232 THE entomologist's record. 



in the district, and it is at the edges of the corn fields that the 

 Sisynihrinm is chiefly to be found. But the insect, far from being 

 confined to such places as these, is to be met with quite as frequently 

 among the clovers and trefoils which also grow in the district, and 

 which form, on the whole, the most productive hunting-ground for the 

 entomologist. It is in these, almost exclusively, that A. mbiiiinata 

 (nihricata) and N. stieticalis are to be found, and it is generally here 

 too that A. tralwalis (stdjJuo-alix) occurs. But, if my limited experience 

 is worth anything, I should characterise L. t/rixeata as a scarcer insect 

 than either of these, inasmuch as it never seems to occur in any 

 quantity. I took five specimens during my twelve days' visit to 

 Thetford, when I netted it among the rest just as it came; but this 

 year, when I devoted special attention to obtaining it, I only got 

 thirteen, and on no single day did I meet with more than three. I 

 was indeed told by an inhabitant of the place that the food -plant was 

 far more abundant in the fenny parts of the district than in the corn 

 fields of the higher levels, but this is a statement which I had no 

 opportunity of putting to the proof. I am inclined to think that the 

 best way of obtaining L. (jriseata in any numbers would be to 

 rear it from the larva, of which there is an excellent account in 

 Buckler's great book, published by the Ray Society. It undoubtedly 

 feeds on the seed-vessels of the Si^t/inbriuni, and would probably be 

 best found at night, by the help of a lantern. But on this point the 

 local entomologists must needs know far more than I do. It is quite 

 possible that the larva is specially subject to the attacks of ichneumons, 

 or that a large proportion are destroyed every year when the corn is 

 reaped, though I imagine that many come to maturity before that 

 time. At all events, I feel pretty well convinced that the perfect 

 insect is far from common, even in its rather restricted localities. 

 One thing which I noticed was, that the female was far commoner than 

 the male ; and this is by no means the usual state of things among 

 the Lepidoptera. It would be a great boon to entomological science 

 if soine one with leisure, and with the great advantage of constant 

 residence in the district, would make it his business to become more 

 perfectly acquainted with L. (/riseata, and would thoroughly work out 

 its life-history. 



About the other species taken during my visit, speaking generally, 

 the less said the better. One very good insect I did indeed obtain, a 

 lovely specimen of Orobena {Pionea) c.rtimalis [iiiarnaritalis), which 

 started up just in front of me in a clover-field, and whose identity I 

 did not at first recognise, having never seen the species alive before. 

 I need scarcely say that it was a welcome addition to my collection, or 

 that I eagerly searched the locality for more, but unfortunately in vain. 

 In the clover-fields, too, Axpilatcs ritraria and Sjiilodes vcrticalix 

 occurred occasionally, though neither of them was abundant; and I 

 took fourgpecimens of llapta {Conjcia) biinaciilata (tainhutta) in one 

 corner of a cornfield, where they must have been reared on hawthorn, 

 as not a vestige of bird-cherry was to be found anywhere near them. 

 I also got three specimens of Dianthoecia carpaphiKja at Valerian 

 flowers, one of which was a nice pale form ; but flowers in general 

 were singularly unproductive, the only exception being Viper's 

 Bugloss, which grows in profusion in some of the clover-fields, and at 

 which a few of the commonest Nuctuae were to be found enjoying 



