- The following useful noie, the first of the season's observations on 
Winter Moth, was sent me on February 25th from Evesham by the 
‘eourteous and friendly contributor whom now I greatly regret to name 
‘as the late Mr. J. Masters :—“ I am very much afraid we shall have a 
‘severe visitation of the caterpillar pest this season. Last year the 
caterpillars were noi numerous, and many growers presuming on this 
‘would not iake the usual autumn precautions. I caught more moths 
‘on the grease-bands last antumn than I have done for some years past. 
“The severe winier has also been very desiructive to small birds, so thai 
owe shall not have their help io any extent m lessening the brood of 
‘eaterpillars this spring.”"—(J. M.) 
_ Mr. Goodwin wrote from Canon Couri, Wikeisauies: near Maid- 
stone, on the 25th of February, as follows :—*“ Since I last wroie io 
you, I have carefally studied the habits, &c., of brumata. I had a very 
good opportunity, as an orchard close io the house was severely 
-atiacked lasi year by the larve of jrwnaia. ound these I had the 
usual sticky bands pui, and took great care that the composition was 
“noi allowed io get dry. Every evening I weni out io see whai was 
happening. They commenced io emerge about the end of October, 
and conimued io appear up io the end of December. 
“The number of males and females caughi on some of the irees 
was extraordinary. I could not count them, but there were several 
hundreds on one iree, and ii might have run to four figures. Ai least 
ninety-nine per ceni. were brumaia, the resi being defoliaria anc 
dilutata* = 
“T also found thai a considerable number of eggs are deposited on 
‘thai pari of ihe iree between the earth and ithe band. From elose 
observation I could see that the females object to walking on io the 
sticky composition, and will delay doing so for some time, during 
which they deposit eggs in the crevices of the bark. I have no deubi 
-thai the larve from these eggs (unless they are desiroyed by some 
“means) would succeed in reaching the foliage. My grease-bands were 
“not put very high up—only about three or four feet from the ground ; 
‘but of course where stock is turned out, ihe bands must be put pro- 
portionately high, and the risk of having a large number of ezes below 
-the band becomes greaier. 
* One thing I noticed was the comparative rareness of defoliaria. 
In the spring five or ien per cent.of the larve were of this inseci, bui 
ceriainly not more than one per ceni. of the moihs were devliaria. 
“This was equally noticeable in my breeding-cages. Roughly speaking, 
; © Cheimatobia brumaia, the Wimier Moth; Hybernia dejoliaria, the Mottled 
Umber Moth; and Oporabia diluiata, the November Moth: all three species 
