1870.] ISl 



STRAY NOTES OX THE LEPIDOVTERA OF PEMBROKE. 

 Br C. O. BARHETT. 



In removing into a new and nnworked locality, tliere is always tlic 

 excitement of hope that, even if it do not prove very prolific of good 

 insects, there may at any rate bo much in the way of very local species 

 to reward energetic research ; and when that new locality is far re- 

 moved from the well-worked districts, and seems from its physical 

 features well suited for insect life, that hope is apt to be heightened 

 into expectation. 



I certainly experienced this feeling of hope very strongly, on 

 coming down to this extreme western point of South "Wales early last 

 spring, and when I began to see the natural features of the country — 

 a fine stretch of bold rocky coast, indented here and there with sandy 

 bays, on the south ; an inner coast (of the noble Milford Haven), 

 parallel with it on the north ; its waveless margins lined with narrow 

 strips of salt marsh, and backed occasionally with huge, partially ex- 

 haiisted, quarries ; and the cultivated intermediate country, intersected 

 with pleasant lanes, in which an unusual wealth of wild flowers grows, — 

 expectation began to rise high, and to prepare the way for — complete 

 disappointment. 



Of Rhopalocera but few species can be expected so far west ; 

 Lyca-na Arf/iohis flies about the holly and ivy ; and I have seen L. 

 Ahus in the quarries, where Si/ricJithus Alveolus and Thanaos Tages 

 occur commonly. 



Avf/i/nnis Af/laia and Selene fly on the coast and over the mountain 

 heaths, and Vaplda occasionally ventures to show itself in some deep 

 and sheltered valley, when the sun is warm and the brambles full of 

 blossom. Some of the common species are plentiful enough, and show 

 a tendency to variation, which is interesting. Of Anthocharis car- 

 daviines, I casually took a specimen which has the orange tips suffused 

 down the nervures with blackish in a striking manner ; Lasiommata 

 JE(jeria is dark and richly coloured ; Safijrus Tithoniis appears to exhibit 

 additional spots in the pale portion of the, ii[)per-side of the hind wings 

 (but this was overlooked until the species was worn out, and requires 

 further investigation), and from the rarity of aberration among the 

 Vanesscc, a V. lo with a pale yellowish cloud in the chocolate of ono 

 fore wing, and Atalanta with an extra white dot appear worthy of 

 record. JS'octiirni were few indeed ! the larger Sphinges being pro- 

 portionately better represented than any other group, since ocellatus 

 is reported common among willow ; Elpenor among Epilohium ; 

 ligustri, of course, in the gardens, and stcllaiarum everywhere; Atropon 



