163 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ever, in some measure rewarded, as I saw a little butterfly, just 

 like one of our small brown fritillaries, fluttering around the 

 mast-head. It alighted on the end of the royal-yard [i.e. the top- 

 most spar of all), and I went out to catch it, but it flew away to 

 sea just as I had my finger and thumb about to close upon its 

 folded wings. This is the first butterfly I have seen since those 

 two I caught in the English Channel, and sent to you by the 

 pilot. September 20th, 1886. — I made a capture to-day of a 

 beautiful dragonfly (Libellula), 230 miles from land, in lat. 15° 2' 

 N., long. 26° 35' W. There were several hovering round the ship, 

 and I managed to knock this one down with my Glengarry. It is 

 in good condition." On December 6th, 1886, whilst off the coast 

 of New Zealand, my son caught another butterfly, coloured some- 

 what like V. cardiu, but with an ocellated spot of considerable 

 size on each upper wing. With regard to the dragonflies, they 

 may have been tempted so far from land chasing swarms of flies, 

 which, I believe, are sometimes seen at sea. It is well known 

 that butterflies pass from island to island and continent to conti- 

 nent in swarms, especially in the East, but I am at a loss to 

 account for these butterflies being found so far from land, unless 

 they were stragglers from swarms, or were simply tempted by the 

 fineness of the weather and the smoothness of the sea. Probably 

 the latter may have been the case, as they cei'tainly could not 

 have wandered to sea in search of food. — Geo. J. Grapes; 32, 

 Buckleigh Road, Streatham Common, April 13, 1888. 



Sugaring after Rain. — A warm night with no wind and a 

 soft drizzling rain is, I should say, the ideal time for sugaring 

 (Entom. 140). I recollect on just such an evening in August, 

 1886, seeing my patches of treacle literally swarming with 

 insects, chiefly Noctua umhrosa and N. xanthograiiha, with a few 

 Ampliipyra pyramidea. I have always found sugaring very suc- 

 cessful too after heavy rain. — F. E. Warner; Grammar School, 

 Dorchester, May, 1888. 



Sugaring at Christchurch. — During the summer of 1887 

 sugaring here was simply an utter failure. About June 20th 

 I commenced Working upon large numbers of trees, many more 

 than the previous successful year ; and I may say right up to 

 September last I saw but very few insects, on some occasions 

 none at all. However, after that time, chiefly in October and 



