210 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



not doubt that the butterflies were violently used by some of our 

 clearing processes, and had probably been paired before we interfered 

 with them ; it was several moments before the male had courage to fly 

 away, though the sun Avas shining. 



Our observations took something over half-an-hour, of which some 

 12 to 15 minutes at least were occupied by the approach of the male 

 after the female had finally settled down. This part of the procedure 

 may have been longer than usual if the interruptions noted were due 

 to the sun being obscured and were not normal parts of the courtship. 



Prof. Poulton's observations {Proc. Knt. Sue, 1904, p. xlii.) are 

 somewhat fuller than my notes, but the agreement in many details is 

 evident, though I made my notes before referring again to Prof. 

 Poulton's narrative. The final dash and disappearance was a most 

 startling occurrence, and owing to the nature of the ground was more 

 complete and baffling in the case of the insects I saw than with 

 Prof. Poulton's, indeed the disappearance was so complete, that in 

 investigating it destroyed the actual proof that pairing had really 

 taken place. 



Some Lepidoptera of the " Fourshire Stone" District. 



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

 {Concluded from page 168). 

 Another direction in which good results may be anticipated is 

 Bourton-on-the-Hill, a village some two miles from Moreton, in the 

 opposite direction to Wolford, being situated on the slopes of the 

 Cotswolds, At the end of the village is an inn, where an excellent 

 meal may be obtained if required. When I was living at Burmington, 

 some six miles beyond Moreton, we used to drive over for a day's sport, 

 and always fed and "put up" there. Shortly beyond the inn on the 

 right-hand side of the road, and slightly removed from it, is an old 

 quarry which affords excellent sport. It is the nearest locality for 

 Lhipiilo )iiiniijiiis, and the best for Af/riades coridon. Melanarf/ia (jalatea 

 is also to be taken here, and many other species of the more widely 

 distributed kinds. But for actual sport I can recommend at this spot 

 the chase of Macrothylacia riibi '. The space is somewhat confined, and 

 it never, or scarcely ever, attempts to get outside it, and its rushing 

 flight, headlong, but with constant and most unexpected turns and 

 twists, makes its capture both a work of art and a most valuable athletic 

 exercise. But it can be done— for I well remember that in 1891 after 

 an afternoon spent in the chase with my then pupil (now the Hon. Wm. 

 Shute Barrington, who I fear has given up Entomology), he offered 

 my wife 6d. for every specimen she could catch on the wing, and on a 

 second visit, a few days later, she caught several, though I don't think 

 she ever got paid ! yenieoiihila plaittaiiini-'i is also an abundant species 

 at this spot ; and a little further on, at the side of the hedge skirting 

 the Dovedale drive, several good Geometers, including two, if not three, 

 of the genus Einnielesia are to be obtained. This latter place also 

 produces the Argynnids and Brenthids, but less abundantly than 

 Wolford Wood. 



If our supposed Lepidopterist be also a bicyclist, he will 

 find many other Cotswold localities easily within his reach, 

 towards Broadway in the one direction, and above Bourton-on- 

 the- Water towards Cheltenham in the other. These roads abound 



