LEPIDOPTERA FROM THE SCILLY ISLES. 11 



ustaining any vegetation, are covered with masses of gorse, 

 )ramble, and heather ; while along the cliff-edges thrift is 

 ibundant, and Silcne scarce and local. The valleys contain 

 arge quantities of rushes {AriDido?), coarse grass, a few low- 

 trowing plants, and many very fine examples of the royal fern 

 Osmunda rajalis). 



Under such conditions it is not surprising to find that 

 jejDidoptera are by no means common in the islands, and that 

 ne has to work hard to get together even a small collection ; but 

 he isolated position of the place and the peculiar climatic 

 onditions, already referred to, would lead one to expect a con- 

 iderable percentage of variation among the species occurring 

 liere, but in this the collection is, with one or two exceptions, 

 ery disappointing. 



In the following list, where no comments follow a species, it 

 lay be assumed that it was comparatively common and the 

 pecimens taken quite typical : — 



Pieris hrassiccc, P. rapce, P. napL 



Epinephele ianira, the commonest and perhaps the most interesting 

 pecies met with. A well-defined local form, in which the brown 

 3lour of the wings is richer and more velvety than usual, somewhat 

 pproaching that of Erchia athiops, and the fulvous patch brighter. In 

 16 males this patch is large, and in the extreme examples of the 

 anale it also extends, in a subdued form, over a considerable portion 

 f the basal half of the fore wings, and is carried as a broad band 

 3ross the bind wings. The black spot near the apex of fore wings is 

 a-ge and not infrequently bipupillate, and in several specimens there 



a distinct lobe on its lower margin ; some specimens have also a 

 dvous ocellated spot near the anal angle of hind wings. 



Vanessa atalanta and V. urticcB. V. cardui, common in 1892, not 

 ;en in 1893. 



L'hrijsophanus phlmas, not particularly common. 



Lycccna icarus. Females bluish, closely resembling the Sussex 

 irms. 



Macror/Jossa steUatarum. 



Zygdna filipoulula., common. 



Lithosia quadra, eight specimens taken in 1893, not previously 

 )served. 



Kucltelia jacohaa, 



Arctia caia. 



Purthesia similis (aurifJita), one of the commonest species. 



JJuDibi/x qucicas, fairly common. 



Bryophila muralis [ylandi/era). B. peiia was not met with* 



Acronycta rumicis, 



Leiicania vitellina (2). L. e.vtranm (1). (See Entom. xxvi. 327). 

 . ivqnua (2). L. pallcns (3). 



Xylophasia monoyhjplia [poJyodon). 



Cerigo niatura {cytherca). 



Mamcstra brassicce, not common. 



Apamea didyma [ocidea), common and variable as usual. 



