152 



THE YOUNG 



NATUEALIST. 



restricted to given places, or it may be some 

 spots, that each of these particular insects is 

 only obtainable in these particular places. 

 It was on this moss the Manchester treble- 

 bar (imhutata) was first taken ; and though 

 this species occurs all over the open moss 

 (not in the plantations;, yet another species 

 equally interesting (Lithosia sericea), one of 

 my own naming, only occurs in two places, 

 so far as I know, and they are many miles 

 apart and do not perceptably differ from the 

 other parts of the moss. The first is around 

 the "one birch," a well-known locality to 

 the collectors of the present day, and stran- 

 gers can find it if they leave the train at 

 Astley station (Manchester and Liverpool 

 railway), walk up the line towards Liver- 

 pool, half-a-mile or so at the foot of the 

 embankment, collecting as you go — on the 

 moss plants growing there ; and upon the 

 hedge-birch and sallow. Good work can 

 always be done here. Then cross the Moss 

 due south, straight to a deep cutting. 

 Work along the dry banks, keeping out of 

 sight : to do so, utilize the young birches, 

 &c., cross the drain at a plank bridge nearer 

 to Liverpool still, and then make for the 

 single birch-tree you have seemed to be 

 leaving when searching for the plank bridge 

 to cross over upon. Keep well hid by the 

 young trees, birches, firs, and mountain ash ; 

 work well amongst them for all the moss 

 species you want. Here Crambus hamellus is 

 a very local species, but not scarce amongst 

 myriads of C. margaratellus, &c. And now 

 it is evening, and what is more to our 

 purpose, well towards the end of July ; the 

 midges begin to be more troublesome than 

 they have been — say six o'clock, make for 

 the "one birch," still keeping well under 

 cover and stooping low. At the last cover 

 of young birches and rowans, remain hid 

 until you see a slow-flying moth. It may 

 be a long way off, going down the wind. 

 Away you go — Sericea is on the wing — and 

 now or never! It will take the keeper a 



long time to get to you after his voice reaches 

 you. Never mind the voice, but work away 

 as he is coming, whilst Sericea is on the wing. 

 Cool his wrath with half-a-crown if possible, 

 and you had better get him to show you the 

 way to the village, collecting as you go. A 

 judicious remark about the heat as you pass 

 the public house, and also about train-time, 

 followed by a request at parting that from 

 his obliging manner you should much like 

 to meet him another night on the Moss : 

 this will doubtless enable you to complete 

 your sets. If successful, then the Moss will 

 prove a grand source of pleasure, for it is 

 not far from here to "Traverse's wood," 

 where Acidalia circetlata used to be taken; 

 when that district was burnt all trace of 

 this species was lost ; nor can I or any of 

 my friends find it anywhere else, though we 

 have searched repeatedly. But that is no . 

 reason why some of our young and more 

 energetic friends may not. be successful. 

 Search damp corners in or around planta- 

 tions amongst low-growing plants. I need 

 not enumerate the number of species occur- 

 ring on Chat Moss, it is sufficient to say 

 here C. davus and P. agon had their home. 

 The first is still abundant on the open moss ; 

 the latter I have not heard of for years. 

 Around the edges of the mosses, feeding 

 upon the poplars, S. bembeciformis and C. 

 bifida are both to be found still, as are 

 beautiful E. russula, L. 'quercus (the dark 

 form), and the magnificent S . pavonia-minor ; 

 and on young birches the larvae of N. drome- 

 darius V3x.fuscus and dictceoides are plentiful ; 

 whilst A . menyanthidis' is always found on or 

 near clumps of little sallows in plenty, and 

 sparsely on the open heath. The collecting 

 season always opens on Chat Moss on the 

 nearest Sunday to the 20th of March, when 

 quite a lot of collectors are sure to be met 

 with from Bolton, Berry, Manchester, and 

 Liverpool, all searching on and around the 

 young birches, which grow freely on the 

 edges of the Mosses, for C. flavicornis. The 



