A CATALOGUE OF THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. 233 



the Higham district, and apparently disappeared at about the 

 same time as in the former district, although its congener, 

 Porthesia siiniUs {aurijiua) still continued to occur much in the 

 same numbers as formerly. Clisiocampa castrensis is another 

 species which, although having a much more restricted range, 

 probably on account of the peculiar situations which it affects 

 and the distribution of its usual food-plant, is also liable to 

 seasons of extreme abundance and scarcity.* In the marshes on 

 the north bank of the Thames I have seen the larvae of this 

 species in all stages in the utmost profusion ; yet a few years 

 later a diligent search would not be rewarded by a single 

 example, and such a phenomenon has occurred more than once 

 within my own recollection. It is unnecessary here to discuss 

 the probable causes of the apparently sudden abundance and 

 equally rapid scarcity or disappearance, as that does not come 

 within the present question ; but it appears to me that such 

 changes could not possibly have been brought about by any 

 amount of collecting, or indeed by any contingency within man's 

 control. Questions such as these species have raised in my own 

 mind will doubtless occur to the minds of entomologists with 

 regard to some other of the species mentioned in the list, and I 

 fear will not tend to strengthen the hands of the Committee in 

 the task that is before them ; but although any attempts to 

 enforce hard and fast rules may lead to unlooked-for difficulties, 

 a vast amount of good may, I doubt not, be done in the desired 

 direction by moral persuasion. 



Lewisham, Augiist, 1897. 



A CATALOGUE OF THE LEPIDOPTERA OF IRELAND. 



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



(Continued from p. 216.) 



Hybernia rupicapraria, Hb. — Common in most districts. Of 

 its distribution, however, I have but scanty positive evidence, as 

 its season of flight is so early that it escapes notice in a country 

 which has but few entomological observers. The few localities 

 I give, however, indicate the probability of its being widely 

 spread. Killynon, Westmeath {Miss R.) ; in the North at Belfast 

 (IF.); abundant near Derry (C) ; common at Drumreaske and 

 elsewhere in the Co. Monaghan ; on the east coast at Castle 

 Bellingham {Thornhill), and near Dublin; and it abounds at 

 Clonbrock, Co. Galway {R.E.D.). 



[Hybernia LEucoPH.a:ARiA, /Sc/ii^'. — This insect is recorded in 

 Birchairs list as common, but I have seen no Irish specimen, 



