most unfavourable. With the first bright days of April examples of hybernated Gonopteryx rhamni and VanessidcB were observed in plenty. The sallows were well out by the middle of the month, but the only moths I took at them were the commoner Taeniocampidae. Euchlo'e cardamines was unusually abundant towards the end of May, and about the same time I took Anarta myrtilli on Ashdown Forest, and Argynnis euphrosyne was just beginning to emerge in large numbers. On June 7th I captured a magnificent Vanessa cardui, the first specimen I had seen at Groombridge since 1885 ; during the next few weeks I saw several others. Larvae of Bombyx neustria were to be found in great numbers this month, as well as those of Diloha ccBrideo- cephala, the latter generally occurring on laurel in the garden. Larvae of Dicranura vinula in various stages of growth were plentiful on sallow bushes. Towards the end of June I met with numerous specimens of Arctia vlllica, and Zygcena filipendulcB was to be seen flying in the sunshine in most places where the long grass was growing. Tanagra atrata {chcerophyllata) also appeared in two localities. At the commence- ment of July, a long row of pinks in the garden proved very attractive; five Sphinx ligustri, one Choirocampa elpenor, and several smaller moths being taken in a very short time. About this time Smerinthus ocellatus, S. popull, Bombyx rubi, Plusia chrysitls, and Angerona ptranaria occurred. On the 9th Macroglossa fuciformis was taken flying over hedge wound- wort [Stachys sylvatica), and Acronycta megacephala, also Aplecta nebulosa were found at rest. The larvae of Cucullia verbascl were common on water- betony and mullein. NemeophUa riissula occurred on Broadwater Common. On the evening of the 23rd I tried sugaring in a small wood, and as regards numbers had the most successful evening that I ever remember. It was very sultry, pitch-dark, and a few drops of rain were falling. Moths were in countless numbers on the trees, and I took Leucania conigera, L. comma, L. pollens, Xylophasia lithoxylea, X. monoglypha, Dipterygia scabriuscula {pinastri), Miana bicoloria {furuncula), Apamea gemina, A. didyma, Agrotls exclamationis, A. nigricans^ Noctua trlangulum, N.f estiva, and Mania typica. Argynnis selene was out in immense numbers on Broadwater Common about the middle of the month, as was Bupaliis jnniaria, among the pine trees. On August 3rd I noticed Thecla quercus in the village flying under an oak tree, and found a larva of Saturnia pavonia feeding on elderberry. Charceas graminis occurred at light ai the

ENTOM.—JAN. 1889. 0

18 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

end of August. I was surprised to find large numbers of the larvae of V. urticce about the second week in September, in all stages of growth, on nettles. Most of these turned to pupa about October Snd, and emerged about the I5th of the same month. During this latter month, specimens of D, cmruleocephala were frequently taken at light. — W. H. Blabeu ; Sunnyside, Groombridge, Sussex, November 9, 1888.

Notes from Wimborne. — Last season I collected above fifty larvae of Euchloe cardamines, also several of Pieris napi and P. rapce, all feeding upon common watercress in a damp ditch ; nearly all have emerged, females of the first-named being far more numerous than males. I have bred a fine series of Gonepteryx rliamni from ova and larvae ; one specimen is curious, in colour it is intermediate between the sexes. The larvae of Macroglossa fuciformis have been plentiful this year during July and August. 1 took above forty, in all stages. They were very easy to detect upon honeysuckle leaves ; when young they perforate two or three holes near the midrib, and rest underneath. About thirty have changed. I find all are alive and free from parasites. On June 6tli I caught a female Colias edusa ; it is in excellent condition and does not look as if it had hybernated ; the fringes are good. Tlie following is a partial Ust of my captures here : — On a patch of heath about two acres in extent, Hesperia malvm, Nisoniades tages, Paiu- phila sylvanus and P. thaumas, dark forms. Ccenonympha jMmphilus, very fine, a female with two perfect ocelli on the upper surface of both hind wings. Polyommatus phloeas, some with scarcely any spots at all. Lycmna (Bgon very plentiful, from deep purple to light blue; one male with dark iridescent blotches upon the centre of the upper anterior wings. L. Icarus, an isolated colony, about a dozen of which I netted, all the females, five in number, are more or less confluent, two especially so, whilst the males are of the ordinary type. Thecla ruhi, Saturiiia carpini, EiUhemonia russida, several and two females, Anarta inyrtilla, Fidonia piniaria in swarms, the firs being alive with them ; I find the pupae mostly in rotten wood under the trees. Lithosia viesomella, Agrotis p)orphyrea and others ; although I found Thecla ruhi and Hesperia vialvce common in the spring, I failed to find any in the autumn ; the same with other double-brooded species. Satyrus seniele common on fir-tree trunks, a position this insect usually rests upon, where bare rock or ground is absent. By beating, search- ing trees, &c., I collected the following : — Eurymene dolahraria, Ourapteryx sanibucata, Geometra papilionaria, Orgyia pudibunda, Chelonia villica, Arctia fuliginosa, Ellopia prosapiaria, Platypteryx hamula, P.falcataria, Macaria alternata, Pseiidoterpna p)rainata, Calligenia miniata, Acidalia einarginata, &c. At sugar Deinas coryli, Thyatira derasa, T. hatis, Acromjcta psi, Xanthiafulvago, X.Jiavago, and a fine series of Acronycta ligiistri, from pale grey to almost black, one suffused with green. One A. leporina, dark grey, from a larva found upon willow. On September '^7th I found a brood of Vanessa urticce, the last of which emerged to the imago on October 30th ; although well fed they are small and dark, some red between the black spots instead of the usual yellow ; one has only one spot and a faint dot in the middle of the forewings. Psyche villosella very plentiful upon heath ; I took numbers of the larvae in their cases during the spring, but quite six females emerged to one male. I put about a dozen cases (which 1 had cut open) containing female pupae in a separate box, and upon open- ing it some time afterwards, there were hundreds of minute larvae, some

41

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 19

with cases made of paper, &c. Knowing the eggs were unfertilised I destroyed the lot, supposing they would produce females only. I visited Brockenhurst occasionally during the last fortnight in July, and found eleven pupas of Vanessa polychloros, nine from a shed under some elms, close by the station, and two in the station whilst waiting for the train, and a gentleman gave me six from a batch he discovered feeding upon sallow ; eleven have emerged, but the elm-fed specimens are larger than the others. In the forest I netted one confluent male, an Argynnis paphia, four valezina, several A. adippe, and Thecla quercus, the latter resting upon ferns under young oak trees. In one of the ridings I saw a large dragon- fly dart at a male paphia; both fell to the ground, the latter was soon disabled. I have seen them attack flies, but never such big game before. — J. H. Fowler; Leith Cottage, Grove Road, Wimborne, Dorset, November 8, 1888.

Early Season in New Zealand. — After a cold and tempestuous summer, we have here experienced a remarkably fine winter and early spring. On Sept. 16th I was much surprised to come across several larvae of F. gonerilla, who had passed their second moult and were feeding vigorously. From this it would seem probable that the " new " specimens are Hkely to appear as early as November 1st, which will be, according to my experience, at least two months before the usual time. T have not observed quite such a marked advancement in other insects, although the season seems to be a very early one. — G. V. Hudson ; Wellington, New Zealand, October 17, 1888.

RocHEFORT IN AuGUST. — Rochcfort is a small town in the Belgian highlands, built in a picturesque valley at the level of 400 meters above the sea. It is surrounded by woods of varied growth and affords every accom- modation to tourists. There are two good hotels in the town, of which the " Hotel Biron " is the largest, and at which attention is paid to the wants of the entomologist. The geological formation of the neighbourhood is schist, overlaying a hard limestone with some marble. The limestone rocks often penetrate the schist, and form hills of a dark blue-black colour. Taking the Hotel Biron as a central point, excursions may be made in various directions. To the south stretches the Han road, which winds round the side of a hill and leads to the famous grottoes of that name. The road is overhung on one side by woods, which afford excellent hunting-ground. The woods belong to the commune and are free to anyone. To the west is the road to Dinan, which is very beautiful, and leads through the forest of Rochefort, as does also the Cigny road, which branches off from the Dinan road just beyond the town. This forest is also communal and therefore free. The trees composing the forest are very various in size and character, but most are small ; the underwood is composed of nut-bushes and wild plum, with some broom. To the northward is the Jemelle road, from which a path branches off, leading down a deep gully between limestone hills. This gully teems with insects. Many Lepidoptera are common in all these locahties ; of these I give a list, so as not to refer to them again : — Argynnis paphia, Vanessa io, V. atalanta, V. cardui, Erehia rnedea, Pararge egeria, P. megcera, Satyrus semele, Thecla betulce, Lycana corydon, Colias hyaie. Plusia gamtna was so abundant as to become a nuisance on the Han road. On a bright sunny afternoon, this is a good locality, espe-

20 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

cially where tufts of Valeriana officinalis grow. An occasional Vanessa antiopa may be seen, majestically sailing down from the overhanging trees, or springing up in front of the too ardent naturalist, just far enough away for him to be unable to reach it. This species is said to be very common in the neighbourhood, but owing to the bad season they have been very scarce this year. Now and then a Callimorpha hera will fly across the road, the bright red of its win^ making it a conspicuous object, or it may be taken on the valerian-heads in company with numberless Vanessidae and Theclse. A few F. urticce may also be seen with Erebia cBthiops. In the more open spots Gonepteryx rliamni is common. The trees which border the road yield Catocala nupta, Liparis disjjar, L. monaclia, &c. In the woods above the Han road, which require to be worked in the afternoon, as no sun reaches them in the morning, yield Vanessa c-alhum and E. cethiops. In the evening many Geometrse may be found. On the summit of the hill above the wood there is an open patch of grassy ground where Argynnis aglaia may be caught, with A. dia, E. hyperanthes, Ccenonympha pam- philus, C. arcania, L. icarus, L. minima, P. thaumas, and P. comma. On the right side of the Dinan road, just beyond the town, there is a range of bare hills leading to the convent of St. Kemy and the famous marble quarries. Insects are scarce here, but the large H. circe may be caught in fair numbers, with an occasional Papilio machaon. In the forest of Roche- fort there are few roads which make it difficult to work, but it abounds in flowers and insects. The Lepidoptera worthy of note are V. antiopa, A. adippe, with var., chlorodippe, A. dia, E. cethiops, E. ianira, C. pamphilus. C. arcania, P. plilmas, L. medon, L. argiolus, L. dorilis, L. astrarche, Pieris napi, L. sinapis, G. rhamni, C. edusa, P. thaumas and P. comma. Among the moths, Macroglossa stellatarum and 0. antiqua. In a gully on the Jemelle road 1 caught H. circe, V. poiychlows, L. icarus and var. icarinus, L. bellargus, L. astrarche, L. dory las, L. medea, C. edusa, G. rhamni, P. napi, P. brassiccB, P. rapes, S. alcece, S. alveus, N. tages, E. tithonus and H. comma. A few Acidalia ornata were also caught, with larvae oi Smerinthus ocellatus, Cossus ligniperda and D. vinula. One night only I went out with a lantern to this gully, and obtained numerous Pyrales and other interesting moths, especially Tortrices and Tinese, which were very common. Before closing, I must allude to the beautiful schist-coloured grasshopper, with pale blue under wings, which form so conspicuous a feature among the insects. Looking at the collection, one is struck with the very dark appearance of the insects generally, and especially with the deep colours of the P. megcera and P. eyeria, which are very much darker and smaller than those which I captured a few years ago in the plains of Northern France, though the French specimens are not faded. This dark coloration is no doubt due to the altitude of the locality, and also perhaps somewhat to the dark colour of the rocks. The specimens of E. medea are less hairy -looking and brighter in colour than those which I obtained in Oban (Scotland). I feel sure that a visit to this locality would amply repay anyone who could spend a holiday there. August is a little too late, as many of my speci- mens are the worse for wear. Orthopterists and coleopterists especially will find Rochefort a rich collecting-ground. — E. W. Carlier; Physio- logical Laboratory, Edinburgh University.

The Wet Season and Ocelli. — According to Mr. de Niceville (Entomol. Soc, Feb. 8th, 1885), the ocellated spots on the under sides of

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 21

certain Indian Satyridse differ very markedly in the wet and dry seasons' broods, and are fully developed in such cases in the dry season only. It therefore becomes of especial interest to learn (Entom. 273) that Mr. J. E. Wink worth has taken during the past wet season in England, five examples of Epinephele hyperanthes in which the ocelli are almost suppressed, all of them in the same county — Berkshire. E. hyperanthes var. arete, and forms approaching thereto, are not of exceeding rarity in most years, hut it will be of very great interest if we find, as Mr. Winkworth's note seems to indicate, that they have been especially abundant during the past season. It is therefore to be hoped that those who have knowledge of this matter will publish the same. — T. D. A. Cockerell ; West Cliff, Colorado, November 27, 1888.

Abnormal Development. — One of the most remarkable cases of ab- normal development I have ever met with, recently came under my notice. On November 16th I met with a larva of Pieris rapce which had spun up previous to pupating. Wishing to renew my specimen of this species, I took it with the intention of preserving it, and placed it in a small tin box, which I always carry in my vest pocket. A few hours later I noticed it had pupated ; replacing it in my pocket, I forgot it until Nov. 28th, then, upon opening the box and noticing that the pupa appeared to be dried up, I broke it in halves, and to my surprise found the perfectly developed imago inside. That this species should be developed in twelve days is not, I think, a very exceptional occurrence, but in this case the pupa was loose in a box in a pocket, carried not less than eight miles each day, and subjected to every motion of the body. It shows, I think, that a very slight eleva- tion or depression of the temperature serves to advance or retard the development of insects. — W. T. Pearce ; 111, High Street, Gosport, December 11, 1888.

Hybernating Larvae. — Can any one tell me the best way of rearing hybernating larvae ? I have Uropteryx sambucarla feeding on ivy, which I am anxious to successfully rear. — Henry A. Hill; 20, Fellows Road, Hampstead, N.W., November 7, 1888.

Ketarded Emergence. — I had a curious instance of this the other day. A solitary pupa of Dicranura vinula, which remained over from larvae taken in 1887, suddenly emerged on the 10th of November, and developed itself to its own satisfaction and my considerable surprise. — G. M. A. Hewett; The College, Winchester.

Celery-fly. — My plants of celery have often been much injured by the larva of some insect burrowing in and destroying the leaves, in which it makes patches or blotches rather than galleiies. The pest has been unusually abundant this year in my own and neighbouring gardens, the worst of its ravages being committed in September and October; so that in the latter month many rows of celery about here presented a withered and sickly appearance, with hardly a green leaf to be seen, the growth of the plant being altogether checked. I should be glad to know the order and name of the insect, and also whether any plan can be recommended for getting rid ot it. J have picked up a number of the pupae, specimens of which I should be happy to forward to anyone who is interested in its natural history.— (Rev.) G. A. Smallwood ; Willington, Burton-on-Trent, November 10, 1888. [The history and a figure of the Celery-fly {Tephritis

22 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

onopoi'dinis), with notes on prevention and remedy, is given in Miss E. A. Ormerod's * Manual of Injurious Insects,' pp. 58-61. — E. A. F.]

Phytomyza chj:rophylli. — The autumn generation of this mining dipteron has occurred with us abundantl}- in the leaves of ChcBrophyllurn temulum, and C. sylvestre during September and October. The mine is most abundant in C. temulum, though it occurs, but far more sparingly, in C. anthriscus and C. sylvestre, as noticed first by Kaltenbach in 1872. The larva first makes a somewhat serpentine tunnel in an upper segment of the leaf-divisions, which it afterwards enlarges till the pulp is nearly all consumed, and a conspicuously white patch is all that is left to tell of its earlier life. The larva mostly pupates in the soil below, occasionally even in the mine itself. The tiny pupa is black and glossy, and the fly will doubtless put on wings in the spring of next year. — Peter Inchbald; Hornsea, Holderness, December 19, 1888.

