Chappell ; Remimsce.nces of Burnt Wood. 



189 



drew tTie attention of some of the keepers to his capture, probably in 

 consequence of its being a very remarkable insect, and this specimen 

 was eventually obtained by Mr. Carter, by purchase. About the same 

 time, a specimen of Sesia splipgifornih was captured \)j Mr. Vincent 

 Moss, one of the under game-keepers who collected insects ; others I 

 believe, were obtained from the wood-cutters in the larval and pupal 

 states, some of which were reared by Mr. Moss. 



In 18G5 I decided to visit Burnt Wood once more in company with 

 Mr. T. Charlton and Mr. Samuel Greenhough, during Whit-week. So 

 much had Burnt Wood altered that I scarcely knew my vvay about. 

 However, I captured a few good beetles, and one Notodcttla cJtaonia by 

 Tuesday night, when IMr. Greenhough decided to return home. I 

 collected as>iduously (coleoptera principally), until Friday, when I was 

 rewarded by a specimen of Nutodouta hicolora^ which I knocked out of 

 a birch bush into my umbrella while beating for beetles. The 

 announcement rendered Mr. Charlton speechless. However, I told 

 him to sit down and we would decide on other tactics. After I had 

 put my specimen safely away and packed up my umbrella, we each 

 cut a beating stick nine or ten feet long, and fell to work in earnest, 

 and in a very short time Mr. Charlton shouted out " Hurrah !" He had 

 beaten a pair {in copula) out of a birch bush. Several hours more 

 were spent in beating and searching beneath birch, without finding 

 any more. I shall never forget the pleasure it gave me to sec- 

 hicolora alive, especially beautiful with the almost confluent orange 

 marking, when the wings are folded together. They remind me of 

 MeniUadri when on the wing. Later on in the evening, about four or 

 five o'clock, I captured one on the wing ; before dusk, Mr Charlton 

 took another ; I then again had the pleasure of adding another. The 

 next day was entirely devoted to searching for hicolora^ without 

 success. We decided to keep the females alive for the purpose of 

 obtaining ova ; they were placed in a perforated zinc box lined with 

 newspaper, the one we obtained in copula loose, and the others pinned, 

 and they were all in my care. On Sunday we set out for home, 

 having been there a week. 



Before we left on Sunday morning, the under-keeper Edwin Moss, 

 and his brother Vincent paid us a visit, when the following conversa- 

 tion took place : 



" Well Vin, how many SpJicgiforme have you taken this season 1 " 

 "None; why?" 



" Oh ! I only asked you the question." 

 " Why ? have you taken it ? " , 



