A HISTORY OF SURREY 



other southern and midland counties, only occurs sparingly in a few 

 localities in Surrey. It has been recorded by the late Edward Newman 

 from between Busbridge and Highdown's Ball, near Godalming, and in 

 one field adjoining Headley Lane, Mickleham. Mr. Sydney Webb has 

 taken it at Gomshall and about Ranmore Common near Dorking. I 

 have never met with the species in Surrey except in the woods 

 adjoining the Sheep Leas, West Horsley. Mr. Barrett reports it as 

 occurring rarely near Haslemere. The Wood Argus (Satyrus egeria, 

 L.) is generally common in woods and lanes, and the Wall (S. megcera, 

 L.) is common everywhere by roadsides throughout the county. The 

 Grayling (S seme/e, L.) is locally common on the chalk hills, also at 

 Leith Hill on the greensand, and in most places on the Bagshot Sand 

 district, such as Oxshott, Chobham, Woking, Worplesdon, etc. The 

 Meadow Brown (S. ianira, L.) is abundant everywhere in meadows and 

 on hillsides, and the Large Heath (S. tithonus, L.) is common throughout 

 the county by hedgerows and roadsides and also in woods. The Ring- 

 let (S. hyperanthes, L.) is not so generally distributed as its congeners, 

 but is common in many woods throughout the county. The Small 

 Heath (Chortobius pamphildus, L.) is everywhere common in fields, and on 

 roadsides, heaths and hillsides. The Green Hairstreak (Thecla rubi, L.) is 

 not uncommon in woods and lanes throughout the county. I have found 

 it abundantly in some years about whitethorn hedges and bushes on 

 the borders of the Sheep Leas, West Horsley, and between Horsley and 

 Shi ere, but I have never found it commonly in the north-eastern or 

 metropolitan district of the county. The Purple Hairstreak (T. quercus, 

 L.) is generally distributed in the oak woods of the county and Mr. J. G. 

 Hewat has found it commonly, in some seasons, in the Prince's Covers 

 near Claygate. The White Letter Hairstreak (T. <w-album y Knoch) has 

 been recorded by the late Edward Newman from the neighbourhood of 

 Guildford, Godalming, Witley and Cobham, and the late J. F. Stephens 

 found it in thousands in the vicinity of Ripley some sixty or seventy 

 years ago. Since then it has been a very rare species in Surrey until in 

 July, 1900, it again appeared in some numbers about Ripley, Cob- 

 ham, 1 Esher and Claygate. The Brown Hairstreak (T. betula, L.) is 

 recorded by Mr. Sydney Webb from Dorking and Reigate, and as 

 occurring in some years along hedgerows between Redhill and Nutfield, 

 always singly. I have heard of the occurrence of the larva? on the 

 blackthorns in Ashtead Woods and elsewhere near Epsom, but I have 

 never seen the species in the county. The Small Copper (Polyommatus 

 phlceas, L.) is of course generally distributed all over the county in fields, 

 meadows and on hillsides and in the rides of woods. I have never 

 met with the Silver Studded Blue (Lyceena cegon^ Schiff.) on the chalk 

 hills of Surrey, but it is abundant on nearly all the heaths on the 

 Bagshot Sands, such as Abrook Common, Oxshott, Whitemoor Com- 

 mon Worplesdon, about Wisley, Byfleet, Woking and Chobham, and 



1 Mr. Percy Richards informs me that he and his father beat about 500 larvae of this species off 

 one wych elm, near Esher, in 1900. H. G. 



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