Mould. — Can any reader of the ' Entomologist ' suggest a remedy for the prevention of mould? Several specimens in ray drawers are slightly affected. One time my cabinet did not oecupy one of the driest situations. I have cleaned the few specimens that were affected by means of a camel- hair brush. Is mould contagious, and are the same specimens Hkely to be subjected to it again ? A prevention was given some years ago by the Rev. J. Tasker (Entom. xv. 233), but from the experience of Mr. H. Dobson, jun. (Entom. xv. 234), it was injurious to the white insects, turning them a dirty cream colour ; by so doing the remedy becomes equal to the disease. — Thomas Walpole ; 9, Dudley Terrace, New Somerby, Grantham. [Calvert's glacial carbolic acid should be placed on a small piece of cotton- wool on the head of a pin, about the centre of the affected drawer. This will destroy all hfe, either vegetable or animal, in the drawer, which should be kept tightly closed for a few days. Mould is a fungoid growth which spreads or returns wherever the spores find a suitable nidus to commence a further colony — J. T. C]

Erratum. — Entom. xxi. p. 316, line 7, for Syrichthus malvcB {alveolus) read Hesperia sylvanus.

SOCIETIES.

Entomological Society of London. — December 6thj 1888. — Dr. D. Sharp, F.L.S., President, in the chair. Mr. B. A. Bower, of Eltham, Kent, was elected a Fellow of the Society. Mr. W. F Kirby exhibited, for the Rev. Dr. Walker, a variety of the female of Ornithoptera hrookiana; he also exhibited, for Major Partridge, an undetermined species of the genus Hadena, captured last summer in the Isle of Portland. Mr. R. South exhibited a series of specimens of Tortrix piceana, L., from a pine wood in Surrey; also melanic forms of Tortrix podana, S., from St. John's Wood. Prof. Meldola exhibited, for Dr. Laver, a melanic specimen of Catocala nupta, taken last September at Colchester. Mr. E. B. Poulton exhibited preserved larvae of Sphinx convolvuli, showing the extreme dark and light forms of the species. Mr. M-'Lachlan called attention to a plate, representing species of the genus Agrotis, executed by photography, illustrating a memoir by Dr. Max Standfuss, in the Correspondenz-Blatt, Verein 'Iris,' in Dresden, 1888. He considered it was the best example of photography as adapted for entomological purposes he had ever seen,

SOCIETIES. 23

especially as regarded its stereoscopic effect. The Rev. Canon Fowler exhibited a specimen of Mycterus ciirculionoides, sent to him by Mr. OllifF, and taken by Mr. Gunning near Oxford about 1882. Mr. W. Nicholson exhibited several raelanic varieties of Argynnis niohe and A. pales, collected by himself last summer in the Engadine. Mr. J. H. Leech exhibited a small collection of Lepidoptera- formed last year by Mr. Pratt at Kiukiang, Central China. It included several new species, also speci- mens of a variety of Papilio sarpedon and other interesting forms. Mens. A. Wailly exhibited a collection of Lepidoptera lately received from Assam, containing upwards of thirty-five species of Papilio, Oniithoptera, Charaxes, Diadema, Cyrestis, and other genera. Mr. Meyer-Darcis exhibited specimens oi' Sternocera tricolor, Kerr, and S. variabilis, Kerr, from Lake Tan- ganyika; also two new species oi Julodis from Syria. Mr. F. Menifield ex- hibited, and made remarks on, a long series of Seleuia illustraria, S. illuuaria, and E. alniaria, in illustration of his paper on " Pedigree Moth-breeding." Lord Walsiugham exhibited and make remarks on, a series of species representing the genera Snellenia, Wlsm., (Edematopoda, Z., and Eretmo- cera, Z. The Rev. T. A. Marshall communicated a paper entitled "A Monograph of British BraconidcB. Part III." The Rev. Dr. Walker communicated a paper entitled '* Description of a variety of the female of Ornithoptera Brookiana.'" Lord Walsingham read a paper entitled "A Monograph of the genera connecting Tincsgeria, Wlk., with Eretmocera, Z." A discussion ensued, in which Mr. Stainton, Dr. Sharp, and others took part. Mr. Merrifield read a paper entitled "Incidental Observations in Pedigree Moth-breeding." This paper contained a detailed account of experiments with Selenia illustraria, S. illunaria, and E. alniaria, which, so far as they had yet proceeded, indicated that retardation of development in the growing stages of the larvae, as well as in the pupal stage, was the the cause of the darkening of colour in the perfect insects; that a low temperature had the effect of causing such retardation ; and that growing the larvae at a forcing temperature tended to produce a warmer and 3'ellower tint in the colouring of the moths. Lord Walsingham, Mr. Poulton, Prof. Meldola, Mr. White, and Mr. Merrifield took part in the discussion which ensued. Mr. J. H. Leech read a paper *' On a small collection of Lepidoptera from Kiukiang." Captain Elvves said he had examined this collection with very great interest, and was struck with the similarity of many of the species to those from Sikkim. — H. Goss and W. W. Fowler, Hon. Secretaries.

The South London Entomological and Natural History Society. — November ^2nd, 1888. John T. Carrington, Vice-President, in the chair. Messrs. W. G. Dawson, F. E. Brown, A. Marshall, and J. Katy were elected members. Mr. J. Jiiger exhibited Agrotis prcecox from Glamorgan- shire, obtained by shaking the sand-crests ; dark forms of Acidalia margine- piuictatata from S. Wales, Cidaria reticulata from the Lake District, and Lobophora viretata from Staffordshire. Mr. E. B. Nevinson, Leucania jnUrescens, S. Wales ; Acontia luctuosa, Surrey ; two dark forms of Heliothis peltigera, one taken on the 15th, and the larva of the other on the 18th, August, which produced an imago on the 17th September. Mr. R. Adkin, Pieris napi from West Ireland, approaching var. bryonice, Hb. ; Ellopia prosapiaria from English and Irish localities ; Ematurga atoniaria, Larentia didymata, Eupithecia nanatUf and Hypsipetes sordidata from English, Irish,

34 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

and Scotch localities. Mr. Tugwell, two specimens of Margarodes unionalis, taken, 1877, at Kingsdovvn, Kent, off flowers of Eupatoriwn cannahinum ; two examples of Mecyna polygonalls, both taken in 1877, — one at Deal and the other at Kingsdovvn ; a series of Eupithecla extensaria from King's Lynn ; and Acidalla ininiorata from Lewes, and made some observations upon his exhibit. Mr. Henderson, examples of the second brood of Tephrosia crepuscularia from Oxfordshire. Mr. Hawes, ova of Bomhyx nemtria, clustered round the stalk of a plum. Mr. West (Streatham), Polia chi from N. Wales.

December l^tli, 1888. T. R. Billups, President, in the chair. Messrs. G. Tindall and M. Winkley were elected members. Mr. Frohawk exhibited the specimen of Vanessa antiopa, taken by him at Chatham, together with German and American examples of the species. Mr. R. Adkin, on behalf of Mr. Austin, a pale fawn-coloured var. of Epinephele ianira, a strongly- marked example of Ccenonympha pamphilus, blue forms of the male and female of Lyccena hellargus, and the under side of the male with dark grey ground colour and the usual spots absent ; also pale, xanthic, and grey forms of Bryophlla perla, all taken at Folkestone. Mr. Carrington, a strongly- marked var. of Vanessa c-album, taken near Droitwich. Mr. Adye, unusually large and small forms of Selenia tetralunaria and Metrocampa margarltaria Mr. J. T. Williams, Acidalla imniorata, Lewes ; Deiopeia pulchella from Southbourne, 1876 ; and Cymatophora or from the Hebrides. Mr. Helps, Ptllophora plumigera, bred. Mr. R. South, British and foreign examples of DianthcecicB allied to D. nana, and contributed notes thereon ; a discussion ensued, Messrs. South, Carrington, Gregson, Tugwell, and others taking part. Mr. R. Adkin exhibited series of D. nana from Kent, Surrey, Shetland, and the Hebrides ; and Mr. Hall, series of many species of Dlanthoecia. Mr. South also exhibited a form of Gortyna ochracea from Perthshire, and made some observations thereon. Mr. W. H. Tugwell, forms of Hypsipetes sordidata, bred from larvae obtained from Huddersfield ; Agrotis siniulans, Aberdeenshire; and Neineophila plaataginis, va.r. hospita, from Forfarshire. Mr. Manger, Dynastes hercules, Fab., from Montserrat, Chalcosoma atlas, Fab., Megalosoma thesus. Fab., and a species of golofa, which was not identified, — all from Brazil. Mr. Billups, fifty species of ChrysomelidcB, from various parts of the world; also some specimens of Miaris micros, taken by Mr. West in Headley Lane, by sweeping, in the year 1884. Mr. West said that when he took this species it was extremely abundant, but he had not been able to find it since. Mr. Billups also exhibited Hotiniis clavatus, Westw., taken by Mr. Elwes at Darjeeling, 1886.— H. W. Barkee, Hon. Sec.

An Entomological Society for Birmingham. — A preliminary meeting of some of the Birmingham entomologists was held, on December 13th, to discuss the formation of a local Entomological Society. The chairman, Mr. W. G. Blatch, made some remarks indicating the lines upon which he considered such a Society should work; and, after considerable discussion, it was unanimously agreed that such a Society should be started, to be called the Birmingham Entomological Society. Mr. W. G. Blatch was elected President; and Mr. Colbran J. Wainwright, of Hall Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, Hon. Secretary, from whom particulars may be obtained. A second meeting will shortly be held to draft a constitution aud rules, and settle all necessary preliminaries.

ETitomologist.Fe"b.l889.

Plate 1,

H Knight ad nat.

The Genus Luelidorfia.

West,Hewmei.7i(5tCo cliroTTn

OLOIMB'

m

mi

THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Vol. XXIL] FEBEUAEY, 1889. [No. 809.

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW LUEHDORFIA FKOM JAPAN.

By J. H. Leech, B.A., F.L.S., &o.

(Plate L, Fig. 1.)

LuEHDORFIA JAPONICA, nOV. Sp.

Expanse, 70 mm. Primaries pale yellow, black at base and externa margin, with three transverse oblique black bands on the disc, and one parallel with outer margin, with which the third oblique band is united below the middle ; a black dash from the costa between first and second and second and third oblique bands. Secondaries pale yellow, with a broad black band along the inner margin, and another, oblique and interrupted, on the disc beyond which is a black costal dash : the outer third black, enclosing five blue spots, and edged externally with some orange patches; a conspicuous crimson blotch above anal angle. Fringes chequered black and white. Under surface as above, but the crimson colour assumes a band-like form, traversing the wing parallel with outer margin from anal angle to second subcostal nervule; the orange on outer margin also forms a complete band.

This species was erroneously referred to as L. puzlloi by Mr. Pryer in his catalogue of * Lepidoptera of Japan,' and subse- quently by myself in my paper on the "Lepidoptera of Japan and Corea," P. Z. S., 1887, when I did not possess specimens of the species. I at first considered it to be merely a local form of L, puziloif but the following characters are amply sufficient to separate it from that species. In the first place the " pouch " of female of L,japonica is without a keel, and is black instead of light chestnut ; this, without reference to other points of difference, at once distinguishes it ; but it is further much larger in size, the ground colour is darker, and the anal blotch is broader and of a bright crimson.

With regard to the pouch of L. puziloi, M. Oberthiir is of opinion that this is probably not developed until pairing has

ENTOM. — FEB. 1889. D

THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

I

taken place. If this is so, it may account for some of the females, both of puziloi and japonicay being without this appendage.

Recorded from Yesso and the Kurile Islands. There were several specimens in Fryer's collection, which has lately come into my possession. These were taken at Gifu in April, and are probably the examples referred to (E. M. M. xxiv. 66). I also have one example which was taken by my native collector at Bungo, Isle of Kiushiu.

Luehdorjia puziloi has been recorded from Eastern Siberia, Vladiwostok, and Isle of Askold.

Explanation of Plate I.

LueJidorfia japonica, Leech. — Fig. 1, ?. Fig. lo^, $, under surface fig. 1 6, 2 , pouch, full view ; fig. 1 c, 2 , pouch, side view.

Luehdorfia puziloi, Erschoff. — Fig. 2, ? . Fig. 20-,$, under surface fig. 2&, 5 , pouch, full view ; fig. 2 c, $ , pouch, side view.

ON THE VARIATION OF INSECTS.

By T. D. a. Cockerell.

(Continued from p. 6.)

h. The so-called hermaphrodites,

Colias edusa, Entom. xi. 101. Lycwna icarus, Entom. xi. 101, 209; XX. 302. L. cegon, Entom. xi. 101. Clostera curtula, Entom. xi. 103. Epione vespertaria^ Entom. xi. 104. Satyrus semele, Newman, Brit. Butt. 89. Odonestis potatoria, Entom. xvi. 188. Lasiocampa trifoliiy Ent. Mo. Mag. 1882, iii. Antho- charis cardamines, Entom. xii. 181 (^). — In these examples part of the insect has the superficial characters of the male, and part of the female, in a similar manner to the forms quoted under *'g." That they are not true hermaphrodites is clear enough, and it is highly probable from analogy that the primary sexual organs are aborted, though I am not at present aware of any positive evidence that this is the case. Having in view the fact that in cases of female dimorphism specimens combining the two forms may occur, and further, that the secondary sexual characters of female Lepidoptera have probably arisen in dimorphisms (see under "f"), it seems possible that these examples are cases of partial reversion, tokens that the female was once dimorphic.

i. One sex assuming the superficial characters of the other,

Biston hirtaria, 5^, with $ colouring, Entom. xi. 102. Epione vespertaria, ^, with ? colouring, Entom. xi. 170, and coloured fig. Colias edusa pseudomas, ? without yellow spots on black marginal bands, Entom. xi. Epinephele ianira pseudomas, Newman, Brit. Butt. 92. Aphycus ceroplastis pseudomas.

