THE INSECTS OF THE NORTH CORNISH COAST. 5 



ther necessary impedimenta, had arrived safely by the carrier's 

 HIS ^Yhich travels to and fro from Wadehridge three times a week ; 

 3, relieved of anxiety on that score, we set out to view the land. 

 hit the rain continued to fall, and darkness set in early, and we 

 lad to abandon the idea of spreading the alluring sweets. The 

 feather had improved by the next morning, but everything was 

 till very wet, and no Lepidoptera were to be met with. The 

 /ild parsley which grows abundantly on many of the stone walls 

 ^as, however, being visited by Diptera, Lcptogaster cylindnca, 

 'hnjsotoxum elcgans, and C.j'estiva being specially noticeable. 

 51ose by our house a pretty little bay called Pentire Haven ran 

 ^ilaud, and from its head a cart-track had been constructed 

 'long the hill-side. A tiny stream trickled down the valley, 

 ,nd °by its side a small enclosure had been planted with oats. 

 X convenient row of posts was discovered between the field 

 :nd the road, and these afibrded a most welcome spread for 

 •ur treacle patches. The large heads of various umbelliferous 

 lowers, and, later on, the abundant clumps of ragwort, also 

 )roved very useful for sugaring purposes. It was with some 

 Aixiety we spread the treacle, wondering what these bare, tree- 

 ess, wind-swept rocks would yield ; but all doubts were quickly 

 et at rest. As soon as the Hght of the lantern was thrown on 

 he first post we were delighted to see that it was covered with 

 noths struggling for places, and crowding round every runnel 

 md splash of treacle. Aqrotis exclamationis was there m its 

 housands, with a fair sprinkling of Axilia jmtris, Agrotis corticea, 

 \^octiia plecta, and Acromjcta rumicis, and, above a\\, Agrotis 

 hudgera. Never having taken this last-named insect before, the 

 oresence of beautifully fresh specimens of both sexes afforded us 

 inuch pleasure. It is generally stated that A. lumgera is only to 

 be taken on steep and dangerous clifts, in places where sugaring 

 's by no means a safe occupation ; but its abundance at Polzeath 

 showed that this is not invariably the case. Here it was found 

 on posts and flower-heads in the valley at some distance from 

 ;he seashore, and so abundantly did it occur, that one evening s 

 mvk yielded upwards of fifty specimens. A long and very varied 

 series was the result of the month's collecting, enabling us not 

 only to enrich our own cabinet, but to supply correspondents as 

 Well. At dusk A. lanigera is to be taken on the wmg on the 

 steep hill- sides, flying over woodsage {Teiicrium scorodonia), 

 •which grows luxuriantly hereabouts, and whose blossoms are 

 very attractive to insects. On July 6th A. lucernea was taken m 

 the net, only one other specimen of this insect being seen during 

 bur visit, and that one came to light in the house. ^\e worked 

 hard at bloom of Silene mantima for Dianthcecia barrettii, whicli 

 feurely ought to occur at Polzeath, but our efforts were not 

 successful. Most of the sugaring was done m the little valley, 

 visits to more distant spots proving less remunerative. 



