THE NEW FOREST IN THE RAIN. 173 



but in these few minutes half-a-dozen were netted. Then down came 

 the rain again, and we went home to tea. In the evening we treacled 

 in the enclosure, but moths were not plentiful. The only thing we 

 took that is not quite common was Aplecta herbida. We saw no 

 Nortna festira here but ^V. brnnnea replaced it. At dusk there was 

 little on the wing, but Aci'lalia acersata, Phorodemna jiKstitlata 

 (bajiilaria) and worn Larentia pectinitaria. Of P. pustulata we took 

 some nice fresh specimens. Boannia repandata flew commonly to 

 the light whilst going round treacle, but no var. cnm-ersaria among 

 them. 



The next morning, the 7th, looked better and we hurried over 

 breakfast to get off bef">re the inevitable rain came. We hoped really 

 to see some butterflies at last and were not disappointed, but the sun 

 never got fully out, and we had at least two hours solid rain from 

 12 to 2 p.m. My boy looked upon this rain as a special providence ; 

 it was while standmg under a small hawthorn for shelter, in the 

 middle of an oak plantation, that he found a very large female 

 Stanropiis facii at rest on the stem. Although it had evidently flown, 

 it was in very fair condition. During the two spells of half sunlight 

 D. ])(tphia swarmed in such numbers as I have never seen before. 

 The}' scarcely flew, bat sat open -winged on the brackens and 

 brambles. Males outnumbered the females by at least twenty to one, 

 and as among these females we took twenty-two var. valexina, the 

 number of males can be imagined. No striking varieties were taken, 

 but four of the pale-spotted males occurred, and one with xanthic 

 hindwings. Among the females was one with central spots slightly 

 coalescing and several var. ralesina were so pale as to be almost 

 intermediate. Nearly all were in first rate condition and evidently var. 

 valeaina must swarm when the females are fully out. L. sibilla was 

 common, but nothing compared with D. paplda ; I have seen them as 

 common at Holmsley, but never anything in the southern part of the 

 Forest to equal D. paphia in numbers. L. sibilla gets worn very 

 quickly, and many were seen quite fresh, but with torn wings. Still 

 there were more than enough quite perfect, although, I am sorry to say 

 no varieties. More Jioannia rohorai-ia were taken during the rain, 

 and although no larvae-beating was done, four N. chaonia and a 

 N. trepida were taken ascending tree-trunks, after presumably being 

 dislodged by the wind and rain. After tea we dug a few pupae of 

 Af/riopis aprilina from oak on the Common near our cottage, and as 

 the woods had been unsuccesful last night we decided to try the 

 Common also for treacle. It was much the same, however, only the 

 commonest species turning up. At dusk over the heather we took 

 Nola cncnllatella and some female AcidaUa siibsericeata, which I thought 

 in the half-light were A. strain inata. A closer view however speedily 

 proved their identity, to my disappointment. Atirotis atrii/nla and- 

 Pewpelia pahiuihella in numbers, also occurred. 



Saturday, the 8th, we had planned for a cycle ride across the Forest 

 to the Zj/f/aena iiielihdi ground, and in spite of the threatening 

 outlook we started. We got one mile before the rain began, but 

 decided to push on in the hope of it^ clearing. Instead of clearing it 

 increased steadily and although we searched over the ground in our 

 endeavour to find a stray specimen at rest, as a type for my boy, there 

 was nothing doing. As we returned, the sky at last cleared and the 



