126 

 SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LEPIDOPTERA ROUND EXETER. 



BY MU. EDWARD PARFITT. 



Being a new subscriber to ^'The Naturalist/' and seeing that no one is 

 writing from this favoured county — Devonshire, I beg to send you the result 

 of my own experience during six years residence in Exeter; I therefore propose 

 to give, through the pages of "The Naturalist/' some account of the Entomology, 

 Conchology, and Botany round Exeter, with an occasional visit to some other 

 parts of Devon. I do not mean to say that my lists will be at all perfect 

 in any one branch of the sciences before mentioned, but should this catch the 

 eye of any one living in this neighbourhood, it may prove a stimulus to them 

 to prosecute, if not the three branches, any one of them; for here I am 

 almost isolated, as it were, in the midst of numerous objects of study, for 

 I can scarcely find an individual that cares to trouble himself the least about 

 any one subject in Natural History, that is, in regard to study. I have 

 had several at different times, go, for a Botanical stroll, with me, and have 

 induced them to buy a work on Botany, but directly they have opened it, 

 and seen such a mass of hard names, as they call them, the subject has 

 been abandoned directly; and such is precisely the way it has been with many 

 'others. 



One great drawback to the study of Natural History here is, that we have 

 no Museum in Exeter; it is a great inconvenience even to parties acquainted 

 with any one branch of Natural History; as we have no chance of comparing 

 specimens, which, as we all know, is very requisite, particularly to clear up certain 

 points which it is almost impossible sometimes to convey in words. My own case 

 for instance; — my means are very limited, and for the want of reference either 

 to books, or what is better, authentic specimens, I have consequently in my 

 cabinet and herbarium numerous specimens undetermined, particularly Moths, 

 Beetles, and Fungi. 



In this paper I shall confine myself entirely to the Diurnal Lepidoptera; 

 we will begin with the spring. Goiiepteryx Mhamni, (Brimstone Butterfly,) 

 is generally plentiful in early spring. Then follows Pontia Brassicce, (Large 

 Cabbage Butterfly,) which is much too common, particularly in small gardens. 

 P. Rapa:, (Small White:) this was remarkably plentiful last year, particularly 

 the second brood, in July and August; I have caught dozens in a day in my 

 garden, to destroy them; for if they were left to deposit their eggs, the caterpillars 

 would very soon destroy the whole of our cauliflowers, cabbages, and other 

 crops. P. Napi, is also very common. But P. Sahillicm, (Dusky-veined 

 White,) is comparatively scarce. P. Metra, (Howard's White.) is another much 

 too common. It is a difficult matter sometimes to decide about this species, 

 for specimens occur belonging to P. Napi, which border so nearly upon P. Metra, 

 that it is difficult to determine to which they really belong. P. Cardamines, 

 (Orange Tip,) is very common in meadows and gardens round Exeter. 



