236 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
There was not a single specimen to be seen, though I was told by 
the waiter at the hotel that gentlemen had been taking them 
before that date. A week later I tried Lulworth again. This 
time it was a dull day, and I took one specimen in good condition. 
Meantime I had been twice to the Burning Cliff, and there found 
them tolerably plentiful, but at that time they were mostly males 
and in bad condition. After that I confined my attention entirely 
to the Burning Cliff, going there every two or three days for the 
next fortnight, and each time found what seemed to be a fresh 
batch both of males and females in splendid condition. The last 
date on which I went was August 13th, and on that day I took 
some of the most recently emerged specimens I got at all. I was 
careful to limit myself in the number I took each day, in order to 
avoid anything like extermination. I was rather surprised that 
IT never met any other entomologist at the Burning Cliff, but 
I do not think that the exact spot where H. actgon lives is very 
well known. I discovered a spot unknown to me before, and, 
from the look of it, I should say untried by anyone else, where 
the species was much more abundant than in any of the other 
places I knew of. 
On the whole, I think that H. act@on has become much less 
common than it used to be, but one would like to hear what other 
collectors have to say about it. At least J am sure that the 
halcyon days of Mr, Douglas have gone for ever. The butterfly 
has entirely disappeared from one spot where it abounded, and I 
find that one of the localities in Lulworth Cove has lately been 
converted into a fowl-run, so that I do not think there will be 
much chance for it there in future. I believe, however, that 
more localities might be found along the clitts if carefully searched 
by residents, and at the Burning Cliff it is still fairly plentiful. 
It would be a thousand pities if this lovely little butterfly were 
to share the fate of Polyommatus dispar. I have never seen 
a more charming entomological picture than is presented by a 
newly-emerged specimen as it sits on a spray of bramble or stem 
of grass, with its semicircle of spots glowing in the sun almost 
like dots of gold. 
They seem to prefer ground which is very much overgrown 
with tall rushes, and they are also fond of sitting on teazle-heads 
to suck the honey, and not unfrequently on thistles and brambles. 
On a dull day they do not fly at all, but they may frequently be 
found at rest among the rushes, and it is then easy to see whether 
the insect is in good enough condition to be caught or not. 
They are not by any means too easy to catch, as, unless you 
take them as soon as you see them, their flight is most difficult to 
follow with the eye. And if you plump the net downwards over 
them, they often wriggle down into the long grass and get lost to - 
sight. It is by no means easy to get really fine specimens. They 
are very active and pugnacions with other species of butterfly, 
