Reports to various Correspondents. 35 
that strength on dormant wood, even if 98 per cent, strength of com- 
mercial caustic soda is used. The stronger solution would, I feel 
sure, destroy the glutinous cover over the young caterpillars. The 
tents should always be collected as soon as they are seen forming, 
and burnt with their complement of larvae, or collected and put in 
pails of quicklime. Those high up may be cut oft with long-handled 
shears, such as are used for tree trimming. 
The species on hawthorn hedges may be destroyed on a large 
scale by beating the hedges with supple sticks, and treading on the 
caterpillars as they fall down. 
The Ermine Moth caterpillars are preyed upon by starlings, which 
greedily devour them, and I have bred an Ichneumon in numbers 
from specimens collected in Kent. 
The Pith Moth. 
(Lavernct atra , Haw.) 
Several fresh enquiries have been received during the past 
summer. The pest is now known to occur in Gloucestershire, and is 
also doing damage in other districts in Kent. It probably has a 
wide range in the Southern part of England, but has been overlooked 
by growers. 
The notes in the First .Report (p. 68) were mainly from personal 
observations. Mr. William Bear, of Hailsham, now points out to me 
that the larvae are found not only, as in the attack observed by me, in 
terminal shoots, but in any shoot and bud. Mi'. Bear writes as 
follows : — “ It is not only terminal shoots that are attacked, nor 
shoots of any class alone. I find scores of the caterpillars in buds 
rendered abortive by them.” Mr. Bear sought for the eggs and 
could find none, and doubts that the caterpillars exist on the leaves 
in the autumn. “ If the caterpillar pierces the buds there should be a 
hole at the base, and I have never seen one, I say, at the base, because 
the caterpillar is always found with its head towards the tip oi the 
shoot.” 
The moths commenced hatching out this year, both from speci- 
mens received from Mr. Bear and those collected by myself, on July 
12th, and continued until August the 10th. The moth is extremely 
variable in colour, some being almost black, others brown, and yet 
others with grey and white markings, as described in the First Report. 
Unfortunately, I was not successful in getting any to lay eggs in the 
breeding-cage, nor did I observe any in copula. The moths are very 
active, running with great energy ; they usually settle on the old 
D 2 
