1 68 The Irish Naturalist. [July- 1899 



Dublin Naturalists' Field Club. 

 May 27. — Excursion to Ireland's Eye. — This excursion, under the 

 direction of Mr. H. K. G. Cuthbert, Hon. Treasurer, was attended by 

 twenty-eight members and their friends. Leaving Amiens-street by the 

 1.55 p.m. train, the party embarked in boats at the West Pier, Howth, 

 and reached the island in about half an hour. One boat was retained 

 during the afternoon for dredging. The bulk of the members devoted 

 their time to an examination of the botanical features of the island, most 

 noteworthy of which was the great abundance of the Blue-bell and 

 Vernal Squill. Tea was served at six, and the party returned to town by 

 the evening trains. 



INJURIOUS INSECTS. 



Twenty-second Report of Observations of Injurious Insects. 



By Eleanor A. Ormerod, F.R.Met.Soc, &c. London: Simpkin, 

 Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co., 1899. Price I*. 6d. 



This Report is a worthy successor to those which have preceded it, 

 and is excellently illustrated, many of the figures being new. Insects 

 likely to be of special interest to Irish cultivators are the ground-beetle 

 J'terostichus madidus, which is mentioned as destructive to mangold roots* 

 and allied species which attack strawberries, as also the " rustic " moth 

 Hydrcecia ?nicacea, Esp. whose caterpillar bores potato stems — a new 

 observation. This last-named insect pupates in the ground and is 

 therefore more difficult to destroy than an allied species Gortyna flavago, 

 which was noticed some years ago by Miss Ormerod as also injuring 

 potatoes in this manner, but which pupates within the stem. 



Several enquiries from Ireland as to the " Murrain worm " have led to 

 the publication of a description and figure of the " Elephant " Hawk- 

 moth {Chcerocampa dpenor) and its caterpillar. Miss Ormerod's correspon- 

 dents detail the well-known legend that this caterpillar causes sickness 

 in cattle. She makes the suggestion that as the larva frequents ditches 

 and feeds on plants which grow by the water, " it appears very likely that 

 sickness may be caused by the poisonous water-plants and the caterpillar, 

 being seen accompanying, be erroneously considered to be the cause of 

 the mischief." 



It is more likely however that the caterpillar's evil reputation in this 



country is due principally to its alarming appearance. From the 



descriptions given of the insect by peasants it is evident that much stress 



is laid on the reptilian look of the eye-spots when the ' ' terrifying " attitude 



is adopted. One of Miss Ormerod's correspondents writes, "from the 



farmer's description it is evidently a lizard or something akin to it." 



And Mr. Battersby, of Cromlyn, Co. Westmeath, has informed us that an 



ordinary blown specimen of the caterpillar is not recognised by the 



country people as the dreaded " Murrain- worm." 



G. H. C. 



