NOTES, CAPTURES, RTC. 213 



I therefore concluded the larvae I had were either E. ehitella 

 or Plodia interpunctella. The larvae answered much belter 

 to Stainlon's description of the latter insect than to the 

 former ; therefore I was much in doubt. However, the question 

 has been set at rest; and the insect proves to he Epheslia 

 ehitella, for I have bred one from the mixed food, and also 

 one from currants ; Mr. Smith, of this city, one of the members 

 of our club, the gentleman who exhibited the sheet of web, 

 has also bred two specimens from chicory : and all prove to 

 be E. ehitella. The great destruction of chicory caused by 

 the larvae of this insect proves what a pest it may become if 

 not l^ept in check. On making enquiry at the warehouse 

 infected I found that some years ago the owners had some 

 foreign chicory, and were very much annoyed with moths the 

 following season ; so they had the room stoved, and had not 

 noticed any until last season, when a i'ew were observed, but 

 nothing was done to destroy them, the owner having no idea 

 they would in time prove so destructive. The larvae feed a 

 long tiuie, for 1 have had some six months, and they are only 

 now just going into pupae, but they do not seem to have 

 grown at all during the last four months. — VV. Prest ; 

 Holgate Road, York, June 8, 1877. 



The " Fly" and young Clover. — In this county great 

 has been the outcry about the young clover plant — which 

 this year in most localities, under favourable conditions, 

 came up thicker than perhaps was ever remembered — being 

 taken by the "fly." Hundreds of acres 1 hear are completely 

 eaten off', and the plant consequently destroyed, as there is 

 no chance of young clover coming again, thus differing from 

 corn plant, which is sometimes renovated in an extraordinary 

 degree after the attacks of slug or wireworm. Red clover 

 (Trijblium pralense), to which this note principally refers, is 

 sown amongst the corn in the spring for the succeeding 

 year's crop ; and every farmer knows the importance of his 

 plant standing. To estimate the damage accruing to the 

 loss of plant would be difficult; but it may be slated that the 

 cost of seed and sowing is generally valued at iVom ten to 

 twelve shillings ))er acre. It is useless to fight against an un- 

 known enemy; and the two great insect enemies to clover plant 

 are unknown, though by no means unfelt: these are what is 

 commonly talked of by agriculturists as (1) the "fly" and (2) 



