THE RECENT " RAYNOR " SALE OF ABRAXAS GROSSULARIATA. 269 



The recent " Raynor " sale of Abraxas grossulariata. 



By a curious coincidence the " Magpies " sold by Mr. Stevens at his 

 Auction Rooms, on October 25th, last were almost equal in number and 

 value to those of the same owner sold three years previously. In 1907 

 the produce of 172 specimens was £199, and in the present year 221 

 specimens realised £192, the average value of each moth thus working 

 out at something like a sovereign. There was, however, this difference 

 between the two sales, viz., that in the earlier one several of the 

 specimens were reared by other collectors, notably varleijata, chalcobares 

 and melanozona, whereas this time every specimen without exception 

 was reared and set by Mr. Raynor himself. The setting and condition 

 of the insects were above reproach, and, although some entomologists 

 present considered they w^re not quite so large as the previous ones, 

 we ourselves thought them by no means lacking in this respect, 

 allowing for the fact that there were on this occasion more representa- 

 tives of the second brood which naturally runs smaller. 



There was a remarkably good attendance at the sale, although 

 the actual number of bidders was not very large. No doubt the " big 

 men " frightened off some of the " smaller fry," and, as in other sales, 

 a good many collectors, being unable to appear in person, availed 

 themselves of the services of certain dealers. It seemed to be a 

 recognised fact that there were three insects of outstanding 

 merit, namely Lot 68, " a magnificent gloriosa, with three-fourths of 

 the forewings solid black and chocolate intermixed," for which six 

 guineas were paid. Lot 81, "a wonderful female, combining 7iif/ricostata 

 wath lactfasparsa," which fetched £11, and Lot 82, evidently of the 

 same ancestry, being an " extraordinary female, with darkened costa, 

 but few markings on any wings," which realised £7 5s. Had w^e 

 been offered the pick of this trio, we almost think our choice 

 would have fallen on the first of the three, i.e., on Lot 68, which was 

 " glorious " indeed, both in size and markings, although no one could 

 fail to covet the other two for which more was paid. Here we may 

 remark "en parenthese," that £11, although easily a record for the 

 species, is not the highest price ever paid for a moth, as, unless our 

 memory errs, a certain Arctia caia was once knocked down for £14 14s. 



There were exactly 100 lots of lacticolor and its offshoots, and 102 of 

 l/ronsidariata and its aberrant forms. Among the former. Lot 73, " a 

 large fulvous nif/ricontata, with suff'used markings," made £3 10s., and 

 " a dark bronze male iochalca " (Lot 62), £2 12s. 6d., by no means an 

 out-of-the-way price for so tine an insect. In fact, all the 

 seventeen specimens of ab. iocholca fetched only moderate prices, but 

 we thought the twelve cinitralipuncta did fairly w^ell. This lately-named 

 aberration reminds us greatly of ab. melanozona, in so far as the discal 

 spot is much enlarged and stands out quite clear of all the other dark 

 markings. It is a beautiful and distinct form. 



The prices paid for ab. chrysostriata were not unduly high, for the 

 golden sheen pervading the ground-colour is really very beautiful. 

 Therefore £1 10s. spent on the purchase of Lot 41, belonging to this 

 form, but with violaceous hind wings, w^as by no means a bad 

 investment. 



Of the 102 f/rossidariata lots, those containing the abs. littea and 

 December 15th, 1910. 



