34 The First Night's Sugaring in England.
occupants, but amongst them were many uncommon species,
doubly welcome by reason of their charming condition and
freshness. The next day I told a friend of my extraordinary
adventures with the night-flyers. We agreed to make a
trial of the plan in the forest apart from the honey-dew
covered trees. My friend had a quantity of old honey; to
this we added some sugar, and wended our way to the woods
with the liveliest hopes of a grand night. In the forest a
place was quickly selected for this second experiment, and
we brushed over with our sweets a large surface of foliage.
We now went about "mothing" until the time arrived to
light our lamps. Upon approaching our artificial honey-
dew, as I might call it, 1 was even more surprised and
pleased than the night before at the spectacle presented to
us. Thyatira derasa and batis appeared like gems on the
leaves. These had our attention first, both for their attrac-
tiveness and their active habits, always on the move. The
next species to share our admiration was Aplecta herbida; we
had never seen a perfect specimen before, so our delight may
be imagined. Aplecta nebulosa swarmed; in fact, became a
perfect nuisance, for, like Xylophasia polyodon, it is generally
in such a fluster that it disturbs and frightens away a more
valuable moth. Apamea gemina, a species not always to be
had, was plentiful, and Grammesia trilinea swarmed, and
with them were some specimens of the curious variety known
as bilinea; at that time a good example was scarcely in any
cabinet. The remainder of the scene was enlivened with
Noctuae brunnea and festiva, with the usual common species of
the genera Agrotis and Miana; also the more welcome
Hadena adusta, H. thalassina, and H. Genista, as well as many
others. We returned home highly delighted with our ex-
cursion. As soon as our stock of honey was exhausted, we
had recourse to sugar alone, and found it equally effective.
Edward Doubleday was at this time at home, and had the
charge of my captures to set out in the absence of his
brother. He used to say "I wish my brother home to help me
set your captures, you bring so many good things." On
Henry Doubleday's return from Paris he was surprised in