ON THE VARIATION OF INSECTS. 37

Howard, in describing this Chalcid from New Mexico, mentions that four females had a black shade in the middle of the mesocutum, and black instead of yellow axillae, thus resembling the normal ^ of the species. — Following the line of argument under *' h," these will appear as examples of reversion to the primitive type, which has been maintained typically in one sex, but lost in the other. From the facts recorded by Mr. J. Bland Sutton, concerning a female golden-pheasant which took the plumage of the male, and his comments thereon, it would appear probable that the immediate cause of this reversion to the supposed primitive type is the abortion of the organs of generation. In many species of vertebrata the young of one sex resemble closely the adult of the other in superficial characters ; it may be that some Lepidoptera pass through a primitive stage, which characterises the adult of the opposite sex, in the pupa, and the sexual organs being occasionally aborted at this critical moment, the secondary sexual characters do not further develop, resulting in a specimen such as those referred to above. It would, therefore, be of the highest interest if any future captor of such a specimen would dissect it while fresh, and examine the condition of the reproductive organs.

k. Seasonal forms,

Papilio ajaXy spring form telamonides, Feld., and summer form marcellus, Bd. Pieris protodice, spring form vernalis, Edw., is smaller and darker than the summer form. P, oleracea, summer form often larger, and wings thinner and purer white than spring form. P. rapce, ''Farther south (in the United States) the winter (spring) form tends to pure white on the upper surface " (G. H. French). Colias eury theme, spring form keeivaydin, Edw., smaller than summer form, duller yellow and with less roseate reflection, both sides more sprinkled with black scales, the orange patch on the fore wings not so marked, sometimes almost absent. Phyciodes tharos, seasonal forms marcia, Edw., and morpheus, Fb. ; P. phaon also has seasonal forms. Grapta interrogationis, hybernating form fahricii, Edw., summer form umbrosa, Lintn. ; *' There are about four broods in a season, and while those of the last or hybernating brood are the pale forms, the others are more or less mixed, as Mr. Edwards has shown" (G.H.French). G, comma, hyber- nating form harrisii, Edw., summer form dryas, Edw. Lyccena pseudargiolus vars. lucia, Kirby, and marginata, Edw., coming from pupae which have hybernated, show coalescence of markings on the under side of the hind wings. Selenia hilunaria juliaria, Haw., and S. lunaria delunariay Hb. — In North America, owing to the great difference between the summer and winter climates, seasonal forms are often very marked. As a rule, the spring form, emerging from pupae which have hybernated, is smaller

d2

88 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

and darker than the summer hrood, a condition which has heen attributed to the effects of cold while in the pupa stage. But, strangely enough, a moderate amount of cold appears to have an opposite effect, for in our climate the spring Pieridse, which are dark in America, are distinctly lighter than the summer forms, and the imported P. rapcB would seem to have retained that character somewhat in America. Also, as regards size, I believe that it is found that the races of large silk-moths, which are bred on the cooler slopes of the Himalayas, are invariably larger and finer than those of the same species ifrom the heated plains of India; and this has been attributed to their longer sojourn in the pupal state, whereby they have more time for development. The only theory I can advance to harmonise these various facts may seem to many a somewhat unwarranted one, and I shall look with interest for any comments on it. The darker and smaller forms may be supposed always to be those whose development has been quick, the metabolism great in proportion to the growth, while the larger and lighter forms have developed more slowly, with a longer period of growth, and less intense metabolism ; in short, as Mr. P. Geddes would say, the first have developed katabolically, the last anabolically. When eggs or seeds are subjected to a low temperature, although life is not necessarily extinguished, growth and metabolism cease. The winter in North America is sufficiently cold to have a like effect upon hybernating pupae, — they live, but do not grow. The summer comes on with comparative suddenness, and the hot rays of the sun throw them into the most intense metabolism, so that the imago emerges with the wing- structures, so far from having developed slowly and in the cold, presenting every evidence of rapid change. In a climate like that of England, however, the winter is not cold enough to entirely arrest wing- growth, and hence the spring emergences present usually some evidence of slow change accompanied by gradual growth. It will probably be objected to the above theory, that summer in America is at least as hot as spring, so why do not the summer forms present at least as much evidence of quick change ? To which I can only reply, that I am inclined to suppose that the vital structures and organs of generation develop at a much lower temperature than the wings, of which theory confirmation will be seen in such examples as the normally wingless, but otherwise perfect, Choreius ineptuSf which is said often to develop wings in unusually hot seasons. I hold, therefore, that the North American species hybernating in the pupal state attain a nearly perfect development of their vital functions before the spring, although wing-growth has been in abeyance ; but those pupating and emerging in the summer cannot assume the perfect state until the time necessary for the growth of the vital and repro-

CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORY OF THE BRITISH PTEROPHORI. 29

ductive organs has expired, so that the wings, developing all the while, have no period of sudden quick change like those of the spring brood. The seasons in Europe were probably at one time much more marked, and possibly some of the Mediterranean species arose as summer forms of northern species, or vice versa : for instance, in the genus Gonopteryx, Colias eurytheme, of North America, has in the summer brood an orange patch on the fore wings similar to that of Gonopteryx cleopatra, but the spring emergence has the patch much reduced, and sometimes almost absent, thus resembling G. rhamni. Now, supposing the climate were to become more uniformly cold in the north and warm in the south, these seasonal forms would be transformed into geographical races, and ultimately species. Such may have been the origin of G, rhamni and cleopatra.

(To be continued.)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF THE

BRITISH PTEROPHORI.

By Richaed South, F.E.S.

(Concluded from vol. xviii., p. 282.)

As it appears inexpedient to wait until I have found or otherwise obtained all the larvae of plume -moths I still require for figuring and describing, I venture to complete the imago descriptions of British Pterophoridse, and, at the same time, append descriptions of such larvae and pupae as I have met with since my last contribution. Some of these larval descriptions have already been published, in ' British Pyralides,' by Mr. J. H. Leech. As it may interest those who study the Pterophoridae, I may add that coloured figures of all our species are given in the work referred to.

Before proceeding with the descriptions, I have a few observations to make respecting some of the species noticed in previous papers.

Platyptilia zetterstedti.

In a former note (Entom. xviii, 172) I remarked that the insect we knew as zetterstedti was not Zeller's species of that name, and I further questioned the occurrence of zetterstedti^ Zell., in this country. In this, however, I think I was partly wrong. I have received other examples of so-called zetterstedti from the Continent ; the latest additions are from Dr. Staudinger, and all are most certainly referable to P. gonodactyla. Now, therefore, it follows that unless Zeller's species is a scarce insect, with which continental entomologists of repute are not well acquainted, and the examples sent me from various sources were all wrongly named, zetterstedti, Zell., sinks as a synonym of

30 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

gonodactyla, whilst our insect is without a name. I do not, however, propose to invent a new one for it ; why, will presently appear ; and for the present it will be convenient to refer to it by the name it has borne so long in this country. Among the zetterstedti which I took in North Devon is one example, which at the time I thought, from its greater size and more pronounced markings, must be a distinct species. It was figured as probably P. nemoralis, Entom. xiv., PL I., fig, 19, but I subsequently determined it to be an exaggerated form of zetterstedti, believing, as I then did, that that insect was a distinct species. Comparing this nemoralis -like specimen again with a more varied series of P, nemoralis from the Continent, I cannot now see that there is any material difference between them. The N. Devon insect is perhaps somewhat smaller in size and a little paler in colour than nemoralis, but it agrees quite as well with that species as it does with zetterstedti, so that, unless it be distinct from either (which I cannot suppose it is), it must be considered an intermediate form, and as such it admirably serves to connect our zetterstedti with continental nemoralis. The larva of nemoralis is said to feed on Senecio memorensis ; so also, it is stated, does that of zetterstedti ; therefore it may be that a form of nemoralis occurs on the Continent similar to our zetterstedti. and that it is this form which is the type of Zeller's species. In the interests of synonymy and exact nomenclature, it will of course be desirable to ascertain which of the insects we know as zetterstedti and gonodactyla agrees best with Zeller's type of zetterstedti^ This at the moment, however, I cannot do, but hope to be able to satisfy myself on the point before long ; any way, the result of such enquiry cannot affect the conclusion at which I have arrived touching the identity of our zetterstedti and P, nemoralis, Zell.

Amhlyptilia tceniadactyla.

As stated by Mr. Leech (' Brit. Pyralides,' p. 54), my tcenia- dactyla is a variety of our zetterstedti, Afnong a score of the last-named insect, sent me by Mr. Purdy, of Folkestone, were the form I had described and other intermediate forms.

Platyptilia farfarella, Zell. Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1867, p. 334.

Imago. — Expanse, 9-10 lines. Fore wing dingy brown, more or less suffused with ochreous ; costal triangle, whitish subraargiual line, and fringes exactly as in gonodactyla, as also are the hind wings.

This insect is probably only a form of P. gonodactyla, but not, as I have supposed, peculiar to the second brood of that species. I have several continental specimens, and they are certainly smaller and darker than the usual form of gonodactyla, but, as a whole, they are not darker than some of my gonodactyla, or smaller than other specimens of that species in my collection.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORY OF THE BRITISH PTEROPHORI. 31

In fact, one example, bred from a pupa obtained at Southend, is smaller than either of the farfarella. In a most interesting account of sundry excursions in Prussian Posen (Ent. Mo. Mag. vi. 48), Prof. Zeller says : " I . . . . started from the edge of the ditch a Platyptilia, which appears very like gonodactylus, but is strikingly smaller, and therefore deserves a close examination, especially since I have found specimens precisely similar in other places. I immediately suspected that there must be Tussilago in the neighbourhood, and truly found, on making a more accurate investigation, that a short distance from the spot were a few plants of Tussilago farfara, which had established itself here, and which had previously escaped my notice." In a subsequent life- history offarfarella by Zeller (Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1870, pp. 310-315), the larva is said to feed in the root-crown and flower-stalks of Senecio vernalis ; but it has also been stated to feed on the under side of colt's-foot leaves.

Platyptilia isodactyla, Zell. Imago. — Expanse, ] 0-lQ lines. Fore wing : ground colour pale ochreous-brown, with a greyish discal suffusion, and some ill-defined dark brown markings, one of which is a blotch, more or less triangular in shape, situate on the costa ; the hind margin is broadly banded with dark grey- brown, margined internally with a line of pale ochreous brown, a black spot at the apex of costal triangle, near the digital juncture ; fringes pale grey; tip of outer digit slightly pointed. Hind wing : grey-brown, fringes paler at the base, and with some black scales about the inner margin of third feather, but not forming a distinct tuft, as in P. gonodactyla {trigonodac- tylus). Head and thorax colour of fore wings; abdominal junctions paler.

Mr. Barrett says there are two broods of this insect, — one is on the wing in June, and the other in August and September. A description of the larva and pupa, by the late Mr. Buckler, will be found in Ent. Mo. Mag. viii. 154.

Amhlyptilia acanthodactyla, Hiibn. cosmodactyla, Hiibn. punctidactylus, Haw.

Imago. — Expanse, 8-11 Hnes. Fore wing dark grey-brown, with a reddish suffusion, a small dark spot on the inner margin between the base and middle of wing, a dark spot about the middle of costa, followed by a blackish costal triangle, a broad blackish fascia traversing both digits, bordered externally by a narrow whitish line, and internally on the outer digit only by an ochreous cloud ; fringes whitish, with a tuft of black scales on the middle of inner margin, and a smaller one between this and outer angle; the internal fringes of outer digit are tinged with fuscous. Hind wing dark grey-brown ; fringes grey-brown ; third feather with a tuft of black scales on its inner margin. Head and thorax colour of fore wings ; abdominal junction white. May, June, August, September.

Var. a. — Fore wing ochreous grey, with a rosy tinge ; markings as in the type, but more clearly defined and with oblique striae, similar to the same character in cosmodactyla, but not so conspicuous. September.

32 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Var. p. — Ground colour of fore wing pale olive-brown spotted with grey, and with oblique grey-brown striae, in addition to the typical markings. This is known as cosmodactyla. July, August, September.

Larva. — Length, 6-7 lines, when full grown. Ground colour dark green, with the dorsal vessel showing darker. Head pale olive-green, freckled with blackish along the crown and cheeks: mandibles reddish brown. Along the dorsal area are four whitish warts on each seg- ment, from each of which two bristles of unequal length are emitted; subdorsal, two warts on each segment, the anterior of which has two whitish hairs, and the posterior one short hair or bristle ; spiracular one dark green wart on each segment, emitting two short whitish bristles. The dorsal and subdorsal series of tubercles are placed on linear yellowish patches ; minute blackish bristles are scattered over the entire dorsal and lateral areas. Prologs blackish ; anal claspers semitransparent, with a greenish tinge. August and September. Said to feed on various kinds of plants, but I have only bred the insect from larvae found on Stachys and a garden variety of geranium.

Pupa. — At first of a greenish colour, changing subsequently to an obscure reddish brown ; the antenna cases are detached from the abdomen, and there are two conspicuous thorn-like projections on the back. Head truncate. Attached by the tail near a flower-whorl of its food-plant (Stachys sylvatica). August and September.

The foregoing descriptions apply to the larva and pupa of var. a, which is probably identical with stachydalis, Frey. (Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1871, p. 125). I found larvae, as well as pupss and imagines, in a shady corner of Pelham Woods, Ventnor, on the 1st of September, 1883. A specimen of A. acanthodactyla from Ireland, which Mr, Percy Kuss, of Sligo, was good enough to send me, has reddish brown fore wings, and is the only example I have yet seen of this coloration. Mr. Porritt, who has described the larva of cosmodactyla and also that of acanthodactyla (Ent. Mo. Mag. xxiii. 138), says that the chief points of distinction between them " are the deep purple ground colour in acanthodactylus as compared with the 'purplish pink' of cosmodactyluSy' the white subdorsal lines less conspicuous in acanthodactyla^ and the head of the latter yellowish brown marked with black, instead of " very dark sienna-brown," as in cosmodactyla. I think much value cannot be attached to such very trivial points of difference. I have taken typical acanthodactyla at the end of May, but whether these were hybernated specimens or not I cannot positively say, but should suppose that they were. I have only bred the species in September.

Oxyptilus distans, Zell. var. Icetusy Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 8-9 lines. Fore wing pale brown, with a small black linear spot and whitish longitudinal dash on the disc, a whitish crescent at the digital junction, and a rather broad whitish band traversing both digits, followed by a narrower whitish band clearly defined on the outer digit ; fringes dark brown, variegated with white at the extremities of

CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORY OF THE BRITISH PTEROPHORI. 83

the bands. Hind wing golden brown ; fringes of third feather whitish at base, and with a tuft of black scales just beyond the middle. June and July.

On the Continent the larva of Icetus has been found on Andryala sinuata, one of the Compositse, but not a British plant. Dr. Jordan suggests that probably the larva might be found on some species of Hieracium in this country. The Oxyptilus, occurring at Folkestone and in North Devon, is identical with IcetuSy and I have considered it to be distinct from distans (Entom. XV. 35), but examination of an extensive series of 0. distans has convinced me that I was wrong in my conclusion. The points of difference I relied on will not hold, and Icetus must sink as a species.

Oxyptilus pilosellcBf Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 8-10 lines. Fore wing ochreous-brown clouded with darker, an ill-defined whitish fascia traverses the outer digit, but is scarcely traceable on the inner digit, beyond this is a whitish line crossing both digits, the enclosed area appearing darker than rest of wing ; costa from line to apex with some white cilia ; fringes brown, variegated with whitish along the inner margin, at external margin of inner digit, and edges of digital junction. Hind wing dark brown; fringes slightly paler; third feather with some black scales on each side of the shaft near the tip.

Oxyptilus hieracii, Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 8-11 lines. Fore wing dark brown, a white fascia traverses the outer digit, but is not distinctly traceable on inner digit, beyond this is a whitish line crossing both digits ; fringes brown, variegated with white or whitish along inner margin, at external margin of inner digit, and edges of digital juncture; costa from line to apex with some pale yellowish cilia. Hind wing dark brown ; fringes slightly paler, with a prominent tuft of black scales near tip of third feather, occupying both sides of the shaft.

The foregoing description of 0. hieracii and also that of 0. pilosellce are taken from continental specimens obtained from Dr. Staudinger. I am quite unable to refer to any character by which the one may be separated from the other. Hieracii is a darker insect, and the markings are consequently better defined ; in other respects it does not appear to materially differ from pilosellce, and I cannot consider it to be specifically distinct therefrom. I have no British example of either insect. Speci- mens of 0. teucrii have sometimes been sent me as hieracii, and large examples of 0. parvidactylus for pilosellce. Teucrii may be readily known by the additional black spot at the tip of third feather, separated from the usual tuft of black scales by some white cilia. 0. parvidactylus has the patch of black scales covering the tip of third feather, whilst in both hiei'acii and teucrii the black scales are before the tip, and in distans nearer the middle than tip of third feather.

34 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Oxyptilus teucrii.

Dr. Mason, who has lately acquired the type of Haworth's hetrodactylus, finds that the specimen is identical with teucrii, Greening. This name, therefore, must sink in favour of the much earlier one of Haworth's (vide Ent. Mo. Mag. xxv. 162).

Oxyptilus parvidactyluSi Haw. obscurus, Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 6^-7|- lines. Fore wings dark brown, with some white scales at digital juncture, and two whitish fasciae traversing both digits, but not always well-defined on the inner digit ; fringes dark brown, variegated with white, and two small tufts of black scales along inner margin ; also with white on the costa at apex, and at the angle of inner digit. Hind wing dark shining brown ; third feather with some whitish scales along its inner margin, and a large patch of black scales covering the tip. May and June.

" The larva feeds in April on the young leaves of Stachys alpina ; in autumn in the heads of Marrubium"

" The ground colour of the larva is dirty pale green ; on each segment are four black warts, bearing a star-shaped tuft of bristles ; head and dorsal pale black, the latter divided by a pale line. Frey.'' — Leech, * British Pyralides,' p. 58.

Mimaseoptilus bipunctidactylus, Haw. var. plagiodactyluSy Stainton. var. aridusy Doubleday Cat. var. scabiodactyluSy Gregson.

