AUGUST. 145 



obtain it, and, to this end, I made inquiries with all 

 humility among those who I thought would be most 

 likely to afford me the information as to its food and 

 habitat, but without success. 



It so happened that at this time I was acquainted 

 with a collector, with whom I was upon very friendly 

 terms, and in whose company I was very often. To 

 my oft-repeated inquiries respecting the Peronea 

 larvae, I obtained no information, excepting that he 

 was taking them by bushels! that a blue bag of the 

 ordinary size carried by lawyers was nothing extra- 

 ordinary to fill in one day's collecting. This startled 

 me y collecting larvae by bushels was a circumstance, 

 in my Entomological experience, I had never met 

 with, and which I did not, in my own mind, believe ; 

 but, however, no information as to food or locality 

 could I obtain from my " unprofitable companion." 



The winter passed over, and the summer of 1850 

 came ; I still inquired about the Peronea larvae, and, 

 by great good luck, I casually learnt that they fed on 

 sallow, and were found on Wimbledon Common. 

 Here was a slice of luck ! I was in ecstasies. I then 

 lived in Larkhall Lane, Clapham ; and I determined 

 that I would have Peronea' s of my own breeding 

 that autumn. August came. One afternoon I de- 

 termined upon an expedition after the Peronea larvae ; 

 so accordingly putting a tin can in my pocket, which 

 would hold about a pint imperial measure, I started 

 on foot for the common. I had never been there 

 before, so had to inquire my way, and, after sundry 

 inquiries, I arrived at my destination. But where 

 were the sallows ? I could see none. But, however, 



H 



