230 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



British list on the strength of Curtis's record in his ' Guide ' 

 (2nd ed., col. 116), and it was not until May 10th, 1897, that a 

 second British example was obtained, being taken by Bignell, at 

 Bickleigh, Devon. In the Cambridge University Museum is a 

 male labelled "British, before 1868, ex col. P. J. Sellby," and 

 a female from the old Philosophical Society Collection. Dale's 

 Collection at Oxford yields three females, one without data, the 

 others " G. W., April 9th, 1894," and " Bournemouth, 13/4/1868" 

 respectively. The usual length would seem to be 7 mm., with 

 a wing expanse of 15 mm., though two of the Oxford females are 

 8i mm. in length and expand 161 mm. These fine examples 

 show distinct traces of a short rudimentary nervure emitted from 

 the middle of the outer side of the second cubital cell, as in 

 the continental genus Diosphrys, Foester. Although thought by 

 Wesmael to be distinct, Microdus thoracicus, Nees, which has 

 the mesothorax and scutellum red, is now considered to be 

 merely a female variety. Two Oxford and the one Cambridge 

 example are of this form, which to me appears to have the 

 terebra slightly longer and first abdominal segment somewhat 

 smoother than in typical examples. 



The variety at first sight greatly resembles Microdus calcu- 

 lator, though a glance at the hind tibite, which in calculator are 

 deep black, will be sufficient to separate the two. 



(To be continued.) 



ON THE ABUNDANCE OF THE LAKV^ OF PYRAMEIS 



ATALANTA. 



By Paymaster-in-Chief Gervase F. Mathew, E.N., F.L.S., 



F.E.S. 



The most noteworthy entomological feature of the present 

 season in this neighbourhood is the extreme abundance of the larvas 

 of this beautiful butterfly. Almost every patch of nettles exhibits 

 the spun-together leaves wdiich form the tents of the larger ones. 

 But although the larvne are so plentiful the hibernated perfect 

 insects were rarely seen. I noticed the first on June 14th, one 

 June 18th, and two June 19th. On July 17th I saw a very fresh- 

 looking example, which had probably just emerged, as some of 

 my larvas at that time had already become pupae ; and on July 

 29th saw several fresh imagines and one very much worn, and 

 the same day found full-grown, half-grown, and larvae only a few 

 days old. 



But of course these hibernated butterflies must have been on 

 the wing before the date on which I first noticed them, for I was 

 finding full-grown larvae on July 8th, and the eggs from which 

 they were produced must have been deposited at the end of May 

 or early in June. 



