90 THE entomologist's record. 



and the zigzagging males of Porthetria disparweve abundant. Soon a 

 huge dark satiny male Knodia dri/as appeared, and then the larger and 

 less intensely black female. Here, there, and everywhere, as one Avent 

 on, this species was in unparalleled abundance, whilst a plant or two of 

 Eri/ufiimn gave several Hipjmrchia sondr and H. aret/iusa. The latter 

 species soon became only just less abundant than E. dri/as and a few 

 good specimens of each were quickly pinned. In the path through the 

 wood Liwcnitia Camilla was also in unusual abundance, the males small, 

 the females quite up to usual standard size, but both getting a little 

 jjassi'. (Jocnonymplia arcania and Lycacna arion were both evidently 

 over, but many things were netted along the pathway — Minoa 

 cuj}horhiata amongst box, Hcodiona plutnaria, (inojiho-^ obficiirata, and 

 huge pale G.J'urvata, quite unlike the dark ones from the Tyrol. Here, 

 too, Kfcbia aethiopa began to put in an appearance, increasing in 

 numbers as one went on, and then a quick stroke made a prisoner of a 

 fine male Hlpparchia briseis. Standing back at a huge butterfly that 

 darted almost straight at one, I found I had netted Sati/nts hermionc, an 

 exceptionally large female, whilst as I proceeded I still picked out 

 the blackest K. drijas and consigned them to the box. Once through 

 the wood there are large clover fields. We hear of clover-sick land, 

 but this ground has grown clover for some seven years to my knowledge 

 and it still reaches well up to one's middle and no sign of failure. A 

 small piece of waste ground on the side, however, perhaps 40-60 yards 

 long,andlO-20yardsdeep,rather grassy with somebig bushes of lucerne, 

 and here and there a walnut-tree, forms a corner that has long been a 

 favourite place with me. One year it simply swarmed with Anthroceras 

 — A. lonicerac, A. carniolica, A. achillcae, A. tram^alpina. I have seen no 

 great numbers of these on it since. Another year small Geometers, 

 Acidalia ochrata, A. riifata, Aspilates i/ilraria, Strenia dathrata, &c., 

 abounded. This year the lucerne was specially well-grown and the number 

 of butterflies in this one little spot was simply incredible. Almost every 

 species in the district must have congregated here on August 19th. They 

 were literally in thousands — Ktiodia dri/as on almost every flower- 

 head, I netted over a hundred, of which I kept about a third, 

 in about half an hour, and there was no apparent lessening in their 

 numbers; Krchia aethiopx large, exceedingly fine, and just out, almost 

 as numerous, Dryas paphia and Aryynnis. adippe among the larger 

 fritillaries, whilst on the tree-trunks, SatyruH Jtcmuune and Hiiqiavclda 

 Hcmde, the latter often, however, coming to the flowers. With these 

 CalUuioipha hera got up at every step and lumped down a yard or two 

 away on another flower-head, to doze or sleep again. But the common 

 Avhites, /'. rapac, P. bramcac, P.napi and Lcucup/iasia .s7'»rt/>/.s, although 

 abundant, were far outnumbered by the small fritillaries, blues and 

 skippers, which kept the whole of the larger butterflies one seething 

 mass of confusion, and the advent of a bustling Colias It y ale was sure 

 to disturb many. P>ienthh dia, Mditaca didyuia, M. jihoebe, M. (?) 

 aflialia, were all common, and M. cinxia not rare, whilst to PolytDiiiiiatiis 

 rorydoit, /'. bdlaryus, P. In/las, P. icanis, P. axtiardir, P. acyan, one 

 has to add J'jrercs aryiadcs, which was here in greater numbers tlian I 

 had ever before seen it, and N()niiadr>i semiaryits was not at all rare. 

 l\pi)irjilidc iaitira was in thousands, so also was A', tit/ioitns, and there 

 was now a fair sprinkling of P!. lycaon. Mdaiiaryia yalatca was nearly 

 over, and (JmtfiitcryA- rliamni was in rather fewer numbers than is 



