THE STORY OF ACIPALTA COXTiaUARTA. 123 



" Capper's Acidalia." One evening, daring that summer, whilst over- 

 hauling the captures of the day, a specimen was discovered in one of 

 the boxes. Diligent search rewarded us with a few more specimens, 

 and the next year, while stopping at Penm;pnmawr, we succeeded in 

 securing a few dozen. JUp to this time, although we obtained many eggs, 

 which were distributed among friends, no one was successful in rearing 

 the larva' of the re-discovered insect, and it was not until 1877 that my 

 father and Mr. Sidebotham both attained this fortunate end. After 

 this our summer holiday was generally spent in North Wales, either at 

 Llanfairfechan, Penmienmawr, or Llandudno, all within easy 

 access of the special haunts of the species, which we gradually localised 

 with much greater accuracy. From these centres some of our number 

 made the excursion almost daily, and, as our experience grew, we 

 seldom returned with empty hands. In these earlier days of conti- 

 //;/rtr/rt-hunting, I regret to have to confess that we were some- 

 what stimulated and kept up to the mark by more than the love 

 of collecting alone, for a reward of twopence per insect was for long 

 our own local market price. Later on I am relieved to be able to 

 state that I was seized with unbounded enthusiasm for the quest itself, 

 and many were the happy days I spent upon the hills, till almost every 

 rock became familiar, and days absolutely blank were rare indeed. 

 Strangely enough one blank day (or a day almost blank — I cannot be 

 absolutely certain at this distant date) did occur under singular 

 circumstances, so amusing as to be quite worth recording. A well- 

 known local entomologist — probably one of the best known — who has 

 now long gone to his rest, came over by invitation for a day or two 

 on one occasion while Ave were quartered at Peniuffinmawr. I have 

 not the least doubt that he came fully prepared in the strength of his 

 unquestionably great experience, to show us how Acidalia continuaria 

 could be taken by the myriad, and to demonstrate the comparative 

 futility of our presumably amateurish methods. Most carefully we 

 took him over the ground and most conscientiously introduced him 

 to the scenes of our greatest successes, but all in vain, and with what 

 reflections in regard to us he returned home must remain for ever in 

 the land of conjecture. Possibly he imagined that we had extended 

 tactics, proverbially only permissible in love and war, to entomology — 

 tactics, which I regret to say, were sometimes ascribed to him ; but " de 

 mortuis nil nisi bonum " — and, at all events, he was a great naturalist — 

 so " requiescat in pace." Our intentions were certainly honest and 

 we were absolutely guileless, but such is sometimes the luck of the 

 collector. 



Of course when we had once the breed in full swing annual 

 excursions became no longer necessary, and a visit to the hunting- 

 ground was only required when the stock depreciated, or when our whole 

 brood died out, as it sometimes did. On these occasions it generally 

 fell to my lot to be the fortunate deputy for the importation of new 

 specimens, and it was my experience upon these many expeditions 

 that gives me my small title to address you on this subject this 

 evening ; for though 1 never went for longer than from Saturday 

 evening to Monday morning, not on any single occasion did I fail in 

 attaining the object in view; a success which may be achieved by any 

 who go at the right time and who know where to look. From July 

 8th to the 18th is exactly the right time for the species, and I well 



