109
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM AN OLD
POCKET-BOOK.
By JAMES L. ENGLISH.
[Read October 25th, 1884.]
A few notes of the doings of insect-hunters in Epping Forest and its
neighbourhood forty-six years ago, and in other remarkable times
from 1838 to 1862, may be of interest to some of our entomological
members. I have therefore put together the following lines, chiefly
from the records contained in an old pocket-book, and partly from
recollection.
I had the good fortune to commence collecting lepidoptera within
a cycle of years noteworthy for the appearance in abundance of many
of the rarer forms of insect life. Perhaps one is apt to exaggerate
the goodness and pleasure of bygone years, but on looking over an
old cabinet of butterflies and moths, some of our young aspirants
may well be surprised at the many examples exhibited of species
which are now very rarely, or indeed never, met with, despite the
energetic exertions of our modern collectors.
The winter of 1837-38 was very cold, with heavy falls of snow,
which remained where it had drifted on the north side of Gaynes
Park Wood, near Epping, until after the 18th of May. But the
spring weather was warm and genial, and the early caterpillars were
nearly full-fed by that date. At the beginning of May I had taken
Asphalia (Cymatophora) ridens.1 Tephrosia punctulata was common,
its rarer congener T. Consonaria frequently occurred, and on several
occasions I very gladly boxed the noble Notodonta trepida—species
which are now of the greatest rarity in this locality, if, indeed, they are
ever noticed. The common spring larvae came forth in legions : so vast
were the numbers that whole woods—Gaynes Park, Hill Hall and
Ongar Park Woods—were defoliated, and at mid-summer had the
appearance of mid-winter, with leafless and blossomless trees. The
caterpillars of the pretty December moth (Poecilocampa populi) might
have been counted in thousands, and those of Agriopis aprilina were
common in the crevices of the oak bark.
The following year (1839) was nearly the counterpart of the pre-
1 In default of a distinctly authoritative list of our British lepidoptera, we propose to follow
the "'Entomologist' Synonymic List of British Lepidoptera,"—compiled by Mr. Richard South
(London, 1884. West, Newman & Co., 54, Hatton Garden, E.C. Price 6d.)—in future papers
treating of our native forms. Mr. South mainly follows the arrangement and nomenclature of
Dr. Staudinger and Dr. Wocke, and his list, although possibly far from perfect, yet appears to be
more in accordance with present knowledge than Doubleday's list, for so many years used by
British collectors.—Ed.