THE LEPIDOPTERA OF HACKNEY MARSHES. 271 



varieties of Bactra lanceolana, and some Coccyx ustomaculanat 

 Aphelia pratana, &c. 



It now began to look stormy, so as we had our boxes full we 

 made for home. Lithosia mesomella was flying in the grassy 

 openings of the woods, and Ilejnalus hectus was common, flying 

 about the fern ; H. velleda and H. humuli were plentiful in open 

 fields, the latter rather like the plain form from Shetland, with dark 

 thorax. As we got near home we were startled by a few heavy 

 drops of rain, and had only just got back when it came down in 

 torrents. We concluded not to sugar; indeed my experience 

 of sugar here has not been pleasant ; although we tried very pro- 

 mising localities in the hope of taking Crymodes exidis, we never 

 saw anything better than Acronycta leporina, Aplecta herbida, and 

 the usual band of " sugar robbers." 



i, Holland Park, W., November, 1882. 



THE LEPIDOPTERA OF HACKNEY MARSHES 

 By Ernest Anderson. 



The Hackney marshes formerly comprised a far larger area 

 suitable for the observations of an entomologist than at present; 

 but every year the buildings encroach from Homerton and 

 Clapton on the one side, and Stratford and Leytonstone on the 

 other. The number of Lepidoptera to be found in the now 

 limited space is, however, still fairly numerous, though un- 

 fortunately man}^ species appear in decreasing numbers each year 

 and threaten to disappear altogether very shortly. The cutting 

 down of the splendid row of willows, which a few years ago 

 fringed the Lea for over a mile, gave a severe blow to Entomology 

 in the district, and its effects were perceptible almost immediately 

 in the reduced numbers of willow-feeding species, such as Cossus 

 ligniperda, Liparis salicis, Smerinthus pojmli, Catocala nupta, &c. 

 However, instead of dwelling upon what has been, it will be 

 better, for the benefit of present entomologists, to enumerate 

 those species which may still be observed. 



Diurni are poorly represented, Pieris hrassica, P. rapce, and 

 more commonly P. napi, together with Vanessa urticce, comprising 

 almost the whole list, relieved by a few Satyrus Janira and a stray 



