THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



247 



reach, one pause, one stroke, and Colias edusa is mine. 



On the high ground we found Lgcana agestis fairly common, some of them 

 were very brightly coloured. We beat a few Boyts urticalis out of brambles 

 and nettles, but they were much worn. Cidaria immanata and Lareniia 

 olivata occurred in the woods, of the former I took one very fine variety, but 

 unfortunately it is a good deal rubbed. In one of the woods on the higher 

 ground we took one Ephyra omicronaria, and spent a long time looking 

 for more but were unsuccessful. Coremia ferrugata and Melanippe fluctuata 

 were by far the commonest Lepidoptera seen. I took some very dark speci- 

 mens, one being a particularly nice variety. 1 was surprised to turn up 

 Asihena Blomeri, but found by Stainton, that I was quite in one of its record- 

 ed localities. 1 only got four, but no doubt I was a little late for them. The 

 evening work was dull to a degree, although I treacled unsparingly, the only 

 insect I took was one Cerastis vaccinii. On the win^ things were fairly ex- 

 citing, just at dusk we took one each of Plusia c/irysitis; over the brambles 

 Triphcena ianthina, Noctua rubi, and Ahrostola urtiaz ; umhrosa, and xantlio- 

 gJtapha occasionally fell to the net; and Cilix spinula, Coremia propugnata, 

 Emmelesia unifasiatis, Eupithecia suhfulvata, Larentia pectinitaria, Mela- 

 nippe procellata, Scotosia dubilata, Tpsipetes elutata, M. rivata, and L. 

 salicata were taken sparingly during our stay. Among the Micros, of which 

 I had expected a good harvest, I absolutely took nothing, Stratiotalis before 

 mentioned being the only plentiful species. We also took specimens of 

 Teras caudana, Peronea sponsana, P. viregana, P/wxopleryx lundana, 

 Xylopoda fabriciana, Tinea tapetzella and Hypenodes costcestrigalis. Larva 

 of Vanessa urticce were very common on nettles ; we also found larvse of 

 Abraxas ulmata on elm, Acronycta rumicis on thistles, &c, one Venusia 

 cambricaria on hazel, and full-fed Arctia menthastri rushing across the tow- 

 ing path of the canal to spin up, but they were nearly all ichneumoned. 



We were in quite a historical part of the country, for within a stone's 

 throw from our lodgings was the house of Saint Mary's, where Eoger Bacon 

 the great chemist, was born, and studied his then called black art, and had 

 his famous bronze head, with which he was said to converse and from which 

 he is supposed to have learned so much. The people about here were very 

 superstitious. Of course, this house was haunted, one room had never been 

 opened since the death of some ancestor of the present owner (I forget his 

 name), who had mysteriously died or been killed. And we ourselves slept in 

 a room, which we afterwards discovered, was supposed to be haunted by our 

 landlady's mother. Whether it was or not, she did not bother us ; perhaps 

 we were too tired, and too sound asleep to be awakened by a spirit's gentle 

 touch. On the other side of the hill was Squire Dorrington's residence, and 



