62 DORSET LEPIDOPTERA IN 1892-3. 



Stinllaiul. Being well acquainted Avitli the species abrond he was 

 able to identify it, as he obtained a good view of its upper side ; 

 but where no capture is made one always feels that there is a 

 chance of a mistake, and such records have not the value of those 

 of actual captures. 



Another great rarity which was taken in Dorset, as well as 

 elsewhere, in small numbers, in 189*2, was Deiopeia jmlcJiella, the 

 " Crimson Speckled Footman." One occurred at Fleet within two 

 miles of my house, and was captured by a young entomologist, 

 Mr. Jardine, Another is also recorded from Weymouth (Ent. 

 Record iii., 160). Both were taken in May, an unusual time 

 for the appearance of this moth in England, which generally occurs, 

 when it occurs here at all, in the autumn — the continental 2nd 

 brood. I was not myself so fortunate as to take any of these rare 

 visitors. 



In 1893 I am not aware that many rarities have been recorded, 

 though the weather has been so unusual in its nature that it has 

 quite upset the usual order of events, and species have appeared 

 long before their proper time, and have in some cases had two 

 broods where generally there is but one. The entomological 

 records of the late Mr. Dale began in 1808 and have been continued 

 by his son, Mr. C. W. Dale, down to the present time without 

 intermission ; but in no year is the " Lulworth Skipper " (Hesperia 

 Actceon) known to have appeared so early as in 1893, when it was 

 captured on INIay 26th. Other insects were just as early ; for 

 instance, I found that Steganoptijcha suhseq^iana, of wliich the 

 usual time of appearance is the beginning of May, was fully out in 

 the 2nd week in Aj^ril and almost over by INIay. Probably it 

 Avould have been found to be on the wing at the beginning of April, 

 had I then visited its locality. 



Many other instances could be adduced and are mentioned in the 

 P^ntomological magazines, such as a note by Mr. Bankes (E.M.M. 

 xxix., 191), in which he enumerates several species taken on a 

 sheltered piece of undercliff in Purbeck on May 31st, all before 

 their usual dates. 



