PYRAMBIS CARDUI, PLUSIA GAMMA, ETC. 27«'> 



gamma was frequently seen about the flower-beds, and on the 

 last-named date I kicked up a single example of Nemophila noctu- 

 ella from a bit of rough grass at the end of the parade. The fog 

 had melted away to a light haze on the 25th, with an overcast 

 sky, and, although there was no bright sunshine, cardui were 

 seen about the gardens by the sea. 



The morning of the 26th broke dull, but by nine o'clock the 

 sun was breaking through, and I lost no time in making my way 

 to the sheltered hollows under Beachy Head, where, if any 

 butterflies were to be found, I should surely find them. By the 

 time I arrived there the sun was shining brilliantly, the lightest 

 air drifted in from the sea, and the morning was positively hot. 

 Such butterflies as one usually expects to find abundantly in this 

 spot were, however, by no means so ; Lyccsna corydon, for 

 instance, was represented by less than a score of individuals, 

 and Epinephele ianira was seen to about the same number during 

 the couple of hours that I spent there ; but there was no lack of 

 cardui, it was distinctly the most common butterfly, and was 

 surpassed in numbers only by gamma, whose continued hoverings 

 were simply bewildering, and noctuella, which rose from the 

 grass at every step one took. Many of the cardui, as they fed at 

 the knapweed-flowers or sat sunning themselves on the bare 

 patches of ground, looked delightfully bright and fresh, but on 

 catching several of them the wear of flight was only too apparent 

 in the thinness of their scaling, and generally dull appearance 

 when shaded from the bright sunlight. Even on this bright day 

 an occasional wreath of fog would drift across, and during its 

 passage not a wing was to be seen ; even gamma would seek 

 shelter until it had passed. This was my last chance of any 

 extended observation, for on the next morning rain was falling, 

 and, with the exception of the 30th, when I unfortunately had to 

 be away, dull or rainy weather continued until my return on 

 Oct. 2nd. 



Several notes have already been published dealing with the 

 appearance of cardui and gamma this autumn, and Mr. Barker 

 has very kindly allowed me to see his remarks before publication. 

 On comparing the dates given with the time when the south-east 

 wind was prevalent, one cannot fail to be struck by the way in 

 which they coincide. Thus, the wind became east on the 17th, 

 and on the 18th the first cardui was reported (at Yarmouth) ; the 

 wind freshened during the next few days, and cardui increased in 

 numbers, and on the 21st eight examples were seen from a 

 steamer between Yarmouth and Walton making their way towards 

 the land. From the 21st to 26th the species was found in abun- 

 dance at places on the coast so far apart as Suftolk and Sussex, 

 and by this time some few had found their way as far inland as 

 London, and this under conditions of weather that were by no 

 means favourable for the movement or for the observation of a 



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