CAPTUEES AND FIELD REPORTS. 107 



numbers were so great that I was obliged to destroy many of them ; some 

 hundreds changed into pupae, which I have kept. The mildness of the 

 autumn may have caused them to appear at such an unusual time, and may 

 be worthy of record. — G. B. Routledge ; Tarn Lodge, Wetheral, Carlisle, 

 Dec. 1st, 1893. [Larvae of this species were recorded as " swarming " at 

 Dovercourt on Oct. 10th, 1892; vide Entom. xxv. 287. — Ed.] 



A Day in Monkswood. — On July 6th, 1893, memorable in the hearts 

 and minds of English people by the marriage of the Duke of York and 

 Princess May of Teck, and by being the hottest day known for many years, 

 I made a trip to that Eldorado of entomolocrists, Monkswood — Motikswood 

 of p)unl renown — in Huntingdonshire. I can almost hear many of my 

 fellow insect-lovers exclaim, "Yes ; I have often heard and read of Monks- 

 wood, but how do you get there ?" The nearest station to that noted place 

 is Abbot's Repton, a small siding, the first after passing Huntingdon. The 

 wood itself is situated about two miles from the station ; the way there is 

 along a very pleasant winding road, with wide stretches of grass, rushes, 

 and waste ground on each side. Immediately on leaving the station, and 

 before I had time to fix up my net, I saw and afterwards captured a fine 

 male Argynnis adippe. After journeying a short distance a passing cart 

 gave me a friendly lift ; my guide was of a very talkative disposition, and 

 informed me that "a few years ago we used to see a lot of you gents with 

 nets about, but they seem to have left off coming lately." On the way I 

 noticed several Argynnis, Melanargia galatea, and other species. Arriving 

 at the top of the hill I alighted, and, having bid my friend farewell, 

 descended a sharp decline, and then, turning to a gate on my left, I was 

 astonished to see Melanargia galatea rise before me in crowds — nay, as 

 Newman says in his fine work on ' British Butterflies,' " in profusion." I 

 only once before remember seeing a similar sight, and that was at GuUi- 

 ford's Tree, near Dorchester, Dorset, a few years since. Epinephele 

 tithonus, E. hyperanthus, Hesperia sylvanus, H. linea, Chrysophanns 

 phloeas, LyccBna icariis, and other common species, were in abundance. 

 Having captured a good series of those I required, I entered the wood. 

 Macroglossa stellatarum flew rapidly by me. Here I may mention the flies 

 came around my head in millions ; having, however, a dislike to tobacco 

 smoke, they soon bid me adieu. Many more Sphinges dashed past me, 

 but I was unable to make a capture. Then, with its well-known aris- 

 tocratic flight, Argynnis paphia appeared in view — that bright red patch of 

 colour that seems to have been designed by Nature to enrich the cool grey 

 woody shadows; and having succeeded in netting the specimen, I met an 

 aged woodman. " Ah ! yes," he exclaimed, " we calls 'era ' sogers ' in these 

 parts; if you go up the drive and turns to your left, there be lots of 'em." 

 I went up that drive and turned to my left, and sure enough there were 

 " lots of 'em." Arriving at the top of the wood, after a very hot, close 

 walk, I was delighted to get Argynnis aglaia, a female, in grand condition ; 

 and soon A. adippe fell to my net. I afterwards found both kinds plentiful 

 and in fine condition, but difficult to obtain. Later on I took some good 

 Pararge egeria. Whilst quietly lunching in the shade I espied a female 

 Apatura iris flying grandly round an adjacent oak tree ; the bushes grew 

 high and thick here, therefore I failed to get within reach of her. By this 

 time my boxes were closely packed, so I bade Monkswood farewell. On my 

 way back 1 netted many E. hyperanthus ; but nothing in the form of a good 

 variety could be found, and only one bleached specimen of E. ianira, a ma!©. 



