NOTES ON COLLECTING. 



329 



:^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Manduca (Acherontia) atropos at Chichester. — The larva? of 

 Manduca (Acherontia) atropus have been found not uncommonly in this 

 district this year. The first noticed in my diary is July 29th. Others 

 were found on August 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 8th, the last date for the 

 larvae being on the 22nd of that month. A pupa was dug up and 

 brought me from a potato patch, on September 15th. I have no 

 record of the imagines. — Joseph Anderson, Aire Villa, Chichester. 

 October Uth, 1904. 



CoLiAs edusa at Chichester. — Several specimens of this butter- 

 fly have been noticed here, the first being a 2 taken by my brother, 

 Mr. Frederick Anderson, in a clover-field, on August 3rd, and a <? on 

 August 9th. Unfortunately the weather changed in the middle of the 

 month, becoming windy and cool, with heavy rain on some days, 

 preventing, in all probability, what might have otherwise been an 

 " edusa year." — Ibid. 



Lepidopterological notes from Ste. Maxime, Var, France. — After 

 staying a further three weeks at Hyeres (seeantea, pp. 160-161), during 

 which little was observed requiring notice, I came on here on April 18th, 

 staying till the end of the month. On the night of the 18th there was 

 half a hurricane of wind, with a severe thunderstorm, and the weather, 

 until the last day or two, was frequently dull and cool — excellent for 

 getting about, but not giving those beautiful effects that depend here 

 so much on the bright sunshine, nor supplying suitable weather for 

 insects showing themselves freel). Ste. Maxime is on the coast, about 

 three-fourths of the way from Hyeres to St. Raphael — not on the 

 main line, but on the Sud de France railway. It differs a good deal 

 from Hyeres in its productions, much to the advantage of Hyeres, I 

 thought, at least during the first dull period, and I am still inclined 

 to think this is so, though there are very probably some thmgs want- 

 ing at Hyeres. In the first place it seems to be some week or so later 

 in season. It has no limestone, so far as I could see or learn. Yet, 

 on April 30th, in one small spot in a thick pine wood, a most unlikely- 

 looking place, I saw several Polyommatus corydon, and took a pair 

 for verification. No others were seen anywhere during my stay. 

 Nowhere is there any Anphodeliia, any Dortfcniitm, or any Biscutella. 

 Euchhw eiiplienoides was not once seen. The grasses that Mr. Powell 

 points out at Hyeres as those affording larvae of the Satyrids most 

 freely, are not absent, but exceedingly rare, quite contrary to what 

 they are at Hyeres. There are, however, plenty of grasses of sorts, so 

 that there are probably plenty of Satyrids, but of few (and common ?) 

 species. No trace, of course, of Thestor hallus or its foodplant. I'hais 

 polyxena (cassandra) was seen in many different spots, but worn. No 

 I', viedesicaste were noted. The reigning Pierid, if we except, perhaps, 

 Pieris hrassicae, is Pontia daplidice, with Pieris rapae a good third. 

 Anthocaria belia was also fairly common, but worn. On the 24th, I 

 saw Cyaniris aryiolns laying her eggs on flower-buds of Cytisus jimceua, 

 i.e., on shoots which had as yet only a few flowers open. The first 

 Melitaea didyiiia here was seen on this date, as also Nowiades cyllariis, 

 which is rare, and N. melanops was not seen. On the 28th, the first 

 Pararge maera was seen and captured, and, on the 29th, Aporia crataegi, 

 a 3 ) was taken ; on the 30th, Colias edusa was common, but C. hyale 



