tibia; the anterior coxal cavities are closed. Sepharia, on account of the long metatarsus of the posterior legs, seems allied to Luperodes and Ochralea; the shape of the thorax separates the genus from either; the closed cavities, from Luperodes; the broad, concave, and entire elytral epipleuræ distinguish Sepharia from Monolepta.

SEPHARIA FRONTALIS, n. sp.

Oblong-ovate, testaceous; the scutellum, a spot at the basal margin of the elytra, their extreme apex, the breast and sides of the abdominal segments, and a spot at the apex of the pygidium, black; thorax impunctate; elytra scarcely perceptibly punctured.

Mas.-Head with a deep excavation and a triangular black projection, the clypeus with two smaller depressions; the last abdominal segment trifid, the middle lobe slightly longitudinally concave. Length, 3 lines.

Of a pale testaceous colour, the head broader than long, the eyes prominent and large, the space between them excavated, the upper margin of the excavation fringed with hairs, the interior furnished with a triangular projecting black point; antennæ testaceous, two-thirds the length of the body, the first joint very elongate, curved and thickened towards the apex, the two following joints small, the fourth as long as the first, the following joints smaller, furnished with some stiff hairs; thorax narrowly transverse, the sides narrowly margined, slightly rounded and narrowed towards the base, the anterior margin straight, the angles not prominent, the surface obsoletely transversely depressed, not visibly punctured; scutellum triangular, black; elytra convex, but little widened posteriorly, the apex rather truncate, their epipleuræ broad, concave, continued to the apex, the surface extremely minutely punctured, testaceous, a narrow streak or spot (sometimes absent) is placed on the extreme basal margin near the shoulders, and another small spot at the extreme sutural apex; the breast, the sides of the abdominal segments, to a greater or smaller extent, and a spot at the apex of the pygidium, as well as one at the flanks of the thorax, black; legs long and slender, testaceous, the tibial spines black.

In the female the head is only obsoletely depressed between the eyes, and simple, as well as the last abdominal segment. Several specimens obtained by Mr. Leech in Kaschmir.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES, CAPTURES, &c.

OCCURRENCE OF PLUSIA MONETA IN BRITAIN. - Mr. W. M. Christy informs me that he has lately taken a specimen of Plusia moneta, Fabr., in his moth-trap. The insect is now on the setting-board, but the fortunate captor has kindly promised to lend me the specimen to figure in the September number of The Entomologist.'-R. S.

A DAY AT TILGATE FOREST.-On Whit-Monday, May 26th, the South London Entomological and Natural History Society held their first fieldday at Tilgate. Meeting at Three Bridges station, the line of route selected was almost parallel to the London and Brighton railway, passing through the Tile yard, Cinder Valley, on to Balcombe tunnel. This is, perhaps, the best collecting-ground of the district, being well wooded with oak, ash, beech, larch- and spruce-firs, alder, and birches, the lovely growth and foliage of the latter being at their best, and worth the journey

