W. F. DE Y. Kane. — Researches at Killarney, ^c. 589 



1)6 available on tlie spot from those who had associated with Bouchard. 

 With regard to the first-mentioned insect, I regret to say that I could 

 gain no satisfactory intelligence. Its colour and appearance are in no 

 wise remarkable to the ordinary observer, and its name seems not to 

 have been remembered by the family with whom he lodged. iN'ever- 

 theless, I have no reason to impugn the accuracy of the entry, though 

 it would be very desirable to substantiate it, as Peter Bouchard was 

 little known except to entomologists residing in and about London, 

 where he had occupation at the British Museum, and was considered, 

 I understand, a reliable man. 



The larva of 0. lunaris feeds on oak, and is said to be easy to rear; 

 so that if the climate be suitable, the insect has every chance of sur- 

 vival among the wide -stretching oak forests of the Killarney district, 

 which lies well south of the limit of latitude, and enjoys a milder 

 climate than continental districts on a similar parallel. The case is 

 different, however, I regret to say, with the rare moth which I shall 

 now refer to, i. e. Notodonta bicoloria. This is never, I believe, found 

 plentifully in any of its continental habitats, and the chances of its 

 being again taken in Killarney have been much lessened of late, since 

 the forests and moors have been everywhere denuded of birch-trees to 

 supply a spool manufactory in Killarney, and only a small proportion 

 spared along the main roads, so as not entirely to divest the landscape 

 of their graceful foliage and silvery trunks. 



Of the capture of five or six specimens of I^. bicoloria, many years 

 since, at Burnt Wood, in Staffordshire, a very circumstantial narrative 

 has lately been published from the pen of one of the two naturalists 

 who were fortunate enough to meet with it. But the authenticity of 

 Bouchard's catch has been frequently canvassed by English entomo- 

 logists, although announced at the time in the Entomologists' Annual 

 for 1859 as having been made the previous summer. I ascertained 

 the following particulars which,. I think, place the matter beyond doubt. 

 Bouchard was staying at Tower Lodge on the Upper Lake, with a deer- 

 keeper of Mr. Herbert's, in the mouth of June ; and from him, now an 

 old man, I had an unmistakable description of this very remarkably 

 coloured moth, which he said Bouchard brought home one evening, 

 having taken it on the stem of a birch-tree somewhere in the direction 

 of Mucross — possibly in the demesne itself. This, being new to him, 

 he sent to London for identification, and on receipt of the answer 

 assiduously searched the birch-trees between Tower Lodge and Dinas 

 during the remainder of his sojourn. Next year, returning at the 

 same season, he found the mutilated remains of a second, in a spider's 

 web. The name of "Bicoloria " is well known to the inmates of Tower 

 Lodge, and indeed to many residents in the vicinity. 



A report, moreover, is current, that on a post in the '' West- 

 meadows" of Mucross Demesne another specimen was found a few 

 years since by a labourer, who sold it for 10s. to a naturalist then 

 staying at a hotel in Killarney. Of this I was told a notice appeared 

 in some I^atural History Journal, which I have not been able to trace. 



R.I.A. PROC, SEE. II. VOL. IV. — SCIENCE. 3 E 



