58 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of being able to procure the larvae ; since which date it has 

 entirely disappeared. 



Leueophasia sinapis is also rapidly approaching extermination 

 in the Midlands, owing to the greediness of collectors. 



Before concluding I will endeavour to furnish a few suggestions 

 as to the best means which I consider can be adopted in order to 

 counteract, if possible, the lamentable state of things which 

 constitutes the subject of these remarks. 



Assuming that the effects of amixia are primarily responsible 

 for the decadence of the butterflies, the best thing under the cir- 

 cumstances would probably be to infuse "fresh blood" — if I may 

 be permitted to employ a metaphorical expression — into those 

 colonies which still exist, in the same way as has been suggested 

 in order to save the few remaining herds of the European bison 

 which still survive in the wilds of Lithuania and the Caucasus. 

 Could not a few males or females of certain declining species be 

 brought over from the Continent and permitted to fly in some of 

 the well-known haunts, for instance, of Lyctena arion, Melitcea 

 cinxia, &c. '? At any rate the experiment might be given a fair 

 trial during some favourable season. 



As regards endeavouring either to prevent or persuade the 

 majority of colleciors in this country from taking long series of 

 rare species bordering upon extinction, whenever they have the 

 opportunity, all such efforts I think must prove futile. The 

 acquisitive instinct of the average British collector is too over- 

 powering to induce him to withstand the temptation. 



Moreover, do all the principal entomologists and collectors 

 themselves in the Metropolitan Society set a proper example in 

 this respect? Judging from the accounts of the public sales 

 which periodically take place under the hammer, I should venture 

 to suggest that such is not the case with very many of them. 



If something could be done to discourage the ravages of 

 omnivorous and indiscriminate unscientific collectors and rapa- 

 cious dealers, some good results would undoubtedly accrue. 



Birmingham, Nov. 14tli, 189(3. 



A CATALOGUE OF THE LEPIDOPTEKA OF IRELAND. 

 By W. F. de VisaiEs Kane, M.A., M.R.I.A., F.E.S. 



(Continued from p. 30.) 



EuaoNiA ALNiARiA, L. — Restricted in distribution, but locally 

 abundant. I have never met with it. Kildare, Hon. Emily 

 Lawless (E. M. M. iv. 283) ; Cromlyn, Co. Westmeath {Mrs. B.); 

 Enniskillen (S.) : Greystones, Co. Wicklow {Wynne}; Clon- 

 brock {R. E. D.). 



