814 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII. 
No. XIX.— AN UNUSUAL SWARM OF MOTHS. 
The Society recently received a number of moths which were said to be 
swarming in very large numbers round the cantonments at Amballa. Lt.-Qol. 
J. Patterson in forwarding the specimens wrote : — 
“ Numbers are found every morning in dark corners, such as behind pictures, 
inside topees, behind almirahs, curtains, etc. They get into strange places such 
as chests of drawers, the only way to which is by entering at the bottom of the 
chests of drawers, and passing up between the back of the drawers and the back 
of the piece of furniture. I do not think they can breed out in the drawers. 
I have asked the inhabitants here and they say that they have never seen 
an3dhing like these numbers of moths.” 
The moths were examined by Mr. T. R. Bell who identified them as follows: — 
The moth is Agrates flammatra, Fabricus; in England it is called the Black-coUar 
and is very rare. It is there known as Noctua flammatra-, I believe its new 
generic name is Rhycia. I do not know anything about the local food plant but it 
is probable that it feeds upon any low plant. The food plant in Europe is the 
Dandelion, Taraxacum densleonis and Strawberry (Fragaria). The larva 
is certain to pupate underground in the earth like others of the type. In some 
years it is certain to find that certain species of moths turn up in enormous 
numbers even though, ordinarily, they may be scarce. It depends mostly, I 
think, on absence of Natural enemies (Ichneumons, etc.) combined with suit- 
able climatic conditions. 
No. XX.— OCCURRENCE OF THE GALEOD SPIDER (RHAGODES 
NIGROCINTUS) IN THE SOUTH ARCOT DISTRICT, 
MADRAS PRESIDENCY. 
{With a 'photograph.) 
It may be o. interest to your readers that a male specimen of Rhagodes nigro- 
cintus (GaleodidcB, Arachnida) was obtained last September at Gingee in the 
South Arcot District of this Presidency. 
