85 



"In 1908 the Rev. J. W. Metcalfe, of Ottery St. Mary, 

 Devon, sent me a specimen of Cidaria suffumata, which 

 differed considerably from the type, and bore a superficial 

 resemblance in size and markings to those specimens of C. 

 silaceata which have an unbroken brown band across the 

 fore-wing. He informed me that the form was fairly plentiful 

 in a wood in N. Devon, where it flew in company with the 

 type. At my request he most kindly visited the wood again 

 in 1909, and, notwithstanding bad weather, he succeeded in 

 taking several specimens as well as the type, and favoured 

 me with four more of the small form and two of the type. 

 It is therefore proved that this form has occurred for two 

 years and that it and the type fly at the same time. A sug- 

 gested reason for the different races is a different food-plant 

 of less succulent nature, as may be instanced by the two 

 races of Hypsipetes sordidata, which feed on sallow and 

 whortleberry respectively. Unfortunately, there seems no 

 chance of investigating the matter further for the present, as 

 my valued correspondent has no longer the same facilities 

 for visiting the locality. 



" The form differs from the type as follows : 



" Expanse, 23-28 mm., instead of about 32 mm., as in the 

 type. 



" Shape of fore-wing less pointed. 



" Inner white band of fore-wing straight and more regular. 



" Hind-wings darker and almost without markings." 



^ULY lOth, 1909. 



Field Meeting in Coombe Wood. 



Conducted by Percy Richards. 



About a dozen members and friends spent a very pleasant 

 afternoon and evening in Coombe Wood, by kind permission 

 of Sir Adolphus and Sir Augustus Fitz-George. The wood- 

 man, Mr. Todding, gave the members every facility for 

 visiting the best places, and, in spite of the changeable 

 weather, the list of insects annexed will show that Coombe 

 Wood still yields some good things, the most interesting 

 being Capperia heterodactyla (teucrii), which occurred in 

 hundreds ; a great many were taken. Another interesting 

 species was Scotosia betnlata, which occurred in some numbers 

 round about the only buckthorn in Coombe Wood. A very 



