194 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



THE RHOPALOCERA OF FLEET (NORTH HANTS) AND 



DISTRICT. 

 By S. G.C. Russell, F.E.S. 



I WAS much interested in Mr. Grover's paper on the Rhopalo- 

 cera of Guildford {ante, p. 150), and a similar account of the 

 butterflies occurring at or near Fleet may be of some interest to 

 entomologists. I have collected in the district regularly for the 

 last five years (although I have had a much longer experience 

 of it), and the insects enumerated below — a total of thirty-seven 

 species — comprise only those personally taken or seen : — 



Pieris brassier. In some seasons abundant. — P. napi and P. rapa. 

 Common. 



Leiicoj^hasia sinapis. Mr. F. W. Froliawk, when I had the pleasure 

 of his company in May, 1890, took a single specimen at Ewshot, aud 

 this is the only occasion on which I have met with this species in the 

 district. By the way, there appears to be a somewhat general 

 impression that this butterfly is seldom taken at rest. Quite the 

 contrary was my experience at Sidmouth in 1893, when I took it in 

 considerable numbers. The majority were taken at rest on flowers of 

 some kind of vetch, evidently its food-plant. I have also taken the 

 insect this year in Northamptonshire, and as far as I conld see it 

 settled indiscriminately on any flower that happened in its way. 



Euchlo'e cardamines. Abundant. 



Colias edusa. Plentiful in 1892 (the ediisa year), when specimens 

 of the var. helice were also taken. — C. Jujale. A few taken or seen in 

 1892, flying with C. edusa. 



Gonopteryx rhamni. Very abundant, especially in the spring. Ova 

 and larvae are easily found on buckthorn {llhamnus catharticus). 



Ar(jynnis selene. Very plentiful. A few specimens of a second brood 

 occur in August. — A. euphrosi/)ie. Common. — A. adippe. Fairly plen- 

 tiful. — A. paphia. Fairly plentiful. I have not met with the var. 

 valesina. 



MelitcBa anrinia {artcmis). I did not meet with this species until 

 1892, and since then I have found its headquarters, where it occurs in 

 some numbers, but is apparently restricted to a single field or meadow. 



Vanessa polychloros. Occurs sparingly each year. — V. urticm, V. io, 

 V. atalanta, and V. carduL Abundant in favourable seasons. 



Apatum iris. A dead female found under an oak-tree ; and I am 

 under the impression that I have seen specimens flying round oak-trees. 



Pararge egeria and P. megcera. Common. 



Satyrus semele. Abundant on heath-land. 



Epinephele ianira, K. tithonus, aud E. hyperanthus. Common. 



Cmnonym})]ia pawphilus. Common. 



Tliecla quercus. In 1888, when with two brother collectors, this 

 species was found swarming round small birch-trees in a copse. Is 

 not this an unusual occurrence ? I have not since seen this species in 

 any numbers. — T. riibi. A few specimens occasionally seen ; probably 

 locally common. 



Polyommatus phlceas. Common. 



