78 A, E. GIBBS — NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA 



clouds. Mr. Heaton tells me that the specimens he took last year 

 were all of a small size, one of them only measuring IJ inches 

 across the wings. 



An insect which appears to be getting scarcer with us is the 

 large tortoise-shell butterfly ( Vanessa polychloros). Some years ago 

 I used to take this plentifully near St. Albans, and it even used to 

 venture into the garden at The Hollies, but of late it seems to have 

 almost entirely disappeared. Mr. F. Latchmore, of Hitchin, writing 

 on this subject, says: " Fonnerly this insect was common at 

 Ickleford. The chrysalises were to be seen hanging from the 

 coping of the walls near the church opposite some lime-trees. I 

 have not seen a pupa-case at that spot for some years." Mr. 

 Spencer records the capture of one specimen at Bricket Wood in 

 1892, and he saw another in Cassiobury Park in 1893. It is 

 several years since I saw this insect on the wing. 



In speaking of the Fritillaries, reference need only be made to 

 two insects. The pearl-bordered fritillary {Argynnis euplirosyne) 

 was unusually common. Mr. Dymond mentions its occurrence at 

 Ayot on April 26th, and when the Society visited that place on 

 May 13th it was still to be seen sporting over the green outside the 

 gates of Brocket Hall Park. Messrs. Latchmore and Gatward, of 

 Hitchin, inform me that at Hitch "Wood it was taken in some 

 numbers. The same recorders mention the fact that later on the 

 high brown fritillary {^A. adippe) appeared in the same locality. 

 A careful examination of the plants of the dog-violet round the 

 outside of the wood did not lead to the discovery of the larva?. 



Last year the capture at Broxbourne of a single specimen of the 

 chalk -hill blue {Lycmna corydon) was placed on record, and I then 

 expressed the opinion that though this insect had not hitherto been 

 recorded for Hertfordshire, it ought to occur on the hills in the 

 north and west of the county. I am glad to be able to mention 

 that Messrs. Latchmore and Gatward state that it abounds at Lilley 

 Hoo. The same two careful observers report that in the cutting 

 of the Cambridge and Hitchin line they saw some specimens of the 

 little blue {Lycmna minima) at rest on some rushes in a wet spot 

 on the bank side. This insect has appeared before in our county 

 lists. 



At a recent meeting of the Entomological Society, some interest- 

 ing varieties of the small copper butterfly [Polyommatus phlceas) 

 captured in Middlesex were shown. This pretty little insect was 

 observed in unusual quantities everywhere, and my Hitchin coiTe- 

 spondcnts especially call attention to its abundance. I should be 

 glad to learn if any aberrations in markings were noticed in this 

 butterfly in our own county. Mr. A. Lewis and I again took a 

 fair number of larvae of the purple hairstroak, both at Bricket 

 Wood and at Symonds Hyde. They are oak-feeders and not 

 difficult to rear. Mr. Heaton reports the captiire of the white- 

 letter hairstreak at Bricket Wood in August, 1891, and tells me 

 that Mr. T. M. Goadby caught three specimens in Cassiobury Park 

 in the same year. 



