128
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
There is a single representative of the extremely rare moth,
the Red-headed Chestnut (C. erythrocephala) from Deal, Kent,
and of another, "The Conformist" (X. furcifera) bred from
ova obtained in the exclusive Welsh locality by Evan John.
A curious record is a specimen of the Spotted Sulphur (A. trabealis)
from Mucking; as this was in 1906, a great year for migrants,
it probably came from "over the water," the species being
practically confined to the "Breck" district of Suffolk. The
two specimens of The Alchymist (C. alchymista) are marked
"ex pupa dug, S.E. Coast," and "Isle of Wight,"; this must
have been a lucky find for the pupa-digger, as this is one of
the excessively rare moths of which records are very few.
There is one example of the Clifden Nonpareil (C. fraxini) with
data and an aberration of the Red Underwing (C. nupta) in which
the red coloration of the under-wings is replaced by dark brown.
Coming now to the Geometrae, there are two of the Speckled
Beauty (C. Viduaria) ; this species is probably now extinct in
this country—it formerly occurred in the New Forest. There
are eight of the Great Oak Beauty (B. roboraria) from W. Essex,
showing a slight melanic tendency; as these were taken in
1925 they are probably another instance of the spread of melanism
in the outer London district previously referred to and of which
the Peppered Moth (A. betularia) is a classical example. The
entirely black form var. doubledayaria is now the prevalent one
in Epping Forest. Also the same change may be noted in the
Mottled Beauty (B. repandata).
It remains for me only to conclude by congratulating the
Essex Field Club on having acquired this valuable and repre-
sentative Collection, the work of a life time. It may be well to
mention also that the Club has received Mr. Mera's notebook,
in which records are to be found of all species going back to the
60's of last century.
Essex Bird Notes.—Five teal appeared on the Blackwater at Bocking
in March, 1931, and stayed for three or four weeks during the sharp
weather. No one remembers to have seen them here before.
A pair of Tufted Duck appeared on the lake at Gosfield Place in April,
and were still there in mid-May: these ducks are also regular visitors
to Wormingford mere, where I saw three in April of last year (1930).—
Alfred Hills.