fyt^ [Februarv. 



TWENTY.FIVE YEAES IN SOUTH DEVON. A LEPTDOPTERIST'S 



RETROSPECT. 



BY C. M. MAYOR. 



Since August 1914, no light has been allowed on the coast — a very 

 neeessaiy restriction, but one that at once put an end to all collecting 

 by night at seaside places. Not unnaturally, ]ierhaps, one's thoughts 

 revert to happier times, and I have lately been looking through the pages 

 of an Entomological Diary, from which these notes have been gathered. 



It must be nearly twenty-eight years ago that I first started 

 collecting Lepidoptern in South Devon. So far as I know, there 

 was only one other collector in the town where we came to reside, 

 and he, like myself, was not over fond of working alone, so had 

 consequently done little since coming down West. A chance meeting 

 soon revealed our hobliy, and we at once determined to start an organized 

 campaign together. From that day, with a few unavoidable intervals, 

 we systematically and perseveringly worked our neighbourhood, generally 

 in company, and it is in order to give some results of our combined 

 efforts that this little account is written. 



For the Hrst few years most of our collecting was done in a small 

 private wood, situated about a mile from the sea, and this produced a 

 surprising number and variety of insects. We worked it with light, 

 sugar, " dusking," and all the usual methods, and, considering its small 

 extent, we were well repaid. Some of the moths taken there we never 

 obtained elsew^iere in the neighbourhood, such as Fidonia 2)in'iario, 

 Angerona pi'unaria, and Eurijmene dololjraria, and nowhere have I 

 seen Callir/enia miniafa in such profusion. JEpunda niqnt and Clcm^a 

 lichenaria were especially abundant ; also Gorycia laminota and 

 C. temerata. 



Sallows in the region of this wood, as indeed elsewhere in our 

 district, usually pi'oved unsatisfactory, because, in the soutli-west of 

 England, they come into bloom so early, at a time when the -weather 

 is very unstable. After a mild winter I have known the bushes to be 

 in bloom at the end of January, and jtist when you think thej' are at 

 their best, a i^harp frost or gale of wind will completely destroj' their 

 attractiveness. Nevertheless, we occasionally got in a good evening, and 

 managed to take Dasycampa ruhiyinea not infrequently- It occurred 

 several years running — 1894, 1895, 1896, etc. — once in company with 

 Hoporina croceayo. We sometimes took Taeniocampa miniosa, and 

 one year T. (jracilia Avas quite plentiful. But, on the whole, sallows 

 were very disappointing, producing only the usual Taeniocampas, with 

 a few odd hibernated " wrecks " of no importance. 



