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cvii 
places near Newbury. These were all taken on the flowers. 
of a small patch of heath (Hrica),—low and scanty after 
the burning of 1919. The phlaeas do not exhibit any appre- 
ciable difference in size or hue from those of the lower and 
damper locality, but are remarkable in the disproportion 
between the sexes—4 males to 34 females, perhaps to be 
accounted for by some of the families being all-female. 
“The smallest series, 9 males and 13 females, were from a 
small patch of fleabane, on the tow-path of the canal, about 
6 miles E. of Newbury, near Woolhampton, September 9, 
2.45-3.30 p.m. These call for no special comment as they 
do not differ materially from the others. 
“Tt was observed that phlaeas, immediately after alighting 
upon a flower, herbage, or the ground, invariably took up a 
definite position with its head turned directly away from the 
sun. Several individuals were seen to perform the ‘ eccentric ’ 
movements with their hind-wings, in the same way that I 
have so often observed in Cyaniris argiolus. There are no 
striking varieties, but much minor variation. Some have 
the coppery hue very pronounced on the basal half of the 
hind-wing and a few are of the coeruleo-punctata form,—a 
variety supposed to occur more frequently in damp situations, 
but here as common in the high and dry locality as in the 
others. 
“The three series were captured without selection, and 
thus are truly representative of their respective localities.” 
Prof. Poulton said that Mr. Hamm/’s series contrasted 
remarkably with those of the second brood collected by 
Dr. R. C. L. Perkins, F.R.S., at Cerne Abbas, Dorset, in the 
hot August of 1911, the latter being very dark as compared 
with a series taken in the same locality in the cold August of 
1912 (Proc. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1912, p. exxxvii). The “ eccen- 
tric’? movements had also been seen during the ‘past season, 
in a small proportion of individuals at Newton Abbot, by 
Dr. Perkins, but not in the third brood (September). 
Dr. Perkins had also informed Prof. Poulton that the 1921 
April-May brood at Newton Abbot was normal, while the 
end—June and July brood was dark, much like that of Cerne 
Abbas in August, 1911. The slight rains at the end of July 
