28 LEPIDOPTERA. 



Trochilium chrysidiforme. (F?'ontispiece, Fig. 1.) 



Distinguished at a glance from our other species of the 

 genus by the deep orange scales along the inner margin, and 

 round the edges of the apical hyaline spot, and by the post- 

 medial black fascia not reaching to the inner margin, but 

 stopping short when rather more than half across the wing. 

 The central part of the anal tuft is deep orange yellow, the 

 sides black. The abdomen (of the specimen before me) is 

 black, with two slender whitish rings ; but it would appear 

 from Herrich-ScharTer's remarks, that the number of pale 

 rings is variable. It most resembles our Ichneumoniforme, 

 but by the characters above mentioned may be at once dis- 

 tinguished from that species. 



The specimen figured was taken on the 25th of June last, 

 and its adventures were rather romantic. 



It so happens that the directors of the South-Eastern 

 Railway had resolved to treat the denizens of Reigate, on 

 that day, with an excursion train to Dover ; Reigate is a 

 healthy neighbourhood, but still a few hours by the sea-side 

 might be a treat to the inhabitants, and accordingly many of 

 the in-dwellers and out-dwellers of Reigate committed them- 

 selves to the safe custody of the South-Eastern Railway, and 

 were in due time transported to Dover. Now at Reigate there 

 lives a Coleopterist of the name of Brewer. Mr. Brewer 

 was one of those who profited by the excursion train to 

 Dover. No doubt he amused himself as the train wended 

 along past Tunbridge, Staplehurst and Ashford, with con- 

 jectures of the rare coast beetles he was then about to meet 

 with. But it was not by any Coleopterous insect that that 

 day's excursion was to be immortalized. Sweeping the herb- 

 age on the undercliff between Dover and Folkestone, he ob- 

 tained a transparent-winged moth, and not being learned in 

 Lepidopterology, it struck him as curious. Now a Coleop- 



