164 THE entomologist's record. 



colour of M. iliiU/nia and the comparatively few black markings serve to 

 distinguish it at once. The c? s of M. trina shew considerable 

 variation in the extent of the black markings ; 2 s were very scarce, 

 and of the two specimens that we caught, one has a ground colour 

 very similar to that of the ^ though rather more variegated, while 

 that of the other, which is a freshly emerged specimen, is a peculiar 

 pale ochre. A very large and bright form of M. duh/ma occurred in 

 the valley, but not higher up. M. athalUi was very much the most 

 abundant Melitaeid, and shewed interesting variations. The specimens 

 are, on the average, larger than any we have previously met with, and 

 the more heavily marktd forms are presumably var. meJiadiensia : the 

 more extreme specimens of this form are very tine insects with broad 

 black borders and thick central bands. A curious o aberration, taken 

 on July 1st, has well marked black borders, but the black central 

 band on both fore- and hindwings is entirely absent; on the under- 

 side the black markings on the forewings are mostly absent, and on 

 the hiudwings the antemarginal orange band is obsolescent and the 

 orange markings at the base are contracted into an almost solid 

 quadrilateral blotch. The markings of this aberration are quite 

 symmetrical and the wings are perfectly developed. We also met 

 with occasional specimens of 3i. aurelia, but this species appeared to 

 be rare. 



Of the rarer Vanessidae we saw only one species, namely a tine 

 specimen of Foly(io)iia l-album [cnu-albiint)y which was flying on July 

 18th in the woods below the Weisses Kreuz. It was feeding on the 

 exudation from the bark of a large oak tree in company with ^atynni 

 cine, 5. herinione, and numbers of Faratye roxelana, but it never 

 descended within reach of the net, even when the tree was climbed as 

 far as was possible. The specimen was, however, very nearly captured 

 at one moment, and a sufficiently close view was obtained to leave no 

 doubt as to its identity. The tree was visited on the two following 

 days, but there was very little sunshine, and the specimen was not 

 seen again. b^mionia pob/chloros was very common, but we were not 

 fortunate enough to meet with A", xanthomelas. 

 (To be i'ottHuded). 



Some Lepidoptera of the " Fourshire Stone" District. 



By GEOKGE WHEELEK, M.A., F.Z.S.. F.E.S. 



It is possible that some of those who have studied closely the 

 County lists of localities in Tutt's Briti»h Lepidopteia, and more par- 

 ticularly those in the Butterfly volumes of that work, may have seen 

 under the heading of Warwickshire the words "\\'olford (Wheeler)" 

 recurring with some frequency. 1 ought to begin by disclaiming any 

 proprietorship in the list from which these entries are taken ; it is not 

 mine, but my brother's. Still, W"olford was my earliest, and for many 

 years my principal hunting-ground, my first butterfly-net having been 

 a gift from my father, (who was himself a collector, and was Yicar of 

 the Parish for nearly fifty years), on my seventh birthday. I have 

 once or twice had a few hours' collecting there during the last two 

 years, but much of this paper must be a record of captures made long 

 ago ; the fauna of the neighbourhood however is so rich, and the 

 sight of a net not belonging to one of my own people so rare, that I 



