142 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



may also mention the great abundance of Vanessa atalanta, attracted by 

 the half-decayed fallen fruit in our orchard. This closes my list for 1893, 

 and we are hoping for a still better season in 1894, At present it certainly 

 seems as if it would prove to be an even earlier one than its pedecessor, as 

 we have begun collecting to day (Jan. 17th) with a long and variable series 

 of Hyhernia leucophcEaria. This is certainly the earliest of our moths, and 

 one which we always welcome, as its appearance is a sure sign that winter 

 is drawing to a close, and that the delights of mothiug, for another year, 

 are again before us.— E. Maude Alderson ; Worksop, Jan. 17th, 1894. 



Notes from Ringwood, 1893. — A peculiar feature in the habits of 

 most of the large forest butterflies during the drought through June to 

 July 7th, 1893, was their partiality for frequenting the dense portions of 

 the enclosures, and almost deserting the ridings ; evidently the butterflies 

 suffered severely from the want of moisture, such species as Limenitis 

 sihijlla and the large fritillaries being known to imbibe large quantities. 

 Upon taking an excursion for a day's collecting in June to the Roe 

 enclosures, I followed the bed of one of the streams in search of water to 

 drink, and for the first time was disappointed in not finding sufficient to 

 quench my thirst, not a pool being left, but I was well repaid by the sight 

 1 witnessed ; the said bed of the stream for more than a mile was literally 

 crowded with butterflies, the bulk being composed of Argynnis adippe, 

 A. paphia var. valesina, and Limenitis sibylla, also Argynnis aglaia, 

 A. selene, and A. euphrosyne, Epinephele hyperanthes, and others in lesser 

 numbers ; they were mostly busy probing the sand and gravel in search of 

 water, some were quietly resting with folded wings, others seeking the 

 shady nooks underneath the banks, but withal with a constant flutter of 

 wings and restlessness, denoting how ill at ease they were. Although I 

 netted several good varieties in other parts of the forest, I did not see any- 

 thing but var. valesina worth taking upon this day, and of which I took 

 twenty-six specimens. Altogether it was an entomological sight once seen 

 never to be forgotten. Gonopteryx rhamni was unusually plentiful in the 

 larval stage, Limenitis sibylla normal, imagines of Vanessa cardui almost 

 nil, whilst V. atalanta was out from May to Nov. 11th ; several late larvae 

 reared iu-doors emerged up to the 26th, and a few of the last to turn into 

 pupa died, becoming soft and watery, a fate which I believe all the late 

 out-door specimens meet with. Pararge egeria was over before P. viegcera, 

 which had a late brood to Nov. 12th, in company with Polyommatiis phlceas. 

 I have added a fresh butterfly to my list from here, viz., Thecla betulce, the 

 larva of which I discovered in May, and quite by accident : I was beatmg 

 Prumis spinosa in search of thorn larvae, when to my surprise I got a 

 number of betula larvae, and have bred a nice series ; it was not at all local, 

 the area in which it occurred extending quite a mile around. I had no idea 

 this species was found there, as I had never seen it upon the wing (until 

 later). This may be a hint for others to obtain it elsewhere, by beating the 

 thorns anywhere around trees. I went to the spot the first week in x\ugust, 

 and saw several T. betnla on the wing, also a few Lycaina arglolus ; but 

 owing to the rough nature of the ground both species were difficult to net. 

 Nearly all the forest butterflies were over by the second week in July, at 

 least a month sooner than usual. I certainly prefer a season when insects 

 are longer upon the wing ; the large fritillaries, for instance, did not last 

 good for more than fifteen days or so, getting torn and rubbed. Lyccena 

 argiolus was well out by April l7th, and very dark speoimens were 



