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Notes on Sesia philanthiformis in West Cornwall. — During my short stay at 

 Penzance last summer, I had more than one opportunity of observing the habits of 

 this interesting lepidopteron. My first acquaintance with it was made on the 7th of 

 July, when I visited the Logan Rocks which are situated on the coast and not many 

 miles distant from the Land's End. The weather, on this occasion, was marked by 

 continuous sunshine, combined with a higher temperature than I believe is usually 

 registered in this part of the country, but, happily, the otherwise oppressive heat 

 was, as is so frequently the case on the coast, considerably tempered by a freshening 

 breeze. I had not arrived at the "Rocks" long, before I became aware of the presence 

 of several insects flitting about the herbage. These, I at first thought were small wasps 

 or other Hymenoptera, but subsequently noticing that the ground was thickly covered 

 in places with common thrift fArmeria vulgaris), I began to suspect that they miglit, 

 on further examination, prove to be Sesia philanthiformis. Some time was spent, aa 

 may be readily imagined, before a specimen could be marked down, for in such a 

 wind they seemed as it were to disappear almost magically. However, after repeated 

 failures, I at last succeeded in ti'acing one of them until it settled on some short 

 grass, and a brief glance at the individual sufficed to convince me that it was 

 S. philanthiformis. 



Possessing only a "type " of this species in my collection, I naturally became 

 anxious to secure specimens, but not having a net with me, I found this a difficnlt 

 matter. Therefore, at the risk of rendering the specimens worthless, I first tried to 

 knock them down with the hat whilst they were at rest. This procedure resulted 

 in a miserable failure, for if I knocked one down, which is questionable, I certainly 

 could never find it. After several abortive trials of this rough method, I contrived 

 (not without many ineffectual attempts) to invert the hat over a specimen, but only 

 again to be foiled, for on slightly elevating the hat to bos the coveted object, it 

 once more exhibited its activity and darted off. Disappointed in every way, I soon 

 gave up all hopes of obtaining specimens, much as I wanted them. However, about 

 1 p.m., whilst on my way back by the fields to the village, for the purpose of driving 

 to the Land's End, I again came across the species. This time fortune favoured me, 

 for it was flying about in numbers on the lee-side of one of the quaint stone walls, 

 which are so strikingly characteristic of this part of the country, serving as they do 

 for fences. After watching the insect for a short time, I observed that although ils 

 food-plant, the common thrift, grew in plenty on the wall, it invariably settled on 

 the flowei's or foliage (principally the latter) of wild thyme. Once settled on this 

 plant, a specimen would allow itself to be approached and looked at. It was now 

 that I found my glass-bottomed boxes useful, and, in a very short time, I had the 

 satisfaction of securing nine specimens. An examination of the thrift on the wall 

 shewed evident traces of its having been tenanted by larvae, doubtless of the same 

 species. L^pon ai-rival at the Land's End, S. philanthiformis again came under my 

 notice, but it did not appear to be so plentiful there ; perhaps it was too late in the 

 day ! A day or two afterw.ards I observed a few more on walls, not far from 

 Porthcurno, and two or three were netted. But I shall ever regret that I had not 

 the net with me on the Vth July, for by means of it, and a good supply of boxes, I 

 am confident that I could have obtained manji scores of good specimens. 



From my short experience of this species, I should not be surprised if it were 

 found to exist in all those situations on the coast of West Cornwall in which its 

 food-plant grows in any appreciable quantity. — Edwabd A. Atmoue, King's Lynn, 

 Norfolk : February 11th, 1887. 



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