NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 229 



of the wings, which is simply a case of fading with age and 

 exposure. If, therefore, in this country those with the yellow 

 borders are always fresh from the pupae, and those with faded or 

 white borders are always old or hybernated specimens, is not the 

 same thing true in England and also on the Continent ? — 

 C. H. Fernald; Amherst, Mass., U.S.A., August, 1887. 



Lyc^na astrarche at Newbury. — I have taken several speci- 

 mens of this butterfly near here this season. I report this as 

 Newman says it does not occur in lists transmitted from Berk- 

 shire. It is the first time I have taken it in this county. — (Miss) 

 M. KiMBER ; Cope Hall, near Newbury. 



Lyc.ena corydon near Hounslow. — On August 1st I was 

 surprised to take, at the place above mentioned, a fine male 

 specimen of this insect at privet bloom, in company with 

 Polyommatus 2?hlceas and Lycana icariis. The insect was observed 

 "toying" with one of the common blues, and before it was netted 

 attention was drawn to it on account of its larger size and lighter 

 colouring. I was unaware the L. corydon was taken except on the 

 chalk, and have since had the advantage of consulting with Mr. 

 South on the subject, and he tells me that that is also his experience 

 in collecting that blue. I was sufficiently interested in my capture 

 to investigate the geological formation of that neighbourhood ; 

 with this object I visited the Royal School of Mines, and studied 

 the soils of Middlesex and the surrounding counties, with the 

 following result : — On the north, there are two tongue-like 

 processes coming from Bucks, in the neighbourhood of Chalfont 

 St. Peter and Rickmansworth. On the west, there is none to be 

 found nearer than Windsor ; and even there, though there is a 

 subsoil of chalk, it nowhere appears on the surface, save in the 

 neighbourhood of the castle. On the south, Banstead Downs is 

 the nearest spot where that particular soil prevails. All three 

 are equidistant, for all practical purposes, from the town in 

 question. The brilliant colouring and perfect state of the cilia 

 render it highly improbable that it could have compassed so 

 long a flight as would have been necessary had it migrated. I 

 have, however, purposely gone into detail on the subject, as I 

 deemed it possible that anyone, not having seen the specimen in 

 question, might have suggested that theory for its appearance on 

 a gravel soil.— Percy Rendall ; 10, Little Grosvenor Street, W. 



