CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 



143 



from Maplescombe, Farningham, a boxful of the pretty flea-beetle (Crepi- 

 dodera rujipes). This insect was swarming in some fields of tares. One 

 field of five acres was half cleared off by them. The sufferer from this 

 attack, Mr. Rogers, wrote me that the beetles were so thick up the rows as 

 to make them look black. They were extremely active, and I found would 

 not eat cruciferous plants given them ; Vicia and Orobus seem the favourite 

 food. The tares that were destroyed were on an old sainfoin ley.— F. V. 

 Theobald. 



Nyssia hispidaria. — I see you note (ante, p. 120) the capture of 

 N. hispidaria on March 28th in Surrey. I took five specimens here last 

 year on Feb. 10th, and two more a day or two later.— F. D. Bland ; Major 

 3rd York & Lane. Reg., Llanrwst, N. Wales. 



Rhopalocera in North Wales. — Within the last few days butter- 

 flies have been moot abundant in this part of the Vale of Conway. On 

 the road between Gwydyr Castle and Bettws-y-Coed, Lyccena argiolus has 

 been out in swarms, but it has been plentiful for the last ten days. On 

 Saturday Euchloe cardamines was everywhere on the wing, and I saw 

 Vanessa urticce (common), V. io, V. atalanta, Pieris rapce, and one V. 

 c-album.—F. D. Bland ; May 10th, 1898. 



Field Meeting of the South London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — Oxshott was again visited by members of the above 

 Society on May 21st. Although the weather at 2.17 p.m., the time 

 arrauged for the departure from Waterloo, was not exactly promising for a 

 country ramble, the conductors, Major Ficklin and Mr. Lucas, found, on 

 the arrival of the train at Oxshott station, that they had a party of over a 

 dozen to take charge of, and this number was shortly afterwards increased 

 by two members who travelled down by a later train. Having regard to 

 the appearance of the sky, which seemed to threaten a heavy fall of rain 

 before long, a start was made for the pine-clad ground towards Esher, and 

 ultimately the party arrived at the Black Pond, by which time the omiuous 

 clouds had passed away, giving place to brilliant sunshine, and this 

 improved condition of meteorological affairs was maintained for the re- 

 mainder of the afternoon. During the walk among the pines, and subse- 

 quently through the woods beyond, the eutomologists of the party gave the 

 tree-trunks very careful attention, but insects were only observed upon 

 them at rare intervals, and those members who searched or beat for larvas 

 did not meet with much greater success. On returning to the cottage near 

 the station, where tea was provided, it was ascertained that during the 

 four hours' ramble the lepidopterists had only secured about thirty species, 

 and the coleopterists about twenty species; those interested in other orders 

 of insects also reported a great dearth of specimens and species. However, 

 considering the kind of weather that had prevailed throughout the month 

 up to the date of the visit, no one appeared to be disappointed at not 

 meeting with better sport, but, on the contrary, the general feeling was that 

 the aiteruoon had been a very pleasant one. The following is a list of the 

 species taken or observed : — 



Coleoptera. — Nebria brevicollis, Necrophorus mortuorum, Mysia 

 oblongoguttata, Anatis ocellata, Halyzia 18 guttata, Coccidula rufa, 

 Dolopius marginatus, Donacia sericea, Lochmea suturalis, Anaspis geoffroyi, 

 Rhynchites cequatus, Strofjliosntus euryli, IS. lateralis, and a few small beetles 

 not yet identified. 



