62 
belonging to the Genera Agrotis, Leucania, Mainestra, &c., two or 
three Geometrfe, a few Crambidse and Phycidse, and a number of 
Tineina, especially of the large genus Gelechia. These insects 
shelter themselves during the day at the roots of the rough grasses 
and stunted plants that grow on the sands, and especially under 
the overhanging edges of the hills, whence the sand has fallen 
away , leaving the roots and herbage hanging down ; but always 
carefully avoiding exposure to the wind. So much is this the case 
that an experienced Entomologist upon arriving at a range of sand- 
hills, knows at a glance by the direction of the wind where to 
look for the insects. 
The larger and stronger species fly at night, the smaller ones in 
the afternoon and evening, when the weather is moderately warm 
and still, but many of them will not stir on the wing except on 
the calmest evenings, the species of the genus Gelechia in particular 
being so excessively sensitive to wind, that m order to dislodge 
them from their hiding places among the grass, furze, or moss, it Is 
only necessary to blow sharply, with the breath, among it, when 
the little creatures come hurrying out, and dart away into some 
sheltered spot at once, not hesitating, occasionally, to settle on the 
clothes of their tormentor, but always carefully choosing tlie 
sheltered side. 
Now it happened that early last J une I arranged to meet one of 
our Vice-Presidents, Mr. De Grey, at Brandon, in Suffolk, for a 
day’s collecting. Our sport was capital— indeed I have had the 
pleasure of exhibiting here on a former occasion, some of the 
rarities which I then captured for the first time— but among the 
insects we took were five species, (which I beg now to lay before 
you) namely, MameMra albicolon, Anerastia lotella, Gelechia 
desertella, Gelechia marmorea, and Gelechia distinctella, four of 
which are considered to be most exclusively coast-sandhill insects, 
and the fifth, Gelechia distinctella, is scarcely ever met with in 
any different locality. 
I have no doubt that some of the members present, especially 
those who are also Geologists, are well acquainted with the pecu- 
liar soil of Brandon, and the adjoining country for some distance. 
But for the information of those who are not, it is necessary that I 
should say, that it is a loose light sand, precisely such as is found 
on tlie North Denes at Yarmouth at the present time. 
