BUTTERFLY HUNTING IN THE NEW FOREST. 53 



describes the form pelopia, Brkli., of Argynnis niohe as an 

 aberration in which " the wings are more or less suffused 

 with black by the extension of the black markings," and adds : 

 " All the larger species of Argynnis (including paphia) are subject 

 occasionally to this melanic variation, as well as the smaller 

 ones, such as euphrosyne and selene." The difference in the case 

 of valesina appears to consist not only in the greater suffusion of 

 the upper surface, especially the hind wing, with dark pigment, 

 but also in the ground colour, which is not the rich fulvous tint 

 of the usual form of female, but a pale pinkish drab closely 

 approaching the colour of the "white pine" of which store-boxes 

 and setting- boards are made. 



A similar contrast is presented by the common Swiss Fritillary 

 Brenthis pales and its ? var. napaa. In the usual form of pales 

 the ground colour is, in both sexes, a tine fulvous tint, very 

 like that of $ paphia. In var. napaa it is nearly the white 

 pine colour of valesina, though somewhat pinker. In napcea 

 also the upper surface of the wings is more suffused with dark 

 pigment than in the usual form, though there is a wide area 

 along the outer border of both wings which is free from fhe*:lark 

 suffused pigment, and here the paler tint is clearly seen which I 

 believe to be characteristic alike of naptea and valesina * 



Argynnis adippe was moderately common in open parts of 

 the Forest about Denny Lodge, and more so in the plantations 

 north of the Ober Water. It was in perfect order. 



Brenthis selene was also fairly abundant in the moister 

 heathery tracts, though going over. Dr. Keynes, however, 

 secured some good specimens. 



Limenitis sihylla, was one of the commonest butterflies. 

 Many males were in rather worn condition when we got to the 

 Forest, but we took good sets both of males and females in 

 perfect order. It was a beautiful sight to see the heads of 

 bramble blossoms crowded with this species and paphia, pushing 

 one another aside in their eagerness to get at the nectar; and its 

 exquisitely graceful and powerful flight, and bold yet restrained 

 colouring, make it one of the most attractive of insects. 



Pararge egeria, var. egerides, in perhaps its second brood, was 

 getting worn and shabby, and was not very abundant. 



Hipparchia semele occurred in a gravel pit on the plain, 

 by the road between Beaulieu Road Station and Lyndhurst. We 

 took several males, but only one female, at this early date. One 

 male measured only 38 mm. across the wings, 8 or 9 mm. less than 

 the usual size. 



* We may note in passing that Tutt (' British Butterflies,' p. 276) is too sweeping 

 in saying that in Britain valesina " is only found in the New Forest, although a few 

 individuals have been recorded from Devon, Dorset, Kent and Sussex " — witness 

 Mr. StowelPs note (' Entomologist,' 1917, p. 254) of its occurrence last summer in 

 Savernake Forest (Wilts). 



