FACTS Al^OUT EUSTRO:\rA RETICULATA. 35 



museum, as they bad only two poor specimens. The prmted 

 letter of thanks, which I value, is now framed in my study. 



Finding these were much appreciated by the authorities, I 

 sent six specimens to the Keswick Museum and some to other 

 museums. 



In 1910 the larvfe were still to be found in good numbers, 

 but I only took the full-fed larvfe, leaving the rest for breeding 

 purposes. In that year the locality bid fair to be found out, for 

 the balsam patch was considerably reduced on account of the 

 widening of the road, and, when I went larvje hunting, I found 

 men blasting rocks and cutting down shrubs and trees, all of 

 which were either thrown or fell amongst the balsam, killing the 

 food-plant and larvae at the same time. When asked what I was 

 doing, and replied, " Looking for grubs," they appeared to think 

 I was slightly demented. However, I saved a good number of larvae 

 from destruction, and obtained a good row of perfect moths in my 

 cabinet, which included a variety figured in the 'Entomologist' 

 in February, 1911, and described by Mr. L, B. Prout, F.E.S. 

 This attracted considerable attention, and brought Mr. Prout 

 some astonishing information from Mr. Littlewood, of Kendal, 

 who was one of the favoured few who were in the secret of the 

 locality, so that in a full-page plate fourteen varieties were 

 figured in the 'Entomologist ' of January, 1912. 



In consequence of the destruction of the food-plant in 1910, 

 I endeavoured to grow the wild balsam in my own garden in 

 1911, putting down thirty full-fed larvae on it, but they produced 

 nothmg next year. The trees in the original locality had con- 

 siderabb' overgrown the balsam patch, and had the effect of 

 stunting its growth ; added to this, the nettles and briers below 

 had outgrown the balsam, so I had the nettles and briers all 

 rooted up and burnt. Meantime, I was growing balsam in a 

 specially prepared place in my garden ; for the purpose of obtain- 

 ing the seeds I took up a cartload of soil and seed mixed, and 

 sowed it where the briers and nettles came from, but it did not 

 succeed as I had anticipated. In 1911 I sent most of my pupae 

 to my brother — Col. C. G. Nurse - to breed and set for me, as I 

 was obliged to be away from home during their emergence ; but 

 difficulties beset reticulata once more, for when they were on his 

 setting-boards, the door of the setting and drying case was left 

 open by mistake on one night only, when a mouse got in and 

 devoured tbem all. 



In 1912 I erected a huge cage with stone walls, wired it in 

 at the top, and covered it with muslin. I deposited balsam seeds, 

 which grew well at first, but afterwards became straggly. I put 

 in twenty reticulata, half of them males and half of them 

 females. They bred, and I left them for my month's holiday. 

 On my return I found that continual windy weather, culminating 

 in a severe thunderstorm, had beaten down all the balsam 



