- ALFRED

and in the genus Gelechia alone discovered at Wicken and Yaxley Fens four new species-divisella, palustrella, oblitella, and subdecurtella. BALDING; Wisbech.

THE REVIVAL OF THE ' ENTOMOLOGIST'S ANNUAL.'—I desire most heartily to endorse the wishes expressed in the remarks of the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, under this head (Entom. 65), that some system ought to be arrived at for rendering available to entomologists generally the many very useful notes, and even results of research, at present practically lost by reason of being hidden away in the publications of the numerous Field Clubs and Natural-History Societies of the provinces. The entomologist who makes a "science" of the study of insects takes, as a rule, one of two main lines of research. Either he will devote himself to the investigation of the habits, &c., of a special insect or group of insects, or else to that of ascertaining what individual insects exist within a given defined area, be that large or small. Now for either of these purposes a ready means of reference to what has already been done by others, in a similar direction, would be invaluable. Having myself for some years been the editor of the Journal of a provincial Field Club, I have become aware of the fact that much more really useful work is done in one or other of the above-named directions than many would suppose. At a Special Meeting of the Entomological Society in May, 1883, when the Bye-Laws were being altered, I brought this subject before the Society, considering it would be a great inducement to many to become Fellows. I then suggested the possibility of a system of abstracts being made and added to the Journal, as is done by the Chemical Society. I still hope it may yet be carried out somewhat in the manner suggested by the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, and I feel sure that all Secretaries of Field Clubs, &c., would willingly supply the copies of such of their Journals as contained papers on entomological subjects.ALFRED LLOYD; The Dome, Bognor, Feb. 6, 1890.

HESPERIA LINEOLA IN JERSEY.-On July 21st, 1871, I paid a visit to Jersey, where I took three specimens of an Hesperia, which have since remained in my cabinet, labelled H. linea (thaumas). On reading Mr. F. W. Hawes' note on his interesting discovery (Entom. 3), I sent him the specimens for comparison, and he informs me that they are undoubtedly Hesperia lineola, and resemble the specimens in the Doubleday collection in being of a browner hue than those captured by himself in 1888.-W. A. LUFF; 12, Mansell Street, Guernsey.

HESPERIA LINEOLA.-Would it not be as well that before the summer comes there should be published, in parallel columns, the precise points of difference between H. thaumas and H. lineola? I have been informed that when thoroughly understood the differences are sufficient to enable the insects to be distinguishable in the field, or at all events in the net. This might save the heedless and needless destruction of thousands of innocent butterflies, very beautiful to the lover of nature, and, I believe, quite innocent of any injury to man. Otherwise, it is much to be feared there will, in a few months' time, be a general slaughter of every thaumas in the country, in the hopes of taking "the last new thing."-ALFRED LLOYD; The Dome, Bognor, February 6, 1890.

[In his remarks on and comparison between these two insects, Mr. Hawes has been so explicit, that unless those who may go on the war-path

against the " Skippers," during the next season or two, are determined to slay all and spare none, our well-known friend thaumas should suffer no more inconvenience than that which may be caused him by capture and a brief inspection. However, that nothing may be left undone that could in any way tend to prevent unnecessary destruction, the following differential synopsis is given ;

H. thaumas.

1. Tips of antennæ yellow beneath.

2. Central black streak of male slightly curved to inner margin.

3. Hind wings beneath, inner margin fulvous.

read,

H. lineola.

1. Tips of antennæ black beneath.

2. Central black streak of male short, straight, and sometimes interrupted.

3. Hind wings beneath, inner margin not fulvous.

1 and 3 refer to both sexes, 2 to male sex only.—ED.].

