The Autumn Butterflies at Eastbourne and some other 

 notes. 



By Robert Adkin, F.E.S. Bead January 21tJi, 1916. 



The weather during the autumn months of 1915 was distinctlj^ 

 "patchy." In some districts rain was frequent, while in others for 

 many weeks hardly a drop fell. For instance, while the neighbour- 

 hood of London was receiving a respectable amount of moisture, 

 we at Eastbourne were longing for a decent shower to freshen up 

 the parched gardens. We had plenty later, but that does not affect 

 the present question. It was perhaps owing to this difference in 

 weather conditions that the reports one heard of the scarcity, or 

 otherwise, of the autumn butterflies arose, but apart from that there 

 appeared to be a great difference in the relative numbers of what 

 one usually considers the common species, even in the favoured 

 districts. Why should Af/lais iirticae be rare while Pymmeis 

 atalanta was more than common ? They are species of similar 

 habits and appear at practically the same time of year. Or why 

 should Poly o))i Hiatus tear us be less common than usual, while 

 Afjriades thetis (bellaryus) was particularly abundant ? But I am 

 perhaps anticipating, and should give some details of what came 

 under my notice rather than indulge in generalising. 



The period under notice extended from the middle of July to the 

 early days of November, but my opportunities for observation were 

 by no means continuous, consisting as they did entirely of week- 

 ends, sometimes of two, or at most three days, but more often of 

 only one, and if that one happened to be cloudy, a full fortnight 

 might possibly elapse between the times that I had any chance of 

 watching the butterflies. The chief districts of observation were 

 the flowery banks along the western part of the parades, the sea 

 front of the Downs as far as Cow Gap, about a mile beyond, and 

 my own garden, with very occasionally a walk over the higher 

 Downs or through Abbot's Wood. It will perhaps be convenient 

 to deal with the subject under the heading of species rathar than in 

 sequence of dates, although it may necessitate some repetition of 

 dates and places. 



Pieris brassicoi and P. rapcc. — White butterflies were fairly com- 

 mon during July, August, and September throughout the whole 

 district, but at no time particularly abundant ; they were, however, 

 seen more commonly during the first fortnight of August than be- 



