238 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



by a long stretch of sandhills. Inland the country consists of the 

 river valley — a rush-covered plain divided roughly into fields by 

 ditches thick with reeds — and of well-wooded hills. Between these 

 hills and the marshes lies the rock on which the town stands. Thus 

 there is in its immediate neighbourhood a great variety of country, 

 each district rich in the species peculiar to it. In addition, the town, 

 which is very brightly lighted, serves as a beacon both to the moths 

 which haunt the lowlands and to those bred on the wooded slopes. 

 August does not usually appear to be a profitable month for entomo- 

 logy. Large numbers of common insects are about, but the choicer 

 species have mostly disappeared. During my previous visits, apart 

 from some sugaring on the coast, where in 1906 Laphygma exigua 

 was common, and where I took Leucania littoralis in addition to 

 Agrotis valligera, A. tritici, Hadena chenopodii, C. cytherea, A. citraria, 

 and many others, and from light work among the reeds, I did very 

 little. During the present year, however, things have been very 

 much busier. Although I was only there from Aug. 1st to 16th, and 

 could not devote much time to entomology, my list of captures con- 

 tains many insects which were wholly unexpected. Probably the 

 cold weather of June and July caused many species to postpone their 

 emergence until late. The exceptional heat of early August must 

 account for the heavy "rise" of moths which took place then. It 

 seems most unlikely that the season has favoured the production of 

 second broods; although there has-been an abundance of green food, 

 this would be more than counteracted by the low temperature of June 

 and July. Delay in leaving the pupal stage seems to be the probable 

 cause of the appearance of certain species in my list. 



During the first part of my visit I spent most of my energies on 

 the marshy salterns below the town. Here I found a place, over- 

 grown with yellow Galium, in which Mesoiype virgata, Cledeobia 

 angustalis, and a few other species were swarming. Of the former 

 the males were most numerous and in best condition on Aug. 3rd, 

 while on Aug. 5th females were everywhere, and scarcely a male 

 could be taken. On several nights I worked the reedy ditches and 

 small reed-beds which are found all over the salterns, and the results, 

 if not very striking, were at least not disappointing. The following 

 species were taken: — Nudaria senex (common on Aug. 3rd; one on 

 Aug. 9th), Odonestes iwtatoria, Leucania straviinca (a few each night; 

 it was not always easy for me to distinguish this species from L. 

 impura, which was common, but the under side of straminea is a good 

 guide when the insect is boxed), Senta uIvcb (one, very worn, on 

 Aug. 3rd), Luperina testacea, Miana furuncula, NocUia umbrosa, N. 

 rubi, Acidalia emutaria (not uncommon), Schcenohius gigantcllus, 

 Chilo phragmitelhis, and S. forficellus. Though I did not myself 

 take S. chrysorrhcea, a nice specimen was given to me which had 

 been taken on Aug. 13th by Mr. J. S. Carter at Lydd. It was at light 

 that the best results were obtained. Large numbers of insects came 

 regularly into the house, and the few nights on which I searched the 

 town lamps were richly productive. I will give the complete list of 

 captures, adding particulars where such appear interesting : — Sarro- 

 thripa revayana, Tlylophila bicolorana (one on x\ug. 13th, not a 

 perfect specimen), Lithosia lurideohi, L. griseola, Arctia caia, Cilix 



