226 ON THE DIURNAL LEPIDOI'TEIIA OF SUSSEX. 



"The rude stoue fence, with Wall-flowers gay, 



To me more pleasure yields 

 Than all the pomp imperial domes display." 



Scott. 

 The Woodpecker, (Ficus viridis,) may be heard about the middle of the 



month, and the Blood j-nosed Beetle, (Timarcha teneh-icosa,) found in great 

 numbers. 



Totnes, Devon, 18o2. 



SOME ACCOUNT OF 

 THE DIURNAL LEPIDOPTERA OF SUSSEX. 



BY MISS MARIA E. CATLOW, 



As it is always interesting to the entomologist to know the localities 

 frequented by his beautiful favourites, I intend giving in the following paper 

 a brief account of the Diurnal Lepidoptera which came under my own 

 observation, when living in the extreme west of Sussex — three miles from 

 Midhurst, and about two from the range of hills forming part of the South 

 Downs. The neighbourhood is very lovely, the face of the country extremely 

 varied, the climate mild, so that the collector of "winged gems" has many 

 advantages in the prosecution of his favourite pursuit. Extensive and breezy 

 commons, rocky sheltered lanes, meadows and gardens, by turns invite him forth 

 to ensnare his favourite game, without any risk of sharing the poacher's fate; 

 or even of being classed, as he might formerly have been, with the '''very 

 eccentric." He would probably not capture all the species named in a single 

 excursion, nor even in a single season; but if he will accompany me in the 

 spirit, I can at least point out the localities in which I had the pleasure 

 of finding them. 



The magnificent Papilio Machaon, (Swallow-tail,) I never had the good 

 fortune to take myself, but one specimen was caught on a wood-stack by a 

 neighbour's coachman, and was added to his collection; so that I can vouch 

 for that beautiful insect being found in this locality. 



Gonepieryx FJiamni, (Brimstone Butterfly,) may be seen any day in May, 

 and again during the autumn, flitting, like an animated primrose, tip and 

 down the common; or even early in March on the skirts of the pretty 

 sheltered woods so common in this neighbourhood; looking, at that early 

 season, like a fairy promise of the coming spring, and often, like other 

 promisers, proving but a gay deceiver; yet it is ever welcome, for though 

 our variable clime deceives us day by day, always breaking its fairest vows, 

 we are quite ready to be deceived again. 



Colias Edusa, (Clouded Yellow.) is not very common here; indeed it 

 prefers the vicinity of the sea: whether a distant sight of that element be 

 sufiicient for its happiness I know not, but the only specimen I found, was 

 on the beautiful Downs, just where a magnificent prospect of the Isle of 

 Wight, Portsmouth, Chichester^ and the blue expanse of ocean greets the eye. 



