NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 157 



numbers of cilialis he had, showed that it must be full out ; the usual 

 time for it is the third week of June, and I have taken it as late as 

 August nth. Things appear to be generally early in the Fen, as the 

 day I was there (May 31st) Papilio machaoii was flying in a worn con- 

 dition. — Wm. Farren, Cambridge. 



Notes of the Season. — Guernsey. — During a business stay in the 

 Channel Islands, extending from June 20th to July 4th, I was unable 

 to devote much time to collecting, but paid several visits to my old 

 locality for Melitcea cinxia, which occurred in profusion on its very 

 limited ground, and some rather warm and exciting sport resulted in a 

 long series in grand condition, amongst which were three varieties of 

 undersides (one of which is very fine) and several well-marked upper- 

 sides. Our best day's sport was on Midsummer Day, when we filled all our 

 boxes. Amongst other species, I was glad to be able to secure about 30 

 Nemoria viridata, which were knocked out among the furze, and were 

 in the finest condition. I might add that although killed, as usual with 

 all my captures, with ammonia, the delicate green colour is not in the 

 least affected. Nemeophila russula was very common, the males on 

 our earlier visits affording us some capital exercise, and it was pleasing 

 to see the enthusiasm their wild flight evoked from my companion, 

 whose motto after once starting in pursuit was '''' Nil desperandum.^'' On 

 a later visit we were fortunate in finding the females of this species on 

 the wing, and secured 7, which is unusual in my experience, as pre- 

 viously I had found that the females were as retiring in their habits as 

 the males are the reverse. Amongst them was one good variety, in 

 which the underwings were as light as in the males, with a complete 

 absence of the usual black cloud, hio statices were very much more 

 widely distributed but hardly so common as on previous visits, and 

 females of this species were also more in evidence than in previous 

 years. Arctia villica was fairly plentiful and remarkably strong on the 

 wing : the enthusiasm aroused by its very brilliant appearance in the 

 sunshine hardly sufficing to carry the pursuit to a successful end. 

 Orgyia fascelina appeared early \ I took a fine pair in cop. on grass 

 stems, where, although such large insects, they were remarkably incon- 

 spicuous. We also took full fed larvae of the same species and a single 

 one of Bo)nbyx trifolii. Pararge seniele v/as dashing about on the cliffs, 

 and cEgeria in the shady lanes above ; although woods are entirely absent 

 here, possibly they are attracted by the old name of the parish, "The 

 Forest," and accept the similitude for the reality. Acidalia proinutata 

 occurred sparingly at rest on the cliffs, and Zygcena Jilipendiihe rivalled 

 Ino statices in the metallic brilliancy of its appearance on the wing. We 

 were tempted by the prolific nature of the locality to stay the night and 

 try our luck, but, unfortunately, the evening selected proved very clear 

 and cold, with an almost frosty brilliancy of the stars ; nothing appeared 

 on the wing at dusk, saving one or two of the commonest micros and 

 some 1,000 to 1,200 sugared flower heads produced next to nothing ; 

 a few Minna strigilis, Viininia nunicis, Agrotis exclaniationis, etc., only 

 appearing, to our intense disgust. I indulged in only one other even- 

 ing, with the treacle tin daring my stay with precisely similar results, 

 excepting that the common species were rather more plentiful, and one 

 very worn Caradrina superstes gave evidence that I was too late for 

 that interesting species. — .\lbert J. Hodges, Isle of Wight. July 5///, 

 1802. 



