CURRENT NOTES, 191 



atalanta, of which, by the way, I obtained three larvae, and have bred 

 the imagines since my return. From Draguignan I moved on to 

 Hyeres, arriving on May 9fch, and remaining until the 19th, The 

 weather, except for the last few days of my stay, was bad, with abund- 

 ance of rain and absence of warmth. Consequently, certain of the 

 species I had hoped to obtain were delayed in emergence, with a 

 result that I only obtained few specimens in some cases, and, in others, 

 none. Melanaryia syJlius was perhaps the most abundant butterfly, so 

 far as the males were concerned ; the females, however, were not fully 

 out, and I had great difficulty in obtaining a modest series. Epine- 

 phele paaiphae did not emerge until May 15th, and only males were 

 obtained, these, however, were plentiful on the last day of my stay. 

 The best species observed was undoubtedly Hesperia sidae, of which I 

 obtained a tine series of about two dozen examples ; others could have 

 been taken had I been so disposed. I should fancy this species is a 

 widely distributed one in the district. I found it myself in two 

 localities, and Mr. Powell informs me he has met with it in several 

 others ; its haunts are hollows in woods, on the edge of clearings ; it 

 does not appear to be anywhere abundant, or even common, eight or 

 ten specimens representing a good morning's work. H. sidae is 

 readily distinguishable on the wing from any other skipper flying at 

 the same time, and is not particularly difficult to capture. Towards 

 Carqueiranne, Pontia daplidice, in the second brood, was appearing, 

 and was in fine condition ; Anthocharis belia var. ausonia was flying, 

 and with it were examples of the first brood, or at any rate of the 

 typical form. Chri/sophanus gordius was not unfrequent, males passe, 

 females line ; Enchlo'e euphenoides was almost over ; worn Lampides 

 telicamis, fine females of Thais medesicaste, Nomiades cyllarus, and 

 Melitaea var. provincialis were taken. In the cork woods, and, at the 

 back of the town, Papilio viacltaon flew wildly, including ab. anrantica ; 

 very large Aporia crataegi, in both sexes, were well out ; Limenitis 

 Camilla was fine and abundant ; one or two battered Euvanessa antiopa 

 were observed ; Melitaea cinxia and M. didyma were common ; M. 

 phoebe and il/. athalia, just emerging; JJrenthis euphrosyne was nearly 

 over ; Epinephele ianira var. hispulla, males fairly common, one female 

 only; Urban us {Carcharodus) alceae was frequent; and one male Thy- 

 melicus actaeon was netted.- — -W. G. Sheldon, Youlgreave, Croydon. 

 June 12th, 1905. 



(gfU RRENT NOTES. 



Mr. Bagnall adds {Ent. Mo. Mag.) IViplax bicolor, GylL, to the 

 British list. It was taken with T. aenea, in fungus growing on elm 

 and holly, at a height of from 4ft. to 12ft. from the ground. 



The Hon. N. C. Rothschild notes that Pulex cheopsis, the flea 

 usually associated Avith the spread of plague, was taken on Mus decu- 

 vianus, at Plymouth, on April 16th, 1905. It is the first record of this 

 species in Britain. 



Mr. Luft" has again laid entomologists under obligation in publish- 

 ing two new local lists — one The Insects of Herm, the other The Insects 

 of Jethou. He also issues a " Synopsis of the recorded Fauna and 

 Flora of the Sarnian Islands," so far as lists of species have been 

 published. It is difficult to estimate exactly how much we owe Mr. 

 Lufi" for his excellent work in cataloguing the insect fauna of the 

 Channel Islands. 



