14 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
branches in search of food. If we stood still and listened we 
could plainly hear the jaws of this countless host at work as 
they were ravenously feeding, and their frass dropping on the 
dead leaves below sounded like falling hail. We soon com- 
menced beating, but it was fearful work, every blow of the 
stick actually bringing quarts of larve into our calico-trays 
(a most ingenious invention of Mr. Bignell’s), aud as we 
walked we could not avoid treading on larve which were 
crawling on the ground, besides which we were soon covered 
with them ourselves. The four most abundant species which 
were causing all this destruction were Tzniocampa stabilis, 
Hybernia defoliaria, Oporabia diluta, and Cheimatobia bru- 
mata; but occasionally we got something better, for in a little 
while Mr. Bignell’s cheery voice rang out with—“ Hullo, 
here’s something good! Surely not Chaonia? Yes, it is, 
though; and a beauty, too!” This raised our hopes and 
strengthened our arms, and the bushes were thwacked more 
vigorously than before; and presently Mr. Gatcombe ex- 
claimed he had a lovely Ridens; and I quite agree with him, 
for it is a handsome larva: I afterwards took one or two 
crawling about the bare branches in a most forlorn manner, 
as they had evidently been eaten out of house and home. We 
continued beating and had very good luck, obtaining about 
three dozen each of Notodonta chaonia and Cymatophora 
ridens ; and, in addition to these, we also captured larve of 
Thecla Quercus, Demas Coryli, Teniocampa miniosa, Hopo- 
rina croceago, Himera pennaria, Crocallis elinguaria, and a 
great many other common species, and a few that were 
unknown to us; and returned to Plymouth in the evening, 
much pleased with our day’s outing. I have often remembered 
this delightful day when I was many thousands of miles away 
in the Pacific. 
Mr. Bignell has since informed me that larve were almost 
equally abundant in the same locality last year. 
GERVASE F. MATHEW. 
H.M.S. “ Britannia ;” Dartmouth, 
November 13, 1874. 
