16G 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCEE. 
CEcophora luuaris, just emerging 
from the chrysalis, 
Ephestia semirufa, 
and a few bugs. — John Scott, 13, Tor- 
rington Villas, Lee, S.E. 
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS 
(of insects). 
“ Apres nous le deluge" was the doctrine 
inculcated by those who thought this the 
best of all possible worlds as long as they 
had a part in it, and they had some op- 
portunity for their antics; but even they 
will now be obliged to confess that the 
weather might be better, and that no 
cause can be shown why posterity should 
be cheated of its portion of rain, which, 
on the authority of the aforesaid prophets, 
we should all be quite willing to believe 
was its due. It is suggested that the 
profusion of wet that has come upon us 
is consequent upon the reiterated remarks 
of the meteorological sky-gazers, that for 
the last three years there has been a de- 
ficient supply, and that ever so many 
inches of rain were due to us, and so 
Aquarius, tired of hearing this constant 
grumble, has allowed the Gemini to take 
the plug out of his reservoir, and, like the 
Spanish Government, has resolved, out 
of spite, to pay the debt all at once. 
But whatever fun this may be to “ those 
heavenly boys,” as an orthodox reverend 
has called the zodiacal twins, it is no 
joke for us to be always under a 
cloud. 
Kept in a state of pereistent moisture, 
we have been driven to speculations on 
the fashionable subject of “ selection of 
species,” and considerations whether 
those individuals among hexapod.s and 
bipeds tbal show the greatest capability 
of adaptation to the existing state of 
things, by becoming amphibious, might 
have the best chance of surviving. In- 
sect-hunters generally have grown despe- 
rate under the infliction, for almost the 
only employment left for them is, after 
clothing themselves in waterproof, to 
saunter by the side of palings or to 
examine the trunks of trees. There 
moths and beetles have been driven for 
their only refuge, and, though late in the 
year, many may still be found in such 
situations ; indeed I think that the want 
of heat has retarded the appearance of 
many insects, as many species that first 
appeared six weeks ago, are still coming 
out. For instance, there is (Ecophora 
lunaris, which I first saw early in July, 
and yesterday there were individuals just 
out of chrysalis, trying to dry their wings. 
If I mistake not the indications, we shall 
know the larva of this beauty next year. 
J^'or the last fortnight the moths have 
swarmed on every paling ; in fact, they 
were the commonest species, as well as 
the prettiest. The outstretched position 
of their fore legs is very peculiar among 
the Tineina; it is just that of the 
CerurcB. 
QScophora unitella is now rarely seen ; 
the attitude of the fore legs is the same 
as in (E. lunaris. CE. pseudo-spretella and 
(E . fuscescens are occasionally visible, as 
is their wont. 
Gelechia leucatella is common enough, 
though long past its usual time, and in- 
deed the coats of many individuals arc 
now much worn, reminding one, in their 
tarnished lustre^ of the old livery of a 
decayed serving-mau. 
Gelechia fugilivella was, as usual, very 
common in chinks and crannies of the 
oak-palings under elm-trees, whence they 
surveyed the world, always with an eye 
to the main chance of escape, which they 
evidently considered to be the whole 
