598 
The Diamond-hack Moth. 
The first refers mainly to recorded dates of previous appearances of 
the infestation, when occurring to an injurious extent, and also 
gives description and life history of this Plutella cruci/ei-anun (of 
Zeller) in its different stages, 
The second gives the observations of the appearance of the attack 
at various localities during the past summer, with dates of observa- 
tion and names of contributors, also some special notices of observa- 
tions of flocks or great numbers of moths (in some cases certainlj', 
in some presumably, the diamond-back moth) at various places on 
the eastern coast of England and Scotland shortly before the out- 
break of the caterpillars. 
Under the third heading I have placed tlie information sent in 
reply to my circular — these replies being placed respectively under 
headings of inquiries to which they refer — and to these notes the 
initials of the contributors whose names are, for the most part, given 
in the preceding section are appended. 
Previous Appearances of the Moth in Great Britain. 
The first regularly recorded appearance of the caterpillars of 
the diamond-back moth in numbers sufficient to be the cause of 
serious ravage is, as far as I am aware, that noted by J ohn Curtis ' 
as occurring in the neighbourhood of Petersiield, Hants, in August 
1837. The writer notes, however (accompanying), that he has little 
doubt that it was the same kind of caterpillar which did much 
harm at a locality in Forfarshire in 1826. The next notice of severe 
injury after 1837 ^ appears to be that given in detail in 1851 by 
Professor I. O. Westwood (still our highest entomological authority) 
of bad attacks occurring in some parts of Cornwall, and also in 
Nottinghamshire, and it was from the caterpillars causing the iidand 
devastation that Professor Westwood identified the attack and 
drew the very characteristic figures accompanying his description. 
Later on, in 1854, Mr. Stainton (the special authority on 
moths of this group ^) mentions that "in 1851 this insect was 
excessively abundant tliroughout the country, and from Southend in 
Essex to Belfast the same enormous multiplication of the species 
was observed. The turnip growers thought some new blight had 
fallen on their crops, but fortunately subsequent years have not 
shown a continuance of the inordinate numbers of this species." 
In Farm Insects of John Curtis (published 1860, witli preface by 
the author bearing date January 1859) no further reports of in- 
jurious presence are added by him to his previous notice of this 
insect, therefore 2">resumably there had not been a further visita- 
tion of it. 
In 1883 I had observations of damage occurring at two localities 
in Yorkshire, also near King's Lynn, Norfolk, and Harwich, Essex ; 
and in 1884 I had again observations of diamond-back presence 
' Journal R. A. S. E., Vol. III. (1st Series), p. 71. 
' See Gardener's Chronicle and Ayricult ural Gazette, 1851, p. 484. 
' Stainton's Tineina, p. 07. 
