100 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



however, had reason to change ray opinion, for on the 25th 

 of last month, while travelling from Dartmouth to Torquay, 

 I observed a small bush in profuse bloom growing by the 

 edge of a wood on the banks of the Dart, and no great way 

 from Dartmouth. The following afternoon I landed on the 

 railway just abreast the ship, and walked up the line to have 

 a look at the bush by daylight, and clear away any under- 

 growth that might be in the way. On the road I discovered 

 another rather stunted bush growing in a small clearing in a 

 dense wood of young oaks, and quite easy to get at. It 

 looked perfection, as the flowers were very thick, just open, 

 and of the brightest yellow, while the surrounding air was 

 loaded with their rich perfume, and bees innumerable were 

 feasting to their hearts' content. I felt certain that if the 

 Twniocampse were well out, this bush would prove very 

 attractive, and I should reap a rich harvest in the 

 evening. 



I then walked on to the other bush, which was on a steep, 

 rough slope, just outside a wood, and I found thick brambles 

 beneath it ; but these I managed to clear away with a large 

 pocket-knife. This bush was not so thickly covered with 

 flowers as the other, but still there were plenty on it, and its 

 situation was good. 



The afternoon was soft and bright, with a gentle breeze 

 from the west, and Torlricodes hyemana was flying merrily 

 among the oak scrub, while Cicindela campestris disported 

 itself on the dry banks. On palings Xylocampa lithoriza was 

 unusually common, and I captured no less than fourteen fine 

 specimens, and might have taken more had I wished to do 

 so. They generally repose somewhere where the surrounding 

 hue harmonizes so completely with their own markings that 

 they are exceedingly difficult to see, and it requires a good 

 eye and some practice to detect them, although occasionally 

 I have taken them at rest on black-painted palings, where of 

 course they were very conspicuous ; but I have always 

 fancied these must have been individuals whose faculties 

 had been overcome by the previous evening's dissipation. 



After dinner, at half-past seven, I left the ship again for 

 the sallows. By this time the weather had changed, a thick 

 fog having rolled in from the sea; but as it was still very 

 mild, with scarcely a breath of wind blowing, I considered it 



