E. A. ORMKUOD — INSKCTS OBSEKVED IN 1881. 81 



the liirfTc white butterfly, six oecurrod from April 6th to 25th ; and 

 of eight observations of the small white buttertly, seven took place 

 from^ April 8th to 17th. 



Observations liave also been forwardtnl regarding an appearance 

 of wliite butterflies in enormous numbers for a few hours at a 

 locality in the parish of Great Gaddesden near Hemel Hempstead. 

 It is much to be regretted that no specimens were secured, but 

 such being the case it is perhaps better not to enter here on further 

 details of this unusual circumstance. 



The year 1881 was a season of severe insect-injury to many 

 crops, and if we turn now to records bearing on this point, we 

 shall find that Hertfordshire did not escape. A note of much 

 interest contributed by Mr. Silvester, Hedges, St. Albans, mentions 

 that the damage done by turnip-fly in that neighbourhood was 

 almost incalculable. Some few localities seem to have escaped, 

 but generally after repeated sowings either the swedes had to be 

 ploughed up and the ground sown with rape or white turnip, or 

 the few swedes which escaped the ravages of the turnip-fly 

 were patched with white or yellow turnip to form a crop. 

 Mr. Silvester mentions that on his own farm, out of 60 acres of 

 swedes, only 20 withstood the attack of fly, and the remaining 40 

 had to be resown ; he also draws attention to the circumstance of 

 the " fly " having cleared whole fields of charlock in the neighbour- 

 hood before the turnips came up for it to feed on. This point (of 

 the food afforded to the " insect-pest " by this troublesome weed) 

 is one which deserves much attention ; for by diminishing the 

 weeds that feed and shelter it until the crop is ready we should 

 diminish its numbers. 



The following notes were forwarded to me relatively to insect- 

 pests of the crops, from Kneb worth, for my Report on Injurious 

 Insects, by an excellent observer, Mr. Benjamin Brown, and 

 though already published, I venture to offer them in order to give 

 some idea of the serious extent to which attack has been going on 

 around us, and the important service that would be rendered by 

 obtaining the contributions of others similarly qualified to note the 

 presence of important attacks, especially if accompanied by sug- 

 gestions on methods of prevention. 



Mr. Brown says of the Plusia Gamma (the silver Y moth which 

 was so prevalent in 1879) that he never saw it in such small 

 numbers as in the summer and winter of 1881, and no damage was 

 caused by it. 



Sifones lineatus (the pea-weevil) was unusually abundant in 

 April and May, the dry weather favouring the weevils and being 

 bad for the peas ; 20 acres of white peas were so much damaged 

 by these destructive beetles where the land was rough, and there- 

 fore less moist than usual, that the loss was estimated at (at least) £40. 



The larva) of Tipula oleracea, commonly known as daddy-long- 

 legs grubs, which were amongst the worst insect troubles of 1880, 

 were still committing great ravages at Baldock, and the consequent 

 loss on 40 acres of wheat was estimated at quite £100. 



VOL. II. — PART II. 6 