66

HESPERIA LINEOLA: A CORRECTION.-There is a mistake in my note (Entom. p. 57). "On the marshes near Purfleet, Shoeburyness," should on the marshes near Benfleet and Shoeburyness.-F. G. WHITTLE. GAS-LAMP ENTOMOLOGY.-With reference to Mr. Arkle's remarks concerning the entire absence of the genus Taniocampa at gas-lamps (Entom. 62), it may be of interest to record that towards the end of April, 1887, Taniocampa stabilis, T. incerta, T. gothica, and T. pulverulenta, were all common on the gas-lamps in this neighbourhood, together with a few T. munda and Pachnobia rubricosa. R. M. PRIDEAUX; 9, Vyvyan Terrace,

Clifton, Bristol.

In view of Mr. Arkle's statement that he has never taken the genus Taniocampa at gas-lamps, the following observation may be interesting. Some seasons ago I took a good number of Pachnobia rubricosa (or Taniocampa rubricosa according to Doubleday's list), on gas-lamps in Lancashire; but no other members of the Taniocampa genus came to light, although several others occur in the neighbourhood. It would thus appear that the species P. rubricosa is more correctly placed in the Entomologist' list than in the old list.-J. E. R. ALLEN; Nantclwyd House, Ruthin, N. Wales.

"Gas

I am rather surprised to find, from Mr. Arkle's notes on lamp Entomology (Entom. p. 62), that he has never captured a single Sphinx at light. My own experience of this branch of collecting has been exceedingly small; but on one of the few occasions when I attended to it, I found a fine Smerinthus ocellatus, clinging tenaciously to the outside of a gas-lamp at Tottenham. Moreover, Dr. Knaggs, in his 'Guide,' refers to the "absurd habit" that the Smerinthi have of creeping up underneath the lamp, and also states that atropos, convolvulus and galii, have been known to enter houses attracted by the light. Kirby too ( European Butterflies and Moths '), states that A. atropos is attracted by light. Evidently, therefore, the Sphinges are habitually light-seekers, and it certainly seems very strange that Mr. Arkle's experience has been uniformly negative of this fact; it would be somewhat interesting to hear from other collectors as to their luck. I have some recollection of reading that M. stellatarum has been known to come to light, but I cannot locate my authority. - F. H. PERRY COSTE; "Ravenshoe," Burnt Ash Hill.

Additions to my list (Entom. 64):-March, T. hyemana; October, L. phryganella.-J. ARKLE; Chester.

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT AT TAUNTON.-Seeing the numerous accounts of the failure of sugar last year, the better success I had at light struck me as peculiar. From the middle of May to the end of September I went out as nearly as possible every night, and even on the coldest and wettest of nights I never failed to see an insect of some kind. Among the 200 odd species I took at light during the year are:-S. ligustri and S. convolvuli, C. porcellus and C. elpenor and the three Smerinthi; of the Bombyces, H. bicolorana, L. lurideola, G. quadra, A. villica, S. mendica, H. humuli, H. lupulinus and H. hectus, C. ligniperda, Z. pyrina, D. pudibunda, P. populi, L. quercifolia, D. lacertinaria, D. falcataria, D. binaria and D. cultraria, D. furcula, D. bifida and D. vinula; S. fagi, P. palpina, N. dictaa, N. dromedarius, N. ziczac; of the Noctuæ, T. derasa, C. octogesima, A. diluta, B. muralis, D. coryli, A. ligustri, N. arundinis, H. micacea and H. petasitis, N. reticulata, M. persicaria, M. literosa and M. bicoloria, G. trigrammica, A. saucia, N. plecta, T. fimbria, T. orbona, X. fulvago (cerago), C. xerampelina, C. diffinis, P. flavicincta, H. pisi and H. genista, C. umbratica, P. iota, P. chrysitis, H. uncula; and among the Geometræ, C. apiciaria, M. margaritaria, P. syringaria, E. alniaria and E. fuscantaria, G. papilionaria and G. vernaria, H. strigata, B. piniaria, T. dubitata and E. certata. Some moths, which are plentiful in the woods around, do not come to light, as, for instance, T. batis and A. pyramidea. The last-named is very common, but I only took one example at light. I also secured a specimen which I put down to be a variety of M. fluctuata; the large dark blotch in the centre of the margin of the upper wing is absent. Early in the spring, an example of A. atropos was taken, and in 1888 four D. galii. Unluckily they had found their way into the globes, and were a bit damaged.-M. FARRANT; 74, Cambridge Street, Pimlico, S.W.

