29 
It is refreshing to think that with an apparently diminishing fauna 
in one direction, there is to some extent a compensating increase, the 
most noticeable of which is Plusia moneta, which seems now to be 
fairly established with us. The last two inclement seasons have done 
nothing to diminish its numbers, and we maj 7 ' confidently hope that if 
it can stand the cold spring and deluge of 1903, it can stand anything. 
Perhaps the next in importance is Garadrina ambigua, which has 
greatly increased in numbers during the last few years. It was in 1895 
that I made my first acquaintance with C. ambigua, at Freshwater, in 
the Isle of Wight, whilst sugaring, and it was then considered a great 
rarity. Very soon after that it was taken in large numbers in South 
Devon, and in September, 1900, I saw it myself at Torcross in 
abundance. So far it has apparently kept to our South coast, 
preferring the counties of Devon and Cornwall. 
Another insect which has been taken in far greater numbers than 
in former years is Pachetra leucophoea, but that, I should say, is rather 
owing to a better knowledge of its locality and habits, than to a greater 
abundance of the insect. The same remarks may be applied to 
Nonagria sparganii. This insect is not even mentioned by Newman, 
and at the present day its habits and locality are only known to a few, 
who, up to the present, have kept it pretty well to themselves. 
The present season can hardly be considered rich in rarities. 
Among the most remarkable is the capture of three Laphggma earigua 
on the Essex coast. South Down has produced Heliophila extranea, 
PL. loreyi, and PL. vitellina ; but it does not appear that Pi. vitellina has 
been taken so freely this season as it was a few years ago, during those 
very hot and dry summers which we had, and which seemed particu¬ 
larly suitable to them. Until a few years ago, H. vitellina was 
considered one of our greatest rarities ; but it would appear that its 
South Devon haunts had been neglected, or were only visited by a very 
limited number of entomologists. This, like so many of our other 
rarities, seldom leaves the coast, and in only two instances have I ever 
known it to be taken inland. In one case a specimen was taken in the 
New Forest by Mrs. Hanbury, and the other was taken by my late 
friend, W. T. Sturt, in his garden at Finchley. There is an interesting 
record of Da/dmis nerii having been taken this year in Warwickshire, 
on October 9th, and the suggestion is that it must have been bred 
there, as the specimen was perfectly clean. No doubt many of our 
rarer hawk moths do emerge in this country, but as far as we can 
gather, they are the offspring of parents that have immigrated in the 
spring, and the larvae from which have fed up and emerged the same 
year. A still greater rarity than all, which perhaps ought to have 
headed the list, is the capture of a specimen of Upliima stolida by my 
friend Mr. J. Jager. It was taken at sugar, towards the end of Sep¬ 
tember, near Dartmouth. This is a North African species, and quite 
new to Britain. It closely resembles the genus Heliothis, which is 
fairly represented with us. It is difficult to account for these 
occasional visitors, and we may hope this one is only the pioneer to 
others. 
Before concluding, I should like to tender my best thanks to 
the Secretaries for their unremitting attention to the duties they 
have accepted, and I certainly congratulate the members in retaining 
their services, together with the other officers of the Society, all of 
