94 



JUNE '2Wi, 1914. 



Field Meeting at Beaconsfield and Wixchmore Hill. 

 Lewler.—n^. J. Turner, F.E.S. 



This neighbourhood is somewhat of a favourite, and if well 

 worked would no doubt produce a very large range of species on 

 the varied ground comprised in the area. The flora of the neigh- 

 bourhood is also very interesting. It is one of the localities for the 

 very local plant Dcntaria bidbifera, which was found in quantity in 

 the depths of the shade of woods, of course not in flower, but con- 

 spicuous at the moment by its dying leaves with a naked stem 

 bearing the jet black bulbils from which the plant got its specific 

 name. Mr. Sich met with another very local plant in I'ljrola 

 minor, or lesser winter-green, somewhat abundant among the brush- 

 wood in a wooded valley. Several orchids were found, including 

 the bee, Oi'/iri/s ainfcra, close to the station, and in the large beech 

 woods were numbers of stems of the saprophytic Xeottia niili(H-avis 

 or bird's nest orchis. Not far from the station were clumps of the 

 deadly nightshade, AtiD/ia Inilailonna, unfortunately on ground soon 

 to be built over. In the big woods were large areas of the foxglove 

 DU/italis /iiii/iniea, and one large open space in the wood was over- 

 grown largely by Hijiieiu-uni i)eiforatuiii, which turned out to be a 

 prolific spot for various species of lepidoptera, including plenty of 

 Agrotiii fiet/etion and A. exclamationis, Lencania lit/iavf/yyia, L. 

 comma, and numerous Tortrices, of course including Catoptria 

 hijpericana. 



In the same clearing the leaves of figwort (Scroji/ndaria nodosa) 

 were almost entirely destroyed b}' the abundant larvfe of the 

 coleopteron Cioniis scrophidan'ir, some of them already in their 

 cocoons that mimic the fruits of the plant. On the hazels, too, 

 large numbers of rolled leaves showed that Ajiodniis cnnjli bad 

 been busy ; but none of the beetles were found. 



A number of plants of lesser broorarape [Orobanche minor) were 

 found on clover at the edge of a field of peas. 



As usual, there was a morning party, who took a different 

 direction, and picked up the afternoon party at the station about 

 three o'clock. Most of the rhopalocera met with were taken in 

 the early part of the day, the species being I'ieris rapa , P. brassica', 

 P. napi, Eiichloi' cardaiiii)U's (a few), Poli/ommatiis icanis (common), 