A description of the imago and life-history of this species is given by me (Entom. xviii. 273), under the name of M. plagio- dactylus. I have a very extensive series of bred and captured specimens of the species, obtained in various British localities. The variation is considerable, and embraces not only the plagio- dactylus form, but also the pale ochreous var. aridus, and the strongly-marked variety first introduced by Mr. Gregson under the name of scabiodactylus. These various forms are so closely linked one with the other by intermediates that they must be considered simply varieties of the same species. Some of the forms, indeed, I cannot separate from continental Miynceseoptili in my collection, sent me as Af. pelidnodactylus and M. coprodac- tylus. I um inclined to think that there must be some mistake about the larva of bipunctidactylus feeding on Galium, I have often disturbed numbers of the imagines from hedges bordering pasture-fields, but have not been able to obtain larvae from the Galium growing in profusion in those hedges. Scabious there is in the pastures, and no doubt the larvse of bipunctidactylus feed thereon, the imagines resorting to the herbage of the hedges for shelter.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORY OP THE BRITISH PTEROPHORI. 35

Mimceseoptilus zophodactylus^ Dup. loewii, Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 9-10 lines. Fore wing pale grey-brown, slightly tinged with violet and dotted with black scales, a black dot on disc of wing, and another at the lower edge of digital juncture; at the base of the grey- brown fringes are four small black dots, two of which are placed at angle of outer digit, and two near tip of inner digit ; costa towards apex whitish, sometimes the entire costa is edged with whitish. Hind wing dark grey- brown. August.

Larva. — Length, 5 lines, tapering towards anal extremity. Head shining yellowish green, smaller than 2nd segment. Ground colour yellowish green, with a broadish violet dorsal stripe from the 3rd to the 13th segments inclusive; there are numerous short pale grey hairs arranged in four lines along the dorsal and lateral areas, but no well-defined tubercles. Spiracles dark brown. September, in the flowers of Erythrcea centaureum.

The foregoing description of the larva of M. zophodactylus has been already published in Mr. Leech's * British Pyralides.' Lafaury records larva of M. zophodactylus on Chlora perfoliata^ and suggests that probably it is a miner when young (Pet. Nouv. vii. 632). This species is separable from M. hipunctidactylus by its whitish apical edging.

Pterophorus hodgkinsonii, Gregson (E. M. M. iv. 178).

This insect is characterised by Mr. Gregson, as follows : —

" Alar expanse, 7-8 lines. Head, face, thorax, body, and legs light, creamy, ashy-grey, hghtest towards the cleft, very slightly irrorated with darker atoms; the discoidal and cleft-spots scarcely perceptible. Under wings rather darker than the upper wings."

Although not so stated, I apprehend that the " ashy grey, lightest towards the cleft," &c., refers to the primaries ; if this is so, I have some specimens of M, hipunctidactylus from N. Devon, which agree very well with the description of hodgkinsoni. The time of year fits my insect also, and it differs from the type in precisely the same manner that hodgkinsoni is said to differ from M, hipunctidactylus. As I have not yet seen a specimen of hodgkinsoni, I cannot of course say that it is a form of hipuncti- dactylus, but I think it may turn out to be a form of that species, rather than a var. oi zopliodactylus, Dup.

Leioptilus osteodactylus, Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 9^-10^ lines. Fore wing sulphur-yellow, streaked with brownish from the base to the middle of the wing, a broad ill-defined brownish patch on the costa before the apex, and a black spot at digital juncture; fringes pale brown. Hind wing pale, shining brown. July and August.

Larva. — Ground colour whity-brown, with a greenish tinge, and thickly sprinkled with minute black dots ; dorsal stripe and subdorsal line

3b THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

pale rosy pink ; tubercles inconspicuous, hardly raised above the surface of the skin, two on each segment along dorsal area, from each of which a single brownish hair of moderate length is emitted ; these hairs on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th segments curve forwards, those on posterior segments curve backwards ; along the lateral area there is one wart with a moderately long hair on each segment. Spiracles black. Prolegs pale brown. October.

In seed-heads of Solidago virgaurea. The larvae hybernated among the dried heads of Solidago^ some making a snug cocoon- like retreat of the seed-down, others remaining without any such protection ; and these assumed a reddish tinge during the winter. Description of larva previously published, ' British Pyralides,' p. 65.

Pselnophorus brachydactyluSj Tr.

Imago. — Expanse, 10-11^ lines. Fore wing black, sprinkled with ochreous-brovvn scales, especially on the disc, which seems in consequence to be of a brownish black coloration, a small white dot on costa above digital juncture, from which an ochreous line, sharply angulated at the juncture, runs to the inner margin ; fringes black, ornamented with white at the tip of outer and angle of inner digit ; there are also some white scales edging the digital juncture, and a patch of white scales on the fringes of inner margin at the termination of ochreous transverse line. Hind wing blackish brown ; fringes of second feather grey from base to middle, and white near the tip ; there are also some white scales at junction of first and second feathers. Head and thorax colour of fore wings. Abdomen brown, ornamented with lateral white spots. Legs brown ; tibisB with one and tarsi with four white marks or rings.

I have not seen a British example of this species. The above description is taken from a continental specimen. The genus Pselnophorus was founded by Wallengren for the reception of brachydactylus (Ent. Tidskr. ii. 96). The larva is said to feed on the under sides of the leaves of Prenanthes purpurea, also on Lactuca muralis, in May and June.

" The ground colour of the larva is pale dirty green ; dorsal stripe darker, on each side of which is a row of tubercles bearing dark bristles, followed by another row bearing one dark bristle and a few small hairs ; a third row occurs lower down, crowned with white bristles. Frey." — Leech, 'British Pyralides,' p. 66.

Aciptilia paludunii Zell.

Imago. — Expanse, 7 lines. Fore wing deep grey-brown, outer digit traversed by two white fasoia-like streaks, edged with some black scales on the costa ; fringes grey-brown, with some black scales at the tip and inner angle of outer digit, the latter bordered on each side with white cilia ; the inner digit has some black scales at tip ; two patches of black scales on the inner margin, the first preceded and the second followed by white cilia. Hind wings grey-brown, darker at the extremity of each feather-shaft, but there are no black scales in the fringes. June to August.

As a British insect, A. paludum was at one time supposed to be peculiar to the Cambridgeshire fens, but it has recently been

ON THE VARIATION OF ARGYROPHINGA ANTIPODUM. 37

taken on heathy hogs in one or two localities in Dorset, teste Kev. 0. P. Cambridge (Entom. xx. 336) ; it has also been recorded from Woolmer Forest. The larva appears to be unknown on the Continent, as well as in England; at least I cannot find any published description.

SOME NOTES UPON THE VARIATION OF

ABGYROPHINGA ANTIPODUM, Doubleday.

By W. W. Smith.

In every country the law of variation operates with greater effect among particular groups and on certain species of Lepi- doptera than others ; how or why such should obtain has of late years presented a grand subject for original research to entomolo- gists. In New Zealand, variation is constant to a greater or less degree among many species of both Macro- and Micro -Lepidop- tera, and in some species is more marked than others. The case of Argyrophinga antipodum exhibits a striking instance of extreme variation among the few endemic species of New Zealand Rhopalocera. '

For many years past while out collecting, I have been in the habit of netting great numbers of this butterfly, selecting the more marked forms, and liberating the remainder, on the grassy uplands and plains, still clothed in their native tussock grass (Poa australis). This butterfly in its season is generally numerous, and owing to its slow and somewhat laboured flight is easily captured. Among the specimens I have taken are some remark- able varieties, exhibiting all the phases or stages of variation to which a single species could be subject. Many individuals of both sexes differ considerably from each other in their ground colouring, the colours of the neuration, and in the number of ocelli. The typical colour of the male is given by Mr. A. G. Butler as " dark greyish brown, paler at base ;" in my specimens every shade of brown is developed, while some are partially melanic forms. Among the females there is also considerable distinction, the general colouring varying from whitish j^ellow to rich dark orange. In a typical specimen the hind wings are crossed with three small ocelli, the centre one in the male being slightly the largest ; among them are several having a broad blackish band crossing the wing from the inner to the outer margin, and enclosing four distinct ocelli. Others have the three ocelli much enlarged and coalescent, while a number possess only two or one ocelli, and in one specimen (a male) they are obsolete on all the wings. I lately sent a group of these varied forms to the Wellington Museum, where no doubt they can at any time be inspected by entomologists.

38 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Mr. G. V. Hudson, the well-known Wellington entomologist, whom I requested to examine the group, has favoured me with a note regarding them ; he considers them " most interesting and instructive," and states that he has specimens from the Nelson province " differing altogether " from them. As Nelson is west of the Alps in the South Island, the fact proves that the variation of the species is nowhere local, but general over the whole extent of the South Island. For many years I have collected in different parts of Canterbury, south of the Eakaia river, from the sea- shore to several thousand feet up the grassy slopes of the Alps ; and for three seasons I collected in North Otago, a district which has been under cultivation for over a quarter of a centur3\ After examining the specimens in the Dunedin Museum, cap- tured in other localities in Otago, I think that no locality can be given as producing more varied forms, but that the remark- able variation of the species is unquestionably general over the whole area of the South Island.

As the great question of variation is of vital importance in fully elucidating the science of entomology, it seems to me imperative that entomologists should record the slightest varia- tion in any species when first observed, as in some instances it has now assumed such complexity as to be almost impossible to trace its origin. A thorough knowledge of climatology in all its bearings on the variation of insects is also indispensable to every entomologist. There can be no question that many species of Lepidoptera are greatly influenced in all stages by changes of temperature or by the seasons ; and from notes on the variation of this butterfly in relation to the seasons, made during many years, I am in a position to show that the species exhibits greater variation in some years than others. The winter (or wet season in New Zealand) of 1881 was exceptionally dry and mild during the summer, which was even and hot ; the butterflies emerged in prodigious numbers, but all the individuals I examined showed less aberration in that year, including the early months of 1882, than any season I can give, before or since. The following winter was much colder, and was succeeded by a fine even summer ; but the butterflies were nowhere so plentiful, and many of them, especially the males, were more variably marked than those of the preceding summer. Then followed the wettest winter, and equally wet and coldest summer, on record in New Zealand ; every day of bright sunshine produced the emergence of some, and fresh individuals continued to appear until much later in the season than usual. In the same year (the early months of 1884) I collected the most variable forms of both sexes I had hitherto obtained. The close of the year and the first six months of 1885 were the hottest on record ; and although the butterflies were plentiful, the greater number I netted were not so variable

ON THE VARIATION OF AEGYROPHINGA ANTIPODUM. 39

or richly marked as in the preceding year. The two succeeding summers produced specimens which were about equal to 1885, as regards their numbers and markings. Last summer, which was preceded by a very wet winter, there was again a greater number of more richly marked and variable forms.

From the foregoing notes it will be seen that the variation of the species is most predominant in seasons succeeding wet winters. The same applies to Chrysophanus boldenarum. How the seasons operate in producing this effect requires careful investigation, and any satisfactory solution of this interesting and difficult problem can only, I think, be obtained through such recorded obser- vations. [Vide ante, p. 20. — Ed.]

One cause in New Zealand which affects the numbers and economy of many species of insects is the annual burning of the Tussock lands. They are fired to promote the growth of young grass, for sheep and cattle depasturing on it. I have no doubt that these terrible fires which occur in the early spring months, sometimes lasting for days, and spreading over many miles of open country, have long ago extirpated many species of insects and rendered others rare. Indeed, it is surprising that A. antipodum holds its own so well, seeing that it is in all stages almost exclusively a Tussock-frequenting species.

In the early days of the colony the seasons were more equable than now. The winter rains were more periodical, with less frost ; and the summers more even, with fewer chills. The devastating fires, together with cultivation of the land, would soon assert their influence on the climate, and materially affect the economy of Lepidoptera. An abundance, scarcity, or change of food and environment, during the larval stage, is known to produce great variations among certain species ; with A. anti- podum, the finest marked and best-developed forms are evolved in humid seasons, and such succeeding wet winters. The abundance of food which obtains, and an unchecked and vigorous growth of the larvae during such seasons, would account for this. I cannot say whether natural selection, in the case of the female, *' plays many parts in perpetuating the variation of the species," as I have only twice observed them in copula ; but in both cases the males were large and richly-marked individuals. Neither am I in a position to say that the tendency to darkening in the colours of the species is, in humid seasons, a case of atavism ; but I incline to such an opinion, as the preceding geological period in New Zealand was immensely more humid than the present, a fact which I think favours such a view.

On some future occasion I hope to add a little more on the subject, and to give the life-history of this peculiar butterfly. East Belt, Ashburton, New Zealand, September 15th, 1888.

40 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GOLIATH BEETLE FKOM

CENTRAL AFRICA.

By Oliver E. Janson, F.E.S.

In a small but interesting collection of Cetoniida recently received from the neighbourhood of Stanley Falls on the Upper Congo, I have obtained a male of a very fine species of Nejptunides, and for the female I am indebted to Mons. R. Oberthiir, who has more recently received, and forwarded to me for examination, both sexes collected at Ouganda by Mons. Denoit. I propose naming this fine species after the illustrious leader of the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition and explorer of Central Africa.

Neptunides stanleyi, n. sp.

Elongate, convex, bright golden green, the femora tinged with fiery red, margins of the cl^peus, including the horns and median carina, the knees, inner side and apical spines of the tibiae and the claws, black. Head deeply impressed on each side in front, the impressions divided by a strong, sharp, central carina, which extends from the base of the median horn to the vertex ; the median horn stout, recurved and dilated towards the apex, the lateral horns divergent, flattened and rather obtuse. Thorax very convex, subglobose, the sides a little emarginate and scarcely narrowed from thejbase to the middle thence somewhat abruptly rounded and narrowed to the apex, the surface almost impunctate. Scutellum broad, triangular. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax at the base, a little narrowed towards the apex, the suture slightly elevated posteriorly, extremely finely and sparsely punctured. Pygidium, underside and legs finely and remotely punctured ; mesosternal process flat, broad, rounded at the apex ; anterior femora broad, the underside fringed with dense, short, yellow pubescence, and armed near the apex with a large, acute, curved tooth ; anterior tibiae emarginate and obtusely bi-dentate at the base, slightly emarginate on the outer side and grooved on the inner side towards the apex, the apex with two acute teeth on the inside and one behind. Length 36 — 38 millim.

In the female the head is strongly punctured, impressed behind, and has a longitudinal carina in the centre, the apex of the clypeus has a small and nearly square projection in the middle, and the lateral angles are slightly prominent, the thorax is much less convex than in the male, the elytra have more or less distinct rows of fine punctures, the anterior femora are unarmed, the anterior tibiae are dilated towards the apex and acutely tri-dentate on the outside, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae have an acute tooth below the middle. Length 30 millim.

Habitat, Upper Congo District.

The male is larger and proportionately narrower than N. poly- chrous and differs in the uniform colouring of the body, the head is broader, with the central horn stouter and gradually dilated towards the apex, the lateral horns are less curved and more obtuse, the median carina is more prominent and extends to the vertex, and there is no distinct transverse ridge on the forehead

VARIETIES OF NOCTU^ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 41

as in polychrous ; the thorax is also much more convex and less rounded at the sides behind, the anterior femora are broader and have a denser fringe and larger sub-apical tooth, the anterior tibiae are more dilated near the base, channelled on the inside, and without teeth except at the apex.

22, Perth Koad, Stroud Green, N., January 19, 1889.

CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A LIST OF THE VARIETIES OF NOCTU^ OCCURRING IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS.

By J. W. TuTT, F.E.S. (Continued from p. 12.)

Xylophasia, St., monoglypha, Hufn. {polyodon, L.).

This is another most variable species, ranging from speci- mens of a pale whitish grey ground colour, through almost every intermediate shade to deep unicolorous brown and black. The melanism on our southern coasts tends more to the production of dark, more or less unicolorous, brown forms; that in the North of England, Scotland and the west coast of Ireland to the production more especially of intensely black forms, although occasionally more or less black forms are taken in the south, and beautiful rich brown forms occur in North Britain and the west coast of Ireland. I would also draw attention to the great variation in the direction, shape and size of the orbicular stigma ; sometimes this is quite linear, sometimes oval, and sometimes round ; sometimes large and sometimes comparatively small.

