110 BERWICKSHIRE INSECTS. 



of the river, even without being swollen by freshes, by overflowing their 

 banks, which are somewhat elevated above the land behind, inun- 

 dated to the depth of several feet, most of the level district. The 

 waters thus stagnating ; and turbid, as those of most rivers are, 

 with sediment, were placed in circumstances favourable to its being 

 discharged. The amount of detrital matter was considerably in- 

 creased, when the heavy rains, or the melting snow, added stiJl ampler 

 volume to the gaining deluge ; till, as the fluid deepened and spread, 

 field, and ditch, and hedgerow, sunk beneath the unbridled stream, 

 and the lengthened valley assumed the aspect of a vast inland lake. 

 Gradually, but steadily, in these periodical inundations, would 

 gather the subsiding matter, consolidating as it augmented, over 

 the fallen trees, hiding them from the view, and enshrining both 

 the extinct and living in one promiscuous sepulchre. There they 

 remained, awaiting the fate of all fossil vegetables, enclosed in like 

 loose and shallow deposites, — the extinction of the latent seeds of life 

 that still, with undecaying vigour, pervaded the prostrate organism, 

 overthrown but not subdued ; and at length, if petrifaction did not 

 supervene, not only destined to the deprivation of the functions, but 

 also of the conformation of objects animated by vital impulses ; till 

 after the lapse of ages, by unforeseen fortuity again visited, in the tor- 

 por of their faculties, by the enlivening promptings of Nature's reviv- 

 ing agencies, they have once more received the privilege of renewed 

 youth; — afresh to run the course of a lengthened vegetation; — and 

 amid a world how diverse from that of their pristine infancy I — with 

 the delicious hues and wavy outlines of expanding foliage, they arise 

 once more, to shed attraction and beauty, over their ancient cemetery. 



List of Insects taken by Mr Hardy in June and July 1843, in the 

 neighbourhood of the Pease Bridge. By P. J. Selby, Esq., of 

 Twizell House. 



Lepidopteea. 



1. Cucullia Tanaceti. 



2. Scotophila porphyrea. 



3. Ortbosia gracilis. 



4. Hadena adusta. 



5. Hama aliena. 



6. Mythimna grisea. 



7. Mamsestra splendens. 



8. Charadrina superstes. 



9. Hadena plebeia. 



10. Saturnia Pavonia minor. 



11. Hepialus Humuli. 



12. velleda. 



13. Miana literosa. 



14. Acronycta Rumicis. 



15. Euclidia mi, 



16. Fidonia atomaria. 



