154 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



at Braunton, on June 14tli. At the corresponding date last year 

 a few images were out, and there were plenty of cocoons, but not 

 a larva was to be seen. 



Nudaria mundana. — The larvee of this species were of frequent 

 occurrence on old moss and lichen-covered walls, and even on 

 rocks by the sea. 



The larvse of Boarmia re])andata were not nearly so numerous 

 as last year, and many of them were only half grown on the 10th 

 of June, at the same time I captured the imago. This incident 

 well illustrates the eccentric character of the season and its 

 influence on larvae. Again, on the 12tli of June I took three 

 specimens of Cidaria populata (one of these very worn). I had 

 observed larvae of this species on the 7th of that month. 



A few larvae of Toxocampa cracca turned up in another 

 locality, about two miles from where I found it last year. At its 

 old locality, which was fully exposed to the gale we had in April 

 last, the food plant Vicia sylvatlca, evidently suffered, together 

 with the surrounding herbage and tree foliage, having almost 

 disappeared. 



Plusia gamma was of frequent occurrence both by day and 

 night, and reminded me of my experience of the insect in the 

 Isle of Wight, in 1879 ; there desultory examples of the species 

 were met with in May and June, in all sorts of places, and at all 

 hours of the day. The following August the insects were in 

 thousands. That season was in many respects, as regards its 

 meteorological aspect at least, identical with the present. I have 

 not my diary at hand, but I have a very livel}^ recollection of the 

 kind of weather which prevailed in the Isle of Wight, from May 

 to August, 1879. 



Last year I remarked the absence of Tortrix viridana, 

 but judging from the quantity of larvae of this species observed 

 feeding on the oaks, the imago should not be scarce in North 

 Devon this year. Some of the oak trees were nearly defoliated, 

 and a flock of jackdaws were doing their best to check the 

 ravages of the caterpillar upon the leaf-crop, by transferring them 

 — the caterpillars — to their own crops. 



Stigmonota redimitana was not scarce among oak, but difiicult 

 to get, owing to wind. 



Ephippiphora turhidana did not appear till after June was well 

 advanced, and then only in batches of three or four at a time, 