This species seems to vary but little on the Continent, so far as is at present known, and scarcely any continental authors appear to have ifigured or described any varieties except Staudinger, who has recently named one intensely black form csthiops. Hiibner figures the type, with a pale patch along the inner margin and near the anal angle, as radicea. The Linnsean description (' Systema Naturae,' p. 853, No. 170), is as follows: — " Noctua spirilinguis cristata, cinereo-nebulosa ; margine postico multi- dentato." "Alse superioris margo posticus circiter 8 dentibus terminatus." Guenee in his ' Noctuelles ' mentions nothing about the species being variable, although he says, " common everywhere." Haworth describes the pale variegated form, which is generally looked upon as the type, as : *' Noctua cristata, alis deflexis dentatis variegatis : striga postica dentatis albis, thoracis crista elevata bifida." " Corpus pergrossum. Alse anticse ex fusco parum fulvicantes, nebulis variis nigris pallidisque. Stigma anticum oblongum, et valde obliquum sive subsupinum. Juxta marginem posticum striga profundissime et acutissime dentata alba nigro interne adnata. Posticse alee cinereo-fuscse, fimbria

ENTOM. — FEB. 1889. E

42 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

fusca, ciliis fulvicantibus." (* Lepidoptera Britannica,' pp. 186, 187). He also adds, ** Variat, alls minus variegatis." Thanks to my friend Herr Hoffmann (Hanover), I have been able to get a translation of Hufnogel's original description, which is asfi^Uows: — *' With a bluish tinge, partly light and partly dark grey, with a Latin VV ^^ the hind margin."

Treating therefore as the type the variegated form, which has the whitish blotch on the inner margin, near the anal angle, we have four striking varieties, joined of course by intermediate forms. These are : —

1. A suffused brown or greyish brown form, with the markings distinctly traceable, though obscured, var. ohscura,

2. A deep, intensely brown form, with the markings scarcely traceable, var. brunnea,

3. A black form with moderately distinct msirkmgs,\. infuscata,

4. An intensely black form with the markings almost entirely obliterated, var. (jethiops.

a, var. ohscura, mihi. — A suffused brown or greyish brown form with all the pale markings of the type brownish or dull greyish instead of whitish. The whole of the markings of the anterior wings clearly 'raceable, although obscured. The brownish transverse lines (pale in the type) margined with darker brown. My specimens have come from Strood, Greenwich, Deal/- Sligo, Barnsley and many North of England and Scotch localities.

p. var. hrunneay mihi. — The anterior wings a deep, rich brown, with the discoidal spots and transverse lines traceable. This is almost the same form as infuscata, with the ground colour deep brown instead of black. My specimens have come from Mr. Percy Russ, of Sligo, Mr. Henderson, of Glasgow, and Mr. Harrison, of Barnsley. I have also received it from a few other localities, but all northern. Some of my Deal varieties of var. o6sci(m approach this form closely. Mr. J. Jenner Weir (Entom. xiv. 220), writing of the Hebridean j)olyodon remarks :— " The parallel variety to combusta [rurea] is of the richest dark chestnut-colour, very glossy, and, as in the case of X. rurea, the intermediate varieties are numerous."

y, var. infuscata, White. This variety was named by Dr. F. Buchanan White (* Fauna Perthensis,' Part. I). It was given to those very dark, black specimens, abundant in Scotland, the North of England, and the West of Ireland, but which are so rare in the South of England. The distinctness of the typical pale markings varies exceedingly, but generally they are distinctly marked in greyish. Mr. G. T. Porritt, in his * List of Yorkshire Lepidoptera,' p. 74, says : — •* The black form, var. infuscata, White, is of frequent occurrence, both in the east and west of the county." 1 have captured it myself at Deal, and have received it from Barnsley, Fleetwood, Hartlepool, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Sligo, and many other localities, chiefly northern. A record of the occurrence of this variety at Tenby is made in the ' Entomologist,' xxii. 15. The variety also occurs freely in

* During the summer of 1888 scarcely a pale poZr/o^ow occurred on the Deal sand- hills ; almost all were ohscura. I even captured one specimen of var. infuscata. I have no doubt this was due to the excessively wet season.

1

A year's work in PORTLAND. 43

the Orkneys, Shetlands and Hebrides. Mr. C. G. Barrett (Ent. Mo. Mag. vol. xxii. p. 125), reports it as " occurring near Dublin."

^. var. (BthiopSj Stdgr. — This is an extreme development of the var. infuscata, White, the whole of the anterior wings intensely black, with no paler markings, and scarcely the slightest trace of any markings whatever; some specimens are perfectly unicolorous. The most perfectly unicolorous specimens I have, are from Mr. Percy Russ, of Sligo, although specimens from the Lancashire coast, Glasgow and Aberdeen, are but little behind them in intensity.

(To be continued.)

A YEAR'S WORK IN PORTLAND. By Major Charles E. Partridge.

When a rumour reached us in the autumn of 1887 that the regiment to which I have the honour to belong was to move to Portland in the following spring, our spirits generally fell to zero, for the island bears a bad name. Personally I was delighted, for I looked forward to working great havoc in the insect world. February arrived and my hopes were realised. These, however, were rudely shattered when I first saw the place, for to all appearance it was one huge quarry. A fuller inspection later was hardly more satisfactory, for there was not a sign of the wealth of flowers, herbage, &c., which was soon to appear. The evil reports circulated about the island are by no means exaggerated. The weather is simply atrocious. If it doesn't rain it blows, and when tired of both it fogs ; and such fogs too ! Worse still, one cannot foretell for an hour how many of these pleasant surprises are in store, the changes come so quickly. Many a time have I left home certain of success, and before reaching the ground all was changed, and I returned home disgusted. I can also speak feel- ingly of the hardness of the Portland boulders, with which the whole place is strewed. Many an ugly fall have I had, and often have I risen a sorer and sadder man. Owing to these many draw- backs and the really dangerous nature of the ground, Portland can never become a popular hunting ground ; and I am confident only those living on the spot can ever hope to work it successfully. Sad to relate, a railway is now in course of construction, further circumscribing an already very limited extent of ground, and before many months are over smoke and an influx of " trippers " will ruin the place, and good local insects will be things of the past.

Owing to bad weather, which on more than one occasion lasted for several weeks, also to the fact that the ivy was so back- ward that I have not worked it, and last, but not least, to the fact of my being utterly ignorant of the habits, &c., of the Tinese, the following list is far smaller than it would have been in better hands ; nevertheless the total number reached 339 species.

44 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Twenty only of the sixty-five species of Rhopalocera came under my notice. Pieris hrassiccs and P, rapce common, but P. napi, on the contrary, extremely scarce. Euchloe cardamines and Gonopteryx rhamni were represented each by a single specimen, as also Polyommatus phloeas. Pararge megaera and Satyrus semele were fairly numerous, Epinephele ianira also. Vanessa cardiii, V. atalanta and V. urticce were out in great numbers ; but V. io I only found in the larval state, and then even very scarce. Colias edusa produced but six specimens. Lyccena icarus and L. csgon swarmed everywhere ; and L. minima, though local, was by no means scarce. L. corydon was occasionally met, though Portland can boast of no chalk. Nisoniades tages and Syiichthus malvce occurred but sparingly.

Of the Sphinges I took but three. Choerocampa porcellus, two at light. Macroglossa stellatarum was rarely met with, and but one larva of Sphinx ligustri, though privet abounds everywhere.

The cocoons of Zygcena filipendulce occurred in every direction, each blade of glass having its burden ; but of Z. trifolii I saw hut a single specimen. Lithosia lurideola came freely to light, and Euchelia jacohcece was common. Arctia caia I never saw in the per- fect state, and the larvae but rarely. Of Spilosoma mendica I obtained a few larvae, and >S'. luhricipeda and S, menthastri were equally common, both in the larval and perfect states. Hepialus hectus and H. lupulinus were extremely plentiful, but H, sylvinus was repre- sented by one specimen only. Porthesia chrysorrhoea and P. similis now and then turned up at light. Bomhyx neustria, but a few larvse. B, ruhi was very plentiful in the larva state, each bramble bush having its contingent. Cilix glaucata occurred sparingly, but of the second brood I saw but one specimen. Of Dicranura vinula I took one pupa and three larvae on the only poplar, or rather apology for a poplar, in the island. I took two speci/Qiens of D.furcida at light near the only clump of sallows in the island. Phalera hucephala a few larvae only.

I saw but one Thyatira derasa, and Bryophila perla was fairly common. Acronycta psi produced but two imagos. Leucania impura, L. lithargyria, L. pallens, and L. conigera swarmed both at sugar and light ; but L. comma seldom turned up. I got a nice series of Axylia putris at sugar. Xylophasia lithoxylea, X. rureay and X. sublustris were all scarce ; but X. monoglypha was a perfect pest. Of Neuria reticulata I took about a dozen specimens at sugar, but they were out so much earlier than the date given by Newman that I almost missed them. The same remark applies to Heliophohus hispidus, which was exceedingly plentiful (I took sixty-four in two evenings). Neuronia popularis and Charceas graminis produced but one specimen each, both at light. Cerigo matura came freely to sugar, and Luperina testacea was easily obtained by searching the grass-stems with a lamp. Mamestra

A year's work in PORTLAND. 45

sordida was not scarce at sugar, and by the same means I took two M. ahjecta ; of M. albicolon I obtained but three specimens, and M. hrassiccs was not so common as I expected. Apamea basilinea was only too plentiful, but the same could not be said of A.gemina ; oi A. didyma I took a long series, with some excellent varieties. Miana strigilis was most partial to sugar, and by the same means I got a good series of M. literosa ; M. bicoloria was very abundant. Grammesia trigrammica was well represented, tliough I got but few specimens of the var. hilinea. Caradrina alsines, C. taraxaci, and O. quadripunctata occurred commonly.

The Agrotidse were well represented: — Agrotis puta, A.segetum, A. exclamationis, and A. corticea caught at sugar ; at the same bait I got A. vestigialis and A. tritici sparingly; A. lunigera was not scarce ; A. simidans and yl. lucernea were attracted by the blossom of the wild sage ; I took one specimen of A. cinerea at sugar ; and by the same means A. nigricans, A. saucia, and A, suffusa, though not very commonly.

Noctua plecta, a few, both at light and sugar ; N. c-nigrum and N. trianguliim were both very scarce; N.festiva and N, xantho- grapha both very common ; but N. haia I seldom came across.

Triphcena iafithina, T. fimbria, T. comes, T. interjecta, and T. pronuba were all equally plentiful. Of Ampliipyra tragopogonis I secured but two. Pachnobia rubricosa was plentiful at black- tliorn bloom. TcBiiiocampa stabilis was very scarce, and hardly less so T. gothica. Anchocelis lunosa was scarce, Cerastis vaccina and C. spadicea, common. Scopelosoma satellitia and Xanthia circellaris, also Calymnia trapezina, four specimens; and C. affinis but one. I obtained one specimen of Eremobia ochro- leuca at teazle bloom, and one also of Folia flavicincta at sugar. Epunda lichenea I took sparingly, though had I continued to search later I should have had greater success. Miselia oxyacanthce came freely to sugar, and I obtained some good varieties. Phlogo- pliora meticulosa was the plague it always is. Aplecta nebulosa was very scarce. Hadena adusta produced some good varieties ; H. dentina, a few ; H. trifolii, not scarce, and H. oleracea, very common ; H, thalassina, but one specimen ; and one specimen of Xylocampa aureola. Calocampa vetusta and C. exoleta, but rarely met with. Of Cucullia uiiibratica I took but two specimens, but found the larvae of C. absynthii very plentiful, but very late (many of mine had not gone down at the end of October). Gonoptera libatrix, not common. Pliisia gamma swarmed everywhere; P, ni I was lucky enough to obtain once, which was duly submitted to and identified by Mr. Charles Barrett. Habrostola tripartita occurred once. HeliotJiis peltigera I took twice, and, oddly enough, both specimens were taken on the same teazle, at an interval of three weeks Rivula sericealis and Hypenodes costcestrigalis were fairly numerous.

(To be continued.)

46 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

PLUSTA ILLUSTEIS IN IRELAND. By G. Herbert Carpenter.

Among a number of moths taken by Miss Alice Hull, near Castle Kevin, in County Wicklow, in August, 1887, and lately given by her to me for identification, I was greatly surprised to find a specimen of Plusia illustris.

The moth is figured in Curtis's * British Entomology ' (vol. xvi., p. 731), published in 1839, and is there recorded as having been taken on Salisbury Plain and in South Wales. Mr. H. T. Stainton has most courteously informed me that these captures took place before 1810, and that the insect has never since been seen in Britain. Both he and Mr. de V. Kane agree that it is quite new to Ireland.

The insect is admitted by Humphreys and Westwood into their ' British Moths ' (1843). It is to be found among the reputed British species in the Doubleday List, but in Mr. R. South's List it is refused a place even among these. Its re-appearance in our islands, after so many years, is therefore a noteworthy fact. It seems very strange that, if Miss Hull's specimen is a migrant from the Continent, no individuals have been taken in Great Britain. On the other hand, it is equally strange if the insect has been breeding among us unnoticed for over seventy years. The ordinary food-plants of the caterpillar, Thalictrum aqailegi- folium and Aconitum lycoctonum, are both confined to the Continent. 2\ minus, however, occurs sparingly on the Wicklow coast, and species of both genera may very possibly be cultivated in the locality. Science and Art Museum, Dublin, January 14, 1889.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES, CAPTURES, &c.

Vanessa antiopa in Kent. — About the middle of September, 1888, a worn specimen of Vanessa antiopa was captured by a gentleman with his hat, while it was at rest on a gooseberry bush in his garden near this place. — John Tyrer ; 27, Jeffry Street, New Brompton, Kent.

Diminutive Polyommatus. — On September 13th I took at Sandy, in Bedfordshire, a very small specimen of Polyommatus phlosas. The insect does not measure more than ten and a half lines across the wings. — Henry A. Hill ; 20, Fellows Eoad, Hampstead, N.W., November 4, 1888.

Absence of LYCENiDiE. — In Mr. Adkin's article upon the influence of meteorological conditions upon insect life (Entom. 7) reference is made to the absence of a second brood, in 1888, of Lyccena bellargus. During the past fifty summers in which I have collected, on and off, in the neigh- bourhood of Chatham, I have never, until last autumn (1888), missed

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 47

seeing the second brood of this butterfl3\ Although I carefully searched, for over two months, all our local downs, warrens and chalk-pits, I failed to find a single specimen of the autumn brood of either L. bellargus, L. astrarche, or L. minima. L. corydon was plentiful in August. It would be interesting to know whether this absence has been general, or only local ; also whether the pupas, which should have produced the second brood, are lying over to form the first brood for next year. — John Tyker ; U7, Jeffry Street, New Brompton, Kent.

Thecla w-album in Oxfordshire. — In 1868 I discovered a locality in South Oxfordshire for Thecla w-album. So abundant was it then I could have taken very large quantities. The spot specially selected by them was a considerable clearing in a beech wood, where plenty of brambles grew. I remember well the great numbers attracted by its bloom. Some of the examples I then took I have still. I have never visited (owing to long absence) the spot since for T. w-alhum, till last July, when Mr. Wilham Holland and myself went to my old collecting-ground, hoping to re-discover its haunts. Instead of the spacious clearing which once existed, a remnant alone remained, some twenty yards square ; the rest was ploughed land, but on and within a few yards of the small part left we netted nearly fifty specimens. Considering the old habitat had been nearly destroyed, we thought ourselves exceptionally fortunate in securing so many. These are, I believe, the only recorded captures of T. w-alhum in Oxfordshire, and if so, adds another butterfly to the county list. I may add that wych-elm grows sparingly among the beech at one end of the wood. — J. Clarke ; Reading, January 9, 1889.

