District around Maldon, Essex. 35
folia are perhaps the most interesting. The former is
abundant on hedges, feeding on both white- and black-thorn.
It is frequently recorded as being a wood insect, but I have
only once found it in a wood, when it was feeding on, or at
any rate came off, oak.
One hundred and sixteen is the sum total of the Geometra
hitherto observed. Pericallia syringaria and Eurymene dola-
braria both occur sparingly; and the "Thorns" are repre-
sented by two good species, Selenia lunaria and Ennomos
erosaria, although these have only occurred singly. The
"Essex Emerald," belonging to the typical genus Geometra,
has altogether eluded the search both of Mr. Fitch and
myself, but should occur along the sea-wall near Maldon.
Phorodesma bajularia is no rarity in oak-woods, but flies high.
Mr. Fitch records two noteworthy Acidalia—A. emutaria, and
A. inornata. Aleucis pictaria, first discovered at Colchester,
seems to occur wherever I have netted during the early part
of April. Larentia multistrigaria is said to be a common
insect, but it certainly is not so in our part of Essex. Of
Emmelesia we have four species, E. unifasciata being the best.
The Eupithecia have, I fear, been rather neglected, fourteen
being the tale. These are mostly common species, E. albi-
punctata and E. coronata being the most remarkable.
Anticlea rubidata is not so abundant as the frequent presence
of its food-plant, Galium mollugo, would lead one to expect.
Coremia quadrifasciaria is recorded in the 'Entomologist' as
having been taken at Danbury, where I have myself taken a
single specimen of Scotosia undulata. Cidaria picata is com-
mon, so are the two species of Chesias amongst broom.
The Drepanulidae are represented by two species only,
Platypteryx hamula occurring regularly, but not in any
numbers. The Maldon district is not rich in the "Promi-
nents," even ordinary species like Notodonta ziczac and N.
camelina being somewhat rare.
Proceeding to the Noctuae we find that Cymatophora flavi-
cornis occurs near Maldon, in a district where birches are to
be found in gardens only. Tridens and ligustri are the best
species of Acronycta. Leucania comma, so abundant in some