294 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



The antennae in my specimen are as described by Eeitter, the last joints 

 being much shorter than in my numitus from Scotland (Nethy Bridge), 

 and in the Bates' collection. It is also much smaller. Fowler is 

 wrong in saying that the elytra in 0. minutus are entirely without 

 pubescence, as, as pointed out by Ganglbauer, in quite fresh specimens 

 very delicate sparse and short hairs are present. Crotch stated 

 {Ent., vol. iii., p. 120) that piinctidiim differs from its ally C. 

 miniitiifi, in being about half the size, and gradually attenuate behind. 

 It is included in the British list in Crotch's Cataloyne, 2nd edit., 1866, 

 and Sharp's Catalogue of 1871. 



Wicken re=visited.^The lepidoptera of Wicken Fen, etc. 



By RUSSELL E. JAMES. 



Wicken once again ! There is an attraction about the fens, and 

 Wicken in particular, that, after a few years' absence, creates an 

 irresistible longing to return and revisit the old haunts, and collect the 

 old species. I must confess that it is a " collector's " rather than a 

 " scientist's " instinct that draAvs one, as the species are always more 

 or less the same, and it would be difficult to discover much about 

 their life-histories and habits that is unknown to the local professional 

 collectors. But there is such a charm about the place itself. There 

 are these professionals to begin with, their keenness and real love of 

 nature being quite unspoiled by any taint of the " dealer spirit." 

 Then the road leading to nowhere else (one cannot consider Upware 

 " anywhere else ") ; the old-world village with its quaint greens and 

 delightful villagers ; perfect peacefulness of the fen itself at sunset, 

 as the grassy lane opens out into the main drove, and Nitdayia senex 

 and Coenobia rufa begin to fly softly over the sedges. This is the 

 thing that grips one — the peacefulness of it all. 



Ten years have passed since last I was at Wicken in July, and 

 having had little leisure of late, I decided to spend most of my summer 

 holiday there — not a solitary flying visit as usual, but eighteen days 

 with the family. Consequently, on July 10th, two market-carts 

 dumped us and our luggage down by the duck-pond in front of the 

 farm, where we were welcomed by all our old friends of the Bullman 

 elan. The children immediately lost themselves in the farmyards, 

 where they subsequently spent most of their time, and I went to make 

 some calls. The first one shewed me that progress had not stayed his 

 hand, even in Wicken. Calling at a shop, I was recognised, welcomed 

 back, and immediately informed of a great advance the village had 

 made since my last visit. " Oh ! What is that ? " I asked. " Why, 

 we have now got public oil lamps. They are not lit in summer, so you 

 may not have noticed them, but we have them every evening in 

 winter. Now you don't find that in many villages you visit, do you ?" 

 I, of course, acquiesced that such a thing was usually undreamed of 

 and passed on to interview Mr. Solomon Bailey, where I received a 

 painful surprise. I had written him to say I was coming and had 

 had his reply, but he had given no hint of his illness. All collectors 

 visiting Wicken, who have not known of it, Avill be grieved to hear of 

 the paralysis that has overtaken him. It has so much impaired his 

 powers, that he scarcely ever gets to the fen, and that evening the 

 place seemed unlike itself, without his cheery presence. He is 



