i8se.] 211 



Choerocampa celerio near Bury St. Edmunds. — My friend, the Rev. W. M. 

 Hind, informs me that a specimen of C. celerio was taken at Honnington on Sep- 

 tember 19th. It is strange that so many of this rare species should have occurred 

 this season. — Id. : December, 1885. 



Banais Archippus at Exmotdh. — A few days ago I was passing a cab-stand, 

 when one of the men whom I have long known as a steady fellow, and the biggest 

 " cabby " in Exeter, but certainly never imagined to be a brother entomologist, asked 

 me to give him my opinion about something he had to show ; and taking a box from 

 under his driving-seat, he opened it, and, to my surprise, displayed a specimen of 

 Danais Archippus unset, but in very good condition. 



He told me it had been captured at an open window in Exmouth by some 

 friends of his whilst lodging there during last August, and had been brought to hira 

 by them on their return, just in the state in which I saw it. He had not the 

 slightest notion of the real character of his specimen, thinking it must be one of our 

 British species not common in this neighbourliood ; in fact, I have no reason what- 

 ever to doubt that he gave a true account oi its capture. — J. Hellins, The Close, 

 Exeter : January 9ih, 1886. 



An appeal, to entomologists. — Two species of insectS; both highly ornamental, 

 and neither of tliem in any way injurious, are attempting to naturalize themselves 

 in our island, these are Banais Archippus and Hypercompa Hera. The former is 

 the least likely to obtain a home with us, but to my knowledge specimens were both 

 caught and seen near The Lizard last season, and if it can find a food-plant it may 

 fix its abode in the south of England ; the other, Hypercompa Hera, is found every 

 year in Devon, and is probably annually recruited by fresh arrivals in the Jersey 

 fruit steamers. Now, I wish to ask all true entomologists to give these colonists fair 

 play, and not to attempt to extirpate them ; specimens of both can easily be procured 

 for examination if wanted. The captor of B. Archippus at The Lizard was offered 

 £5 for one of his specimens ! I never heard of an ornithologist offering £5 for the 

 skin of a grey parrot which had escaped from its cage and been unfortunately shot 

 in England. No one of any sense would believe that the Archippus was a true 

 native. 



The worth of any insect is : — 



1. Its actual value as a specimen. 



2. The value of any fact that this individual specimen can teach us — in the 



present case the fact would be that B. Archippus is sometimes brought 

 over by American ships. 



3. A sentimental value put on a specimen by its captor ; as it may bring old 



scenes or old friends to his mind. 



4. — Its value as a type. This, in a doubtful species, may be great : as proving 



that the specimen in question was the insect described under that name by, 



for example, Haworth or Stephens. So an insect given by Mr. Staintou 



with his label and name is a safe type for reference. 



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