Deilephila galii in Lancashire. — On July 27th I caught a speci- men of D. galii here, flying over some white campion at dusk. Next day my son caught another, some two miles farther north, flying over some rest- harrow, at 11 a.m., in bright sunshine. One of the boys caught another at dusk, on some honeysuckle. During the latter end of September, I was lucky enough to find seven larvae at Lytham, and on Sept. '27 th Mr. Irving, the head master of this school, found one in the grass in front of the school here. These localities range over a stretch of about four miles along the Lancashire coast. — T. Baxter ; Collegiate School, St. Anne's-ou-the- Sea, via Preston.

Sesia musgiformis in Scotland. — I took about a dozen pupas of the thrift clearwing, on the Scotch coast, in June last. — W. R. Scowcroft ; Feru Lea, Gardner Road, Prestwich.

LiTHOSL^ complana ON THE CoAST. — In reply to Mr. Jefl'ery's note (Entom. xxi. 322). I may say that as several years ago I bred L. complana from the larva, it evidently frequents the coast, and feeds on stone-lichens. I have had two larvae since, but was not fortunate enough to bring them through. — W. R. Scowcroft ; Fern Lea, Gardner Road, Prestwich, Manchester.

Food of Lithosia complana. — With respect to Mr. Jeffrey's query (Entom. xxi. 332), I find the following note in * Entomologist's Weekly Intelligencer,' vii. 188 ; — " L. complana. Bred from four larvae found feeding on lichens on decayed ash. They did not answer to the description given in

48 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

the ' Manual,' but precisely resembled those of complanula. Except that the broad orange-coloured lateral stripe was interrupted by the ground colour, giving it the appearance of a row of large orange spots." This passage was written in 1860, and as the writer, Dr. AUchin, then a well- known lepidopterist, on the same page states that he also bred three lurideola [complanula), it is probable that he was correct in his species. L. complana is, certainly, both a coast and inland species. The first specimeu I ever took was from the New Forest ; it flew up at my feet from amongst heath, quite half a mile from any trees. For the past few years I have found it fairly abundant on the heaths in this neighbourhood, in most cases quite away from any trees that had any lichen upon them. Now tlie heaths about here are very thickly carpeted with lichens, which in places almost smothers the growth of Calluna, Erica, &c., and this peculiarity appears also to those in the New Forest. I have not the slightest doubt but, that in the above localities, the usual food-plant is one or more of these ground-lichens. During August, 1887, I found this species commonly on the sand-hills near Shoeburyness, in Essex (Entom. xx. 221). At the time I did not look for a probable food-plant, but on a subsequent visit during September this year (whilst on a successful hunt for larvae of Deilephila galii) I found the ground on which I had captured the speci- mens of complana thickly carpeted with moss. This I should consider to be, in this locality, its probable food-plant. I have never worked the Deal sand-hills at the time when the species would be flying, but possibly the spot resembles that of Shoeburyness in this particular. I quite agree; with Mr. Tutt that species of this family, in some instances, are able to exist upon other food than lichens. I have seen females of L. jjygmeola iq abundance in spots where no lichen, moss, or in fact anything other than marram grass and sand occurred. — W. G. Sheldon ; Rose Cottage, Oval Road, Addiscombe, January 7th, 1889.

[1 have found Lithosia caniola feeding upon Lotus corniciUatus, a Howth, in Ireland. — John T. Carrington].

Tephrosta crepuscularia : Correction. — Mr. Adkin's note on tlu " Influence of Meteorological conditions upon Insect Life " (Entom. 7) has called my attention to an error which has crept into the few remarks which I recently made upon the subject (Entom. xxi. 283). The date there given for my capture of Tephrosia crepuscularia should have been May 5th, not July 5th. — Geo. C. Griffiths ; 1, Hale Bank, St. Matthew's Road, Cotham, Bristol, January 7, 1889.

Agrotis oorticea, Melanic variety of. — With reference to Mr. Tutt's remarks at p 15, ante, 1 beg to call attention to p. xxxii. of the • Proceedings ' of the meeting of the Entomological Society of London, on October 3rd, 1888, which Mr. Tutt appears to have overlooked. It is there stated that " Mr. H. Goss exhibited, for Mr. \Y. J. Cross, an extraordinary melanic variety of a species of Agrotis — belicA^ed to be either segetum or corticea — caught by the latter near Ely, in July last." Mr. Tutt may probably be right in his determination of the species to which the variety in question belongs ; but his opinion differs from that expressed by Mr. Jenner Weir and Mr. W. Warren. I believe it was correct to apply the term " extraordinary " to the variety in question, a^vhich is not a constant variety of general distribution nor a local form ; but it is probable

NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. ^

that the use of the term " extraordinary " was, to some extent, prompted by a desire on my part to please Mr. Cross, by leading him to suppose that his capture was of more than ordinary interest.— H. Goss; Berrylands, Surbiton Hill.

Agrotis agathina, &c. — With respect to the question of Mr. Butler (Entom. 15), as to the usual way to capture this species, it is, as Mr. Carrington says, by searching the flowers of Calluna vulgaris with a lamp at night ; but after some experience, I am decidedly of opinion that there is even a better way, if indeed one could but master the initial diflBculty. I first commenced to search for A. agathina on the Shirley Hills in 1885; in that season I could not find it; in 1886 I got three specimens; in 1887, eighteen ; and last year, one only. It is probably well known to most readers of the * Entomologist,' that it was the custom of the London collectors of the last two generations to come to Shirley, especially for this species, and I have been repeatedly told that fifteen or twenty years ago the larvae could be swept from heather in the spring in hundreds, together with those of Noctua castanea, Scodiona helgiaria, Aspilates strigil- lariay &c. It is very different now, and the curious circumstance is, that whilst A. agathina and the two Geometers are very rare, castanea appears to be quite as common as in the old days. As above stated, I searched un- successfully for the species during 1885, and for several evenings in 1886, until one night I turned my lamp upon a fine bush of bloom and saw a sight that electrified me : there were two agathina and one red castanea upon it ; the agathina were apparently quiet, and merely noting that they were male and female, I proceeded to box my castanea, which was just on the point of leaving. Having effected my object, I turned back to where the agathina should have been and found them gone, but within six feet of the spot I got three other specimens, all males. In the following year, after several nights unsuccessful work, I took a freshly-emerged female. Mindful of my former experience, I searched well the heath round her, and found within a small space, five males. A few nights after this, I took four specimens close together, males again, and have no doubt there was a female in the neighbourhood. I feel certain that if a virgin female was bred and placed in a muslin-covered box, amongst the heather, in a locality where the species occurred, she would attract to her, freely, the males; but there is the rub ! the successful breeding of agathina has been solved by but few, and it is no easy thing to obtain one. I believe the species has been bred somewhat freely, of late years, by some of our Scotch collectors residing at Perth, and possibly they may have tried assembling for it. Perhaps they will give us their experience in capturing the species. — W. G. Sheldon ; Rose Cottage, Addiscombe.

Dasycampa rubiginea in Somerset. — On November ISth last, I took a fine and fresh specimen of this moth at ivy. A careful search on several succeeding evenings failed to discover another. This is the second I have taken in this county. — (Rev.) J. Seymour St. John; Baltonsborough, Glastonbury, November 20, 1888.

Amphidasys betularia, var. — Mr. J. Arkle says (Entom. xxi. 316), that while collecting in the Delamere Forest, he came across a matter which lias been considered of some importance, viz., a type female and a black male of Amphidasys betularia in copula. I may say that similar unions

ENTOM, — FEB. 1889. F

50 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

have been commonly observed in this neighbourhood, where the black vanety is taken as freely as the ordinary type. Some years ago, when I was a member of the Middleton (Lancashire) Entomological Society, two of the members found a black male and a buff female united. These were two extreme varieties, and from this copulation many pure buff varieties, as well as jet-black ones, were produced. For several years, offspring of these insects were brought to the monthly meetings, showing variation in every form, from the ordinary type to a pure buff, as well as black. It was most interesting to see these insects, some of which were exhibited alive. I had myself a few larvae from these parents given to me, from which I raised two buff varieties, one of which I gave to a friend. — J. T. Rodgers ; 45, Radcliffe Stieet, Busk, Oldham, Manchester, December 19, 1888.

Extraction of Moth from Pupa. — I have just read, with much interest, Mr. J. Anderson's note on the extraction of a moth from its pupa (Entom. xxi. 286), having made several experiments of the same nature myself with, however, quite opposite results. In 1880 I carefully extracted a fully developed specimen of Ampliidasys betularia from the pupa, and although the markint];s were all clearly discernible, the wings never expanded to a larger size than they were while the insect was in its pupa. In October, 1887, I had about ten pupse of Charag'ia vlrescens amongst damp moss. These insects always have considerable difficulty in emerging when in captivity, as in their natural condition they are in the habit of only projecting tlie anterior portion of their body from the burrow in the tree, the spines on the abdomen of the pupa retaining the old case firmly, while the enclosed insect draws itself out. I am therefore always very anxious about these pupae, especially as they are very hard to obtain, and have con- sequently been led to extract several which had been endeavouring to emerge for some days previously; in all these cases, however, the wings never expanded, the insects so treated being completely useless. That the moths weie quite mature there could be no doubt, as I always waited until the thoracic plates were ruptured before I attempted to assist the moth. As I have made at least eight experiments, including one this month on C. virescens, I cannot but think that Mr. Anderson's results must be exceptional. — G. V. Hudson; Wellington, New Zealand, October 17, 1888.

Rktaijded Development. — Early in June I received some young larvge of Boinbyx castrensls from a friend. Two larvae are still feeding, though the otliers have long since pupated. Last month I took over eighty larvae of Anarta myrtilli on the Quantock Hills, and a few are yet left feeding. In my garden I have a number of larvae of Pierls hrassic(B in various stages, while but four days ago, an imago of Pliisia gamma emerged from a pupa in my cage. In 1886 I had some larvae of Loplw- pteryx cuculla, which duly fed up and turned into pupae. All but two emerged in June of last year. Of these two, one emerged the following :hd of September, and the other on May 14th last. — (Rev.) J. Seymour St. John ; Bultonsborough, Glastonbury, November 20, 1888.

CroARiA uktigulata: Ehratum. — Mr. Murray desires it to be under- stood tliat he has had poor success in rearing C. reticulata ^ whereas (Entom. 16, line 8) he was made to say that he had never reared that species. -[Ed.j.

rf

51

SOCIETIES.

Entomological Socikty of London. — The Fifty-sixth Anniversary Meeting, Jan. IG, 1889.— Dr. D. Sharp F.L.S., President, in the chair. An Abstract of the Treasurer's Accounts, showing a balance in the Society's favour, was read by Mr. Osbert Salvin, F.R.S., one of the Auditors; and Mr. H. Goss read the Report of the Council. It was announced that the following gentlemen had been elected as Officers and Council for ISm :— President, the Rt. Hon. Lord Walsingham, M.A., F.R.S.; Treasurer, Mr. Edward Saunders, F LS. ; Secretaries, Mr. H. Goss, F.L.S., and the Rev. Canon Fowler, M.A., F.L.S.; Librarian, Mr. Ferdinand Grut, F.L.S. ; and as other Members of Council, Mr. Henry W. Bates, . F. U.S.; Capt. H. J. Elwes, F.L.S. ; Mr. William H. B. Fletcher, M.A.; Mr. F. DuCane Godraan, M.A., F.R.S.; Prof. Raphael Meldola, F.R.S. ; Dr. Philip B. Mason, F.L.S.; Mr. Osbert Salvin, M.A., F.R.S.; and Dr. D. Sharp, F.L.S. Dr. Sharp, the outgoing President, then delivered an Address, for which a vote of thanks to him was moved by Capt. Elwes, seconded by Mr. Salvin, and carried. A vote of thanks to the Treasurer, Secretaries, and Librarian was moved by Mr. J. W. Dunning, seconded by Lord Walsingham, and carried. Mr. Saunders, Mr. Goss, and Mr. Grut severally replied. — H. Goss, Hon. Secretary.

This South London ENroMOLOGicAL and Natural History Society. — December '21th, 1888. T. R. Billups, President, in the chair. Messrs. F. E. Fenton, F. P. Perks, J. Scudder, and W. Reed were elected members. Mr. F. E. Strong exhibited full-fed larvae of Bombyx qnercust L., from Abergele, N. Wales, and made some remarks thereon. Mr. R. Adkin, a long series of Pygcera anachoreta, and remarked that Mr. Gregson, in a recent article on this species, suggested that the continental specimens were readily distinguishable from British by their ashy grey shade. The series now exhibited were all bred from one stock, and varied from a brown tinge to the most ashy grey tints; the exhibitor therefore thought that too much reliance should not be placed on the shade of colour. Mr. Billups read a paper, *' A partial list of Parasitic Ichneumonidae, with the hosts from which bred, reared during the last three years by a few members of the Society." The list comprised about 100 species, num- bering some thousands of specimens, many of the species being evidently new. Mr. Billups expressed a wish that members would assist him in identifying parasites of Lepidoptera, by saving all that they might breed during the coming season.

January IQth. — The President in the chair. Mr. Adkin exhibited Noctua glareosa from Kent, Barnsley, York, Perth, Forres and Shetland ; the Shetland specimens and one of those from Perth were melanic, the others being of the pale grey or slightly rosy type. Mr. J. A, Clark, dark varieties of Cidaria suffumata : black and a suffused form of Melanthia hicolorata; and a fine banded variety of Oporahia dilutata, Mr. Tugwell, a series of Boletobia fuliginaria, with an empty pupa-case and sketches of larvffi at rest and feeding; and contributed notes in which he stated that in his opinion the insect was a true Geometer rather thau a Noctua. Mr. White exhibited a coloured drawing of a variety of Catocala nupta, having the inferior wings blue, taken by Dr. Laver, at Colcheater, Mr. E. Joy, bred specimens of Pygcera pigra, from Wicken Fen, Mr.

52 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

1

shford««

Chiltenden, very black forms of Acidalia inornata, taken near Ashfori Kent. Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited, with other species, a female specimen of Anosia plexippust which he had received from Mr. Cockerell, Custer Co., Colorado, and stated that although in this specimen the inner edge of the wing was quite as black as those received by him from Canada and Hudson's Bay, it yet differed in the colour of the spots on the fore wing being all white, whereas in the northern specimens the four large central spots were of a fulvous brown, little inferior in richness to that of the disc of the wing. At the same time he showed a water-colour drawing, of the specimen taken at Lindfield, 1876, from which it appeared that the example then captured resembled the more northern form of the species. Male and female specimens of Pierls oleracea were also exhibited by Mr. Weir, who said he had always contended this species was not identical with P. napi; and he had received a communication from Mr. Scudder, who wrote that he had now been able to make the comparison wished, and could report that the two species were distinguishable from each other in the caterpillar and chrysalis stages, as surely and readily as P. napi and P. rapce could be distinguished in the same stages. Mr. T. R. Billups exhibited types of eighty species of Hymenoptera, parasitic on Lepidoptera, with cocoons from which some had emerged, and larvae from which several parasites had been reared.

OBITUARY.

I

Thomas Eedle was born at Pinner, Middlesex, June 13th, 18*29, and died on the last day of 1888. From his earliest youth he showed an innate fondness for Nature, and especially for her subjects in their homes. A few years ago, one of our popular writers belauded the works of a Scotch naturalist, who at best was but a dilettante. Mr. Smiles need not have gone so far north for a subject, for none would have suited him better than Thomas Eedle. Such he was, — painstaking, observant, and most generous in helping young students; for though he made his study his business, he never withheld a locality, nor a bit of useful knowledge, "for trade purposes"; although first a lepidopterist, betook an all-round interest in Natural History, nothing coming amiss to him. In 1869 and 1870 Mr. Eedle made two very successful excui'sions to Rannoch, in Scotland, where he took a specimen of the then very rare Pachnobia hyperhorea, the second specimen which had been found in Britain. In 1871, Lord Walsingham took the subject of this notice with him on his visit to the Western States of America, when Eedle acted as collector and assistant during his Lordship's explorations until 1872. On his return, Eedle collected for Lord Walsingham in Horning Fen and elsewhere. While in the fen he captured a long series of Vanessa antiopa, probably the largest take of that species in this country in modern times. In 1874 he made a third summer's stay in Scotland, after which he settled steadily to his business of taxidermist and dealer in Natural History subjects. Among his larger work is some in.the museums of the Marquess of Ripon, Lord Walsingham, and others. Much that is known of several of the rarer Lepidoptera of the Home Counties is due to Eedle, especidly of such species as Erastria venustula, Chrosis bifasciana, Hypercallia citrinalis, Aleusis pictariuy &c. He was a founder of the Haggerston Entomological Society, and was gene- rally respected for his unassuming manner and great experience.— J. T. C.

