324 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Orobena straminalis in Surrey. — Referring to note in the Novem- 

 ber number about this species, it may be of iuterest to mention that I 

 took two specimens last year in Surrey. Tlie first was on July 5th, 

 at Fetcham, and was quite fresh ; but I could not find any more in 

 the same spot. The second example was taken on Aug. 2nd, in a field 

 near Ranmore, but was v^ery worn. — E. C. Goulton ; Stanmore 

 House, Benhill Street, Sutton, Surrey. 



Butterflies taken in the North of France. — The following short 

 notes were made during a ten days' stay in the North of France this 

 summer. The little country town of Gviines, between Boulogne and 

 Calais, surrounded on one side by the Forests of Leek and Guiues, on 

 the other by open heathy country, where in former days Henry VIH. of 

 England met the French King with so much magnificence that it is still 

 known as the " Field of the Cloth of Gold," is as good a place for an 

 entomologist to spend a week or two at, as perhaps may be found any- 

 where. It was my good fortune to be able to stay ten days this 

 summer, during the middle of August, in this district, and I have 

 seldom had a more enjoyable or interesting time, as, besides entomo- 

 logy, there is a great deal to interest the ornithologist or botanist ; 

 while the quaint French villages and picturesque country afford many 

 subjects for an artist. The forests of Guines, Leek, and Boulogne, all 

 more or less join one another, and cover a very large tract of land ; 

 they are divided by the straight French Government roads, and inter- 

 sected with paths, clearings where the trees have been cut down, and 

 open grassy glades, carpeted, when I was there, with flowers of great 

 variety — in fact, an ideal place for the "butterfly man." During June, 

 July, and August, one may, with no great difficulty, get fifty out of the 

 sixty-five species of British butterflies. At the Foret de Boulogne 

 Apatura iris was very common, holding the undoubted sovereignty 

 which he well deserves; on Aug. 20th they were just out, and in 

 magnificent condition. The female is of not nearly so aspiring a dis- 

 position as the male ; she was generally to be seen flying near the 

 sallows ; however, her flight is fairly powerful, and passing quickly 

 over the tops of the undergrowth, she is soon lost sight of. This 

 species was common in all the forests, but the Boulogne one appeared 

 to be its headquarters ; in point of numbers, though, it was hopelessly 

 beaten by Lime7iitis sibylla, which literally swarmed in every suitable 

 glade or ride of the forest ; in fact, sibyila was much the most plentiful 

 butterfly on the wing during the middle of August, excepting such 

 common species as Aphantopus [Epinephele) hi/peranthus, and Epine- 

 phele tithonus (of course I am talking now of the forest butterflies). 

 L. sibylla varied a good deal in size, all those I took in the Foret de 

 Guines being considerably larger than those caught in the Foret de 

 Boulogne. Five species of " fritillaries " were common; Argyymis 

 Ijopjliia, in beautiful fresh condition, including three specimens of var. 

 valesina, was most plentiful. A. adippe (generally much worn, how- 

 ever), A. aylaia (barring three specimens, I only found this species 

 at the Leek Forest) ; and the two small species, A. selene and A. 

 etiphrosyne were also common enough. A. latonia may be taken 

 sparingly on the common land round Guines, and, I am told, occa- 

 sionally in some numbers near the coast, but I have never found it 



