44
NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
not altogether exterminate it in some of the more restricted localities. Mr. R. E.
James, in the "Entomologist" for December (p. 298), wrote that two hours'
work on September 12th furnished him with over fifty larvae. He adds (in
"Entom. Record," November, p. 256) that forty-five larvae were taken on two
small patches of wormwood, not more than a few yards square, both patches
being quite close together, Mr. Quail ("Entom. Record," vol. ii., p. 207) records
the taking of sixteen larvae in the same locality. For the information of those
having larvae of P. smaragdaria and finding difficulty in obtaining fresh supplies
of Artemesia maritima, Mr. G. T. Porritt mentions ("E. M. M.," vol. iii., 2nd
ser., p. 47) that the larvae will feel up just as well upon the garden species of
Artemesia known as "Southernwood" or "Old Man" (A. abrotanum). He
believes that all A, maritima-feeding species will take to it. This should prove a
useful hint for our Essex collectors.
Abundance of Larvae during the Autumn.—Many species of moths have
been extraordinarily common in the caterpillar stage. Mr. J. A. Cooper, of
Leytonstone, called attention in the "Entomologists' Record" to the numbers of
larvae of Spilosoma menthastri and S. lubricipeda, which in many cases had com-
pletely stripped the plants in the gardens. "At the back of the factory here,
there is about half an acre of waste ground, where, for many past years, I have
encouraged a fine growth of dock and other plants useful for feeding. There was
a perfect army of the larvae here, and as they grew in size they stripped every-
thing to the ground, leaving the tall stems of dock and willow herb quite bare."
Larva-beating in Epping Forest.—During the past season of 1891 many
kinds of larvae were abundant throughout the forest. Several species which are
generally very scarce were fairly plentiful. On 4th of July I beat out a larva of
Thecla betulae near High Beach, from which I bred a fine female on 11th August.
This species has been taken freely in various parts of the forest on sloe. The
great feature of the year was the occurrence of Stauropus fagi in Monk Wood.
On September 5th I beat one from oak, and on the 12th of the same month I
obtained two more, one from oak and the other from beech ; at least a dozen
other larvae of this species were found in the same locality, and the fine beech
trees in Monk Wood also yielded an unusually large number of Alias prasinana,
Venters coryli, D. pudibunda, Ephyra linearia, &c. Other kinds, such as Notodonta
ziczac, N. camelina, Dicranura furcula, &c, were also freely distributed. Thus it
is evident that the severe weather has in no way diminished the number of larvae,
but has probably destroyed many of the deadly parasites that prey upon them.
Also it would appear that the entomological resources of Epping Forest are far
from exhausted.—C. B. Smith, 24, Rectory Road, Stoke Newington, N., in
"Entomologist" for February, 1892.
Rare Dragon-fly (Agrion Mercuriale) in Epping Forest.—In an
article on "Some Famous Collecting Grounds for Dragon-flies," by the author
of "An Illustrated Handbook of British Dragon-flies" [W. Harcourt Bath], in
"Science Gossip" for January, 1892, occurs the following :—"Agrion mercuriale,
common, but very local [New Forest] ; it is only known to occur in one other
locality in this country, namely, at Epping Forest, in Essex." In the continuation
of his papers in the March number of "S. G.," Mr. Bath says :—"The delightful
domain of Epping Forest certainly ranks second to none in England for the rich-
ness of its Dragon-fly fauna. . . . Every enthusiastic London entomologist
ought certainly to be thankful that he has at his doors such a treasure-house of