172 The Irish Nat lit alls t. July, 



ZOOLOGY. 



Lepidoptera in Co. Mayo. 



While botanizing for mosses and hepatics during the first week of 

 May, 1901, in the neighbourhood of Pontoon, on Lough Cullin, Co. 

 Mayo, I observed several Peacock Butterflies {Vanessa w) ; and one day 

 when the sunshine was warm, along the wild ground between the bridge 

 and the hotel, Green Hair-streaks (S^allophrys rubi) were abundant. I also 

 saw in three different spots on the margin of the natural woods that still 

 remain some Tortoise-shells, which appeared to be larger and of a duller 

 colour than the common Tortoise-shell ( Vanessa urtic<B). Mr. D. M'Ardle, 

 of Glasnevin, who was in my company, also had a good view of all these 

 insects when they alighted on the low bushes within a few feet of where 

 we happened to be. We had no way of taking any specimens, but were 

 able to get so near as to have individuals of all three species frequently 

 almost close enough to touch and under observation for some minutes 

 at a time. 



H. W. LKTT. 



Aghaderg, Co. Down. 



Lycsena argiolus in Co. Waterford. 



The Holly Blue is very abundant about here. I have noticed it as 

 early as the 26th of March (/r. Nat., 1894, p. 114). This, I think, is the 

 earliest record as far as Ireland is concerned. This year, on March 28, I 

 saw two or three males, and heard the Chiff-chaff for the first time on 

 the same day. The males of the Holly Blue about here usually precede 

 the females in emergence from the pupa state. On April 10 this year I 

 caught seven— all males; on nth, fifteen— all males; and on the 15th, 

 forty-four, of which all were males, except two. I liberated a number 

 of this last capture. The butterflies were so abundant on the 15th 

 that sometimes I could have netted three together. At one place I 

 was much interested in watching two of them standing on a small 

 wet spot sucking up the moisture from the black moist ground. It 

 recalled many pleasant days of collecting in Switzerland, when a wet 

 spot on a mountain's side has often caused one's heart to pit-a-pat with 

 excitement at the sight of hundreds of butterflies crowded together, 

 generally on a very small spot, having their morning drink or afternoon 

 tea. I have never seen L. argiolus here in the autumn, although con- 

 stantly on the look-out for it. 



W. W. Fl,BMYNG. 



Coolfin, Portlaw, Co. Waterford. 



