t)IAMOND-BACK MOTH. 



139 



Other communications rapidly followed, including notes sent on 

 the 2nd of June of appearance of the moths at the much more 

 northerly locaHty of Orbliston, Fochabers, Co. Moray, and various 

 other localities, as Acklington, Northumberland, and a note from 

 Mr. J. E. Eeeve, of North Walsham, Norfolk, who, as well as Mr. 

 Atmoi-e (p. 138), reported the remarkable amount of Diamond-back 

 Moths. He observed in a communication bearing date June 2nd : — 

 " The Diamond-back Moth has made its reappearance on the north- 

 east coast of Norfolk in clouds, and swarming particularly where there 

 happen to be Cabbage plants." On the following day presence of the 

 moth was reported (specimens also accompanying) as occurring on 

 Cress, near Kelvedon, Essex. 



Notes of observation of the moths were sent from various localities 

 till the middle of June, and to some degree the first brood was observ- 

 able later, some stragglers being still reported, together with advanced 

 caterpillar mischief. 



0)1 the 20th of June, the first reports of caterpillar presence began, and 

 after some slight notice of the larvae being spinning up, an observation 

 was sent me on the 5th of July, from Kelvedon, Essex, with completely 

 characteristic specimens of Diamond-back cocoons containing the 

 chrysalids, and the information that in some places there the cater- 

 pillars of the Diamond-back Moths had quite destroyed the crop, and 

 thus, in this we have secured some amount of record of rate of advance 

 of the infestation, through its different stages. 



The first notes of appearance of the Diamond-back caterpillar, and 

 also of it being spinning up to go into chrysalis state, were sent me 

 respectively on the 20th and 30th of June, by Mr. D. D. Gibb, from 

 Ossemsley Manor Farm, Lymington, Hants. On the 20th Mr. Gibb 

 wrote me as follows, enclosing specimens : — " About ten days ago, in 

 crossing afield of Oats, following Turnips and Swedes which I believed 

 to have sufiered from Diamond-back Moth last year, I found moths 

 flying in thousands, and some of these, so far as I could see in the 

 dusk, very closely resembling the Diamond-back Moths." (The 

 specimens of moths sent me by Mr. Gibb were quite certainly of this 

 species. — Ed.) " I did not find time to again visit this field until to- 

 day, when I found small caterpillars resembling those of Diamond-back 

 Moth in great numbers on leaves of Charlock plants growing among 

 the Oats." 



On the 30th of June, Mr. Gibb forwarded various caterpillars for 

 examination, of which those he distinguished in his notes as " the 

 small caterpillars" proved to be of the Diamond-back Moth, and one of 

 them was then spinning its cocoon. Of these it was observed that 

 they " entirely swarm on young Cabbage, &c., plants." — (D. D. G.) 



The next date of appearance of caterpillars reported was on the 



