50 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
over some droppings reminiscent of the alpine throngs,” and further, 
on September 7th, when it may be assumed “the abundance of 
collectors ’ had decreased in volume, and the late emergences allowed 
some respite, despite the unfavourable weather a certain number of 
males and females—all typical—were observed in the same locality. 
It may be perfectly true that 90 per cent. of the larve collected 
hereabouts (?) were ichneumoned, but it will take much stronger 
evidence than that offered by Mr. Newman to convince me that the 
extinction of syngrapha was due to parasitic agency alone. Had not 
the hundreds of unimpregnated females been destroyed in the seasons 
immediately preceding 1919, it is reasonable to suppose that the 
balance of Nature would have been maintained. Mr. Newman says! 
that his experience at Royston was much the same as in this part of the 
Chilterns. But whereas this year (1920) there appears to have been 
no such wholesale falling off in that locality, my experience of the syn- 
grapha ground is in effect exactly the opposite. If left to itseli—and I 
fear this is too much to expect—it may be that a few syngrapha have 
evaded the net, professional and amateur, and will in time revivify the 
race. J am assured that a tendency to maleness in a local form, 
provided the type is allowed to exist, cannot be altogether eradicated 
by the extermination of the local form in question. May it be so, 
but for the present it is quite clear that indiscriminate collection 
threatens to destroy, if it has not actually killed, the goose that lays 
the golden egg. I have written these notes, therefore, to urge upon 
dealers and amateurs alike, not merely the unwisdom of their attacks, 
but in the hope—perhaps that is rather too sanguine a word—that 
A. corydon syngrapha in this little angle of its distribution may be left 
alone for a few years, if it be ordained to work out its own salvation. 
As it is, it seems to have suffered ‘the common fate of all things 
rare,” and to have realised prematurely, and to the grief of all true 
lovers of nature. 
‘* How small a part of time they share 
That are so wondrous sweet and fair ! ’’— 
H. Rownanp-Brown; Harrow- Weald, December, 1920. 
Burrerruies iN Sourx Bucks, 1920.—The following short notes 
on butterflies observed in South Bucks this season may be of 
interest: Huchloé cardamines: Not nearly so abundant as usual. 
Colias edusa : Abundant on the Chilterns. Gonepteryxrhamni : Not 
so abundant as usual in the summer, but abundant in the spring. 
Limenitis stbylla.: Though I captured one specimen in 1919 I was 
unable to re-discover this buttertly this year. Hugonia polychloros : 
I have never met this butterfly here, with the exception of one 
doubtful specimen flying high. I should be glad to know if other 
readers have encountered it in S. Bucks. Aglais urtice: Abundant. 
Vanessa v0, Pyramets atalanta : Both very abundant. P. carduwi: A 
few seen. Dryas paphia: Not abundant. Argynnis cydippe: Abun- 
dant. A.aglaia: Very abundant and variable. Brenthis ewphrosyne : 
Abundant. B. selene I have never met with. Melitea aurima : 
One specimen near Risboro’. Melanargia galatea : Very abundant 
on the Chilterns. Pararge egerides and P. megera: Very abundant. 
Epinephele tithonus : Not nearly so abundant as usual. <dAphantopus 
