304 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



strongly developed, in others the black predominating with scarcely a 

 trace of orange. — A. E. Gibbs, F.L.S., F'.E.S., Kitchener's Meads, St. 

 Albans. 



The Worm and the Butterfly. — Since writing the note on this 

 subject, (see p. 274), I have received a letter from Mr. Crickmay. He 

 says that when walking round his garden at Wandsworth Common, at 

 7 a.m., towards the end of August last, he found a white butterfly 

 lying on its side with one front wing taken well down into the earth. 

 Having often watched worms pulling leaves into the earth, he at once 

 guessed what had happened. On closer inspection he noticed that the 

 tip of the wing was curled as it entered the earth, that the pulling of 

 the worm -was most distinct and that the butterfly counteracted the 

 worm's attack by clinging to the earth. Mr. Crickmay then tapped 

 on the ground and the worm ceased to pull, but after a quarter of an 

 hour, recommenced. He then rescued the butterfly and placed it on a 

 rooting in the sun where, though apparently little injured, it died. 

 Mr. Crickmay remarks that worms almost invariably seize a leaf by 

 the point, and his pen and ink sketch shows that in this case the 

 worm had seized the butterfly by the apex of the right forewing. 

 Considering the early hour of this occurrence and the death of the 

 butterfly, it seems probable that the insect had met with some previous 

 injury. — Alfred Sich, F.E.S., Corney House, Chiswick, S.W. October 

 SUt. 



Jg^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Agrius convolvuli at Chichester. — Atjriiis conrolruli has been 

 somewhat abundant in this locality during September. I have no 

 record of either t'olias edtisa or ('. /njale here throughout the past 

 season. — Joseph Anderson, Aire Villa, Chichester, Sussex. Norcmber 

 Ut, 1911. 



RuMiciA PHL.iiAs AND Celastrina argiolus. — One of the features 

 of the autumn here has been the great abundance of llniii'uia pJdaeas. 

 They were especially fond of the Michaelmas daisies and Rudbeckias 

 in the garden, and half-a-score or more were frequently to be seen at 

 one time sunning themselves on the blossoms of a single plant. Not- 

 withstanding the abnormally hot summer I observed no tendency to 

 the eleuti form in the autumn specimens, but the ab. caerulcoimnctata was 

 very frequent. The second brood of Celastrina ay(ji(jlit>i was also 

 unusually abundant here, and much earlier than it generally appears. 

 It was on the wing by July 6th, and practically over by the end of the 

 month. — J. A. Simes, F.E.S., Woodford, Essex. November 1st, 1911. 



Manduca atropos in Essex. — It may be worth noting that a J 

 Manduca atropos was taken in the window of a shop at Ongar, in 

 Essex, about September 16th. — A. E. Tonge, F.E.S., Aiucroft, 

 Reigate. October 18t/i, 1911. 



The Rarity of Pieris rap.e. — In the Knt. lleconl (p. 216) a 

 note appears calling attention to the marked abundance of rieris ra/ae 

 during the past season. We have been paying special attention to the 

 three common " whites" this year, as we have been collecting series of 

 them for a Scottish correspondent. Our experience is that /'. rapae 

 has been peculiarly rare in the Rugby district this season, /*. napi very 

 abundant, and l\ brassicae by no means scarce. This applies to all the 



