THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 225 



paper on the bulterflics of Dry Drayton, it is that of 

 information as to the nature of the district, how much of the 

 land is cultivated or pasture, &c., the prevalence or absence 

 of wind, the elevation, soil, and the character of the Flora. 

 Should similar papers be hereafter prepared, some brief 

 particulars of that kind would be acceptable. — J. R. S. 

 a i ford. 



Vanessa Antiopa near Newcastle. — Vanessa Antiopa has 

 been seen, but not captured, by the person to whom I am 

 indebted for the specimen I possess. It appeared on the 1 1th 

 of September, within a few yards of the spot — in Jesmond 

 Dene, near Newcastle — where he made the capture two years 

 ago; willows abound in the neighbourhood. — IV. JMallng ; 

 22, Jesmond Road, Newcastle-on-Tyne, September 17, 1874. 



Argy)iuis Niohe in Kent. — Your correspondent, Mr. Wigan, 

 thought it necessary, 1 presume in his own defence, to indicate 

 the locality, though not with precision, where he took this 

 butterfly; still, it is to be regretted that the result will be a 

 hunting-up of the spot, and a hunting-down of the luckless 

 A. Niobe, which is likely to have a short history, though an 

 interesting one, as a British species ; for though ravines or 

 hollows, such as the one described, occur in other parts of 

 Kent, the insect is so closely connected with the wild 

 heart's-ease that it is not probable we shall find it where that 

 plant does not grow pretty freely ; and, as far as I have 

 observed, it does not appear to be common in the county. 

 However, I will venture to express a hope that the next 

 captor of A. Niobe will keep the exact spot a profound 

 secret; for as Carlyle observes: — "He who has a secret must 

 not only hide it, but he must hide that he has it to hide." — 

 J. R. S. Clifford. 



Postscript, September 191 h. — Some entomologists are 

 much " exercised in spirit," as the old authors used to 

 say, over the recent capture of this butterfly in Kent, and 

 seem to fancy there is still a loophole for doubt. I would 

 suggest an easy settlement of the question. It may be 

 premised that the captures made this year in the place 

 named could not have exterminated the species, as it had, 

 according to the account ]Hiblished, been on the wing some 

 time. Tiiero must, therefore, be larvaj in the locality, and 

 within a limited range of the spot where the imagos were 



2g 



