In dealing with the moths I restrict my remarks to two aspects : 

 the behaviour of species which are recent additions to the British List, 

 and the pattern of immigration, including special rarities. 



Euphyia luctuata (Schiff.) is now common everywhere, a con- 

 spicuous and beautiful insect, except when at rest on a tree trunk. It 

 flies freely in sunshine and reminds one of the Argent and Sable, Eulype 

 hastata (L). 



Calophasia lunula (Hufn.) is very rare inland, but flourishes along 

 the coast. Rumour relates that larvae have been found in Miss Day's 

 garden. Hydraecia hucherardi Mabille has had a really good flight on 

 Romney Marsh where its food-plant. The Marsh Mallow, Althaea 

 officinalis, adorns the sides of the dykes. The Tortrix Cacoecia aeriferana 

 H-Sch. has been very scarce. Adoxophyes orana Fisch v Rosl. does not 

 appear to be spreading, but threatens to become a menace to apple crops 

 in some parts of mid-Kent. Eulia formosana Geyer is an occasional 

 visitor here and is now well established over a great part of southern 

 England. The three following moths are to be found in the Weald 

 woods near Ham Street, but are not known to breed elsewhere in the 

 British Isles. The Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini (L) and the 

 Lunar Double Stripe, Pseudophia lunaris (Schiff.) were both scarce in 

 their restricted haunts, but the Lesser Belle, Madopa salicalis Schiff. 

 was unusually common. Another local insect, the Black- veined Moth 

 Scoria lineata Scop, has formed a colony in a quarry near Great Chart, 

 at least four miles from its station on the Wye Downs. 



The pattern of migration has been unusual. In addition to the 

 arrivals from N. France, aided in their crossing of the Channel by a 

 S. or S.W. wind — e.g. cardui atalanta, croceus, the Humming-bird 

 Hawk Moth, Macroglossa stellatarum (L), the Silver Y, Plusia gamma (L), 

 The Gem Percnoptilota fluviata (Hubn.) and Nomophila noctuella Schiff. 

 all of which have visited us during the summer in varying numbers, 

 there has been another stream from Scandinavia or Denmark owing to 

 the prolonged N.E. wind which was blowing in June and July. The 

 appearance of the Scarce Silver Y, Plusia interrogationis (L) is a unique 

 event which can hardly be explained in any other way. This moth was 

 taken in some numbers in Essex and there have been three records in 

 this district from Wye, Ham Street, and Westwell respectively. In 

 this country an inhabitant of the northern moors, its larva feeds on 

 heather and one can only hope that suitable sites such as at Hothfield 

 may provide a home for some of the tourists. 



The year has also been remarkable for the visits of the Bedstraw 

 Hawk, Deilephila galii (Rott.). Many of these have been taken in the 

 London district, but there are records from all over the country, two of 

 which concern us — one from Folkestone and the other of a fresh ? 

 taken in the Ham Street Woods in mid-August. The Convolvulus 

 Hawk, Sphinx convolvuli (L) has been taken in singles and I know of 



