NOTES ON OOLLECTTNO, ETC. 299 



PiERis DAPr.iDicE AT DovER. — I was forUiuate enough to capture a 

 fine specimen of the Bath White (Pieris daplidice) at Dover on the 18th 

 of July last. I shall be glad to furnish you with further information 

 if you require it. — H. T. Kingsmill, 21, Harley Street, Cavendish Square. 

 October 21st, 1893, 



Some Gogit.\tions about so-called rare British Moms. — Some 

 years ago a number of fine specimens of Pachetra lencopJuea were distri- 

 buted by one or two collectors and dealers in insects from the neigh- 

 bourhood of Canterbury, and were stated to have been captured near 

 that city. Considerable doubt was thrown on the British authenticity 

 of these specimens, owing to the introduction of Argi/nnis niohe, Cnetho- 

 campa pityocampa, and other foreign species just previously by the 

 same collectors, whilst Leucania I-albmi, L. albipuncta and Cerastis 

 eri/throcephala were then being sent out, the two latter in considerable 

 numbers, as also was A. lathonia. Then some time after, series of 

 Dianthcecia conspersa, received by well-known collectors had an occa- 

 sional specimen of D. compta included, until at last everything from 

 Canterbury in the shape of rarities was carefully avoided by British 

 collectors. It becomes necessary now to look boldly at this matter, and 

 to consider the subject in its various aspects, especially with regard to 

 Pachetra leucoplma and C. eri/throcephala. Mr. S. Stevens records the 

 former species from the Box Hill district some thirty-five years ago. 

 These (16 or 18 specimens) are recorded in Newman. Tlien Mr. Jeffrey 

 took it near Ashford {EMM., xiii., 64) and from specimens since 

 obtained by him, ova have been distributed and specimens reared by two 

 or three well-known naturalists, including Dr. Chapman and Mrs, 

 Hutchinson, but probably not more than a score altogether. Then Mr, 

 Elisha captured a pair at Box Hill {Eat., vol. xii., p. 2U5) and got eggs, 

 but failed in rearing them. Afterwards, Mr. Bower took a J {Eat., xv., 

 162) but failed in rearing the larva? he ol)tained {E. M. M., vol. xix., 

 p. 43). Mr. Hanbury records (Ent., vol. xxvi., p. 275,) " six captured 

 by a friend on the South (North ? — En.) Downs," presumably some years 

 ago, whilst he has " collected the insect in the past " but it has only 

 " occurred so sparingly " that " until this year " he had not filled his 

 own series, but this year was able not only to do this but " to distribute 

 a few pairs among his friends." Mr. Parry now comes to the front and 

 maintains the bona fides of the Canterbury specimens, gives the exact 

 locality as " the ' Devil's Kneading Trough ' Brook, about a mile-and-a- 

 half from Wye (Kent) S. E. Railway Station, on two very high banks 

 the further and highest {sic) being the best." It is well-known as an 

 exti-emely early species, the Continental lepidopterists sending out eggs 

 in large cpiantities during May. Sometimes it occurs in April, sometimes 

 as late as the first or second week in June, and this makes Mr. Stevens' 

 remark that the specimens he took were flying round privet bloom 

 rather inexplicable, as privet, although it varies much in its time of 

 flowering, rarely flowers so early as P. leucophoia appears. Mr. 

 Stevens says that there is a nice series in the Kev. Mr, Burney's 

 collection from the South (North '? — Ed.) Downs. Are they from the 

 Ashford side, or from the Canterbury (Wye) side ? If the latter, are they 

 now to be accepted unquestionably as British ? It is well to face these 

 matters as they crop up. I have recently considered myself fairly well 

 informed on these matters, and keep myself au fait with Magazine and 

 other Entomological literature. If anyone had asked me a few weeks ago 