to see you have miles and miles of birch, with an undergrowth of heather and fern, and here and there boggy splashes, all splendid collecting-ground, and producing many good and rare species. The spruce-firs produce Eupithecia togata, the larvæ being found feeding in the cones in the autumn; the birches yield Notodonta carmelita, Endromis versicolor, Cerura bicuspis, Notodonta dictaoides, &c.; the beech, Stauropus fagi; the alder, Sesia sphegiformis, &c. To name all the good species that may be taken here by diligent working would indeed make a long list. Those of our party that arrived by the earlier morning train found Lepidoptera flying freely. Pieris brassica, P. napi, and P. rape all fairly common; Anthocharis cardamines were very numerous; hybernated Vanesside and tattered Gonopteryx rhamni scuttled hurriedly along; Argynnis euphrosyne in numbers; whilst a few Syrichthus malva, Nisoniades tages, and Hesperia sylvanus flitted about in the bright sunshine. The beating-stick applied to the alders dislodged a few Hypsipetes impluviata and Eupisteria obliterata (heparata), with several commoner Geometrida; whilst by a closer search at the alder stems, a few larvæ of Sesia sphegiformis were found feeding (it feeds for three years), but only two spun- and fed-up specimens were met with; evidently the species is by no means common. The two pupæ found produced two fine males on June 6th, and were the best captures of the day. Venilia macularia and Fidonia atomaria were in profusion, and a few pretty forms of either could be selected. Zonosoma pendularia and Tephrosia punctulata were fairly common on the tree stems, although less numerous than most years. The blue-bells and ferns in the Cinder Valley looked most charming, many white varieties of the former (Scilla nutans var. alba) occurred; and by the side of the little stream, Athyrium filix-fœmina and Lastrea æmula (the hay-scented fern) grew in great luxuriance; and the variable L. dilutata was much in evidence. Lomaria spicant adorned every wet rill, and on the dryer ground, Lastrea oreopteris looked beautiful in its shuttlecock tuft, and profuse abundance. The delicate little ivy-leaved bell-flower, Campanula hederacea, in places carpeted the ground, although not quite in flower; and in one spot masses of the stag's-horn moss, Lycopodium clavatum, grew amongst the Sphagnum and heather. By four o'clock our party (fourteen) found that the inner-man required recuperating, so tracks were made for the Norfolk Arms.' An alfresco wash from the cool water of the old well and a light tea refreshed us all for our return through the forest. Unfortunately, as the sun went down the cold northeast wind quite stopped any evening flight, so that our captures were not much augmented, a few Tortrices, Eupithecia, and Eudoriæ; but nothing of much consequence. Our attention was diverted to the twisted-up leaves for larvæ. Asphalia flavicornis, Cheimatobia boreata and Phycis betula were fairly common on the birch, although much less so than some years; and a few Tethea reclusa larvæ were found neatly spun-up in the top shoots of sallows. Although during our ramble we had made no specially rare captures, the day was thoroughly enjoyed by all.-W. H. TUGWELL; June 23, 1890.

JUNE OUTING OF THE S. LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. On the 21st of June about twenty members of this Society and their friends went by train to Leatherhead, where they were met by Mr. C. A. Briggs and his brother Mr. T. H. Briggs. The former gentleman kindly conducted the party to Mickleham. After a sharp walk through the town, and a pleasant jog-trot along the lanes and over the Downs, a convenient halting-place was reached about 4.45 p.m. Here the party

was broken up, the members wandering away singly, or in twos and threes, to collect what they would or could for the space of one hour by the clock. All appeared to have made good use of their sixty minutes; and if some had not made many captures, they had at least travelled far, as it was something beyond the appointed time ere the last straggler had reached the rendezvous. Mr. Billups was busy among the Diptera, &c. (see list below), and the Lepidopterists had some sport with Setina irrorella, Acidalia ornata, and the usual pot-pourri of the "hilly field" at this season of the year, comprising various Pterophoride, Crambidæ, and Tortrices. The members being again assembled Mr. Briggs resumed command, and marched them back to Leatherhead, where he most hospitably entertained the whole party at his house.

