1872.] 19 



sniphiiralis, Spilodes sticticaUs, and Oxi/ptilus Iceius; but Platytes cerussellus swarmed 

 among short grass (the females requiring to be searched for at its roots). Coleophora 

 annulaf ella \vas pretty common among Chenopodiiim, and Ocnerostoma piniariella 

 among fir ; and single specimens of Qelecliia distinctella and Elachista paludum 

 occurred. 



Being busily engaged elsewhere, a month passed before the next visit, which 

 was also in the company of the Rev. E. N. Bloomfield. This time the elements 

 played us a different trick, for a gale arose, and blew with such fury, that we must 

 have had a blank day, had we not, fortunately, hit upon a sheltered park fence, over- 

 hung by firs, larches, &c., and here we compensated ourselves. Eudorea crataegalis 

 literally swarmed, and we each obtained a fine series of the scarce and little known 

 Spilonota lariciana. Aventia Jlexula also occurred, with Acidalia inornata, Eupi- 

 thecia lariciata (worn), Dichelia Grotiana, and Stephensia Brunnichella. While I 

 kept to the fence, Mr. Bloomfield went into the fields to look for larvae of Lithostege 

 griseata, but with little success. Plenty of Slsymhrium was searched and swept, but 

 very few larvae were foimd. Previously, we had wearied ourselves by an unsuccessful 

 hunt for larva? of Agrophila siilphuraUs and Oxyptilus Icetus, the only result being 

 that, from among the low plants, along with swarms of Gelechia desertella, we 

 disturbed a few G. plctella. 



We also had a search for larvse or pupae of EupcEcUia anthemidana in the seed 

 heads of Erlgeron acre, and obtained three pupae. Probably we should have obtained 

 a fair number, but that some one had been before us and cut the centre flower of 

 nearly every plant, that being the only blossom which was forward enough to receive 

 the egg at the time of the first brood. Certainly, hundi-eds of plants had been cut. 

 If anthemidana be not exterminated in that locality, it will not be the fault of this 

 industrious collector. 



The larva eats out the seeds of the Erigeron, one flower, apparently, sei-ving it 

 for its whole life, and spins up within the pappus, leaving very little evidence of its 

 operations. 



Wlien the wind abated, we found Gelechia dodeceUa common, and Batrachedra 

 pinicolella not scarce, among the yomig fir trees ; and, as it got dark, we met with 

 Crambus falsellus and pinetdllus, and Anerastia lotella, while Homxeosoma elumella 

 and nebulella were on the thistle blossoms, Hadena chenopodii and Agrotis aquilina 

 flying among Silene, and Agrotis tritici, Caradrina blanda, and other common 

 Noctuce, as common on the rag-wort flowers as though they were still at the sea-side, 

 or had received the habit as a tradition in iminterrupted succession from their 

 remote ancestors of the Post-glacial era, when the " Breck "-sand was a range of 

 coast sand-hills. At lamps, when returning, we found a carious red Clisiocampa 

 neustria (not a common species, apparently, in Norfolk), with Oncocera ahenella 

 and Acidalia immutata. 



Being anxious to obtain some more Spilonota lariciana, I went again in the 

 beginning of August, but the fence was deserted, and I only succeeded in beating a 

 single specimen from the yomig firs. Apparently, the scarcity of this insect in 

 collections arises from the difiiculty of disturbing it from its haunts in the larch 

 trees. On this occasion but little was to be found in the day time. Eudorea 

 cratcegalis was still abundant on tree trunks, but getting worn ; E. truncicolella just 



