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THE SUMMER SEASON OF 1898. 

 By Albert J. Hodges. 



I have noticed, since my return from active collecting this 

 season, a great sparseness of "records" of interesting species of 

 Lepidoptera : whether this arises from the absence of good 

 species in general, or from fear of the "Extermination Com- 

 mittee's " wrath, I know not ; but it is regrettable, from whatever 

 cause arising. 



I did not emerge from my "hybernation " until June, and 

 even then it almost needed to build a fire under me before I 

 could be got to work ; and I think but for the persevering energies 

 of Mr. P. W. Abbott in stimulating my ardour with prospects of 

 enjoyable trips that I should have let the season pass. However, 

 June 6th saw me well under way to Wicken, in company with 

 Mr. J. P. Mutch, where by arrangement we met Mr. Abbott, 

 thus completing our trio. The abnormal cold nights of that 

 month are a matter of history, and we certainly found the mid- 

 night temperature approaching arctic severity. Our first few 

 nights resulted in nothing beyond Apamea unanimis, and single 

 specimens of Meliana flammea, Arsilonche venosa, &c. ; but, 

 nothing daunted, the well-known " Eddystone " shed its radiance 

 nightly, and, as usual, perseverance had its reward. The " little 

 favourite" of the fen evidently dislikes the "madding crowd" of 

 common moths, for its appearances were reserved for nights 

 when there was hardly an insect on the wing. Upon one occa- 

 sion, during the whole night from 10 p.m. to dawn, only five 

 moths came to the light, of which two were Hydrilla palustris. 

 Between June 11th and 17th (when we left) our trio captured 

 twenty-one specimens, including one black variety, which fell to 

 the lot of Mr. Abbott. Our greatest take in one evening was 

 eight, which I trust is a " record." There were on some evenings 

 no less than seven lamps at work besides our own, and, as I can 

 only account for a total take of about forty specimens, I think 

 the "Eddystone's" share of twenty-one a very good percentage. 

 By day we found the usual numbers of Bankia argentula at Chip- 

 penham, where I also understand that larvae of Plasia chryson 

 were in fair plenty. We were too early for Tuddenham, but 

 found Lithostege griseata in some numbers. 



A fortnight of fen work being, in our opinion, ample for any- 

 one at a time, we packed up, and went to Freshwater, arriving 

 there on June 18th, losing no time, but spending the same 

 evening on the nearest approach we could find to fens, namely, 

 a tidal estuary, odoriferous and moist. A long series of Acidalia 

 emutaria rewarded us, but sugar was useless in the woods. Its 

 attractiveness, however, improved during the next fortnight or 

 so, culminating towards the middle of July, when I got a fine and 