At the meeting of the above Society held on the 26th of last month Mr. Billups exhibited types of the insects taken at Mickleham by himself; and although, as previously stated, the actual working time was limited to some sixty minutes, still Mr. Billups managed to get a considerable number of insects of many Orders together; and to show what may be accomplished with a little energy, in a comparatively short time, it may not be uninteresting to enumerate some of the captures. Diptera was the most largely represented Order, there being twenty-nine species, consisting of the following:-Scatopse notata, L.; Dilophus febrilis, L.; Bibio marci, L., and johannis, L.; Simulium reptans, L.; one species of Chironomus, not determined; Pachyrrhina crocata, L.; Tipula oleracea, L.; Pachygaster leachii, Curt.; Nemotelus nigrinus, Fln.; Beris clavipes, L., and chalybeata, Foerst.; Hæmatopota pluvialis, L.; Chrysops cæcutiens, L.; Leptis scolopacea, L.; Leptogaster cylindricus, Deg.; Dioctria rufipes, Deg., and baumhaueri, Mg.; Dysmachius trigonus, Mg.; Rhamphomyia sulcata, Fln.; Empis tessellata, F., and livida, L.; Dolichopus aneus, Deg.; Leucozona lucorum, L.; Conops vitellinus, Lw.; Tetanocera punctulata, Scop.; Platystoma seminationis, F.; Acidia heraclei, L.; and Spilographa zoë, Mg. Hymenoptera, twenty-three species, among which were types of the following sub-families:-Three species of Diploptera, namely Odynerus parietum, L.; Prosopis communis, Nyl.; and Nomada alternata, Kirby : the Ichneumonidæ having ten representatives, i. e. Chasmodes motatorius, Fab.; Ichneumon vaginatorius, Lin., I. luctatorius, L., and I. latrator, Fab.; Colpognathus celerator, Gr.; Dicalotus pumilus, Gr.; Phaogenes planifrons, Gr., and fulvitarsis, Gr.; Hemiteles bicolorinus, Gr.; and Pezomachus distinctus, Föerst.: while Proctotrypes ater, Hal., Codrus apterogynus, Hal., Lagnodes pallidus, Föerst., and Chelogynus lapponicus, Hal., filled a gap in the Oxyurada: Callimome regius, Ns., and Syntonaspis caudata, Ns., were the only species of Chalcididae obtained; while Rhodites rosa, L., and R. eglanteria, Hartig, represented the gall-makers, or Cynipidæ. Two species of sawfly, or Tenthredinidæ :-Lophorus pini, L., and Hylotoma cyanea-crocea, Cam., bringing up the balance of Hymenoptera. Only five species of Coleoptera were taken, these being-Scaphisoma agaricinum, Ol.; Cistela murina, L.; Edemera lurida, Marsh.; Magdalinus aterrima, L.; and Clytus arietis, L. Hemiptera had three representatives, in Pantilus tunicatus, Fab.; the not common Stiphrosoma leucocephalum, L.; Plagiognathus arbustorum, Fab. Philanus exclamationis, Thunb., being the only species of Homoptera; one solitary species also represented the Neuroptera, Stenopsocus cruciatus, L. In all 104 insects were captured by Mr. Billups, representing 10 families: in addition to which there were

three species of Arachnida-Marpera nervosa, Clerck; Dysdera cambridgii, Thor.; and Nemastoma bimaculata, Meig.

A DAY IN HERTFORDSHIRE.-The Metropolitan Railway extension to Chesham affords a convenient means of reaching some very excellent collecting-ground in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Since this line. has been opened I have explored the country around the two stations between Rickmansworth and Chesham. Although, so far, I have not been able to properly investigate its entomological fauna, I am satisfied that the whole district is one which would well repay careful work, and, considered from a collector's point of view, may be regarded as a land of promise. The following notes refer to the Rickmansworth section :-During an autumn stroll in the direction of Harefield, I last year took a good number of the larvæ of Eupithecia albipunctata from off flowers and seeds of Angelica sylvestris. On the 28th of May, of this year, I made the same journey, accompanied by Mr. R. W. Thompson. We commenced work by searching for ova of Euchloë cardamines, and by close and careful examination of the flowers of Cardamine pratensis, and another member of the Cruciferæ of whose name I am unfortunately iguorant, we found the little orange eggs singly here and there. By the time we had tired ourselves with this backaching amusement we had obtained a fair number of ova. We next tried

our luck at beating the herbage for larvæ, but the only species obtained in any quantity was Cidaria dotata (= pyraliata) from Galium. The larva of Plusia chrysitis being a desideratum, we paid particular attention to likely-looking patches of nettles, but only obtained four chrysitis and two iota, a poor return, certainly, for the amount of energy put into the work; so we determined to cease operations until we arrived on the heath across which the road we were following would pass, and where we hoped to find plenty of occupation. The first moth to engage our attention on reaching the heath was Stigmonota internana; hundreds of these pretty little insects were flying about the furze bushes in company with Catoptria ulicetana. Farther on an occasional Eupacilia maculosana was netted as we passed near some wild hyacinths. An attack was then made on the trees for larvæ, but the beating-stick failed to persuade anything better than Phigalia pedaria, Oporabia dilutata, and Hybernia defoliaria to drop into the umbrella. Searching rewarded us with larvæ of Tethea subtusa between leaves of white poplar; T. retusa, on sallow; Phycis betulæ, in a web at the ends of birch twigs; and Padisca opthalmicana, on white poplar. After leaving the heath we noticed some yellow rattle (Rhinanthus crista-galli) in a grass meadow: as there was a convenient footpath through this field, we entered, and were pleased to find Emmelesia albulata just out, and in some abundance; some pretty forms were secured. One or two examples of Heliaca tenebrata (= arbuti) were also observed. Altogether very few imagines came under our notice during the morning, but, in addition to those already mentioned, we saw Venilia macularia, Panagra petraria, and Melanippe sociata. Towards evening, when we returned to the heath, the last-named species appeared in considerable numbers, and, at the same time, odd specimens of Emmelesia decolorata, E. affinitata, and Coremia unidentaria, were captured, as also were single examples of Argyrolepia hartmanniana (= baumanniana) and Catoptria albersana. As the light waned we packed up our traps and turned towards Rickmansworth. one time we were disposed to think that we had been unwise in not providing ourselves with lamps and sugar; but after sunset there was a ENTOM.-AUGUST, 1890.

