254 THE ento:mologist. 



the 13th, Brentlus euplirosyne (19th), and B.selene (30th) swarmed in 

 every wood — I saw tiive on one head of bugle — and were still to be 

 seen in July, long overlapping the species of Argynnis. Melitcea 

 aurinia (at one time almost extinct in these parts), was first taken 

 on the 26th, and was afterwards very numerous in one or two 

 localities with stragglers elsewhere. Cyaniris argiolus (8th) was 

 not very common, but Hesperia malvcs (8th) was everywhere ; 

 Nisoniades tages (14th) not so common. The 30th brought records 

 of Polyommatus teams (very late), P. astrarche, and Cupido minimus. 

 P. astrarche was scarce in this brood but much commoner in 

 August. There was also a second brood of G. minimus at the end 

 of July. Nevieohius lucina (25th) was not uncommon in a few 

 localities and larvae were found later on. All the June insects were 

 extremely early. Argynnis adippe and aglaia appeared on the 17th. 

 When it is remembered that Savernake Forest is 500 ft. above 

 sea-level, and usually ten days later than other localities in the 

 same latitude, this is a strikingly early date. Adippe was so 

 excessively numerous that it was difficult to get aglaia except on 

 one common remote from high woods, where the latter reigned 

 alone. A. paphia was a few days later (25th), but extremely 

 abundant in some woods up to the middle of August. Var. valesina 

 was taken on July 24th, and was seen in another wood. 

 Melanargia galatea put in an appearance on June 25th, and while 

 most abundant in certain localities might be met with wandering 

 very widely. I saw the last survivors in the third week of August. 

 Pararge megcera, which had disappeared for some years, was taken 

 on the 26th (one only), but I saw specimens of the second brood 

 in August in five different localities, so that it is happily returning. 

 Augiades sylvanus (June 5th) was locally very abundant, Adopaa 

 thaumas (28th) not so common. The most interesting of the local 

 butterflies, however, was Thecla tv-album, and one of the most 

 remarkably forward. I found larvae crawling up palings and 

 wych-elm trunks on May 28th, and, returning with an umbrella 

 next day, soon had as many as I wanted. Imagines were out on 

 June 19th. I can fully endorse what has been written about the 

 curious habits of this fly. For some time I gazed in vain at the 

 trees where the larvae had abounded, then one dull day I found 

 some boys beating them out of a hedge in the vicinity. Later on 

 one hot afternoon I hit upon a patch of thistles on which they 

 were clustered thickly and could be boxed without the use of the 

 net, but although the under sides of the wings looked perfect I never 

 captured a specimen that was perfect on the upper side. It was 

 well into August when I saw the last wasted female on a thistle 

 bloom. In July the season slowed down ; Limenitis sibylla (three) 

 were taken from the 11th on but were not quite fresh. Zephyrus 

 quercus (8th) was not very common. A precocious Agriades corydon 

 was taken on July 7th but it was not common till the end of the 

 month. I saw it still fresh on August 7th in amazing abundance 

 in one hot and sheltered escarpment. I have never seen anything 

 like such numbers even in the Isle of Wight or at Eastbourne, but 

 it is by no means universally distributed on the Marlborough Downs. 



