114 ^^^^ Irish NatuyaList July, 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



BY SIR CHARLES LANGHAM, UART., M.R.I.A. 



Early in the summer of 1914 I decided to make an 

 expedition to Co. Clare, my chief object being to obtain 

 specimens of Zy^aena piloscllae and Plaiypiilia tesscra- 

 dactyla. 1 left home on the 13th of June, accompanied 

 by my wife and one of my gardeners, who had often 

 collected for me and proved very useful on other ento- 

 mological trips. We motored all the way, a matter of 

 some 160 miles ; the weather was perfect, but the roads 

 left nmch to be desired, particularly in Galway. 

 Unfortunately we had two punctures and a burst tyre, 

 which delayed us considerably^ so that it was 7 o'clock 

 that evening before we reached Bally vaugh an in the 

 Burren of Clare, which we made our headquarters. 

 Zygaena pilosellae was so plentiful that it \Nould have 

 been impossible to overlook it ; but Plaiyptilia 

 tesseyadactyla would in all probability have escaped our 

 notice had it not been for the kindness of Mr. de Vismes 

 Kane, who had previously given me minute directions 

 as to the most likely localities in which to find it ; 

 and by closely following his advice we were successful in 

 obtaining a few specimens. During the ten days of our 

 stay the weather was uniformly good and very hot, and 

 having the motor we were able to cover a good deal of 

 ground, and explore the coast some twenty miles on each 

 side of Ballyvaughan. What particularly astonished me 

 was the large number of insects on the wing during the 

 daytime. We did very little work at night, comparatively 

 speaking, as we were all tired after the day's excursions, 

 and setting the captures took up all m}^ time during the 

 evenings and early mornings ; however, my man sallied 

 forth most evenings and procured some good things. 



The following is a list of the rarer species obtained in 

 this neighbourhood : — 



Leucophasia sinapis. — Three specimens obtained near the town on June 



14th. 

 Argynnis aglaia. — One freshly emerged taken on June i6th. 

 Lycaena minima. — Extremely common but rather local. 



