NOTES ON THE SEASON 1911. 163 



C. pascuellus, C. selasellus and C. perlellus were common in grassy 

 places. A short series of Platytes cernsellus, in fine condition, were 

 beaten out of rough herbage growing on the cliffs near " The Ness," 



On June 17th I paid a second visit to the Kewstoke Woods 

 at Weston-super-Mare. The three " whites " were common enough. 

 A few Brent his selene were seen. Worn examples of Paranje (Ft/eria 

 were seen in company with beautifully fresh examples of the second 

 brood. This butterfly is very common in these woods. Epinephele 

 jnrtina [ianira), doiomjinpha vanipliilus, Riimicia phlaeas and 

 Polijommatus icarus were all fairly common. Beating oak for the 

 larvae of Bithys quorcm was again a failure. Two or three examples of 

 Auijiades sylvanas represented the " skippers." A fine ? Daftychira 

 pudihunda was taken at rest on red dead-nettle. Opisthoyraptis 

 luteolata and Metrocampa maryaritana were beaten out of bushes in fair 

 numbers. By far the commonest insect seen was Abraxas sylvata, 

 which was beaten out of bushes in large numbers, scores were seen 

 ranging from very light to fairly heavily marked examples, but nothing 

 which could be called a variety. This species does not occur in the 

 Abertillery district at all. The common A. yrosstilariata appeared 

 quite scarce in comparison with the much more abundant A. sylvata. 

 The sight of a fine fresh Asthena bluineri, at rest on the trunk of 

 a wych elm, encouraged me to further efforts in this direction. 

 The rest of the day was principally spent in searching for this beautiful 

 little geometer. I was fortunate enough to take a dozen examples 

 altogether, mostly in good condition. From 11 a.m. till 3 p.m., A. 

 bloineri was found to be resting quietly on the tree trunks, in every case 

 a wych-elm, after 3 p.m. they were taken at rest on ground ivy and 

 other low growing plants, or were beaten out of bushes, they were then 

 decidedly skittish and had to be captured with the net. Acidalia 

 aversata and A. iminutata, Cabera pusaria and C. exanthemata were 

 beaten out of bushes in fair numbers, together with a few Hydriomena 

 furcata [elutata) and Mesoleuca ocellata with swarms of Xanthorho'e 

 viontanata, and Ca>nptoyraiiima bilineata. Tortrix viridana swarmed 

 round every oak, and Tortrix ministrana and a few other species were 

 beaten out of bushes. A single Cryptoblabes bistriya was beaten out of 

 oak. The weather was glorious on this day and I have no doubt a 

 great many more species would have been taken had I not devoted the 

 greater part of the day to searching for Asthena bloineri. 



In July most of our common insects were seen or taken in fair 

 numbers. Aryynnis adippe was commoner than usual this year. 

 Dry as paphia and A. aylaia were not noticed at all, both are rare 

 insects in these valleys. Aylais urticae was common everywhere and 

 Vanessa io was plentiful enough in most places. Satyrns setnele, for 

 some unaccountable reason, has sadly decreased in numbers, a few 

 were seen at Tri-nant, where they were abundant five years ago. 

 Coenonyinidia paiiiphilas and Rainicia phlaeas livened up every grassy 

 slope. Adopaea jlava {thaiunas) were common at Crumlin and a few 

 other places. This species is inclined to be somewhat local with us. 

 A nice series of Crucallis elinyuaria were bred from larvfx? collected 

 from heather last month. A fine and varied series of Ilydriumena 

 furcata (elutata) was taken at dusk flying round the stunted sallows. 

 A few Mesoleuca bicolorata were beaten out of ash and alder in the 

 Llanock W^ood, and the same wood gave Lomasjiilis niaryinata in fair 



