LEPIDOPTERA OJf THE ISLE OF PURBECK. 129 



is for the most part rich and fertile, and affords good arable land 

 as well as fine pasture, while to the north it is open and shews 

 an extensive tract of barren heath. The wooded parts of the 

 island are few and isolated, and, with the exception of several 

 fir plantations, lie mostly on the chalk range or to the south of 

 it ; owing to the scarcity of several trees such as the beech and 

 larch, the insects specially attached to them occur but sparingly, 

 or not at all. 



Of the insect tribe the Lepidoptera alone have received special 

 attention, and even in this order much still remains to be done ; 

 the more wooded parts of the island as well as the wet meadow 

 land near Wareham being practically unexplored. 



It will be noticed in the following list that the Noctuse, and 

 the two genera Lithocolletis and Nepticula, are very imperfectly 

 worked out, and no doubt by systematic search many more 

 might be added to the number already recorded. Four species of 

 the genus Coleophora comparatively new to the British list hsve 

 been observed, viz., ahenella, potentillte, conyzce, and obtusella. 



Roughly dividing the island into five districts, it may be of 

 interest to mention briefly the more noticeable representatives 

 of the Lepidoptera of each. The Heath district, including the 

 heaths, bogs, and isolated plantations, is perhaps the most inter- 

 esting as shewing its close connection with the New Forest. 

 Not only do such species as Eulepia crib rum, Ephyra, orbicu- 

 laria, Acidalia straminata, Crambus adipellus, and many other 

 insects, which would naturally be looked for, occur, but also 

 the very unexpected Eupcecilia ambiyuana, &nd.Coleophora ahenella. 

 Gelechia oblitella should be specially noticed as an inhabitant, of 

 this district, as it has hitherto been supposed to be confined to 

 the fens of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. The Sandhills produce 

 the usual Lepidoptera of such localities, and may be passed 

 over without further comment. The downs and cliffs of the 

 chalk and limestone ranges and the Kimmendye coastline on the 

 other hand afford many species of interest, among which may 

 be mentioned Ilesperia Actoeon, the " Lulworth Skipper," which 

 has here made its headquarters and is widely distributed, occur- 



