THE LEPIDOPTKRA OF ESSEX. 75 



Jermyn's " Vade Mecum "). The new butterfly is fairly common and 

 generally distributed ih our county, and is a startling instance of 

 what may still remain to be done even among our scanty, much 

 studied, and much collected butterflies. I have but little information 

 from the characteristic country to the north and west of Saffron 

 ^Valden— the north-west corner of our county — which Mr. Christy 

 has aptly termed "the chalky uplands." It is a district in which 

 many local species, peculiar to chalk soil, may be expected to occur. 



I have to thank Mr. W. H. Harwood, Rev. G. H. Raynor, and 

 Mr. B. G. Cole, for some help with regard to the respective localities 

 in which they have collected. 



The plan of the paper is self-evident ; it is simply intended to 

 gather together the published records of the Essex Lepidoptera ; a few 

 uri[iublished records are occasionally added, but exceptionally, and for 

 a special purpose. Now that a summary of the printed records is 

 furnished, it should be easy for our lepidopterists to add to 

 thera from their own observations, and the Editor of the Essex 

 Natur.vlist will be very glad to have local lists, or observations on 

 single species, for publication, so that we may get to know the extent 

 of our native riches. Upon the completion of the Catalogue of the 

 Lepidoptera of Essex I shall hope to say something about the com- 

 parative distribution of the species, noting those believed to have 

 become extinct, and the relative richness of our lepidopterous fauna as 

 compared with that of other counties. 



I ought, i)erhaps, to say that the nomenclature and arrangement 

 followed is that of Mr. R. South's " Entomologist " List, being a 

 recent (1884) adaptation of Standinger and Wocke's valuable Cata- 

 logue. The headings of families, etc., are omitted. The abbrevia- 

 tions used in making the references will be readily understood by 

 most entomologists, but for the benefit of those taking up the study, 

 a full list is appended. 



RHOPALOCERA— BUTTERFLIES. 

 Papilio machaon, L. Swallow-tail. 



Geographical distrihution — Europe, North Africa, Asia to Himalaya, and perhaps 

 Japan, Western North -America. Generally distributed and frequenting woods, 

 open fields and gardens ; but in Britain now supposed to be confined to fens of 

 Cambridgeshire, Hunts, and Norfolk, where it is rapidly disappearing. 



Larva — Bright green, with deep black rings, which are spotted with red. Food 

 — Common and hogs fennel, wild c.irrot, and other umbelliferse. Imago — May to 

 August — hibernates as pupa. 