T

At

sudden decrease in the temperature, and scarcely an insect to be seen on the wing, so we consoled ourselves with the philosophical reflection that we were not losing much by our omission.-RICHARD SOUTH.

A WEEK IN THE NEW FOREST.-Although the season is not as yet very far advanced, a few notes on the result of a week's collecting at Lyndhurst may perhaps be of interest to those readers of The Entomologist' who intend to work the New Forest later in the summer. I arrived at Lyndhurst on June 21st, and immediately called upon a well-known local entomologist of great experience. His report was not encouraging, and, unfortunately, was fully borne out by my subsequent experience. After a futile night's sugaring, and a day's rest on the Sunday, I began work in earnest on the 23rd. The weather was very hot, but the sky was thickly clouded over all day, and in consequence everything had to be beaten up. The only insects which put in an appearance were Argynnis selene on the heaths, and the ubiquitous Epinephele ianira, whose mission in life seems to be to "come out strong" under depressing circumstances. However, by hard work at beating, I managed to secure by one o'clock some fine Metrocampa margaritaria, Boarmia repandata (including some pretty varieties), Bapta taminata, Pararge egeria, Eubolia plumbaria (palumbaria), Ephyra linearia (trilinearia), and a beautiful pair of Drepana falcataria (falcula), which were taken from birch. I afterwards worked the heath, and got Nemeophila russula in fine condition, Bupalus piniaria (the latter was very abundant), Macaria liturata, and other common things. The evening work was, as usual, a complete failure. On the 24th I was joined by a friend, but, though we worked the woods and heaths hard, we were only rewarded with N. russula, Gonepteryx rhamni, (very battered in nearly every instance), some clouded varieties of Boarmia repandata, B. piniaria, a pair of Hepialus hectus, and other insignificant captures, up till the 27th. All this time sugaring proved absolutely fruitless, the mixture seeming to be far more attractive to sundry slugs, of vast bulk and forbidding appearance, than to Noctuæ. On the 27th we tried larva beating, in the absence of all imagines, but with no result worth recording. At last we were favoured with a gleam of sunshine, and saw Argynnis paphia, evidently only just out, one Thecla rubi, a few Lycana icarus (alexis) and agon, and Canonympha pamphilus, as well as the usual swarms of P. egeria, B. piniaria, &c. I also got one Drepana lacertula, in fine condition, close to the spot where I had previously taken D. falcula. In the evening a few moths came to sugar, including Aplecta nebulosa, Thyatira batis, and Noctua brunnea. This was the wind-up to our visit, and we left next morning. I attribute our failure to three chief causes-bad weather, a late season, and the scarcity of Lepidoptera in general. For the most part the Sun refused to show himself, and the weather was ungenial. The fact that on our last day's excursion we found more variety in the species taken, coupled with the first appearance of Noctuæ at sugar, induces me to think that we should have done better a week or ten days later. Still it was only too painfully apparent that there was a deplorable dearth of Lepidoptera. Other orders of insects were largely represented, the flies in particular, to an extent which rendered them very troublesome; while the Stag Beetle by night, and Libellula splendens by day, literally swarmed. An ominous fact was the absolute dearth of Diurni, even of the commonest kinds, and Limenitis sibylla did not cross our path at all, though it should certainly have been out during the latter days of our stay. I believe a solitary