INSECTS occurs sparingly in many places, and has been met with in some numbers by Mr. Burrows at Mucking. Neuroma popularis comes freely to 'light,' and often knocks for admittance at the windows of country houses late in the evening. Cbareeas graminis has the reputation of being extremely injurious in the larva state to pastures, but though common in many parts of the county, the Essex farmers do not appear so far to have traced any extensive ravages home to it. Cerigo matura (cytherea, Fb.) is also a grass feeder, which occasionally comes to ' sugar ' in some numbers, but seems to be commoner in the Maldon and Stanford-le-Hope districts than further north. Luperina testacea and L. cespitis are attracted by 'light,' and both may be found at rest on grass culms after dark, the latter being very much scarcer than the former. Mamestra abjecta is a coast species which is found in suitable localities along all the coast line from Southend to the mouth of the Stour, where Mr. Mathew has met with it in some numbers and in great variety. Mr. Burrows has also taken it freely at Mucking and Rainham and Mr. Laver at Tollesbury. M. sordida (ancefs, Hb.) is occasionally common at * sugar.' M. albicolon is sometimes found at Dovercourt and elsewhere on coast sands. One year the larvse were by no means uncommon at St. Osyth, but none have occurred there recently. (M.furva was recorded by the late Mr. Edward Doubleday to have been exceedingly common at Epping in 1832, fre- quenting the flowers of the raspberry, but probably this was an error of determination, as the northern species we now know as furva would not be likely to occur so far south.) M. brassicee and M. persicarice are common garden insects, the former the well known Cabbage Moth being really an 'injurious insect,' which is more than can be said for some other species that are frequently so designated. Apamea basilinea is also common, and is said to be very destructive in corn fields. A. gemina is sometimes plentiful at 'sugar' and flowers, especially those of the common rush. A. unanimis is frequently found in the larva state beside rivers and ditches. A. ophiogramma seems to occur rather freely some seasons in south Essex, but not north of the Maldon district ; it has been found at Brentwood, Rainham, Mucking and Woodford. A. leucostigma (var.forosa, Hb.) has been taken in some numbers and in great variety at rush flowers at Colchester. A. didyma occurs everywhere, often in very great abundance. Miana strigilis, M. fasciunc ula and M. bicoloria (furuncu/a, Tr.) are common generally. M. literosa is scarcer and more local, especially in the north, but has been found in greater numbers on the south coast. M. arcuosa is common at Colchester, and probably occurs in most places among Aira caspitosa. CARADRINID^E Grammesia trigrammica (tri/inea, Bork.) frequently swarms at ' sugar,' and fine varieties may be met with. Caradrina morpheus, C. a/sines, C. taraxici (blanda, Tr.), C. quadripunctata (cubicularis, Bork.) and Rusina tenebrosa are all more or less common generally, but like other common species they sometimes have their adverse periods. 151
