OBSERVATIONS ON INSECTS AND VERMES. 
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the phalcena viridata* concerning which, I find the following note in 
my " Naturalist's Calendar " for the year 1785. 
About this time, and for a few days last past, I observed the leaves 
of almost all the oak-trees in Denn copse to be eaten and destroyed, 
and, on examining more narrowly, saw an infinite number of small 
beautiful pale green moths flying about the trees ; the leaves of which 
that were not quite destroyed were curled up, and withinside were the 
exuvice or remains of the chrysalis, from whence I suppose the moths 
had issued, and whose caterpillar had eaten the leaves. — Markwick. 
EPHEMEEA CAUDA BISETA. MAY-FLY. 
June 10, 1771. Myriads of May-flies appear for the first time on the 
Alresford stream. The air was crowded with them, and the surface of 
the water covered. Large trouts sucked them in as they lay struggling 
on the surface of the stream, unable to rise till their wings were dried. 
This appearance reconciled me in some measure to the wonderful 
account that Scopoli gives of the quantities emerging from the rivers 
of Carniola. Their motions are very peculiar, up and down for many 
yards almost in a perpendicular line. — White. 
I once saw a swarm of these insects playing up and down over the 
surface of a pond in Denn Park, exactly in the manner described by 
this accurate naturalist. It was late in the evening of a warm summer's 
day when I observed them. — Markwick:. 
SPHYNX OCELLATA. 
A vast insect appears after it is dusk, flying with a humming noise, 
and inserting its tongue into the bloom of the honey-suckle ; it scarcely 
settles upon the plants, but feeds on the wing in the manner of 
humming birds. — White. 
I have frequently seen the large bee moth, sphinx stellatarum, 
inserting its long tongue or proboscis into the centre of flowers, and 
* If this was the ph. (tortrix) viridana as suggested by Mr. Markwick. They 
are extremely destructive, and not confined to the south, in some parts of 
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