August, 1394.1 169 



ABUNDANCE OF OATERPILLAES OF THE ANTLER MOTH, 

 CHAEJEAS QRAMINIS, LINN., IN THE SOUTH OF SCOTLAND. 



BY ELEANOR A. ORMEROD, F.E.S., &c. 



During the past few weeks considerable damage has been caused 

 to grass at various localities in the south of Scotland by the ravages 

 of the caterpillars of Charceas graminis, popularly known as the Antler 

 Moth or Grass Moth. 



On June 22nd specimens were sent me by a correspondent at 

 Hawick as samples of caterpillars which were 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. 



On July 2nd a few lines from Prof. E. Wallace (Professor of 

 Agriculture in the University of Edinburgh) mentioned the caterpillars 

 which were sent accompanying, as having " attacked in immense 

 numbers the land in which the Yoles did so much damage a few years 

 ago;" also that " they are said to be worse than the Voles in some 

 places." 



At the same date, that is, on July 2nd, specimens of the larvse 

 were also sent me from Tanlawhile, Langholm (on the east of Dumfries- 

 shire), as samples of grubs which were doing great damage to grass 

 in those districts. 



The caterpillars were in all cases very characteristic specimens of 

 GharcBas graminis. To general observation (like some nearly allied 

 species) they were stout, cylindrical larvae, about an inch to an inch 

 and a quarter in length, with brown head, and of deep brown or bronzy 

 colour, and excessively shining on the back and upper part of the sides. 

 This deep bronze being divided, longitudinally by three pale lines, and 

 these dorsal and sub-dorsal stripes converging and meeting, or almost 

 meeting, above the caudal extremity, and beneath each sub-dorsal stripe 

 was another narrower pale stripe, more or less well defined. The 

 characteristics {vide Brit. Butterflies and Moths, by the late W. 

 Buckler, vol. iv, p. 69) which distinguish these larvae from the cater- 

 pillars of Heliophohus fopularis and Luperina cespitis were well 

 marked. The segmental folds were " of a different tint to the back," 

 * * " in fact catching the eye as narrow transverse bands ;" the skin 

 on the back (I did not chance to notice the condition of the lower 

 surface) was certainly much wrinkled transversely ; and also (though 

 I did not find them constantly present) there were " transverse pale 

 streaks in the space " * * " between the sub-dorsal and sub- 

 spiracular stripes, though I could not say that these were always 



