NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 275 



unrivalled collection of varieties, I have this season found the species 

 early in July in some numbers in one very restricted locality about 

 two hundred yards from the place where Mr. Farn took one specimen 

 in 1894, Like all great .discoveries it was purely accidental, for at the 

 moment I was pursuing my unavailing search for the Eed Helliborino 

 {Cephalanthra rubra). Most of them were in fine condition, but it is 

 a species which soon loses the brilliant blackness of the markings, 

 which wore off to a dirty brown. The spot was almost barren, only 

 one very small plant of Lactuca muralis being noticed in the neigh- 

 bourhood, so that this can hardly be its food-plant, but I must hold 

 over the details for further investigation. It has been a great pleasure 

 to me to supply some of our leading entomologists with specimens. — 

 C. Granville Clutterbuck ; 23, Heathville Eoad, Gloucester, 

 November 15th, 1919. 



The Sydney Webb Collection. — In an obituary of the late 

 Sydney Webb in this magazine (ante, p. 119), we read — •" probably there 

 is no finer private collection of native Lepidoptera in the United 

 Kingdom than that made by the deceased gentleman. It includes 

 magnificent series of varieties and aberrations, many of which have 

 been figured and described in contemporary works on the subject, the 

 result of his own indefatigable labours, coupled with those of Bond 

 and Gregson, whose entire cabinets at their death were embodied with 

 his own." And even beyond this, as a glance at the catalogue shows, 

 many other well-known collections had, from tirne to time as they' 

 were dispersed, been freely dipped into, such names as Marshall, 

 Briggs, Gill, Mason, Harper, Hopley, Vaughan, Stevens and Desvignes 

 frequently appearing as the collections from which specimens had 

 been obtained. Many of these men, it will be remembered, were 

 active collectors at the time when Ghrysophanus dispar was wont to 

 disport itself in the fenlands of this country, and other of our now 

 " extinct species " were of common occurrence. Little wonder 

 therefore that when the first portion of this remarkable collection was 

 offered at auction at Stevens' Eooms on October 21st it attracted 

 more than usual attention, and competition for some of the more 

 noteworthy specimens was keen, many lots bringing record prices, 

 yet, as is so often the case, some others that appeared to be inter- 

 esting were little sought after. Thus the highest price obtained for 

 any one Papilio machaon, an unusually dark example wath broad 

 bands, was £2. Sundry lots of Aporia cratcegi in which were included 

 more or less remarkable aberrations made from £1 to £3 15s., of 

 Pieris brassicce from 20s. to 50s., of P. rapes 6s. to 45s., and P. napi 

 10s. to 30s. per lot. The highest price obtained for any one Euchloe 

 cardamines, a very remarkable specimen, was £6, while three gynan- 

 dromorphs sold at £4, £4 10s. and £5 each. The best two Gonepteryx 

 rhamni, male and female colouring appearing in each specimen, sold 

 for £7 7s. and £7 10s. each, and one with right side male and left 

 female for £9, a " rayed u.s. " Colias edusa for £5 and one with right 

 side male and left female for £9. A very pale Melanargia galatea 

 brought £8 10s. ; a nearly unicolorous light Pararge cegeria £5 ; a similar 

 form of P. niegcera £4 4s., and one almost entirely dark brown £3 10s. 

 Two Apatura iris with white bands almost obliterated ran up to £5 10s. 

 and £6 10s. respectively and two others with markings almost 



