102 



Art. XVI. — Captures of Moths on the Blossoms of Sallows, in Ep- 

 ping Forest. By Henry Doubleday, Esq. 



Epping, March 31st, 1841. 

 My dear Friend, 



I send you a few particulars relative to the capture of 

 immense numbers of moths on the blossoms of the sallows ; if you like 

 to print them in ' The Entomologist,' they are quite at your service. 



About the 15th of March I first went out to the sallows which were 

 in flower, to look for moths. My plan for taking them is to hold a 

 net under the sallow-branches, and then strike them smartly with a 

 stick, when the Noctuse fall, and remain motionless in the net, and 

 with a light I select those specimens which I want. The Geometras 

 are not quite so easily taken, as many of them fly off". At the time 

 above mentioned Orthosia cruda and stabilis, and Semiophora Gothi- 

 ca, were plentiful, and in two or three days they abounded to such a 

 degree, that I had seventy in my net at once from one sallow bough. 

 Orthosia instabilis now made its appearance in countless numbers ; 

 the specimens varying greatly in size and colour. A few specimens 

 of Orthosia subplumbea and sparsa have also been captured ; one of 

 Orthosia munda, a small number of Hadena lithorhiza, and others 

 which I shall soon enumerate. From capturing such immense quan- 

 tities I have been enabled to form a pretty correct idea of the relative 

 scarcity of the species in the neighbourhood, as well as the varieties 

 of the respective kinds, and which 1 will now endeavour to show you. 

 Semiophora Gothica. Excessively numerous ; I believe I have 

 seen at least a thousand specimens in the last two weeks. Very vari- 

 able in colour ; I have one specimen of a brilliant purplish red. 



Orthosia stabilis (and var. jmllida). Equally numerous with the 

 last, and varying in colour from a very pale drab to bright red brown. 

 Very variable in size. 



Orthosia instabilis. Extremely abundant at this time (March 31st) 

 and in beautiful condition. Far more variable than either of the above. 

 I have some splendid varieties ; one exactly the colour of Mamestra 

 Pisi, others almost black. The light varieties are far rarer than the 

 darker ones. 



(JriJtosia cruda. Plentiful, but not nearly so common as the three 

 preceding species, and but slightly variable. 



Crilivsia sulplunihea. Ihis seems arare species here, I have only 

 captured six specimens, which diflbr but little from each other. 