[At the December meeting of the London Entomological Society, Colonel Swinhoe stated that in Bombay he had collected more than 300 specimens of Sphingidae by means of the electric light. Mr. J. J. Walker, R.N., said that at Panama he found the electric light very attractive to insects. Mr. M'Arthur, who has just returned from India, informs me that in passing through the Suez Canal he noticed numbers of moths, many of large size, darting about in the beam of the electric light, which was worked from a sort of cage suspended over the bow of the ship.-R. S.]

EPIONE PARALLELARIA VAR.—At the foot of the recorded capture of a variety of Epione parallelaria which appears in the January number by Mr. Hewett, is to me a rather astonishing note by the editor, who says: "This variety is more commonly bred than captured; some years not unfrequently." Having bred and collected this species for many years, and I believe the experience of other York collectors will confirm me, -I must say that I have never heard of one of this variety having been bred before. This form is figured, Entom. xi. pl. 2, fig, 3. and is recorded at p. 170 of that volume as having been captured by the late Mr. Prest, on the 13th July, 1874, at its haunt near Strensall. Further mention is made of several others taken in previous seasons near the same spot, pointing to an hereditary form. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Jackson, of York, have, I believe, both captured it. There is one in the Allis' Collection in the Yorkshire Philosophical Society's Museum in this city, which looks by its rather worn

appearance, like a captured specimen; and also the one in my collection, the capture of which was recorded in Entom. xvi. p. 211. My variety, I believe, is in finer condition than any of those previously recorded; the dark purple border is strikingly intensified. I remember, in a conversation with Mr. Prest, when he came to look at my specimen (which he described as the best he had seen), saying that all examples of the variety in question had been taken close to a hillock at Sandburn, and I believe Mr. Hewett's specimen was captured within a few yards of where the others were taken. There are several pretty forms of E. parallelaria bred as well as captured; indeed, most of the York entomologists possess something unique in markings of the species, but I believe the natural variety, which has the centre of the wings dark brick-red, without the reticulated markings, but with the border purplish black, is exceedingly scarce. All the examples of this form have been captured about one particular spot, which seems to point to the existence of a distinct local race.-S. WALKER; 75, Union Terrace, York, January 20, 1890.

[The note referred to should have been signed J. T. C., not ED.].

LEPIDOPTERA TAKEN IN DORSETSHIRE IN 1889.-Although rather late in the day, the following records from this district will not perhaps have lost all their interest. The general character of the season here last year, -1889, closely corresponded to that of so many other localities, being about the worst I have ever known. There seemed a good promise at the end of May and during the first week in June, but soon after that a plague of larvæ of several species completely devastated the young foliage over large areas of coppice and timber, and thenceforward there succeeded an almost complete dearth of insects. Busy among the devastating larvæ were numerous Ichneumonidæ, chiefly, as far as I could observe, one almost entirely black species. To this cause perhaps it was due that the common green oak Tortrix, T. viridana, was not very abundant, though quite common enough; the succeeding brood, however, of Hibernia defoliaria, H. aurantiana, and Cheimatobia brumata, I have never seen exceeded in numbers. Among the latter species of Lepidoptera we meet with, I may mention Pterophora paludum, Zell. After many visits to its localities I met with one example of each sex in good condition, on the 29th of August; no others were seen or taken. It did not appear at all in 1888, at any rate we did not meet with it, though its localities were well worked. In 1886 and 1887 (Entom. xix. p. 256, and xx. pp. 308, 326), we took it in tolerable abundance. All our efforts to find the larvæ or pupæ have as yet proved unavailing. Psoricoptera gibosella, which was plentiful on trunks and branches of oak-trees in 1888, did not appear in 1889. Chauliodus illigerellus; two fine specimens were bred from larvæ in united blossoms of Angelica sylvestris late in August. Cerostoma lucella, about twenty examples, sixteen of which were beaten from one oak-bush at different times between July 9th and September 1st; the rest were beaten from oak near the same spot, excepting one which was flying in sunshine and settling on the blossoms of the bull-daisy, in a rough field at some little distance. Cerostoma alpella occurred but rarely in the same locality, though in greater abundance than C. sylvella, which is usually the more common species. Elachista paludum, one example on a bog on the heath. E. monticola, in a swampy spot, appeared to be pretty frequent. These two have not been before recorded from Dorsetshire. Laverna subistrigella, one, in a rough field. L. lacteella, three in the same field as the last species, at the en

