this is now Melampus of all continental authors.

Thirdly after a long and careful examination of thirty-five specimens of the Scotch insect, and a comparison of them with M. Becker's German specimens, I feel perfectly convinced that both are referrible to the same species and in this opinion, Messrs. H. and E. Doubleday, who have given me the most kind assistance throughout the enquiry, also concur. It must be admitted that the Scotch and German specimens are not so precisely identical that one would fail in the endeavour to point out some minute discrepancies; but then it must be borne in mind, that in almost every instance the Satyridæ vary so greatly within the limits of acknowledged species, that without an intermediate series it would often be extremely difficult to connect those which are most dissimilar. Fourthly from E. Pharte it differs in the presence of the black spots.

I now proceed to describe the Scotch specimens of

EREBIA MELAMPUS, Boisduval.

Male. The palpi, head, thorax and abdomen are clothed with intensely black hairs, excepting the sides of the abdomen, which incline to grey: the shafts of the antennæ are greyish brown above and nearly white beneath; the club is intensely black at the tip, its inner or anterior surface is brown above and whitish below, and its outer or posterior surface is dusky brown above and pearly white below. On the upper surface, all the wings are of a rich velvety and somewhat glossy black brown: the fore wings have an irregular transverse fascia, or rather a band-like series of ferruginous markings running parallel to the outer margin of the wing, but situate considerably within the margin; these markings are five or six in number, of which the second, third and fifth always include a central black spot, the fourth rarely has the spot of equal size with the rest, it is generally reduced to a mere point, and is often entirely wanting: the hind wings have three roundish ferruginous markings, equidistant from the outer margin, and each of these has usually a black central point: there is sometimes the trace of a fourth marking, but this is without the central point. On the under surface the fore wings have a brownish costal and exterior margin; the disk or central area of the wing is red brown, and between this and the broad brown outer margin is a broad ferruginous band, corresponding with that on the upper surface, but having its limits, as well as the black spots, less distinctly defined: the hind wings are dark brown, thickly interspersed with minute ferruginous points, generally consisting of single scales, and giving the wing

a mixed or greyish hue: there are three ferruginous markings corresponding in situation with those above, and each having a black central dot the legs in both sexes are nearly white.

The average expansion of the wings is 1.5 inch.

Female. The female appears to differ but slightly from the male, it is however almost uniformly of larger size, and of less intense and rich colour, a difference often observable among the Satyrida: the fascia on the upper surface of the fore wings is less brightly ferruginous, but larger and more conspicuous, its four black spots are also more distinct, and I do not observe that the third is ever wanting, as in the male the markings on the hind wings are also more distinct. The average expansion of the wings is 165 inch, some are larger. On placing a series of this butterfly between one of blandina and another of Cassiope, the only two other British species referrible to the genus Erebia, a marked difference will at once be observed: it is uniformly smaller than the former, and as uniformly larger than the latter. Contrasted with blandina, it altogether wants the ocelli which adorn that highly beautiful insect. Compared with Cassiope, its ground colour is much darker, richer and more intense, and the fascia broader and brighter, so that the contrast between the ground colour and the fascia is infinitely more striking. The under sides of the two insects present a difference quite sufficient to enable an observer at once to separate them, the fore wings of Cassiope being suffused with an indescribable red tint, which is not observable in Melampus, and having many minor characters in contrast, which are more easy to detect than to describe.

Mr. Weaver has obligingly supplied me with the following information respecting this important capture. "I took these butterflies when the sun shone, morning and evening, the first on the 27th of June, and the last on the 27th of July. They appeared confined to a spot of level and rather marshy ground, about 150 yards in length and 50 in breadth; it was grassy, but without heath; and although there was plenty of heath all round the neighbourhood, I did not see a single specimen settle on it. The locality is among rocky mountains, some of which attain an altitude of 4000 feet above the sea, and I think the spot where I found the butterflies is at least 3000 feet. I spent ten days in hunting them, and although I wandered over most of the country for ten or fifteen miles round, I found them nowhere else. The nearest village is Kinloch Rannoch, consisting of a few scattered houses, one of which is a shop for sundries, two are pot

houses, and the remainder are principally the residences of shepherds. It has no road to any other place!

I cannot conclude this brief notice without expressing a hope that our brothers of the net will not allow another season to pass over without making more energetic attempts to ascertain the entomological productions of Scotland as well as Ireland. I have heard one of the most acute of the continental lepidopterists speak of the former of these countries as a terra incognita as regards entomology, and dwell with joyful anticipation on the rich harvest which he expected to reap there. I hope, indeed, the harvest will be reaped, but I could wish the labourer should be one of ourselves.

Peckham, September, 1844.

EDWARD NEwman.

Note on a Variety of Lycana Phlæas, &c. In a farewell excursion with Mr. Dyson on the 1st inst., previous to his departure for the Bay of Honduras, for the purpose of collecting specimens of Natural History, we alighted from the Leeds railway at Middleton station, and proceeded towards Oldham; about a mile from which place our attention was attracted to a strange-looking butterfly on the wing in the road. We gave chase and Mr. Dyson captured it, when, to our great delight, we found it a remarkably large Lycana Phlæas, female, all the usual coppery markings being pure white, with central black spots; the band of the inferior wings is unusually broad, and pure white. At our destination, Wharmton-moor, iu Saddleworth, we captured Charæas Graminis abundantly, Celana Haworthii on the ragwort, Polia Chi on stone walls, and two specimens of Lithomia Solidaginis resting on fir trees, - a new locality for very local insect; on White-moss, Apamea nictitans and Phycita fusca in beautiful condition; the latter insect must be double-brooded, I took it in the same locality at the end of May.-R. S. Edleston; Manchester, September 11, 1844.

this

Note on the capture of Mamestra suasa (Dens canis, Haw.), and Plusia interrogationis. Three specimens of the former have been captured near Chorlton, at the beginning of June; and one specimen of the latter, resting on a stone wall, at Brushes, August 24.—Id.

