THE SEASON OF 1897- 59 



suburb. But it is strange how odd species turn up now and 

 again ; last year close to the same spot I took a fine Anaitis 

 plagiata, also on a lamp. Sesia tipuliformis occurred on June 30th. 

 Having no currant bushes now in our garden, I have not seen 

 this species here for some eight or nine years, but formerly, when 

 we had a garden with a lot of currant bushes, it was very com- 

 mon in company with S. myopiformis. Probably in old gardens 

 both species still occur freely in North London. 



While the treacling was still on, I had a most successful 

 evening at Benneet (July 1st), when, on my way to Southend, 

 where I was staying the night, I met Mr. Whittle of that town. 

 He had been in the reed-beds, but I had been treacling palings 

 on the other side of the station. The palings were as full as the 

 trees at Hailsham had been, and there was quite as large a 

 variety, although very different species. The best insects boxed 

 were some nice forms of Agrotis exclamationis, A. corticea (one 

 male and three females), A. suffusa, Leucania lithargyria, L. 

 comma, L. straminea (one only), Mamestra anceps, M. albicolon 

 (one), Mania maura, Haclena suasa (a very fine and variable lot), 

 Aplecta advena (one very good and one worn female, from which 

 ova were obtained), and a fine fresh Choerocampa elpenor. This 

 is the first time I have heard of elpenor really settling down on 

 treacle, although frequently netted flying round. A. corticea 

 Mr. Whittle said he had never yet taken in the district, but I 

 see he records a specimen taken on July 3rd, two nights after I 

 met him. I again visited Benneet on the 13th, but treacle was 

 then going off. Very few moths turned up, and those were of 

 the very commonest. On the slopes round Hadleigh Castle, in 

 the afternoon, Melanargia galatea was common and just out, but 

 had to be walked up owing to the absence of sun. Both Hesperia 

 linea and H. lineola were in boundless profusion at the same 

 place, the former far the commoner of the two ; but, on the other 

 hand, the few specimens taken at rest along the sea-wall in the 

 evening were lineola without exception. At dusk several nice 

 Acidalia emarginata were netted, and close to the station a fine 

 Lithosia complana found at rest on the grass. 



Treacle at Winchmore Hill on July 8th was a dead failure, 

 and again at Darenth Wood on the 27th, when not a single 

 Macro came to the trees. Curiously enough, however, I cleaned 

 my brush on a head of ragwort, and, chancing to look at this 

 later, boxed my only two Noctuae of the evening, viz. Xylophasia 

 scolopacina and Noctua baja. Visions arose of a large bag had I 

 only treacled ragwort-heads, but as the untreacled heads produced 

 nothing, I went home with empty boxes, and had only the 

 melancholy consolation of thinking what might have been. 

 Another time when treacle is off, however, I shall certainly try 

 sprinkling flower-heads. Scarcely anything flew at dusk, and 

 beating along some three miles of hedge was as usual this year 



