112 ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM AN OLD POCKET-BOOK.
that grand and long-lost species ever taken in England. I also met
with Nonagria cannae, then new to Britain, and always extremely
scarce.
In the autumn of that year (1846), the great Convolvulus Hawk
Moth (Sphinx Convolvuli), was out in great abundance, and I hardly
think that it has occurred so abundantly since.
My excursion to Yaxley was so successful that I was induced to
to go again the following year (1847), only to see the Great Northern
line staked out between the villages of Holme and Yaxley. Then
came the draining of the Mere (once one of the most extensive
pieces of water in England), the burning of the sedge and the
beautiful marsh plants; and then Whittlesea Mere, with its choice
flora and fauna, became only a memory.
But to return to Epping Forest. I have no notes of any
importance between the years 1847 and 1862, as my occupations
prevented me from doing much work in collecting. The year 1862
was also a very favourable one for insect life, and the spring was very
mild. On January 31st, at six a.m., my thermometer recorded
52 degrees Fahrenheit, and Hybernia lucophearia was out on the
wing. On February 4th the thrush was singing, and Phigalia
pedaria (pilosaria) was seen, and our friends, the bats, were out of
doors. The weather continued mild until the 19th, when the first
honey-bee was seen, and the thermometer stood at 55 degrees.
April set in pleasantly, and hybernated larvae were very plentiful
from the 8th to the end of the month. On April 30th, Drepana
cultraria (unguicula), Tephrosia consonaria, and Lobophora viretata
were out: the last named rare species has not been found in the
forest for many years. The same year Notodonta chaonia occurred
at rest on trunks on the outskirts of Monk's Wood.
The forest has not greatly changed since these grand entomo-
logical seasons. What unknown cause has occasioned the dearth of
these interesting insects in late years? The woods are there, the
food-plants still flourish; but where are the insects?
Reptilia.—The following appeared in the "Essex Weekly News," Feb. 18th,
1887 :—"A Nest of Adders.—A curious discovery was made the other day at
Saltcourt Farm, Goldhanger, in the occupation of Mr. H. Rush. Some car-
penters were removing an old gate post at the entrance of the farm in order to put
down a new post, and when the old post was lifted, in the space at the bottom
they came upon a nest of adders (19 in number), consorting with which were three
snakes and two swifts. The adders were all about three-quarters grown, and
were in a dormant state. It is needless to add that the whole of this interesting