ion.] 249 



showy mauve-purple flowers are especially favoured by the Vanessidse, and during 

 the recent hot weather of August and September, two shrubs in a nursery garden 

 which I pass almost daily, within a few feet of the main road, as well as one in a 

 garden close to my house, have been visited by these biitterflies in such numbers 

 as to be a very conspicuous and pleasing sight. Four or five specimens of Pyra- 

 meis atalanta, which appears to be more than usually plentiful this year, were 

 sometimes to be seen on a single raceme of the Buddleia, and Aglais urticse, 

 which after more than a year of scarcity is now on the wing in its normal 

 abundance, has been even more numerous on the flowers than the " Red Admiral." 

 Vanessa io, which is much less common than usual this season, has been seen 

 once or twice only. Pyrameis cardui is also an occasional visitor ; this species 

 has been commoner this year than I have ever known it to be previously 

 at Oxford, and the brood resulting from the immigrant specimens observed in 

 fair numbers in June is now very much in evidence in the lucerne and clover 

 fields throughout the district, the specimens being very fine and unusually 

 rosy in tint. The common " Whites " show an equal liking for the Buddleia 

 flowers, and the shrub is one well worth growing, not only for its own sake, but 

 for the beauty of the picture of butterfly life that it presents while it is in 

 bloom. I have had no opportunity of examining the flowers after dark, but 

 have no doubt as to their equal attractiveness to night-flying Lepidoptera. I 

 may add that when I was at Hong-Kong many years ago, I found the white- 

 flowered Buddleia asiatica, Lour., to be one of the most attractive plants to 

 butterflies in the " Happy Valley " gardens, and noted it as the special favourite 

 of the beautiful little long-tailed Papilionid Leptocircus curius, F. (cf. Trans. 

 Ent. Soc, 1895, p. 472).— James J. Walker : September 19th, 1914. 



Further British records of Danaida plexippus. — In connection with Com- 

 mander Walker's interesting article on this butterfly I may mention that some 

 years ago I bought in a small curiosity shop in Weymouth the wings of a 

 specimen of Danaida plexippus, mounted on a square of card under glass and 

 labelled in front " Danais plexippus, Weymouth, 1899," and on the back 

 " Danais plexippus. Taken by George and John Joliffe on Weymouth College 

 Cricket Grotind, 1899." I have ascertained that boys of this name were at the 

 School, and think there can be little doubt of the correctness of the label. The 

 wings are in good condition, but probably the body, &c , had been eaten by 

 mites, and the wings only preserved. The small dealer (in old china, furniture, 

 etc. — not Natural History) from whom I purchased it knew nothing about the 

 insect and only asked sixpence for it. 



I have also a specimen taken by my late friend Mr. H. W. Vivian in 

 Teneriffe, on March 21st, 1890. I remembered Mr. Vivian telling me that he 

 had taken a specimen in England, and on enquiry find that in his British 

 collection, which was after his death presented to, and is now in, the National 

 Museum of Wales at Cardiff, are two specimens of Danaida plexippus; one 

 labelled " Glamorgan 9.86, H.W.V.," the other " Cornwall 1886." The first was 

 the one taken by himself, but of the other neither I nor the Museiun authorities 

 know the history. I think it is most probably a genuine British capture, as he 



