164 TUftNIP. 



appearance of vast swarms of Lepidoptera {i. e., of motlis and butter, 

 flies) which have flown or been wind-borne over sea and wide expanse 

 of land. No better example of this is probably on record here than 

 the enormous appearance of the " Silver Y," or Beet Moth (the Plusia 

 (janmui), and the Painted Lady Butterfly [Vanessa carclui), of which one 

 great detachment crossed the Mediterranean from Africa to Valencia, 

 and another crossed to Sicily in 1879. The progress of these across 

 Europe was noted, especially in Saxony, where the Beet Moth cater- 

 pillar ravage reduced the yield of the infested Beet firom 9 to 10 tons 

 per acre down to only 3 tons ; the first appearance on our south coast 

 being noticed on June 10th.* 



There is also a record of an exceedingly similar attack to that of 

 the past season given by Mr. Wm. Marshall in the Transactions of the 

 Royal Society for 1783, vol. Ixxiii., p. 217. In tliis case the attack 

 was of Turnip Sawflies, and the locality the Norfolk coast. The 

 insects were seen out at sea, were found in vast numbers on the coast, 

 and from thence proceeded inland. The young caterpillars were found 

 shortly after present on the Turnip leafage, and the destruction " was 

 not confined to the eastern coast, but spread more or less to the 

 centre of the county."! It is worth observation that presence of 

 caterpillars of Turnip Sawfly was found together with that of 

 Diamond back Moth caterpillars in one district during our last year's 

 attack (see p. 116). 



So far, however, as I am aware the experience of last year, takm<j 

 all the points tor/ether, was unexampled here, and therefore, so far as in 

 me lay, I have used my very best endeavours to secure a permanent 

 record, with authorities so fully given, that we may be sure of all 

 details, or may verify any doubtful point by reference, and I ofi'er my 

 hearty thanks to all my correspondents for the care and patience with 

 which they were good enough to reply, sometimes again and again, to 

 my repeated inquiries. 



* See pp. 4, 5 of my ' Report on Injurious Insects ' for 1879, with details and 

 date of progress of the swarms placed in my hands by Mr. E. A. Fitch, Hon. Sec. 

 of the Entomological Society of London. 



t As many (like myself) have not the original imper to refer to, it may be men- 

 tioned that extracts, and a few remarks (especially on the perfect possibility of the 

 swarms coming on the wing), will be found in Curtis's ' Farm Insects,' pp. 38^40 ; 

 and much of the paper is also given by Edward Newman, F.L.S., &c., in Appendix 

 B to his small volume entitled ' Rusticus.' 