Note on captures of Lepidopterous Insects near Manchester, in 1844. April 21. Lampronia purpurella, beat out of fir-trees, Coppy-wood, near Middleton. April 28. Saturnia Pavonia-minor, abundant on White-moss.

May 12. Anacampsis longicornis, and a new species, glossy black, same size as preceding (aterrima, Dale); and Anchylopera derasana.

May 20. Thymele Tages, Melitæa Artemis and Vanessa C-album, Cottrel-wood. May 25. Hadena adusta and thalassina and Macrochila bicostella, White-moss. May 31. Phragmatobia fuliginosa, Bupalus favillacearius, Phycita fusca and Lasiocampa Rubi, White-moss.

June 2. Acronycta Rumicis and Menyanthidis, Tortrix coniferana (Ratzburgh), Tinea lappella, Cnephasia resinella very fine, the three latter species on fir-trees;

Hipparchia Davus abundant on the heath, very early for this insect, generally in
July.

June 16. Abraxas ulmata, abundant in Pendlebury-wood.

June 22. Mamestra furva, under sods at Stockport.

June 24. Trochilium Bembeciformis, abundant on poplar-trees at Middleton, local to that part in this neighbourhood.

July 2. Anacampsis Malvella (Curtis), and Elater balteatus, Chat-moss.
July 15. Pœcilochroma Udmanniana and Acompsia tinctella, Cheetham-hill.
July 20. Scotophila porphyrea, Depressaria Sparmanniana, Orthotænia Turionana,
Euplexia lucipara and Amphisa Gerningiana, Rudheath, Cheshire.

August 4. Depressaria costosa, Kersal-moor.

August 11. Orthotænia subsequana, this rare and beautiful species on Wharmton

moor.

August 28. Lithomia Solidaginis, plentiful on stone walls, Brushes, near Staleybridge.

August 30. Gortyna micacea, Miana literosa, Apamea secalina, on ragwort-flowers; Segetia xanthographa and Hama testacea, in great plenty.—Id.

Notes on the capture of Lepidopterous Insects at Charlton sand-pit. I beg to enclose you a list of my captures in the sand-pit at Charlton, between the 28th of June and the 2nd of August; during which period I visited the place about seven times, remaining there from nearly 7 till dusk. I much regret that I was not sooner acquainted with the spot, as I consider the most productive part of the season for the smaller Lepidoptera had expired.

* I also found one specimen of this on the tram-road between Croydon and Purley

on the 7th of July.

Geo. Bedell; 4, Waterloo Place, Coburg Road, September, 1844.

&c. &c.

Note on the capture of Deilephila lineata, Fabr., (Livornica, Esper), in Lancashire. A fine male of this rare and beautiful insect, was captured early on Tuesday morning, June 25, at Brundett's Farm, in the adjoining parish of Chorlton, secreted under the straw, covering some extensive beds of cucumber-vines, growing in a field at the back of the house. During the same week another male was taken in Withington, about a mile from the last locality, resting on a high hedge-bank. This specimen is not so fine as the other, having been roughly handled by an agricultural labourer, who captured it. Both specimens came into my possession soon after their capture. — R. S. Edleston; September 11, 1844.

Note on the capture of Moths by means of Sugar. I have within these few days been trying the experiment of capturing moths by means of sugar, but without success. Not a single moth of any kind was to be found when I visited the sugared trunks of the trees in the morning, but an abundance of wasps, which perhaps might have driven the moths away, and so occasioned the failure of the experiment. I mean to try again when the wasps are gone.-W. T. Bree; Allesley Rectory, Sept. 17, 1844.

room.

Note on the development of Moths by Heat. I left London for the north about the latter end of last December, and brought with me about thirty pupe of the bufftip moth, (Pygæra bucephala). I kept them in a box with some dry earth, and placed them near a small coke stove, which we had for the purpose of warming the Two days after, I was surprised to find a brace of moths outside my box, drying their wings, which I forthwith killed and placed in my drying-box. I did not succeed in rearing more than these two, owing, I suppose, to my having put the box too near the fire, as after waiting three or four days, and no more appearing, I carefully opened the pupa and found every one of them ready to burst from their prisons, and undoubtedly they would have done so had I not placed them so near the fire. I think it right to state that I collected them in the middle of November, 1843.-Francis Richardson; Halifax, September 6, 1844.

Note on the capture of Philanthus triangulum, &c. Having recently added the following rare insects to my cabinet, I send you the dates and places of capture, in order that others may have an inducement to visit such an excellent locality as Weybridge. All were captured on the 30th and 31st of August. Aporus bicolor, female, I specimen. Cerapales variegatus, female, 1 specimen. Philanthus triangulum, male 3 specimens. The specimen of Ceropales was taken by Mr. Ingall; those of Philanthus were captured by myself, about three miles from the railway station, about a mile to the left of Byfleet, on blossoms of thistles growing by the side of a road which leads to a hill crowned by a wood; I do not know the name of it. Although I watched patiently three hours or more, I could not meet with a female; but as I already possessed that sex, I did not regret it, the males being the desiderata, only one having been previously taken in this country, that I am aware of.-Frederick Smith; 5, High St., Newington, September, 1844.