of June, 1887. The four last species have been determined by Mr. Stainton. Specimens of L. paludicola have hitherto done duty in my cabinet for L. lacteella, about which last little appears to be known among entomologists generally. Trifurcula atrifrontella, one caught on the wing in a wood about the end of June. This also has been examined aud determined by Mr. Stainton, who speaks of it as "a great rarity." Apatura iris, female, the first I have seen in this district; the species has not been recorded in Dorsetshire since 1841. Plusia orichalcea, a fine specimen taken by my friend Mr. J. J. Dunn Cooke, at Hyde, near Bloxworth, about the middle of July. Eupithecia dodoneata, several examples in May and June. Near Weymouth it appears to have been quite abundant last spring. Catoptria albersana, one taken, several seen. Euchromia purpurana, one taken. Lobesia reliquana, fairly abundant. Eupæcilia nana several. Tinea semifulvella, one. Depressaria pupurea, one beaten out of thatch in August. Ecophora fulviguttella, several. Gracilaria elongella, several. Lita costella, one (the first there met with), in a swampy spot, the first week in September. Pacilia nivea (= gemmella), frequent, but not in anything like its usual abundance. Doryphora oblitella, several in a bog on the heath. In some seasons it is fairly common. D. lucidella, one; not met with before in this district. Bryotropha umbrosella, tolerably abundant, Chesil Beach, Portland, beginning of July. Stigmonota puncticostana, one flying in a wood in June. This is its first record in this county. I have not thought it necessary to arrange the above species in any systematic order, but have taken them at random, while looking over my notes of the season.-O. P. CAMBRIDGE; Bloxworth Rectory, February 7, 1890.

A CURIOUS BLUNDER.-Lord Walsingham's recent remarks on the ignorance of the public on entomological subjects have met with a curious confirmation. A writer in one of our first medical journals, speaking of the tarantula, pronounced it a "harmless beetle " (sic). When a medical graduate thus confounds Arachnida and Coleoptera, what may we not expect from the general public?-J. W. SLATER; 36, Wray Crescent, Tollington Park, Ñ.

SOCIETIES.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-February 5th, 1890. - The Right Hon. Lord Walsingham, M A., F.R.S., President, in the chair. The President announced that he had nominated Mr. J. W. Dunning, M.A., F.L.S., Captain H. J. Elwes, F.L.S., and Mr. Frederick DuCane Godman, M.A., F.R.S., Vice-Presidents for the Session 1890-1891. Mr. B. A. Bristowe, of Champion Hill, S.E.; Mr. J. E. Eastwood, of Witley, Surrey; Mr. A. B. Farn, of Stone, Greenhithe, Kent; and Mr. O. Goldthwaite, of Leyton, Essex, were elected Fellows; and Mr. R. S. Standen was admitted into the Society. Mr. F. D. Godman exhibited a specimen of Papilio thoas, from Alamos, in the State of Gonora, Mexico, showing an aberration in the left hind wing. Mr. R. Trimen remarked that butterflies of the genus Papilio were seldom liable to variation. Mr. Charles G. Barrett exhibited a series of specimens of Phycis subornatella. Dup., from Pembroke, the east and west of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Perthshire; and a series of Phycis adornatella, Tr., from Box Hill, Folkestone, Norfolk, and Reading; also a number of forms intermediate between the above,