Notes. 191 



clusters, and sticking to the backs of one another, like bees when they 

 swarm. In this manner they continued quiet during the heat of the day, 

 but towards evening they simultaneously took wing with a strange noise 

 resembling the distant beating of drums, and in such vast and incredible 

 numbers as to darken the air for many miles around, In a short time 

 they devoured all the leaves of the trees, and the countr}', though it 

 was then in the middle of summer, was left as naked as if it had been in 

 the middle of winter. The grinding of the leaves in the mouths of this 

 vast multitude made a sound similar to the sawing of timber. They 

 destroyed all the gardens round the country, and particularly Mr. 

 Martin's beautiful plantations at Dangan ; entered the houses, and, 

 crawling about, fell into the food of the people ; and wherever they 

 happened to stride they left a slight mark behind. Their spawn they 

 deposited near the surface of the ground, where it did considerable 

 damage by devouring the roots of the corn and grass. These formidable 

 invaders were, however, easily killed ; smoke was their greatest enemy, 

 and one wet day destroyed great heaps of them. They proved good food 

 for the swine and poultry, and, according to some, were also used by the 

 poorer sort of people. PVoni the time of their first appearance they con- 

 tinued to proceed progressively with the westerly wind, and in 1696 they 

 reached the Shannon ; but they were gradually destroyed. The year 

 before about 40 or 50 horse loads were found lying dead along the shores 

 of the bay, for miles westward of Galway. It was supposed this new 

 colony, coming from their native lands, Normandy or Brittany in France, 

 met with a contrary wnnd, which, having blown them into the sea, they 

 were drownied, and their bodies cast ashore. Since that time nothing 

 of the same kind has appeared." 



Richard T. KeIvI.y, Dublin. 



[It is only a few days since we received complaints from Co. Galway of 

 the serious ravages of the small chafer Phyllopcrtha horticola, L., during the 

 present summer. Very probably the beetles referred to in the above 

 interesting old record belonged to that species. — Kds.] 



Lepidoptera from SIig:o. — In the March number of the current 

 volume (p. 77) I record the capture by Rev. R. A. M 'Clean of Erebia 

 epiphron var. cassiope near Sligo. Having now looked through his entire, 

 collection, the following species of moths seem to be worthy of record :- - 



GeoM£;TRID^. — Eiirymene dolobraria, Epione apiciaria, Acidalia remuiaj-ia, 

 Bapta temeraia, Numeria piilveraria, Scodioiia belgiaria, Hybernia nipicapraria, 

 Anisopteryx asailaria, Eininelcsia tcvniala, Eupitheiia dodoncata, E. lariciata, 

 Larcntia nniltisirigaria, Melanthia ocellata, Cidaria miala, C. siierata, C. corylata, 

 C. silaceata, C. suffiimata, Pdiirga coniitata. 



SphinGID^. — S/nerinihiis ocellatus. 



NOTODONTID.^. — Pterostonia palpina. 



CymaTOPHORID.'E. — Thyalira batis, T. dera^a, Cymatophora duplaris. 



NOCTUID^. — GraiiiDiesia trigranimica, Stilbia anomala, Ma/nestra persicarue, 

 Celcena HaivortJiii, Dianihcecia nana, D. capsincola, D. ctuubali, Epiinda lutidenta^ 

 vars. sedi, and liinebcrgensis, Cleoceris viininalis, Agrotis vestigialis, A. cu7'Soria, 

 A, pnrcox, A. strignla, A. confusa, Panolis pinipcrda, Xanthia fulvago, X. Jlavago, 

 Charicleanmbra, Xylocampa areola, Xylina orniihopus, X. socia, Plusia bractea. 



IvlTHOSllD^. — Gnophria rnbricollis. 



PYRAt,lD^. — Botys niralis, B. fuscalis, Scoparia ambigiialis, Noviophila 

 nocinella, Scapula lutealis, Crai)ibiis niaigaritellus, C. horiuellus, C. genicnleus. 



TlNElD^. — Dmrnca fagella, Hyponomeiita cagnagclhis. 



ToRTRlCiD^li. — Tortrix ministrana, Sericoris lacunana, Argyrotoza conwayana, 

 Pardia iripinutana, Catoptria idicctana, Aigyrolepia hartmanniana. 



Z YGiE NI D.-t; . — Zygcena lonicene. 



Hepiai^id^I^. -Ihpia'.iis hcctus. 



Geo. H. Carpenter. 



