THE SEASON 1912, 215 



in fair condition until May 27th, but without finding any trace of 

 variation. Although B. eitphrosijnc put in an appearance so early, B. 

 selenc did not commence to emerge until an unusually late date, viz., 

 June 3rd, and was rather less common at Tilgate than usual. I 

 visited the locality several times and examined some hundreds but 

 with the same result as with B. cuphrosi/ne, variation nil. 



The first week in July produced Pi/raweis cardui in the greatest 

 profusion, all in a most advanced state of senile decay, in many 

 instances it was wonderful how the insect could manage to fly. Whilst 

 cycling between Horley and Balcombe, a distance of about nine miles, 

 I counted no less than 63, together with fair numbers of Vanesssa id 

 and P. atalanta, but A(/lois Krticae was conspicuous by its absence, 

 indeed I have only seen three imagines during the whole season. 

 Although P. carditi was so abundant it has apparently failed to breed 

 in this part of the country, as I have only seen a single freshly 

 emerged imago, but V. io and P. atalanta, which were much scarcer 

 earlier in the year, are to be met with in considerable numbers. 



Having heard that ('alias edusa had appeared, I made an excursion 

 to Guildford in the hopes of getting a female, as I had previously 

 noted several extensive clover and lucerne fields in the neighbourhood. 

 During the day I saw and netted six males, which I liberated in a 

 field nearer home. I also saw a seventh specimen, a female, which, 

 of course, I failed to net. Between early June and mid-July I was 

 continually seeing odd males, and on July 17th I netted a female, 

 which laid 22 infertile ova. On July 18th I netted a male 50 recently 

 emerged that it was unable to fly properly. Since this date I have 

 seen about two dozen, and have taken three females in very worn con- 

 dition whose ova, like those of the first, proved to be infertile. On 

 July 25th commenced the second emergence of C. aniiolns, and I have 

 never previously seen this species in such abundance. It occurred in 

 hundreds on the Reigate Hills flying round and settling on bramble 

 and clematis blooms. As regards the Lycaenids Ai/riades thetis, A. 

 coridon, and Polyomniatus icariis, the same remarks apply as to the 

 species previously mentioned, viz., variation practically nil. Even of 

 such common aberrational forms as ab. arciiata, ab. icarinus, etc., 

 I have not seen a single example ; and my old favourite Coennnijniplia 

 pamphilna, which has previously always well repaid a thorough 

 investigation, has entirely failed me this year, and although I have 

 examined many hundreds during the season, I have not had to add a 

 single specimen to my series. 



Although I have given more time than usual to other families of 

 the Lepidoptera, my knowledge of them is so rudimentary, that I will 

 refrain from mentioning them, with the exception of the Sesiids and 

 Anthrocerids, about which my remarks may be summed up in a few 

 words. Aeijeria andrenaefornm appeared to be very scarce, as far 

 as Surrey is concerned, for I only managed to find a single boring. 

 The larvfe of .E. apheciformia were more abundant, but after finding- 

 fifteen, I only managed to breed a single male on May 19th, surely a 

 most unusual date. All the remaining sticks contained full fed larvse, 

 but they had gone mouldy. Mr. A. Tonge, who accompanied me 

 several times in search of this species, and obtained about the same 

 number, failed to breed a single specimen, and one of the Forest 

 keepers, who generally finds and breeds a fair number, complained of 



