27G I May, 



Although butterflies were exceedingly numerous up to the middle of September, 

 I noticed only about twenty species, among which I may mention Papilio Ttirnus, L., 

 of which the larvae occurred sparingly on willows and sallows ; and P. Oregonia ?, 

 which was occasionally seen in the marshes, where the larva was to be found in 

 some small numbers feeding on a species of Slum. This beautiful insect bears a very 

 close resemblance, in all its stages, to our familiar P. Machaon. A very handsome 

 and delicate Pieris (? P. J/eno/jta), almost like a Leucophasia in structure and flight, 

 appeared in great numbers about the middle of August, the $ flying in hundreds 

 round the tops of the pines, and also frequenting wayside flowers, the $ being com- 

 paratively very scarce. The Satyridce were poorly represented by a little Coeno- 

 nj/mpha, almost exactly like a small C. Pamphilus, which was common in grassy 

 places. Limenitis Lorquinii well replaced our " White Admiral," which it closely 

 resembles, except that the fore-wings are tipped with ferruginous, and it is much 

 redder beneath ; it was very common, and an exceedingly pretty object, sailing 

 gracefully along the sunny " trails " and roads, and settling, by preference, on the 

 brake-fern {Pteris aquilina). Unfortunately, I was too late to get it in really fine 

 order. Pyrameis cardui, not to be distinguished from British specimens, turned up 

 sparingly, and Vanessa Antiopa was common enough, the chrysalis being often found 

 attached to walls, &c., even in the town of Victoria, but it was generally ichneumoned. 

 The specimens of this insect are rather smaller and darker than average British or 

 European ones, the pale border being of quite a rich yellow tint. Vanessa MiJherti, 

 like a very dark V. iirticce, was to be found in weedy places and by roadsides, with 

 two, or, perhaps, three species of Orapta, nearly related to our C-album, and differ- 

 ing chiefly in the shape of the white letter-like mark in the hind-wings beneath. The 

 larvae were to be found feeding on nettles, hop, &c., and the pupse attached to walls 

 and fences. Three species of Argymiis occurred, one of which, A. Calippe (very 

 like ^^ZaJa), was almost the commonest fly of the district; another fine species 

 {? A. Atlantis), of about the same size, but much darker above and beneath, with 

 the silvery spots of the hind-wings replaced by yellowish-white, was more local, but 

 not rare, and the pretty little A. Freya (I fancy it is the same as the North Euro- 

 pean species) occurred to me only singly, but it is a common spring insect. A small 

 dark Thecla, near pruni, &c., was somewhat scarce, and a very beautiful Chryso- 

 phanus (the ? bright red, spotted and bordered with black, the (? suffused with rich 

 violet-purple) was very abundant, frequenting hawk-week and camomile flowers by 

 the road-sides. Two species of PamphUa, bearing considerable resemblance to P. 

 sylvanus and comma respectively, were also to be found in the same situations. 



The only true Sphinx I met with was a Smerliithus, closely related to ocellatus, 

 which occurred rarely in the larva state on willow. A very fine red-belted Sesia 

 was once taken at rest : two very handsome Saturnia larvae were also to be obtained 

 Tery sparingly on oak bushes and " woolly bears " of several kinds were met with 

 everywhere in the autumn, but Bomhyces were decidedly scarce in the perfect state. 

 The NoctucE, in spite of the failure of sugar (at wliich the only thing taken that was 

 worth pinning was a fine Catocala, near sponsa), were fairly well represented, many 

 pretty species being taken by my friend, Mr. Taylor, at light. The GeometrcB were 

 more plentiful, some species, indeed, occurring in extreme profusion, notably, a hand- 

 some brown and ochreous Ennomid ? moth, the larvae of which (locally known as 

 '' span-worms "), in July, completely stripped the oaks in many places, and then 