J

THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Vol. XXIL] MAECH, 1889. [No. 310.

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ARCTIWM FROM NEW ZEALAND.

By G. V. Hudson.

Metacbias steategica.

The following species of Arctiidce was taken, February 10th, 1881, by Mr. W. W. Smith, near the summit of the Eichardson range, in South Canterbury, and not far from the town of Albury. It was beaten out of some plants of CarmichcBlia, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, but further particulars relating to its habits are at present unknown ; the only specimen as yet in collections being the one from which the accompanying description and drawing was taken.

I am indebted to Mr. Meyrick for informing me that the species is new, and also referring it to the correct genus Metacrias. He has likewise been kind enough to point me out the differences between this insect and the two others of the same genus, which I give briefly at the end of the description.

Arctia {Metacrias) strategical n. s.

^ . Expanse of wings 17 lines. Antennae dull yellow, with articula- tions marked in black. Head black, with a small tuft of ochreous scales in front. Legs ochreous, striped longitudinally with black. Thorax black, the margin of the prothorax indicated by a yellowish collar ; mesothorax with a very broad yellow stripe on each side. Forewings, with costa, nearly

ENTOM. — MARCH, 1889. G

54 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

I

straight, black, with six longitudinal ochreous lines; the first almost imperceptible, extending interruptedly only about one-sixth from hind- margin towards base ; the second traversing the whole of the wing unin- terrupted throughout, and broadest on disc, slightly curved downwards towards hind margin ; the third much broken, and terminating at about one quarter from hind margin ; also the fourth and fifth, which are, how- ever, a little longer; the sixth very broad, extending from hind margin to base of the wing. Costa and inner margin edged with ochreous. Hind wings with a broad sub-marginal band of black, terminating shortly before anal angle, a large black dot being situated in the anal angle, yellowish ochre, tinged with red in the vicinity of the black band. Hind margin brilliant crimson, except at anterior angle, where black band extends to the edge of the wing ; cilia of both wings ochreous. Abdomen black, with long ochreous hairs. Beneath, all the wings are yellowish ochre, with their margins broadly edged with black, and tinged with red near the edges. A conspicuous reddish stripe in the disc of each wing, and also a minute discal dot, which is quite invisible on the upper surface. Female unknown, but probably apterous.

This species chiefly differs from the two others belonging to the genus Metacrias in possessing the yellow collar, the absence of any large discal spot on both fore wings and hind wings, and the red colouring of the posterior margins of hind wings. The two other species (Metacrias erichrysa, Meyr., M. huttonii, Butler), are described by Mr. Meyrick, in the ' Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,' 1886. Wellington, New Zealand, November 8, 1888.

ON THE VARIATION OF INSECTS.

By T. D. a. Cockerell.

(Continued from p. 29.)

1. Suffusion and Melanism,

Limenitis sihylla nigra, Entom. 1878, 101, quite black. (See also Newman, p. 67 ; and Ent. Mo. Mag., 1877, 89). Melanargia galatea turcica, B., Entom. 1878, 101, black, or nearly black. M. galatea procida, Hbst., " var. obscurior" (Staudinger). Eupi- thecia albipunctata angelicata, Prest, Barrett, Entom. xi. 170, with fig. Vanessa cardui semisuffusa, hind wings smoky. Entom. xi. 24. V. cardui elymi, Ebr., " maculis confluentibus." Argynnis euphrosyne fingal, Hbst., " minor, obscurior " (Boreal Europe). A. selene hela, Stgr., "minor, supra obscurior" (Lapland, Siberia). Pieris napi hryonice, Ochs., " ab. ? obscurior" (Euro- pean Alps, Alaska). Nemeophila plantaginis matronalis, Frr., hind wings almost entirely black. Callimorpha dominula persona, Hb., hind wings dark. Spilosoma fuliginosa borealis, Stgr,, smaller and darker. Hepialus velleda gallicus, Ld., " ^ unicolor fuscus."

I

ON THE VARIATION OP INSECTS. 55

Coenonympha davus, dark form in Shetland Isles, Newman Brit. Butt. 97. Colias edusa suffusa, Ent. xi., Newman Brit. Butt. 144. C. philodice suffusa, Massachusetts, Maynard, Butt, of New Eng., pi. vii., fig. 57c. Pieris hrassicce nigrescens, Newman Brit. Butt. 165, Cirrhoedia xerampelina ohscura, Entom. xvi. 236. Euholia plumbaria nigrescenSy 'Entom. ^vi. 138. Melanthia alhicillata suffusa, Carrington. Hybernia defoliaria suffusa, Ckll. Chelonia caia ohscura, Newman, Brit. Moths, 33; Entom. xi. 103. Abraxas grossulariata obscura, Newman, Brit. Moths, 100. See also Entom. 1887, 216, for a grey variety. Melanippe hastata nigrescens, torn. cit. p. 157. Acronycta rumicis obscura, id. p. 255 ; and A. menyanthidis salicis. Curt. Xylophasia monoglypha nigrescens, id. p. 285. Satyrus alope maritima, Edw., a small and dark maritime form (Long I. &c., United States). Larentia olivata semisuffusa, Proc. S. Lond. Ent. Soc. 1886, 53, pi. 1, fig. 1. Amphidasys betidaria doicbledayaria, Mill. Diurnea fagella, melanic varieties now prevalent at Huddersfield, Ent. Mo. Mag. 1887, 140. Anoplodera sexguttata niger, Entom. x. 214. Ptero' stichus cupreus niger, Entom. xii. 110 (T. H. Hart). Lema melanopa nigra, and L. cyanella nigrescens, loc. cit. Sphecodes gibbus niger, ^ , and S. ephippium niger, 3" , near Hastings, Entom. xi. 17. — Melanism is a subject that comes up periodically and causes considerable discussion, but is nevertheless very far from being settled. I have expressed the opinion in a former paper that dampness in the atmosphere — clouds, mists, and so on — has a great deal to do with its production, yet I confess that it is probable that other factors are also at work. I have given a good long list above, but it really represents only a very small fraction of the known forms of this kind, and I have tried to make it as representative as possible. In connection with this list the following facts will be noticed : —

1. The small number of American examples: it appears certain that melanism as usually seen in Europe is rare in North America, a circumstance that is strongly against the theory of its being caused by cold. " A straw will show which way the wind blows," so it is interesting that, according to Mr. R. H. Meade, one of the chief points of difference between American and European species of Sarcophaga, is that in the former the anal segments are generally red or yellow, while in the latter they are black or grey. The species of this genus I have taken in Colorado have the anal segments red or reddish, confirming this statement.

2. The alpine forms : dark mountain varieties are well known throughout Europe. Mr. A. H. Swinton (Ent. Mo. Mag. 1885, 231) remarks on the melanic tendency exhibited by Asturian mountain insects, particularly the Orthoptera. Here in Colorado the species of Colias found high upon the mountains (10,000 ft. upwards) is of so much darker a yellow than the species occurring

56 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

lower down (8000 ft.), that I did not recognise it as belonging to the genus when on the wing.

3. Maritime melanism : Wollaston says that ChrysophaniLS phloeas is darker and more suffused in Madeira (where it cannot escape from the neighbourhood of the sea) than in England. Aphodius plagiatus usually has red dashes on the elytra on the Continent, but all those from Deal were perfectly dark, which indeed is the prevalent tendency with British specimens of this species (* The Variation of Species,' p. 61).

4. Melanism apparently confined to one sex : a further example of this is Parnassius apollo heseholus, Nordm., which Staudinger describes as " v. major, S" albidior, $ obscurior.

5. The darkening is sometimes confined to the hind wings ; examples are given in Vanessa, Nemeophila, and CaUimorpha.

6. The recent development of a melanic race of Amphidasys in the manufacturing districts is well known, and from Mr. Porritt's remarks on Diurnea at Huddersfield, this seems to offer a similar case.

7. Northern melanic forms : it is an error, however, to suppose that all northern forms have a tendency towards melanism. Dr. F. Buchanan White, in an extremely interesting article (Ent. Mo. Mag. 1876, 145), gives a number of species which are generally or always '* melanochroic" in Scotland, but also at the same time enumerates many examples of Scotch " leucochroism," showing that in a few species all the specimens are paler than in the south, while in others there is a general tendency that way. In America, Terias lisa is said to be paler in the north than in Florida.

Erratum. — Page 4, line 2 from bottom, for " helice pallida " read " hyale pallida.''

(To be oontinned.)

A YEAR'S WORK IN PORTLAND.

By Major Charles E. Partridge.

(Concluded from p. 45.)

Uropteryx samhucaria flitted about over the blackberry bloom at night in great numbers. Venilia macularia, Selenia bilunariat Rumia luteolata, Boarmia repandata, B. gemmariay Abraxas grossulariata, Larentia didymata, Melanthia ocellata, M. galiata, and M. fluctuata occurred everywhere. Odontopera hidentata, Hibernia rupicapraria, Acidalia ochrearia, Asthena candidata, Acidalia rusticata, Ligdia adustata, occurred very sparingly. Acidalia degeneraria came freely to light, as also did A.remutaria, A. aversata, and A. marginepunctata, Gnophos obscuraria swarmed at the blossom of wild sage, and Larentia olivata and Anticlea rubidata, though local, were easily obtained. Of Melanippe

A year's work in PORTLAND. 57

rivata, M. montanata, Acidalia suhsericeata, Coremia ferrugata, C. designata and (7. unidentaria, Anticlea badiata, Larentia mul- tistrigaria, Hypsipetes sordidata, I obtained but very few speci- mens, but Acidalia bisetata and A. trigeminata were very common. Eupithecia pumilata and E. rectangulata occurred very com- monly at blackthorn bloom. E. coronata on apple trees, and E, absynthiata and E. vulgata at light. E. pimpinellata, E. castigata, and E, oblongata were not uncommon. E. isogrammaria was scarce. E. constrictata when once found was fairly plentiful. E, subnotata common. Of Triphosa dukitata and Cidaria prunata I took but two specimens. C. truncata, Cfulvata, and

C. dotata were equally scarce. Camptogramma bilineata^ Eubolia limitata, and E, bipunctaria, were of frequent occurrence. Anaitis plagiata occurred but once.

Cledeobia angustalis, Pyrausta purpurallSy Herbula cespitalis, Scopida olivalis, and S. prunalis, occasionally occurred. Ennychia cingulata was both local and scarce.

Nomophila noctuella, Scopula ferrugalis, Spilodes verticalis, Stenia punctalis, Pionea forjicalis, were generally distributed and common. Eurrhypara urticata occurred but sparingly. Platytes cerusselluSf Cramhus pratellus, C, culmellus, and C hortuellus were a positive pest. Of C. inquinatellus I took but two specimens. 0. geniculeus was fairly numerous. Aphomia sociellaf Oncocera ahenella, Ilithyia semirubella, Ephestia elutellay came to light, as also did Rodophcea marmorea.

Homoeosoma nebulella produced but one specimen. H. sinuella and H. bincevella were common, but H. nimbella not so much so. Phycis ornatella was not scarce. Of Euzophera cinerosella I took but one. Scoparia cembrce and S, ambigualis, occurred freely, but this year S. mercurella and S. phceoleuca and S. angustea were hard to procure.

Botys asinalis was not to be found in its usual haunts.

Tortrix podana, T, ribeana, T. heparana, T, forsterana were all very common. Peronea variega7ia, P. aspersana, were not very abundant. Teras contaminana plentiful. Dictyopteryx holmiana

D. bergmanniana, D. forskaleana, A.conwayana, Spilonota trima culanay Pardia tripunctana, Aspis udmanniana, Sericoris cespi tana, S. urticana, S. lacunana, Cnephasia muscula7ia, Sciaphila sub jectana, S, virgaureana, and Sphaleroptera ictericana, the same. S conspersana more rarely met with. Grapholitha trimaculana, G ncevana, Pcedisca consequana, Ephippiphora cirsiana, scarce. E brunnichiana, very plentiful wherever coltsfoot occurred. Semasia woeberiana not common, but Catoptria idicetana and (7. cana, very plentiful; as also was Symcethis oxyacanthella.

One specimen only of Euposcilia maculosana occurred. Catoptria pupillana, Conchylisfrancillajia, and Xanthosetla hamanaf were almust as scarce.

68 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

Chrosis alcella occurred everywhere. Tinea ferruginella, T, rusticella, T, tapetzella, T. lapella, all occurred freely. Fumea intermediella was exceedingly common. Lampronia quadripunc- tella, Swammerdammia combinella, and Psychoides verhuellellay occurred sparingly. Hyponomeuta padellus, H. cagnagellus, Plu- tella cruciferarum, Bryotropha terrella, B. desertella^ B. umhrosella^ and B. domestica, were very common. Depressaria yeatiana, D. nanatella, D. suhpi'opinquella, D. heracleana, and D. applana, were all more or less plentiful. I got a good series of D. alstrcemeriana in my house, but found them nowhere else. Of Lita marmorea I obtained a few at light. L, artemisiella was scarce, as also were L. atriplicella, Ptochenusa subocellea, Parasia carlinellaf Endrosis fenestrella, (Ecogenia quadripunctata, and Acrolepia granitella, Monochroa tenebrella, Argestria nitidella, Glyphipteryx thrasonella, Laverna epilobiella, (Ecophora pseudospretella, Glyphipteryx fisch- eriella. Argyresthia mendica occurred rather more commonly. Elachista argentella occurred everywhere, and Argyritis pictella, local but plentiful. Hypsilophus schmidiellus was to be found by diligent searching. Lita leucomelanella occurred here and there. Coleophora discordella, C, cdBspititiella, C. salinella, G. albitarselkif all very common in the larva state ; (7. troglodytellaf C gryphi- pennella, and C. argentulay rather less so. C. tripoliella very scarce, owing to food- plant being so. Of the Pterophori I took eleven. Platyptilia gonodactyla^ Amblypt'dia acanthodactyla, Oxy' ptilus parvidactyluSf Mimceseoptilus pterodactylus, fairly common. Oxyptilus teucrii this year was scarce. A few specimens each of Mimceseoptilus bipunctidactylus, M. plagiodactylus, Pterophorus monodactyluSf Aciptilia baliodactyla, A, pentadactylay and Alucita hexadactyla. The Castle, Portland, November 10, 1888.

CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A LIST OF THE VARIETIES

OF NOCTU^ OCCURRING IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS.

By J. W. TuTT, F.E.S.

(Continued from p. 43.)

Xylophasiay St., rurea, F.

Fabricius' description of the type is as follows : — *' Noctua cristata, alls deflexis, griseo fuscoque variis, posticis fuscis ; margine crassiori albo." " Caput fulvum, oculis atris. Palpi fusci apice albicantes. Thorax et abdomen cinerea. AIsb anticse griseae basi ad marginem crassiorem macula magna fusca, in qua maculae ordinariae. Pone hanc puncta tria parva alba marginis crassioris et aliquot fusca sparsa in disco, Margo denique et

VARIETIES OP NOCTU-SJ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 59

macula ad angulum ani fuscse. Posticse supra fuscse margine exteriori et postico albidis. Subtus pallidse puncto arcuque fuscis" (* Entomologia Systematica,' p. 618).

