Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/92

64 two acute teeth: intermediate and posterior femora clothed with silvery hairs, the anterior fimbriated with long silvery hair; two acute spines at the base of the anterior coxæ; all the legs pubescent, with the claws ferruginous: the wings have a dark margin: the abdomen has a longish fringe of luteous hair encircling the first segment, the remaining segments have also continuous bands of short decumbent luteous hairs. The spines at the apex are similar to those in C. coni.ca, but the whole insect is much more finely punctured, particularly on the abdominal segments.

Note on the Capture of Moths on Grass. On the evening of the 20th of August last, my friend Mr. Bedell and myself were returning from mothing in the marshy fields between the Kent Road and the Greenwich Railway, having had but very little success, when a moth was seen to rise from the grass, and being caught, it proved to be Graphiphora punicea. We next began to sweep the grass, and were surprised to find moths, not singly or in dozens, but in hundreds. The next night saw us there with lanterns and other necessary apparatus, and if we were surprised the previous night, we were then much more so. Almost every blade of grass had its insect; in fact I do not believe that so many moths were ever before seen together. The majority were females, and Mr. Bedell found some eggs which had apparently been recently deposited on the grass. Several subsequent visits were paid to the spot, and always with the same results; the number of moths visible, however, varying greatly on different nights, cold and windy weather having its usual effect in diminishing the number. The species taken were Graphiphora plecta, G. punicea, G. C-nigrum, Lytaea umbrosa, Segetia xanthographa, Gortyna micacea, Apamea fibrosa, Leucania pallens, Orthosia lunosa, Lozotænia costana, Noraophila hybridalis. A number of larvæ were also found feeding on Chenopodium, grass, &c, which have laid up for the winter.—J.W. Douglas; 4, Waterloo Place, Coburg Road, Kent Road, December 6, 1842.

Note on the appearance of the Peacock Butterfly in December. So excessively mild and pleasant has this day been, that its resemblance to spring appears to have deceived one of our finest butterflies, the peacock, (Vanessa Io), a splendid specimen of which I have just had the pleasure of seeing on a sunny bank, and on my approach it darted off with a flight as bold as if it had been the middle of summer.—W. Gaze; Lavenham, December 13, 1842.