64i f August, 



passed as one of the periodical exaggerations of local papers. It seems, howevei 

 that there has been a more than ordinary "visitation;" we cull the followin, 

 from a Grlamorganshire paper, " The Bridgend Chronicle " of June 27th, as 

 combination of fact, fiction, ignorance and credulity not to be exceeded even in th 

 records of popular entomology. It will be noticed that there is not an atom c 

 information as to what the insects really are, except the " buzzard-moth," whateve 

 that may be, nor a suggestion of a remedy for the mischief caused by them. W 

 may be allowed to suspect that the insects are the larvae of Charceas graminis, whic 

 at times appear in vast numbers, concerning which see Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xvii 

 pp. 39, 68, 87, and 111.— Eds. 



" The caterpillar plague on Llangeinor and Ctomparic Mountains. — A Pontj 

 pridd correspondent writes : — The caterpillars on the Ystradyfodwg Mountains sho' 

 no sign of diminution ; but, on the contrary, seem to be actively spreading. The 

 are now in vast numbers on the mountain between Ffrwdamos and GrilfachgocI 

 During the last few days men and boys have brought some of them down to tl 

 valley as curiosities. Many public houses contain specimens, and groups of taproo: 

 naturalists are frequently to be seen examining them with great interest, Mai 

 exaggerated statements are in circulation respecting these insects. In some plac 

 it is stated that they have contaminated the water of the reservoir of St. Mai 

 (Ffynon Fair, Fendigaid) on the side of Pen Ehys Mountain. It is from tl 

 splendid well of the Blessed St. Mary that this reservoir is supplied with water, ar 

 until recent years it was from here the old parishioners obtained water for christenii; 

 their children. The water being still held in great reverence, the statement th 

 the insect has polluted it has deepened the awe wdth which some housewives rega: 

 what they describe as ' visitation' — indicating to the mind that Satan has soraethiij 

 to do with the matter. But there is not a word of truth in the statement that SU' 

 a contamination has taken place. There is general anxiety to learn the result 

 Colonel Picton Turbervill's application to have the report of competent naturalif 

 as to the nature of the pest, where it came from, and when it is likely to depart." 



" Colonel H. H. Davies, Rompney Castle, writes : — Some days ago, whii 

 perusing Mr. John Rowland's (' Griraldus ') collection of ' Grlamorganshire A\ 

 tiquities,' I found that a similar plague happened in a.d. 1403. All the grass a: 

 leaves were eaten up by immense swarms of strange insects. The people limed thjl 

 walls and grounds for protection, and ever since whitewashing has contin» 

 prevalent in Grlamorgan, a fact which gave rise to the old saying — ' Morganw^ 

 muriau gwynion.' In A.D. 1419, there were three days of such intense heat 

 men and beasts fell down dead, birds died on the wing, and a' brake of wood 

 Margam and some trees and hedges at Nash took fire. The heat also killed I 

 green vermin which devoured the herbage in Grlamorgan. Probably the pre^i 

 pests are the same kind as those which troubled our forefathers centuries aj 

 I shall be glad if any of your readers can inform me if there is any record of th 

 visitations since the above date." 



" Mr. Bevan, of Tynewydd Farm, Ogmore Yale, has received from a well-kno'i 

 authority the following description of the insects which are appearing in sB 

 extraordinary numbers on the tops of the mountains in that vicinity : — ' The iri^ 

 is known as Noctvras meph, a species of caterpillar septinoreare. In the year II 

 it appeared in Kent and destroyed all the hops. It takes three weeks from 