This is an exceedingly variable species, and the gradation and various phases of development as shown in its variation are very interesting. The variation strikes off in two distinct directions, both resulting in the production of distinct, almost unicolorous forms. The first group has the prevailing colours yellowish- ochreous and bright red, the second group has the prevailing colour brown. The first group appears to run from the type, with whitish-grey ground colour, to the var. ochrea, an ochreous- yellow form, with distinct red markings, through the var. intermedia, with red ground colour and distinct darker red markings, to flavo-rufa, an unicolorous form of a yellowish- red ground colour. The second group commences with the var. putris, of Hubner, of a dark ochreous ground colour, with deep red- brown markings, leading up to the combusta of Haw., a fuscous brown form, much clouded with darker, through the alopecurus of Esper, a deep reddish-brown form, with black costal streaks, and only the reniform marked, culminating in var. nigro-rubida, a deep reddish-black form, with no markings.

The type (grey form) is, perhaps, the rarest of all the different forms occurring in Britain. I have only specimens in my cabinet from Mr. Percy Russ, of Sligo, and from Bannoch, although Mr. Tug well has informed me that it occurs in the Isle of Man. There is no doubt that this is the most beautiful of all the rurea varieties, some of the grey specimens having a peculiar glaucous tinge. This form is the hepatica of Haworth, and possibly the hepatica of Linnaeus, although the latter is doubtful. Mr. T. Salvage writes : — " I took two very beautiful silvery varieties of this species (rurea) in Rannoch ten years ago, but have never seen the like before or since" {in litL, '88). We thus have the following groups : —

I. ] . rurea — the greyish-white type.

2. ochrea — yellowish ground colour, with typical markings.

3. intermedia — reddish ground colour, with typical markings.

4. flavo-rufa — unicolorous, yellowish-red specimens.

II. 1. putris, Hb. — pale brownish-grey ground colour, with a dark brown central band.

2. combusta, Haw. — dark fuscous brown, with reniform outlined in

white.

3. alopecurus, Esper — dark reddish-brown, with black costal streaks,

and the reniform with black circumscription.

4. nigro-rubida — a deep, reddish-black, unicolorous form.

Of the varieties of this species from the Hebrides, Mr. J. Jenner Weir writes, *' A very fine series was taken, showing a number of intermediate varieties between the type and the

00. THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

variety comhusta. It would be impossible to describe the rich chestnut colour of some of these most beautiful specimens, and in many instances the ground colour is in strong contrast to the dark markings" (Entom. xiv. 220).

a. var. ochrea, mihi. — The ground colour of the anterior wings of a clear yellowish-ochreous, the darker markings found in the type are all pre- sent, but much paler, and of a more distinctly red colour ; a white dash on the inner margin near the anal angle, another on the inner margin just under the dark dash at the base of the wing. Thorax the same colour as the darker markings on the wings. Posterior wings pale grey, with dusky nervures ; the lunule and base of the pale transverse line faintly discernible. This variety would include most of the pale forms captured in Britain and probably on the Continent. I have captured it in many localities in Kent, and have received it from almost all parts of Britain, including the Orkneys, Hebrides, and the West Coast of Ireland.

p. var. intermedia, mihi. — The ground colour of a clear reddish-ochreous, the dark markings of the type being clearly developed in a darker shade than the ground colour. The stigmata rather indistinct, owing to the deeper ground colour. The pale transverse line on the posterior wings is more distinct than in the type. This is a form distinctly intermediate between var. ochrea, and var. flavorufa. It has all the distinct markings of ochrea, but the reddish ground colour of fiavo-rufa. This form occui'S with the type, but appears to be rare. I have seen but few specimens, and am indebted for those I have to Messrs. Rose and Harrison, of Barnsley, and Mr. Boult, of Hull. It is recorded from Derby by Mr. Hill, in the 'Entomologist's Monthly Magazine,' vol. xxiii. p. 6. This is the var. ^ of Guenee's * Noctuelles,' vol. v. p. 138, but it is uncertain whether it is the La Bigarree, of Engramelle. Guenee says of his var. /?:— "All the markings reappear, even the ordinary lines which are obliterated in the type. The ground colour is reddish-brown, mixed with yellow-ochreous and whitish." In Humphrey and Westwood's * British Moths,' vol. i. p. 159, we find, " Varieties occur, with the ground colour of the fore wings bright ochre- red, with the stigmata distinct."

y. var. flavorufa, mihi. — The ground colour of a dull yellowish-red tint, and so far resembling var. intermedia, but the typical markings almost entirely obsolete and lost in the ground colour. Both stigmata very distinct and outlined in yellow ; some short yellow dashes along the costa (the remaining parts of the obsolete line) ; a yellow patch at the costal base, and a few yellow scales on the outer part of the otherwise dusky ner- vures, are the only markings on the anterior wings of this otherwise unicolorous variety. My specimens have come from Rannoch, Barnsley, Glasgow and Ripon.

^. var. putris, Hb. — The j)utris of Hb., fig. '241, is without doubt a var. of rurea. It may be described as, " Anterior wings of a pale brownish grey, base paler, with a much waved, transverse, basal line ; a longitudinal pale orbicular, and a reniform outlined in pale ; a distinct transverse black wavy line beyond the reniform. Between this and the basal line the colour is dark brown, a black line passing through this darker part between stigmata, from costa to inner margin. A row of dots parallel to the hind margin ; extreme hind margin dotted ; hind wings dark grey, base paler, dark transverse line and dark lunule." This description of Hiibner's

VARIETIES OF NOCTU^ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 61

figure satisfies precisely the description of some of the beautiful forms brought by Mr. Salvage from the Isle of Lewis in 1887. From a figure kindly lent me by Mr. Mosley, of Huddersfield, this would appear to be the var. borealis mentioned by Mr. Porritt in his * List of Yorkshire Lepidop- tera,' p. 73, where he says, " Mr. S. L. Mosley says the varieties alopecurus, Esp., and borealis, also occasionally occur at Huddersfield." With refer- ence to this var. borealis, Mr. Mosley, in September, '88, wrote : — " I only know the variety borealis, by Mr. Bond having pointed out one in his cabinet with the remark, 'That is var. borealis!' I took one like his specimen here, of which I send you a drawing." This drawing represented without doubt Hubner's putris. In Humphrey and Westwood's * British Moths,' vol. i. p, 159, there is a remark about borealis as follows: — " As Mr. Curtis gives the putris of Hiibner as probably identical with his Xylina borealis, and as Boisduval gives j!;Mfr/s as a variety of rurea, Mr. Curtis 's insect is, probably, a variety of this species." Of this, I think there is now no doubt. I have only seen British specimens of this var. from Lewis, but Mr. Mosley's figure proves it to occur at Huddersfield.

s. var. combusta. Haw. — Haworth's description of this variety is as follows : — *• Alis fusco-brunneis obsolete nebulosis, figura 3 vel 5 medio notatis." "In medio anticarum alarum stigmata ordinaria obsoleta, albido marginata, anticum ovale antrorsum valde incHnante; exterius auriforme margine albo interrupto et inde representat figuram 3 vel 5. Posticse alae fuscae ciliis subflavicantibus." This variety is generally considered as synonymous with alopecurus, Esper, by Continental authors; but Newman, in his * British Moths,' p. '283, points out the following phrase in Haworth's description, " fusco-brunneis et stigmata ordinaria albido marginata," which he says is not applicable to var. alopecurus. I quite agree with this and hence have separated them. I have no dark specimen with the stigmata outlined in white, but I do not doubt^but that specimens occur in some cabinets.

f. var. combusta of Hiibner (fig. 366) is difi'erent to the above. It has the anterior wings, with an almost typical, reddish-brown costa, with pale costal streaks and distinct stigmata, outlined in paler, but with the lower half of the wings unicolorous, dark, reddish-brown. Hiibner's combusta seems a combined form of var. intermedia (costal half of wings), and var. alopecurus (inner marginal half of the wing). This appears to be the nearest approach to the dark forms generally obtained in Britain. Guenee refers combusta, Hb., to alopecurus, Esp., an evident error. His descrip- tion, too, of alopecurus, Esp., ' Noctuelles,' vol. v. p. 138, is more like Hiibner's combusta than Esper's alopecurus. Guenee writes, " The ground colour of the anterior wings entirely of a deep, red-brown colour, with some bright marks on the costa, and the outside of the reniform surrounded by yellow. Fringe of the four wings equally brown, with some yellow streaks on the superiors, and a reddish line in the inferiors. Females still darker."

>}. var. alopecurus, Esp. — From the alopecurus, Esper, Plate cxlvii., fig. 3, I made the following description : — " The anterior wings of a dark reddish-brown, with five strong, black, costal streaks, no orbicular, large reniform of the ground colour, with black centre and black circumscription, three white dots on costa near apex, three parallel to hind margin near apex, three tiny white dots at anal angle, nervures black. Hind wings dark grey, with blackish nervures and lunule. Very few British specimens, I believe, will answer to this description of alopecurus. Guenee says of

ENTOM. — MARCH, 1889. H

62 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

alopecurus, Esp., *' the exterior outline of the reniform yellowish." This is evidently incorrect of Esper's figure. Newman says, ** uniform red- brown, the reniform spot being indicated by a pale line, and a few other darker and paler dots scattered over the wing" (' British Moths,' p. 283). Dr. Staudinger, in his * Catalogue ' says of this variety, " al. ant. unicolor, brunneis."

6. var. nigro-ruUda, mihi. — The most extreme melanic form of the species, of a most intensely blackish-red or blackish-brown colour ; no pale streaks on the costa, and perfectly unicolorous, with the exception of a faint trace of the outline of the orbicular and the outer edge of the reniform. Hind wings dark grey, nervures more dusky. Thorax of the same dark colour as the anterior wings. The type of this variety was cap- tured in Lewis in 1887. I have only seen specimens of this variety from the Hebrides.

(To be continued.)

NEW SPECIES OF DELTOIDS AND PYRALES FROM

COREA, NORTH CHINA, AND JAPAN.

By J. H. Leech, B.A., F.L.S., «fec.

(Plates XL, III., & IV.)

The identification of species of these obscure groups is a matter of difficulty. The existing descriptions and figures are not always easy to make out, and it is almost a necessity to compare the specimens with the original types, which latter are often in a very inferior condition. In one season's collecting I took over four hundred species of the above groups, which I have carefully compared with the types in Dr. Staudinger' s, Mr. Moore's, and the national collections.

Hypena corealis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 1.

Cinnamon-brown. Primaries with a slender basal patch of darker brown, reniform represented by a square grey blotch, and the orbicular by a black dot ; a broad angulated dark band, bordered internally by a blackish line and externally by a greyish white line, traverses the disc of the wing, a faint wavy submarginal line preceded by a greyish patch on the costa, a dark apical streak. Secondaries traversed by a dark basal and a pale central line ; three black dots on inner margin towards anal angle. Under surface fuscous-grey, with the markings of the upper side reproduced. Expanse, 29 mm.

One of each sex taken by myself at Gensan in July, 1886. Hypena satsumalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 13.

Primaries dark brown, sprinkled with grey on the basal and outer marginal areas, a narrow oblique white line beyond the middle of the wing, and a submarginal wavy whitish line commencing as a broad streak at apex. Secondaries fuscous-brown. Under surface fuscous ; secondaries and apex of primaries sprinkled with darker scales. Expanse, 23 — 27 mm.

Nearest allied to Hypena indicatalis, but the transverse line of

Entomolo gist. April. 1889.

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NEW SPECIES OF DELTOIDS AND PYRALES. 63

primaries is not angulated as in that species, and it has no white discal spot.

Five examples taken by myself in Satsuma, May, 1886.

Hypena rusticalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 12.

S' . Primaries brown, thickly sprinkled with fuscous scales, and tinged with pink ; slightly oblique central and submarginal lines blackish ; fringes brown interlined with blackish. Secondaries dark fuscous -brown. Under surface of primaries fuscous-brown ; secondaries paler, discal spot black, dark central line on each wing. Expanse, 28 mm.

• One male example taken by myself at Hakodate in August.

Hypoepa bambusalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 2. (^ . Primaries purplish brown, with a discal and marginal golden brown suffusion; a transverse bidentate white line divides the wing into equal parts, the basal half being darker ; before the outer margin is a transverse dark shade. Secondaries fuscous. Under surface fuscous, primaries with some greyish scales towards apex, and an indistinct dark central line ; discal area of secondaries greyish. Expanse, 32 mm.

One male example taken by myself at Foochau in April, 1886.

Capnodes gensanalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 9. Violet-grey. Primaries with a small brown spot at base of costa, followed by a broad brown band edged externally by a narrow white line, two indistinct parallel wavy lines cross the disc of the wing, and beyond these is a white elbowed line edged internally with blackish and externally with brown ; reniform faintly outlined, except on its external edge, which is bordered with blackish, and precedes a brownish patch, orbicular black and dot-like; marginal area suffused with brown, a series of black spots on the margin itself. Secondaries with a black discal spot, white central line and black marginal spots as on primaries. Under surface yellowish grey ; primaries suffused on disc and outer margin with reddish ; central line, discal and marginal spots on all the wings black. Palpi, head, and thorax reddish brown. Expanse, 38 mm.

A single specimen taken by myself at Gensan, Corea, in July. Zanclognatha linealis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 4.

Primaries pinkish buff, with a minute discal spot, and a straight narrow brown submarginal band faintly bordered externally with whitish. Secondaries pale brown. Under surface pale fuscous-brown, secondaries rather paler. Expanse, 35 mm.

One male example in Satsuma, and a female specimen at Naga- saki, taken by myself in May, 1886.

Zanclognatha obliqualis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 5.

^ . Greyish brown tinged with violet ; basal line nearly straight, central line angulated just below costa both blackish, in the enclosed area is a brownish fascia terminating before the costa ; a brown submarginal band, edged externally with white, runs from apex in an oblique direction to the inner_ margin. Secondaries with an indistinct blackish central line ; sub- marginal band sharply angulated before reaching the inner margin, and attenuated towards costa. Under surface fuscous-brown, discal areas of all

h2

64 THE ENTOMOLOGIST.

the wings rather paler, primaries traversed by one and secondaries by two blackish lines. Expanse, 22 mm.

One male example taken by myself at Foochau in April. Herminia fascialis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 3.

<^ . Pale brown, with a faint pinkish tinge. Primaries with an indistinct dark basal band ; all the wings traversed by a narrow white submarginal band, broadly bordered internally with olivaceous-brown, which colom:^ is continued to apex of primaries. Under surface greyish brown, with whitish submarginal lines and faint discal spots. Expanse, 28 mm.

One male taken by my native collector at Hakodate, July, 1887.

Herminia ningpoalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 7. Fuscous-brown. Primaries with the small orbicular and large reniform stigmata yellow, outlined with dark brown ; transverse basal and discal lines wavy dark brown, pale submarginal line edged internally with dark brown. Secondaries with two parallel dark brown lines traversing the disc of the wing. Under surface rather darker than above, a small discal spot, a narrow dark discal band, and a pale submarginal line. Expanse, 33 mm.

Five examples taken by my native collector in the Snowy Yalley, near Ningpo, in July, 1886.

Harmatelia bifidalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 11.

Basal two-thirds chocolate-brown, outer third brownish buff, clouded along hind margin and towards apex with darker brown; the dividing line is blackish edged with whitish, and sharply toothed below its middle, a dark transverse wavy line towards base, and a discal series of black dots forming an indistinct ^ . Secondaries fascous, paler towards costa. Under surface fuscous, secondaries with a darker central line. Expanse, 23 mm.

An example of each sex taken by myself at Hakodate in August. Calobochyla bilinealis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 14.

^ . Primaries greyish brown, with a few dark apical spots, and traversed by two reddish brown lines, the basal internally and the discal externally bordered with orange ; between these lines are two small reddish brown spots. Secondaries pale brown , broadly bordered on outer margin with fuscous. Under surface of all the wings yellowish brown, primaries with discal spots, broad band along outer margin, and fringes blackish. Palpi, head, and collar reddish orange. Expanse, 36 mm.

One male example taken by my native collector in the Snowy Valley, July, 1886.

Platyja nubiferalis, n. sp., Plate II., fig. 8. Golden brown, with a purplish discal suffusion. Primaries traversed by three dark . serrated lines, each commencing in a brown quadrate spot on costa. Secondaries paler towards costa, traversed by two dark central lines ; submarginal line darker brown, with