178 THE entomologist's record. 



years. The early May specimens of one year lay ova which hatch very 

 quickly, and the larvae being full-fed in July emerge in August. These 

 lay eggs, the larvae from which do not spin up until October, and do not 

 emerge until June or July the next year, when their jirogeny go over the 

 winter without a second brood and form the early moths the next year 

 — thus we get : — First year, early and double-brooded ; second year, 

 late and single-brooded ; third year, early and double-brooded, and so 

 on. In this way one easily explains how it is that from the commence- 

 ment of July until the end of October, larvce of every gradation of size 

 may be found everywhere on the Fen. Acidalia immuiata and Epione 

 apiciaria were in fine condition up to the end of my stay. A fairly long 

 series of Cramlms selaseUus was taken, and I was unfortunate in having 

 to leave Phoxopteryx siculana, which was just coming out as I left. 

 Catopttia expallidana and Phoxopteryx paludana were found but rarely, 

 and this was general with all the best things. Peronea hastiana, by- 

 the-by, occurred in all stages during the whole time I was present — 

 imagines, pupae, large and small larvje. A fine C/iilo miicronelius 

 occurred on Mr. Houghton's sheet on the night of August ist, and I 

 saw a few specimens in the professional collector's boxes, but the 

 species appears to be rare at Wicken. My most disappointing results 

 were, however, among the Tineina, not that there was not an abundance 

 of them on the Fen ; a good night now and then showed this, and 

 there were very few of the rare and generally obtained species that I did 

 not capture. Given good weather I do not know what numbers of these 

 I might have taken ; as it was the setting got clean beyond me when 

 we did have a good evening with the little things, because of the 

 number of things at sugar. Anesychia funenila, Gelechia diviseHa, G. 

 oblitella, G. morosa, G. qucestionella^ G. /athyreila, G. jnuscosella and 

 many others were taken, several Depressaritz, only one specimen of 

 which has proved a puzzle. But the greatest puzzle is a "plume," 

 which Messrs. Porritt, Thurnall and myself are unable to refer to any 

 of our known species. It has a strong superficial resemblance in some 

 specimens to tno/iodactyla in colour and markings, but is more nearly 

 allied structurally, so far as I can make out, to lienigianus. Ldoptilus 

 microdactyla turned up, but " plumes " as a rule were conspicuous by 

 their absence. Larvs of Halias cJdorana, small and full-fed, were 

 abundant in osiers. At the same time imagines were coming to light. 



I thought at first I would head this note "The Home of Ease for 

 Entomologists," and really a lazy entomologist will find this an enjoy- 

 able place. I have always had to rough it, and it was quite a new e.\- 

 perience to find old and experienced collectors ready to wait on you, 

 to sugar, find lanterns and attracting lamps and all other necessaries ; 

 in fact, to wait on you hand and foot for a small consideration. A note 

 to Mr. Albert Houghton or Mr. Tom Rowlison at Wicken is all that is 

 necessary, and a lepidopterist will find himself fixed up with almost 

 everything, and really when one comes to consider that these men take 

 us into their best localities, and fix us up as if they had known us a 

 lifetime, we have certainly much to be thankful for. Mr. Solomon 

 Bailey is another good local collector, and both he and Mr. Houghton 

 have been especially successful this year with Apkcta advena^ Cuspidia 

 strigosa, Cymatophora ocularis and other good species. My own special 

 henchman was Mr. John Clark, of the Black Horse, Wicken, and I 



