41 
any shape ov form. Then, as you probably know, it is of a most 
degraded type, for in captivity it is not particular what it eats, decaying 
vegetable matter, raw beef, tomato, geranium flowers, its own brethren, 
spiders, aphides, etc. It chooses as its home the empty reed stems, 
always finding one that exactly fits it. What is its natural food? I 
have found them crawling about at night in the old reed beds drinking 
the dew, and I think its real food must be the confervid growths at 
the base of the reed stems. 
The general colour of the “Wainscots’' is rather striking, but it is 
no doubt due to protective coloration; their habitat is among the reeds 
and sedges, and the way they choose their resting-places during the 
day is truly wonderful. I once or twice have found viaritnna in the 
day time sitting under an old reed stem with its wings wrapped round 
it, and I had to look several times before I was quite certain about it. 
Then again, why do Wainscots produce black forms, especial 1} the 
Nonag rias ? It cannot be for protection, because they would be so 
conspicuous on a green or brown stem. I believe Dr. Chapman said 
he thought it was a reversion to the original type. There is no doubt 
the reed-colour of the “ Wainscots ” is assumed to harmonise with its 
surroundings, and it is an unnatural colour amongst the 'Soctuae: I 
think it is a point of the deepest interest, as it is such a consistent habit. 
As regards the difficulty of collecting a good series of Wainscots, 
it is no easy matter, as each species has practically a different habitat, 
and one must go for each species separately. Light is a most attrac¬ 
tive medium, and sugar sometimes, but one must study each species , 
for instance, it is no good going to try and catch brevilinea or jianrmea 
in thick reed beds, or ulvae and dissolutei on the open fen, though 
they may all be within a hundred yards of one another. Some of the 
species are exceedingly local, and I cannot account for this, as many 
of them are strong fliers, and the food-plants occur all o\ei the country. 
Cannae, for instance, is confined to one little corner of the Broads, but 
never seems to spread, and geminipuncta occurs all through the 
country, but not in the broads. Then again, many species occur one 
year and not again for several seasons. Why? Chiefly, I think, 
owing to the regular cutting of the reeds and rushes, which, being 
done in the winter, destroys the eggs, but as the demand foi thatch or 
chaff does not increase now, I hope all the indiscriminate cutting am 
burning will cease, and allow the “Wainscots to re-establish them¬ 
selves, and enable us to find out something more about this delightful 
family. 
