NOTES AND OBSKRVATIONS. 161 



is rich in colouring, but tlie margins are very white — whiter than in 

 any others of my series of twelve British-caught examples. — F. W. 

 Frohawk; May 18th, 1918. 



Vanessa antiopa at Ardgay, N.B. — Mr. John R. B. Marsfield 

 kindly sent me a letter (dated May 2nd) he received from Mr. Cecil E. 

 Maples regarding a specimen of V. antiojM he observed on the banks 

 of the River Carron, Ardgay, N.B., on April 10th. In a subsequent 

 letter to me Mr. Maples writes : "I first observed the antiopa settled 

 with spread wings on the mossy bank ; it flittered about there for 

 some minutes, then rose about 20 ft. and sailed amongst the park 

 trees. Finally, a stiff breeze caught him, and he rose high and went 

 off' to the dense wood. I had him under observation for about twenty 

 minutes." — F. W. Frohawk. 



EuGONiA POfA'CHLOROS AT KINGSTON. — Ou May 16th 1 captured a 

 much-worn specimen of E. j)olychloros resting on a lamp-post at 

 Richmond Park Gates, Kingston-on-Thames. — A. K. Ing ; 57, Durl- 

 ston Road, Kingston-on-Thames, May 17th, 1918. 



Mesotype lineolata. — In Mr. C. G. Barrett's well-known book 

 it is stated that Mesotype lineolata is essentially a coast insect, but 

 that it has been taken by Mr. W. E. Butlin. at Streatley, on the 

 borders of Berkshire. On a recent expedition to the Blewbury 

 Downs, between Didcot and Newport, I had the pleasure, in company 

 with Commander J. J. Walker, of taking several specimens of this 

 insect, including both sexes, among long grass growing on th® 

 Downs. They are in first-rate condition, and had evidently not long 

 emerged from the pupa state. — (Rev.) C. F. Thornewill. 



Devastation of Oak Trees by Spring Larv^. — On my daily 

 journeyings to London and back I have a good opportunity of 

 watching the progress of the vegetation of the country-side that 

 borders the railway. May was well advanced before the oak trees 

 put forth their delicate green leaves ; now, scarcely a couple of weeks 

 later, the majority of them are as bare as they were in January. The 

 district affected extends from a mile or two south of Hay wards Heath 

 right away to Horley, and embraces the whole of the run through 

 Tilgate Forest. Between Balcombe station and the tunnel, where 

 oaks are almost continuous, there is hardly a tree that has any green 

 leaves upon it ; of a plantation of perhaps a couple of hundred well- 

 grown oaks, just south of Three Bridges, only two green trees are left, 

 and these, so far as I can judge, are not oaks but poplars, while in 

 another and smaller plantation, a little north of the station, the 

 whole of the trees are as brown as in winter ; indeed, for some ten 

 miles of the most affected district it is the exception to see a green 

 oak tree, even as far as the eye can reach. I strongly suspect that 

 the chief culprit is Tortrix viridana, but have no doubt that that 

 insect is ably assisted in the work of devastation by species of the 

 Uybernia and kindred genera. It would be interesting if some of our 

 friends, who are able to make a closer inspection, would give us 

 details^of the species. — Robert Adkin ; Eastbourne, June 1st, 1918. 

 [Here in North-West Middlesex the oaks are similarly denuded, 

 and the chief offender is T. viridana. Most of the trees are naked, 

 ENTOM. JULY, 1918, P 



