ABERRATIONS OF ARGYNNIS AGLAIA. 77 



wings the same except for a small area towards the costal margin, 

 which is slightly suffused with pale tawny ; the thorax, the cloudings 

 at the base of the wings -tnd along the costa of the forewings are a 

 beautiful greenish-grey, while the spots are intensely black. Alto- 

 gether it 13 a grand specimen, and as I regarded it before capture 

 while, with outspread wings, it imbibed the sweets from blackberry- 

 blossom, I must confess I suffered from certain nervous tremors, so 

 afraid was I that I should miss it. To get within striking distance I 

 had to. force my way through a deep ditch densely overgrown with 

 brambles, but the capture of so beautiful an insect amply recompensed 

 me for the numerous scratches received. 



ISati/rns seiiiele. — During the last two seasons I have sought for 

 aberrations of this abundant species. In both sexes the variation of 

 the marbling on the underside is considerable, as is also the extent 

 and brightness of the orange-tawny areas on the upperside. Many, 

 also, have additional " blind " spots on the forewing, between the two 

 apical ocelli. I have also taken one of each sex without any ocellus 

 on the upperside of the hindwings, and also' a ^ with only one, the 

 upper, apical ocellus on the underside of the forewings. 



hlpinephele tithonns is another butterfly, abundant in this district, 

 which varies a good deal in the number of ocelli present on both the 

 upper- and undersides. I have taken several interesting specimens 

 with from one to three spots on the forewings, and up to as many as 

 four spots on the upperside of the hindwings. These also vary in the 

 size of the spots. 



Xanthorhae iiiuntanata. — On June 3rd, 1913, my wife netted a most 

 uncommon and beautiful form of this species. The forewings are pure 

 white and, beyond the central fascia, the basal patch, and a row of 

 minute spots faintly visible on the extreme edge, are perfectly devoid 

 of any further markings or cloudings whatever. The central fascia is 

 wide, greyish, and distinctly and broadly edged on each side with deep 

 black ; central spot elongate and conspicuous. Hindwings, also, pure 

 white with a light-grey central band, broadly edged with black, run- 

 ning from the costa almost to the inner margin. Cilia on fore- and 

 hindwings almost immaculate, the chequering only visible on careful 

 examination. So much does the specimen differ from the type that I 

 thought, when I first saw it, that something neAv had been captured. 

 I ought to mention that it is a ? . 



In 1913, treacling, during September and October, was very pro- 

 ductive, although no great variety of species turned up. The four 

 kinds which were easily first in abundance were Ai/rutis se(ietam, which 

 showed considerable variation, I'eii'drouia saiicia, also variable, Ajioyo- 

 ■ jilii/la Hi//r(i and Pldiiijophova iiieticnhmi, the last a perfect pest. Other 

 insects attracted that autumn were A(p-(itis ijpsilon (common), Xoctiia 

 c-7ii(/nini, N. riihi, Omphaldxcelis liinom, Auiathc'^ lota, A. mai-ilciitti and 

 Cal(jc(uiijia exiileta. In 1914, treacling was practically a failure. A. 

 seiiftiiiii, A. !/jisili)n and P. miicia failed to make any appearance what- 

 ever, while only two A. nii/ra were seen. Often there would be no 

 lepidopterous visitors at all to the treacled patches, and on the most 

 attractive nights only half-a-dozen moths or so would turn up ! 



At light we have taken, amongst other things, Miltoc/irista uiiniata, 

 Veiiias ruryli, Foecilocauipa jiojiidi, Macrothylacia riihi ( ? s), I'Jtcusia 

 dictaeoides, Agrotis /mta, A. tritiri, Envois adiista, Luperiua [TItnlcra) 



