(P. rapæ) on the 3rd of May, whereas last year, when crossing a considerable tract of the county a few miles from Oxford, on a beautiful day in April, I was surprised to see, I think more than a hundred specimens, including the large and small tortoise- shell, the brimstone, one or two peacocks, and a few whites. From the mildness of last winter, one would have expected early and abundant broods ; they are now how- ever, those species usually affecting this neighbourhood, tolerably plentiful.—T. Goatley; Chipping Norton, Oxon, June 8th, 1846.
Convolvulus Hawk-moth at Stanford Rivers, Essex.—Seeing several notices in the ' Zoologist' of the recent occurrence of this moth near London, I thought, perhaps, its capture might be important enough to merit a place in your periodical. I am pos- sessed of two specimens which were found in the early part of September, 1844 and 1845, flying about cottages in the village, being I suppose attracted by the light, and which were brought me by their respective captors. One is rather rubbed by its at- tempts to escape from its imprisonment, but the' other is in fine condition.—I. Taylor, jun.; Stanford Rivers, Essex, July 4th, 1846.
Occurrence of Deilephila Livornica near Cork.—I observed in the May number of the ' Zoologist " a notice by Mr. S. Stevens of the capture of Deilephila Livomica, and I have to record that two specimens of this beautiful and rare insect were also taken in the neighbourhood of this city in April last, and are now in my possession. I am not aware that this insect had previously occurred here.—William Clear; Cork, May 5th, 1846.
Capture of Lepidopterous Insects in the Isle of Wight.—I learn from G. Guyon, Esq., that two, if not more specimens of Acherontia Atropos have been captured at Vent- nor this spring, in addition to which about the same number were taken last autumn at Steephill, in the immediate vicinity of that rising watering place.
Deilephila Livornica. A specimen of this rare hawk-moth was also taken at Ventnor in April or May of the present year, as I am informed by Mr. Guy on, and was seen by the Kev. J. F, Dawson, being the second instance of the occurrence of the species in the Island (Zool. 803), which seems to have appeared in comparatively greater numbers within these last two years in other parts of the kingdom than it has ever done previously. When much rubbed in captivity, its resemblance in size, form, and style of colouring to D. Galii may originate doubts of its identity, but if I mistake not the greatly larger and more prominent eyes, which are like those of D. Celerio, will always distinguish D. Livornica from its near relatives D. Galii andD. Euphorbiæ.
Acronycta Alni. The larva was brought to me in August last, found feeding on the sycamore maple at St. John's, near Ryde, but effected its escape from the breeding-cage before changing to the pupa state.
Stauropus Fagi. A caterpillar of the lobster moth was brought at the close of the autumn of 1845 to the Rev. Hannay, of East Cowes, of which he showed me a cor- rect drawing in April last, the specimen being then in chrysalis.—William Arnold Bromfield, M.D., Ryde, June 8th, 1846.
Capture of Hadena rectilinea.—Another specimen of this tine insect was taken by John Dawson, Esq., in Torwood, at sugar, on the 9th of June.—H.T. Stainton; Lewisham.
Immense swarm of Gnats.—On the 3rd of July I saw what I took to be a cloud of dust or volumes of dark brown smoke rising from a field : on approaching the spot the appearance had vanished, but the surface of the ground was literally covered with small insects with short wings. — Thomas Webster; 96, Ormond Street, Manchester.
