212 [September, 



OCCURRENCE OF TRIMNODES CONSPERSA, Rbe., COMMONLY IN 



SOUTH DEVON. 



BY ROBERT MoLACHLAN, P.R.S., &c. 



The finding, and in some numbers, of a Trichopteron of which there 

 has, I think, been scarcely any record for nearly 40 years, is almost 

 entitled to be termed a re-occurrence. In my "Trichoptera Britannica" 

 (1SG5) I wrote (p. 113) of T. cons-perm, "It has been taken in summer 

 at Ringwood, Exeter, Hyde Park, &c." Stephens, in his "Illustra- 

 tions " (Lept. lonc/icornis), says " near London." I have two examples 

 from Ringwood taken there by Mr. Gr. B. Corbin and received from 

 hi in in 1864. The Hyde Park example was taken by Mr. H. Pryer, 

 and is now in Mr. C. A. Briggs' possession : but with my recent 

 British, and former continental experience of the habits of the insect, 

 I much fear that the citation of " Hyde Park " was due to an error 

 of memory. The Exeter citation is no doubt due to information from 

 Mr. Parfitt, who in his " Fauna of Devon, Neuroptera" (Trans. Devon. 

 Assoc. Adv. of Science, 1879) says it is a rare species, but has been 

 found " on the Exe in August." What my " &c." may refer to I do 

 not now recollect, but I have some idea that I once saw the species 

 from the Fen district.* 



From July 28th to August 11th in this year I was at Seaton Junction in 

 Eastern South Devon, about four miles from Seaton and the same from Axminster. 

 On July 31st I found an example of T. conspersa amongst my captures at Whitford, 

 on the Axe, about one mile from Seaton Junction. Thereupon I set to work to find 

 out more about the species, paying frequent visits to the locality, sometimes twice 

 in the same day. As a result I found over forty examples, mostly females. A 

 few were captured by beating the trees near the river ; a few were at rest on the 

 iron bridge ; but the majority occurred by sweeping the grass and other herbage at 

 the extreme edge of the banks of the river where the current was strong (the 

 species also exists higher up towards Axminster, and on the Yarty near its junction 

 with the Axe). One observation is of importance. One evening when there was 

 an interval of sunshine (a rare occurrence) between P> and 7, I saw what I was con- 

 vinced was the species in large numbers flying in a mazy manner close over the 

 surface of the water where it was shallow and the ripple great. My net stick was 

 far too short to reach them, but, by patient waiting, I secured one example, enough 

 to confirm my belief. So much for my own experience. The species is no doubt 

 common on the lower part of the Axe, and on the Avon at Ringwood and Christ- 

 church ; possibly on many other streams of a similar nature. If is an elegant 

 insect, owing to its extraordinarily long antenmr and maxillary palpi. 



I do not here propose to say anything about its continental distri- 



* Since the above was in type Mr. Porritt has informed me that he received examples taken 

 by the late Mr. J. E. Fletcher on the Teme at Worcester. I do not think Mr. Fletcher made any 

 record at the time, but the species is no doubt included in his List in the " Victoria " County 

 series, of which I have not yet seen " Worcestershire."--R. McL. 



