1909.] • 151 



THE "LAEaE COPPER" BUTTERFLY {CHBYSOPSANUS DISPAR). 

 BT G. H. VEERALL, F.E.S. 



As no accepted record exists of the occurrence of this species in 

 Britain since 1848, T do not think I can be accused of acting in an 

 unscientific manner by trying to reintroduce it through continental 

 specimens. I have consequently (through the kindly help of Mr. 

 J. W. Tutt) turned out a number of the larvae of the "' rutilus " form 

 at Wicken Fen, and I ask the su|)port of all Entomologists to pre- 

 serve specimens from capture for some years to come in order to see 

 if this beautiful species can be re-established. It will also be interest- 

 ing to see, if, in the course of a few generations, any reversion to the 

 British form '■^ dispar'" will occur. 



I hear that an attempt is also being made to introduce the other 

 " dispar " {LymaniricC) at the same place, so British (?) records of 

 this will also be valueless. 



Sussex Lodge, Newmarket : 

 June \Uh, 1909. 



NOTES ON TUE LIFE-HISTORY OF CLEPSLS RUSTICANA, Tb., 

 WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LARVA AND PUPA. 



BT EUSTACE R. BANKES, M.A., F.E.S. 



In Lep. Brit. Isles, x, 208-209 (1905), the late Mr. C. G. Barrett 

 wrote as follows of Clepsls rusticann, Tr. ;— "Larva apparently never 

 noticed here, except that Mr. J. E. Eobson tells me that Mr. J. Sang 

 found the larva at Eggleston, Durham, in May, 1881, but left no 

 details. V. Hornig records that it is " dirty greenish-yellow, with a 

 pale brown head " feeding in " spun-together leaves of Lotus, Doryc- 

 nium, and Gentiana ainarella in September," and "inhabiting mountain 

 districts." This last statement seems to be in slight contradiction to 

 its habits with us. Schmid says that it feeds on bilberry and Onohry- 

 chis sativa ; and Goeze adds Gonvallaria. Pupa said to lie, in a 

 whitish cocoon, on the ground." Barrett apparently overlooked the 

 fact that, some years before his own notice can have been written, 

 Meyrick, in H. B. Br. Lep., 538 (1895), had given the larva as 

 " greenish-ochreous ; dorsal and lateral lines darker ; dots darker ; 

 head brown," and as feeding "on Myrica, Vaccinium, &c.,''' in July 

 and August, though the source of his information is unknown to me. 



My acquaintance with the larvae began on October 26th, 1901, 

 those then brought home yielding two imagines, on June 1st and 3rd, 



