NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 229 



by my young and ardent friend, Mr. Page, and imless Nature exerts a 

 strong recuperative effort, I am afraid the localities will suffer from 

 the effect of our combined energies. 



Our first visit for collecting was on April 29th, to the well-known 

 woods near Cliffe, in Kent. Arciynnts cuphrosyne was in such numbers 

 as I have never before seen it in these woods during the last 22 years. 

 There were but few in the rides, but in the recently cut parts of the 

 wood they were in the greatest abundance. Asychna modesteUa was 

 abundant in the sun, dipping its head deep into the nectaries of the 

 flowers of Stellaria holosten, or flitting aboiit the same plant laying its 

 eggs. Stigmonota perlepidana was in great abundance, and in lovely 

 condition, among the purple vetch, and the males of Fsyche imlla 

 swarmed in a field jiist beyond the wood. Very few " cases," however, 

 were to be seen on the gi"ass. Lomasjnlis marginata and Strenia cJathrata 

 Avere already out, together with swarms of Gracilaria alchem/ella and 

 Heliozele sericielln, as Avell as an odd si^ecimen or two each of Tischeria 

 marginea, Grapholitha ohtusana, Catoptria albersana and a considerable 

 number of Eupcecllia laaculosana, Cnep)liasin musrulana, Syriclithns vialvoe 

 and various species of LithocoUetis. On May 6th, a journey was made 

 to the chalk hills. Nisionades tages was in swarms and in the loveliest 

 condition ; Lyccena bellargus, a considerable number of males ; L. agestis, 

 L. teams, Argynnis euphrosyne, Pleris napi, P. rapce and Ccenomjmpha 

 pamphilus were all fairly common, Avhilst a fine series of Thecla nibi, 

 chiefly resting on or flying round the beeches, and a single Euchloe 

 cardamines were captured. Euclid/a mi and E. glyphica flew fairly 

 commonly with Syridhus malvce among the long gi-ass, where also 

 Cramhus pratellus was abundant, and Phytometra cenea occasionally 

 appeared. An odd specimen of Eujyithecia centaureata, much worn, a 

 few Ematiirga afomaria, Corycia temerata and Coremia ferrngata were 

 observed ; whilst in the woods lots of Nemophora schioarziella, together 

 with Eupcecilia maculosana were seen, tlie latter among the blue- 

 bells. Among the birches PJdosodes tetraquetrana was common, and 

 a solitary Phoxopteryx derasana was beaten from buckthorn. Pancalia 

 lemeenhoeckeUa Avas very abundant among the violets on the chalk 

 banks, and burdock was riddled by the larvae of Adptilia galactodactyla, 

 which were feeding, or already had pupated, whilst the nettle beds 

 swarmed with larvae of Vanessa urtiece. May 13th was spent in the woods ; 

 Corycia taminata, Acidalia remutata, Asthena candidata were all very 

 abundant, whilst in a gi'assy meadow Psyche pidla SAvarmed. Nisionades 

 tages was abundant in one drive, but Syrichthus malvce and Argynnis 

 euphrosyne were decidedly past ; Euchloe cardamines and Lasiommata 

 megcera were occasionally to be met with, but I have rarely known these 

 species so rare in North Kent as they were this year. Ephyra omicronaria 

 occurred occasionally among the maple, and E. porata and Cidaria 

 corylata among the oak. Euclidia mi and glyphica were in lovely con- 

 dition in the field Avhere P. pulla was so abundant, with an occasional 

 L. medon and Slrenia clathratn. A few fine Lomaspilis viar(/inata 

 and Melanthia ocellata, with one Eurymene dolohraria, were beaten out; 

 Eupithecia plimibeolata occurred among Melampyrum pratense. All the 

 ToRTRicES taken on April 29th were met with, Avhilst Tortrix ministrana, 

 Phoxopteryx mitterpjacheriana, P. diminutana, Dichrorampha acuminatana, 

 Ephippiphora cirsiana, Lohesia reliquana, Sciaphda hybridana and Coccyx 

 splendididana put in an appearance, as Avell as Glyphipteryx forsterella 



