158 THE YOUNG 



rustics prefer to call it, the " hairy worm," 

 The Dock leaf seemed to be its favourite food 

 plant. One one occasion I had over a hun- 

 dred of these caterpillars alive, and watching 

 the larva of the Tiger Moth through all its 

 changes I found to be a most interesting 

 study ; as Mr. Wood remarks there is really 

 something more in the caterpillar than " skin 

 and squash," 



But to return to our hunting ground. 

 P. hrassiC(B, rapes, and napi are, of course, 

 plentiful, and within a few minutes the 

 collecting box contains several specimens. 



Our attention is next directed to Polyom- 

 matus Alexis, snnning itself on a tuft of c'over, 

 and at the same time C. phlceas, the lively 

 little Copper, comes flitting along, soon, 

 however, along with that member of the 

 Polyommati family, to occupy a place in our 

 net. The next insect that finds its way to 

 the killing-bottle is the large Yellow Under- 

 wing Moth (Tripheena pronuba), and T. 

 orhona follows it in quick succession. Vanessa 

 urticce is also seen, but we are forced to con- 

 tent ourselves with the sight, for scarcely has 

 the net been grasped than V. urticce disappears 

 over the hedge. The Meadow Brown (H. 

 janira). Wall (L. megcsra), and Small Heath 

 complete the list of butterflies caught. 



We now devote some time to those lepi- 

 dopterous insects called moths, and are 

 successful in obtaining at the roots of various 

 plants H. proboscidalis and Plusia gamma, 

 which last-named moth is popularly named 

 the silver Y. Coleoptera are numerous, but 

 chiefly common. Olypus olens (an ill-tem- 

 pered fellow, well deserving the distinguish- 

 ing title, the "devil's coach-horse") audits 

 near relation, Creophilus maxillosus, literally 

 swarm. Necrophorus vespillo, Cassida viridis, 

 Geotrupes vernalis, and Phyllopertha horticola 

 are also obtained. 



At the west end of the field there runs 

 what we in Scotland would call a "burn," 

 which widens in its downward course into a 

 pond. Here are found quite a number of 



NATURALIST. 



specimens for the aquarium. Fresh water 

 molluscs are abundant, and not a few small 

 fish, such as stickleback and minnows. Ityhius 

 ater, the small water-beetle, is very common. 



Leaving our entomological equipments and 

 captures in a place of safety, we leave the 

 " Ghost Ground," and a smart walk of ten 

 minutes brings us to a pit which contains 

 many a hidden treasure for the geologist. 

 Mytilus and other shells are plentiful, and at 

 a pit a little further on Lepidodendron elegans 

 is found. A portion of this extinct plant 

 was once shewn me by a friend, who, until I 

 pointed out his error, had the belief that it 

 was the " fossilization of a serpent." At the 

 time I was greatly amused at the comparison, 

 bringing to my memory another incident, of a 

 youth who brought me several specimens of 

 Gryphcea incurva, and with the pompous air 

 of one who knew, informed me that they 

 were nothing less than "antediluvian oysters." 



The remainder of the day is spent at the 

 pits, the hammer and chisel being of great 

 service. 



As evening is now drawing on we retrace 

 out steps homeward, entering the field for 

 the entomological specimens which we had 

 concealed there. On our way home P. crates- 

 gata, A. grossulariata, and M. hrassicee are 

 added to our list of captures. 



Of the botany of the "Ghost Ground" I 

 have said nothing, but I am sure if the 

 student of that science botanized here his 

 search for specimens would not be unrewurd- 

 ed. Difierent men spend a holiday in differ- 

 ent ways ; but he who would read a few pages 

 of the great book of Nature — watching the 

 birds, tbe fish, the insects, op noting the 

 flowers in their ever- varying hues — will find 

 there a vast store of enjoyment. They are 

 indeed simple pleasures, but they have been 

 enjoyed by thousands now at rest. With the 

 end of the excursion I also bring this account 

 of it to a close ; to me it has been a most 

 pleasurable and, I trust, not unprofitable 

 " Day at the ' Ghost Ground.'" 



