242 THE entomologist's record. 



My early experiences of " sallowing " dates back to the early 

 "seventies," when four of us followed the good advice of certain 

 authorities, and spread a huge coarse sheet on the ground beneath 

 the sallow bushes, and sometimes shook the moths thereupon — and 

 sometimes didn't, for occasionally there were none to shake. Now 

 and then the sallow bush was awkward, it grew where the sheet 

 could not be placed beneath it. It might be that a ditch was in the 

 way, or a quick-set hedge or a hawthorn bush would flourish 

 beneath the sallow tree. Then the use of the sheet was unsatisfactory ; 

 however, we obtained many moths, many others, of course, escaped. 



My later experiences have been gained under the intelligent 

 guidance of Dr. Chapman. In these later excursions I have figured 

 rather as an ornament than an useful member of the party of two 

 visiting the lovely woods at Dinmore. Once the Doctor allowed me 

 to shake the sallow-bushes. Once the Doctor allowed me to box the 

 insects in the umbrella. Only once though, in each case. The 

 experiment has never been repeated. 



The Dinmore woods lie on the slopes of a hill overlooking the 

 broad valley of the Lug. The Doctor knows the position of the 

 sallow-bushes. He goes direct to each one on the darkest night without 

 the slightest hesitation. He puts the handle of " Sairey " into a 

 bush, hooks the more important branches, suddenly and dexterously 

 twists the handle, and before you have time to breathe down comes 

 the umbrella full of catkins and moths. Agrotids are there in the 

 shape of Paclmohia leucoyraplia and P. rubricosa ; Orthosiids in 

 crowds — Tacniocavipa populeti, T. instabilis, T. munda, T. i/othica, 

 T. stahilis, T. vnniosa, T. pulvenilenta (and perhaps T. j/racilis), 

 Panolis jiinijH'nla, Hoporina eroci'dfjo, Oyyliixlia vaccinii and U. lujula ; 

 Xyliuids in smaller numbers — Xijlina sucia, X. semibninni'a and 

 A', oniitopus, whilst (lonoptcia libatri.r, Hi/pma rostralis, and sundry 

 Depn'ssariae put in an appearance ; Kupitlwcia abhreviata, Lobophora 

 lobulata and Tcjihiosia crcjmscularia stand wonderingly, whilst, among 

 the swarms, we have hitherto looked in vain for (h-r/india rri/thract'- 

 pltala and Dasi/caiiipa rnbii/inea; but the Doctor softly hums something 

 about " Hope springing eternal " whilst I mutter something about 

 '* Hope deferred." 



Whilst this humming and muttering are going on the moths are 

 being inspected with the rapidity of lightning, the choicest specimens 

 are boxed, Sairey is turned upside down, and quick as thought a fresh 

 position is taken up, the hitherto unshaken branches are 

 hooked, another sudden twist, and the umbrella is full of catkins and 

 moths, much as before. 



As to the proportionate numbers of the species that fill the 

 umbrella, 'J', pulrtrnh'uta is usually easily first, but the specimens 

 show little variation ; T. (jotJiica and T. instabilis come next in 

 abundance, and both are exceedingly variable ; T. stabilis swarming, 

 but only presenting minor aberrational forms, whilst to T. munda 

 the same remarks apply, although occasionally a few striking 

 aberrations occur. Sometimes there is a T. miniosa year ; then this 

 beautiful and delicate moth abounds, and rivals in numbers its more 

 normally abundant companions. At other times there is a 

 P. IfHaKjrapha year, when this local species is common. The Wye 

 Valley seems to be one of the chosen districts of this insect — Brecon 



