18 



tive to many dusk and night-flying species. But the promise that 

 we were also to explore Pett's Wood, or, at any rate, so much of it 

 as is open, forbade us to linger, so taking a footpath on the right 

 hand that crosses the common diagonally, we were soon at the 

 entrance to the wood. The wood is strictly preserved, but a broad 

 footpath, a public right-of-way to Orpington, leads through it. This 

 is bordered on either side by well-grown trees, chiefly oak, whose 

 trunks bore evident signs of recent "sugar," and at intervals by a 

 mixed underwood, which becomes more dense towards the railway, 

 which the path crosses by a level crossing about half a mile from its 

 commencement. Just beyond the railway the path runs through an 

 alder swamp, which is intersected by a small stream. Here honey- 

 suckle was still in full blossom, and besides the alder there is a con- 

 siderable growth of dogwood {Corniis sa7i^uifiea), spindle [Euony/nus 

 europcEus), maple {Acer campestre), and so forth ; while patches of wild 

 mint {Mentha aqicatica) were blooming in the more open spaces near 

 the stream. Beyond this the path enters the fruit fields ; it was 

 therefore thought well that from this point we should retrace our 

 steps. A return was accordingly made to the common, " beating " 

 being indulged in by the way, but it is to be feared only in a half- 

 hearted manner, the beauties of the scene having apparently more 

 attraction for the members than any serious attempt at collecting. 

 It was, however, evident, from the little work that was done, that 

 larvae were fairly numerous, such species as Lophopteryx camelina, 

 Fygcera pigra {recIusa\Acronycta aceris, Hylophila prasinana, Cabera 

 exanthemaria, and a species of Caradrina being among those noted. 



On returning to the common, it being still daylight, the members 

 set themselves to its further exploration, and thus filled up the inter- 

 val until it was time to adjourn to the " Bull's Head " to tea ; to 

 which having ^iven their earnest attention, they made the best of 

 their way home, except two, more arduous workers than the others, 

 who returned to the wood to reap the harvest from the " sugar " that 

 they had put on earlier in the evening. 



The following is a list of species noted during the meeting : 



CoLEOPTERA. — NotiopMlus Ingultatus, Leistus spinibarbis, Chilo- 

 chorus bipustulatus, Crepidodera helxines, Cassida viridis, Stropho- 

 somus coryli. 



Lepidoptera. — Asphalia diliihi, Hydreccia niditans, Agrotis saucia, 

 Anchocelis pisfadna, A. lunosa, A. lititra^ Xanthia fulvago {cerago), 

 X.flavago {silago), X. drcellaris {fe)-ruginea), Hadena protea, Hypena 

 probosddalis, Pterophorns monodadylus, Aludta hexadadyla {poly- 

 dadyla). Also larvre of Hylophila prasiiiana, Drepana lacertinaria, 

 D. falcafarta, Lophopteryx camelina, Phalera bucephala, Fygcera 

 pigra {7'edusa), Acronycta psi, A. kporvia, A. aceris, Mamestra per- 

 sicarict, Hadena pisi, Amphidasys beiularia, Geometra papiliofiaria, 

 Zonosoma liiiearia {trilinearia), Cabera pusaria, C. exanthemaria. 



