18 
NOTES OF OBSERVATIONS 
usual; and also at Tangley, Guildford. Mr. B. A. Bolfe mentions 
that the caterpillars of this moth did some amount of damage to the 
autumn Cabbages near Kew; in some plots the hearts were much 
riddled, and hand-picking resorted to with partial success. 
13. Agrotis segetum. Turnip Moth. We have no notes of 
appearance of Agrotis segetum taken by itself, but the surface caterpillars 
appear to have been excessively numerous at different localities. 
Mr. Tait, of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, mentions Noctuie as being 
more than usually plentiful up to the end of July; after that they 
were scarce, and several of the‘autumn species did not occur at all. 
Mr. Tait mentions that snow lay on the ground in the district from 
early in December until April; and he attributes the preservation of 
the early summer Lepidoptera to this protection, and the small 
quantity of autumn appearance to destruction in their early stages by 
cold wet weather after thawing of the snow. He notes the autumn 
larvae as very abundant. Mr. Kaye mentions that at Bury, Lancashire, 
the surface caterpillars have been very numerous and destructive; 
and at Tranmere, Cheshire, Mr. Willoughby Gardner observes that 
the larvae of various common Noctuae, as Agrotis, Mamestra, and 
others, have been a regular pest in gardens this summer, eating up all 
the green leaves, and even turning as a last resource to Ivy and 
and Ferns. Mr. Fitch also mentions a similar visitation in a garden 
at Islington, where the numbers of larvae were enormous. These 
larvae appear to bear low temperatures perfectly well, for a few speci¬ 
mens of surface caterpillar, which I found in my garden at Isleworth, 
were quite uninjured by frost penetrating for many days (at readings 
of between 32° and 38°) a foot deep into the ground; and many 
specimens were brought me in from the neighbourhood also perfectly 
uninjured. 
14. Phyllotreta undulata, and other species. Turnip Fly. Flea 
Beetle. Mr. McDonald mentions the Fly as being usually rather 
destructive at Kirkwall amongst the Turnips in a mild summer; if 
the season be wet and cold it is hardly noticeable. Dusting the leaves 
with wood ashes whilst the dew is still on is found to be a good 
remedy. At Dunrobin, Sutherland, Mr. Melville notices that the 
Turnip Fly has not done much mischief, probably owing to the wet 
weather. Many fields of Turnips were almost a total failure, but the 
season appears to have been too wet for the Fly to have much to do 
with it. In Isle of Mull the Fly is mentioned by Mr. Grierson as not 
being as numerous as in previous years ; and at Inverurie, Aberdeen, 
