PoRRiTT : A Fortnight in the Fens. 



131 



Vanessa lo flew about the lanes ; V. cardid on the edge of the fen ; 

 Satyrus Janira and Tithonus of course everywhere ; Chortohius Pam- 

 philus on the fen ; Hesperia linea, and I think also Sylvanus ; a dead 

 specimen each of Zeuzera cbscuU and Cossus ligniperda ; Chelonia caja 

 and Odonestes potatoria were perfect plagues ; both species were most 

 abundant, and came up to the lamps in numbers, banging against the 

 glass, and then stunned by the blow, fell to the ground and went 

 " fizzing " and spinning about, a number creating quite a concert. 

 Others would persist in getting into the nets, or would crawl about 

 our heads and shoulders, whilst frequently a precocious individual — 

 generally a potatoria — would actually crawl through the opening at 

 the top of the lamp and get inside, sometimes putting out the light, 

 A variety of the male, of the same colour as the female, was not 

 uncommon. The second brood of Arctia fuliginosa (and very large 

 specimens they were) also came to the lamps. We were previously 

 under the impression that this species was solely a day flier. Liparis 

 auriflua and -L. salicis, with Bomhyx neustria and B. quercus were 

 common of course. Uropteryx sambycata occurred in the lane; 

 whilst the geometers which came to the lights on the fen included 

 the July brood of Selenia illunaria, Crocallis elinguaria, Ennomos 

 tiliaria, Acidalia scutulata (in abundance), A. bisetata, A. emarginata^ 

 some very pretty banded forms of Cabera exanthemaria ; large golden 

 specimens of Strenia clathrata were very common j Abraxas grossu- 

 lariata swarmed everywhere, occurring on the fen, and in all the 

 lanes and gardens ; Larentia pectinitaria, Eupithecia succenturiata and 

 dbsynthiata ; Coremia unide7itaria in profusion ; Phibalapteryx lignata 

 in fine condition, and common; Cidaria testata and fulvata, &c. 

 Belonging to other orders two fine Ptilodontis palpina came, and 

 when settled looked for all the world like bits of rotten wood ; Noto- 

 donta ziczac (second brood) came to other collectors' lamps, though 

 not to ours ; Miana arcuosa was very common ; Herminia tarsipen- 

 nalis Bind cribralis Pyrausta purpuralis\ the four "China-marks," 

 Cataclysta lemnalis, Paraponyx stratiotalis, Hydrocampa nymphoealis 

 and stagnalis were all common ; Crambus pascuellus, C. perlellus, and 

 C. selasellus ; Rhodophoea marmorella and R. suavella ; and a number 

 of others. " Sugar " on the fen produced Nonagria Helmanni ; Leu- 

 cania phragmitidis, with lithargyria, impura, and pallens ; Miana furiin- 

 cula, -including a very small form which puzzled us considerably for 

 some days ; M. literosa ; Caradrina alsines; Agrotis nigricatis and A. 

 ravida ; Tryphcena interjecta commonly (also flying about in the fens, 

 and in the lanes in the daytime), with T. fimbria, orbona, and j)ronuba ; 



