180 Forty-seventh Report on the State Museum 



twice as many examples of P. u-aureum and P. mortuorum 

 were taken this year as in the four years cited — or 142 as 

 against 82. Of species contained in the Hill List, and not seen 

 at Keene valley this season, are the following: Plusia Putnami 

 Grote, P. thyatiroides Guenee, P. formosa Grote, P. Tnappa 

 Gr.-Rob., P. viridisignata Grote, P. epigma Grote, and P. 

 ampla Walker. These, however, are among the rarer species, 

 and only thirteen examples are reported in the List. 



The following of the Noctuidm were among the most coihmon 

 that came to light, and of each from ten to thirty examples were 

 obtained : 



Adelphagrotis prasina (Fabr.) 

 Noctua baja Fabr. 

 Noctua Normaniana {Grote) 

 Noctua bicarnea Guenee 

 Agrotis (Feltia) subgothica Steph. 

 Agrotis (Feltia) .tricosa Lintn. 



Agrotis redimicula Morr. 

 Mamestra purpurissata Grote 

 Mamestra meditata Grote 

 Mamestra olivacea Morrison 

 Xylophasia dubitans {Walker) 

 Tricholita signata Walker 



In contrast with the abundance of Noctuidce,., there was almost 

 an entire absence of some other insects which in other seasons 

 have been observed in large numbers. Tbus, of the attractive 

 and conspicuous family of the " hover-flies " or Syrphidm^ 

 scarcely any were seen except the small form of Sphmrophoria 

 cylindrical, which seems almost inseparably associated with the 

 golden-rods of August. The ^omJ^/^^VZo? were much less abundant 

 on the damp spots in roadways than usual. Scarcely any of the 

 " Dragon-flies," or Odonata, were seen ; and indeed but few 

 Neuroptera, except three species of Phryganidce, which 

 shared with the moths in attraction in the evening to lighted 

 rooms. . Coleoptera were not common. In a locality — a dried 

 roadway ditch — where in 1892 hundreds of Cicindela 

 repanda could be taken by sim])ly swinging the net from side to 

 side as one walked rapidly along, hardly any were met with. 



Operations Against the Gypsy Moth in Massachusetts. 

 In preceding reports I have written of the accidental intro- 

 duction into the State of Massachusetts, in the year 1869, of the 

 destructive European Bombycid, " the gypsy moth, " Ocneria 

 dispar — of the probability of its entering New York and spread- 

 ing over adjoining States — and of the efforts being made, under 



