268 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



comparefl my specimens with tliose delineated on Plates I. and 

 II. of this volume, attached to Mr. South's valuable paper on 

 Lycsense, and find as follows : — The males bear a strong 

 resemblance on the upper surface to Plate I., fig. 9 ; the under 

 surface is very varied, but mostly resemble the specimen shown 

 on Plate I., fig. 5, but sometimes the spots on the fore wing are 

 scarcely discernible, and in other specimens the spots on the 

 margin of the front wing have no crescent. Females: — Upper 

 surface like Plate I., fig. 11; under side similar to Plate I., 

 fig. 8 ; but in more than one specimen there is no black speck in 

 the centre of the discoidal spot, it being perfectly white. All my 

 specimens of Lyccena corydon were about the average size, except 

 one exceptionally fine male. The varieties of L. corydon are so 

 numerous, nearly every district where it occurs having some 

 variety of its own, that it would seem desirable that collectors 

 should compare their specimens with Mr. South's paper, and 

 where necessary note and record any fresh variety they may be 

 fortunate enough to possess. After having thoroughly examined 

 the Weymouth side of Lulworth, I took the opposite direction 

 leading to the coast-guard station. After a careful search I found 

 Hesperia actaon in fair numbers on a sheltered spot of some thirty 

 square yards about a mile along the coast, and took some two or 

 three specimens. The local reports as to whether this species is 

 on the increase or decrease vary considerably ; some collector's 

 saying it is getting scarce, while others, again, maintain they 

 have not perceptibly diminished. I am inclined to think they 

 have just managed to hold their own ; but I am certain of this, 

 that if such wholesale and wanton destruction of this local insect 

 continues in the future as it has in the past, then, at no distant 

 date, we shall have another blank in the already small list of 

 British butterflies. Since ray last notes were written, I have 

 heard of a gentleman who professed to having in his collection 

 some scores of this local insect. Surely the Sel borne Society, 

 the intention of which is to preserve from unnecessary destruction 

 such objects, might well establish a branch in Lulworth before it 

 is too late. — W. G. McMurtrie ; Eadstock, September 3, 1887. 

 A Sunny Corner. — Everyone who has paid attention to the 

 habits of insects must have noticed the manner in which they 

 will select and cling to some favoured little spot, although to 

 grosser mortal perceptions it has few or no advantages over near 



