OBSERVATIONS ON HESPERIA ACTZON. 235 
The following is a description of the larva :—Velvety, shining 
black, except between the segments. The head and legs are also 
dull black, without lustre. ‘There is a conspicuous side line of 
spots, which in some specimens are orange, and in others lemon- 
yellow; on each segment there are three of these spots of different 
sizes, the middle one being the smallest, and the last much the 
largest. Above these spots on each segment are two very small 
shining dots of a bluish colour, the first of which is situated 
somewhat higher on the back than the other; also below the 
spots there is a similar dot, between the first and second spot. 
The larva, as might be expected, is smaller than that of 
P. apollo. 
The pupa has the same appearance as that of apollo, and has 
also a purple efflorescence, but is smaller. 
Davos-Dorfli. 
OBSERVATIONS ON HESPERIA ACTON. 
By Rev. W. Cuaxton. 
Ir would be very interesting if some of your Dorsetshire 
correspondents would contribute some information about Hesperia 
actgéon, and, in the hope of inducing them to do so, I send these 
few notes. My own acquaintance with this butterfly dates from 
about the year 1870, when as a boy I used to visit Lulworth for 
the purpose of taking it. At that time there was a spot (not 
undercliff) about a mile and a half to the east of the cove along 
the shore, where they were in great abundance, almost equal to 
that described by Mr. Douglas, and quoted by Stainton and 
Newman. In those days I only once visited the Burning Cliff, 
and found them not so plentiful as at Lulworth. After 1875, 
I did not go to Weymouth again till 1889, and in that year 
I immediately made for the spot in which H. acteon was so 
abundant in former years. ‘To my dismay, there was not a single 
specimen to be seen, and the place itself seemed altered in 
character. Perhaps the food-plant had disappeared from that 
piece of ground. However, they were to be got, though not in 
great numbers, on two small tracts of undercliffin Lulworth Cove 
itself. In 1890 I found them very scarce, and in bad condition, 
though I went at the usual time, viz., early in August, so that I 
supposed they might have emerged earlier than usual that year. 
In 1891 I could not get to Weymouth till September, and did not 
then try for H. actg@on, as I thought they would be over. How- 
ever, I saw one perfectly fresh specimen taken at Lulworth one 
day that I went there. I had been over the ground myself to see 
if I could find any of the larve, but I could see neither them nor 
the imagines. ‘This year I determined upon a serious campaign 
against actgon, which | started by trying Lulworth on July 27th. 
