THE WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST, 
77 
of Nepticulce this autumn I send you 
this notice that the readers of the 
“AYeekly Entomoligist ” may have 
their attention directed to the subject. 
II. T. Staintox. Mountsficld, Lew- 
isham, S. E. October 13. 1862. 
EXTIRPATION OF INSECTS 
In the last number No. of the 
“ Zoologist ,” my excellent friend Mr. 
Birchall makes some remarks on the 
question of the extermination, or, 
more correctly, the extirpation of 
insects^ by the hand of the collector. 
Mr. Birchall seems to think that 
more has been attributed to this cause 
than the facts warrant, and he is 
supported by the Editer of the “ Zoo- 
logist,” who quotes Nematus venlri- 
cosus (the gooseberry grub (and Pieris 
Brassicce (the large white butterfly) 
as examples of man’s inability to 
arrest their increase. While fully 
admitting the cases cited, I must still 
express, at least to a considerable 
extent, my dissent from the conclusion 
drawn. For myself, I entertain no 
doubt whatever that, in many in- 
stances, the wholesale capture of 
insects has a direct tendency, if not 
to extirpate, at any rate to cause the 
temporary disappearance of species. 
Not now to bring forward the often 
mooted question of C. Dispar (the 
large copper) let me adduce one or 
two instances, which have occurred 
to myself, and which seem to cor- 
roborate my view. The first example 
is that of Eupithecia Pimpinellata 
( Denotata olim.) Three years ago, 
my friend Mr. Crewe taught me how 
to look for this species. The food 
plant Pimpxnella Saxifraga is not 
uncommon here. Eor a considerable 
time however I searched in vain, and 
was very nearly giving it up, when 
I happened to light upon a piece of 
scrubby ground, aboqt an acre in 
extent, in one corner of a field. It 
consisted chiefly of small brambles 
and furze bushes, mixed up among 
w liich was a great deal of the Pim- 
pinella. There, for the first time, I 
found the larva, and, being anxious 
to secure a good supply, I went out 
regularly after it, every day for a 
week. The result has been that, 
having gone in search of it again 
during the past two Autumns, I have 
not been able to find a single speci- 
men. I have no doubt in my own 
mind that I have been guilty of its 
extirpation in that locality, and I am 
heartily sorry for it. Cases 2 and 3. 
Eupithecia Tripunctata and Trisignata 
At the same time, viz, three years ago, 
Mr. Crewe, when searching with me 
for Tripunctata in a plantation not 
far from my house, discovered Trisig- 
nata. Only two larvae however. 
After he left me, I sought diligently 
for both species. I took a considera- 
ble number of Tripunctata. The next 
year I went again. Not one was to 
be seen. This year it seems to have 
slightly recovered again, for, after 
many hours search, I have succeeded 
in taking twelve. Having only taken 
a single larva of Trisignata in the 
above named plantation, I went to 
