24 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. 
Cerigo matura was common at Herne Hill at light during July. 
September 10th, was spent at Gomshall where larve af Macaria 
liturata, Fidonia piniaria and one Thera variata were beaten from pine 
and HKupithecia nanata and one small Anarta myrtilli from ling. Thera 
variata, and Phlogophora meticulosa (1 of each) were the only moths 
and Pyrameis atalanta and the ‘‘ Whites”’ the only butterflies. Treacle 
only produced Noctua aanthographa, T'riphaena pronuba, T. orbona and 
Amphipyra pyramidea.—F. M. B. Carr, 46, Handen Road, Lee, S.E. 
Nores From LuanstepHan, S. Waxes, 1899.—From August to 
October this district has been visited by a perfect plague of Pieris 
brassicae. The larve have completely destroyed the cabbages in every 
garden, leaving nothing but the bare stalks, acres of turnips have 
likewise been defoliated, the larve swarming over everything in all 
directions, whilst walls and sides of houses now show the pupe 
in every niche and corner, and countless little heaps of ichneumon 
cocoons. [N.B.—The parasites appear to have been equal to 
the occasion.]| The natives are filled with wonder at this extra- 
ordinary invasion, never having seen anything of the sort before. 
On interrogating a farmer as to the cause of the destruction of his 
turnip crop, he told me that it was some sort of worm that had done 
all the mischief. I explained to him that these worms were the 
progeny of the white butterfly, and that in their turn they would 
develop into white butterflies ; he answered nothing, but gave a pity- 
ing smile. It will be interesting to note the result of this excess on 
the coming season. It may, indeed, be in this way that vast migra- 
tions have their origin, and should such migration take place P. — 
brassicae will be no more in evidence next year than usual. The 
abundance of the insect, in the first place, may be due to the same 
cause, viz., immigration, but on this point I am by no means sure, 
indeed rather favour the following solution. The late summer itself 
has been an extraordinary one, remarkable for excessive heat and 
drought, conditions most favourable to the young larve, for nothing, 
in my opinion, is more destructive to exposed larve than rain, they 
are either drowned outright or washed off the leaves, and being too 
feeble to regain their food-plant perish in numbers. Should this 
theory be correct it is easy to understand that a double- and treble- 
brooded insect would increase in incredible numbers, and it is perhaps 
fortunate that these combined favourable conditions occur but rarely. 
I have little doubt that the vast migrations of insects may be attri- 
buted to local abnormal conditions of atmosphere, &e. P. rapae was 
also excessively abundant. MM. stellatarwn, more numerous than I 
have ever noticed it before. This insect appears to have been very 
general all over the country, and this fact may have afforded ento- 
mologists an opportunity for a closer study of its habits, which seem - 
to be but little understood. Its times for appearance are <o erratic, 
and the whereabouts of the larve, to me, are a sealed book, though 
always on the watch I have never yet come across the caterpillar. In 
these parts there is no (ralium on the “shingle,” and the common 
species of ‘‘ bed-straw”’ died down and withered up before the summer 
was half over, and yet stellatarwn was to be seen every day during 
August, September, and part of October. On September 5th I noted 
Colias edusa, Pyrameis atalanta was most plentiful, P. cardui also 
seen. Aglais urticae has been scarce, and Vanessa io not observed. 
