A FKW DAYS IN THE NORFOLK FENS. 17 



forming together a crop that is annually cut for fodder. The 

 ground is very wet and deceptive, as I afterwards found out 

 to my discomfort. The white and yellow water-lilies look 

 very beautiful on the water ; and in the ditches the curious 

 water-soldier {Stratiotes alokles), with its prickly-edged 

 leaves, strikes the eye of the visitor. I took a boat out into 

 the Broad, and commenced operations by splitting open the 

 stems of Typha, &c., hoping to find the pupa of Nonagria 

 hrevilinea, which was the principal object of my visit; but 

 after three hours' hard work was forced to conclude that I 

 had not hit on the right plan of action, I found many traces 

 of frass in the stems, but no pupa; and was much puzzled 

 to think where the larvge had gone to change to pupae. 



While dining, about a cart-load of Tijplia and bullrushes 

 were brought in for basket-making, so I thought that a good 

 chance for a search. 1 found a pupa almost at once, which 

 augured success ; but although I searched the remainder, and 

 the next day went through two hundred bundles more, I did 

 not find another pupa. Unfortunately this one died, so I did 

 not make certain of its species : it was in a Scirpus stem. 



After dinner I prepared for my first night experience of 

 fen work. Having pulled a boat across the Broad into a 

 ditch overgrown with tall reeds and the two species of Typha^ 

 1 with no small difficulty forced my way up it by means of a 

 punting pole. These ditches would be ugly places to fall 

 into, as in many places they are six to eight feet deep in mud 

 of the consistency of cream, smelling abominably on being 

 disturbed ; so I took a dose of quinine and brandy, which I had 

 brought, thinking it might be useful to prevent fever or ague. 

 1 then tied up my boat to the bank of the ditch, near an 

 " alder car," where the ground was tolerably firm. I had 

 been advised to search the honeydewed leaves of alder and 

 sallow for Noctuce, but on inspection no honeydew was to be 

 seen, so I applied a little sugar to the leaves instead, and on 

 all the available trees and bushes: I then commenced 

 raothing. Epione apiciaria was common, but worn ; 

 Abraxas grossulariata swarmed in hundreds along the edge 

 of the "car;" Lilhosia muscerda was more sparing in 

 numbers ; L. griseola common, with a few examples of its 

 variety Stramineola ; Nudaria senex ; Nonagria despecta 

 flew in plenty, but were mostly worn ; a single specimen of 



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