ANTLEE MOTH, 15 



years ago, this habit was noticed, and in the great Glamorganshire 

 attack of 1884 it was observed, " Tlie mountain brook running from 

 the Fforch Mountains was thick with the myriads of these caterpillars 

 which had been drowned by falling into it during their march across 

 the side of the mountains." The Ystr.id side of the Bwlch-y-Ciawdd 

 Mountains above Gwm Park were brown, as the result of recent fires 

 ignited with a view to destroy the pests. Near the summit the insects 

 were observed, which moved down tlie mountain path from the burnt 

 herbage with extraordinary rapidity.''^ 



The caterpillars, when full-grown, are about an inch or rather 

 more long, with brown head, and the body of a deep bronzy colour, 

 exceedingly shiny on the back and on the upper part of the sides. 

 The bronzy colour is divided lengthwise by three pale lines (see fig., 

 p. 12), the back and side stripes meeting, or almost meeting, above 

 the tail, and another narrower pale stripe or line runs lower down 

 along each side.f During the summer the caterpillars turn in the 

 ground to reddish or dark brown chrysalids, from which the moths 

 presently come out, as previously mentioned ; and it seems worth 

 while to draw attention to the important fact that in some instances 

 at least observation of the autumn appearance of the moth in unusual 

 numbers might save us from the hordes of caterpillars of the following 

 year finding us quite unprepared. 



The first note of appearance of the Antler Moth caterpillars was 

 sent me on June 22ud, from Milsington, Hawick, Eoxburghshire, by 

 Mr. Charles Scott, with the observation, " I herewith send for your 

 inspection specimen of caterpillars which are making considerable 

 havoc to the grasses on the hill-pastures in the western part of Rox- 

 burghshire ; also the adjoining counties of Dumfries and Selkirk." 

 The enclosure proved to be without doubt the larvie of Chanms 

 gravdnis, ov "Antler" or "Grass" Moth; and a few days later, on 

 June 28th, Mr. Scott further added that, after receipt of my reply, he 

 had been looking more particularly at the caterpillars, and found some 

 still quite young ones. 



At the beginning of July I received information from Prof. Wallace 

 (Professor of Agriculture in the University of Edinburgh) of the 

 appearance in immense numbers of grubs in the highlands of the 

 South of Scotland, more especially in the districts where the Voles 

 did so much mischief not long 'ago, with the remark, " They are said 

 to be worse tlian the Voles in some places." The consignment of 



* 'Eighth Eeport on Injurious Insects,' by E. A. Ormerod, p. 18. 



t For full description and details of distinction in markings between the larvm 

 of the Charceas graminis and those of two other very similarly coloured grass- 

 feeding moth-caterpillars, see ' Larvse of British Butterflies and Moths,' by the late 

 W. Buckler (liay Soc), vol. iv. p. 69. 



