cvi Journal of Proceedings.
dozen before leaving. Over these oaks I have seen scores of Brephos
parthenias and B. notha at one time. On one occasion I captured over a
hundred specimens of B. notha during a day's ramble. In the hollow
below, on the right, on that very aspen, I took that great prize, Gluphisia
crenata, and beyond, on the left, I obtained another specimen of the
same rare moth. In fact the whole wood was famous at that time for the
Cuspidata?, especially for Notodonta carmelita, N. dictaea, N dictaeoides,
N. dromedarius, N. ziczac N. trepida, N. chaonia, and N. dodonaea, all
of which occurred periodically. 1 used to beat the grand Geometra
papilionaria out of the birch and alders. Here are the same birches
and alders, but where is the 'Great Emerald'? I believe that bats
are great enemies to this last species. I gathered up one morning no
less than three dozen pairs of wings, dipt off the moths by the bats.
Angeronia prunaria also occurred in vast numbers. 1 have captured
fifty examples in one evening. The Ephyra's, Boarmia's, and other
species associated with those 1 have mentioned, were equally plentiful.
These are things of the past—we all know and lament the present
scarcity of good insects. We must abide the time when, we hope, cir-
cumstances may bring into being again these gems of former years."
Mr. Cole remarked that although some of the species which Mr.
English recorded had apparently disappeared from the district during
late years, others had certainly been taken in the forest districts in recent
times, and several were still common. It should be remembered that
some of the species mentioned by Mr. English were only of occasional
or even sporadic occurrence anywhere ; and now that the forest was pre-
served they might hope in good entomological seasons to see some of them
again.
The charming woodland walk was continued through Gaynes Park
Woods, Hill Hall Woods and Coopersale Forest. In an open space, well
shaded with oaks, and commanding a fine view over the valley of the
Roding, Prof. Boulger gave, viva voce, a very interesting address on
" The Hornbeam in the Woodlands of Essex and of South-west
England," illustrating his remarks with specimens and drawings. Mr,
Boulger traced the distribution of this undoubtedly indigenous tree in
Middlesex, Essex, Herts, South Cambridge, Sussex, Kent and Surrey, and
quoted some remarks of a Swedish botanist named Kalm, who in 1748
visited Richard Warner at Woodford, and explored parts of Epping
Forest. Mr. Boulger gave a full account of the botanical characters and
of the valuable properties of the hornbeam as ,a timber and ornamental
tree, and advocated its extensive planting in the treeless parts of Epping
Forest. He pointed out also that Epping Forest was unique, both
on account of its being distinctively a hornbeam forest, and on account
of the hornbeam and the beech growing together in it, the former
liking a clayey soil and being indifferent to drainage, the latter only
thriving in a lighter soil and with good drainage.* Mr. Meldola and Mr.
Raynor, in returning thanks to the Professor for his address, gave some
facts bearing upon the distribution of the tree in the Colchester district,
and a very cordial vote of thanks was accorded to the speaker. During
* See account of the Hornbeam in Prof. Boulger's " Familiar Trees " (Cassell).