A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



and from near Watergate Emsworth. I am not aware that the melanic 

 variety of the female (var. vakzina^) occurs regularly in the county, but 

 a specimen of it was shown to me many years ago by The O'Reilly, who 

 stated that he had taken it in Ashdown Forest. The Dark Green Fri- 

 tillary {A. aglaia, L.) is locally abundant, especially on the chalk downs 

 between Brighton and Lewes, about Eastbourne, Seaford, Goodwood, 

 Cocking, Sompting, Pyecombe, Sheffield Park and Hastings. It has 

 also been taken in Tilgate Forest, Abbots Wood, and near Hayward's 

 Heath. The High Brown Fritillary [A. adippe, L.) is common in many 

 woods in the county, such as Abbots Wood and other woods near Hail- 

 sham, near Battle, in Charlton Forest, near Hayward's Heath, Slindon 

 Woods, Steyning, and in Tilgate, Worth and St. Leonards Forests. In 

 my experience it is far more plentiful in the East Sussex woods than 

 A. paphia or A. aglaia, though the latter is a much commoner species 

 on the chalk downs. The Queen of Spain Fritillary {A. lathonia, L.), 

 though very rare in this country, is a common continental species. 

 It has been occasionally taken in the county near Glynde, Hastings and 

 Brighton. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary {A. euphrosyne, L.) is very 

 common in Tilgate Forest, St. Leonards Forest, Charlton Forest, Abbots 

 Wood, Goring Woods, Newtimber Copse near Poynings, and in nearly 

 all the woods in the county. The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary {A. 

 seletie, SchifF.) is far more local than the last species, but I have found it 

 in abundance in Tilgate Forest and Abbots Wood, and it has been 

 recorded from Charlton Forest, Hurston Warren and Slindon Common. 

 That very local species the Greasy Fritillary [Melitaa aurifiia, Rott.) 

 occurred formerly in profusion in certain places in Tilgate Forest and 

 near Wych Cross. I found it commonly in wet meadows about a mile 

 south-east of East Grinstead in 1868, 1869 and 1870. I have also taken 

 it near Forest Row and near Three Bridges. I am informed that it was 

 also very abundant some thirty or forty years ago in certain fields near 

 Poynings, but that it was exterminated by Brighton dealers and other 

 collectors. The late Mr. Buckler recorded it from Foxborough Marsh, 

 and Mr. Fletcher says that it is reported as having occurred at Heyshott, 

 Laughton and Ringmer. The late Mr. Jenner Weir informed me that it 

 was formerly abundant near Chailey, but I have not seen it in Sussex ° for 

 many years, and in this county, as in many other counties, it is appa- 

 rently dying out. The Pearl-bordered Likeness or Heath Fritillary 

 {M. athalia, Rott.), although extremely local, is in some years very 

 abundant in Abbots Wood, Wilmington Wood, Folkington Wood and 

 other woods and the adjoining fields near Hailsham and Hellingly. It 

 occurred in great numbers in June, 1897, in a small wood to the east 

 side of the road leading from Polegate to Hailsham. Captain Savile 

 Reid, R.E., informs me that he found the species commonly in 1897 



' Probably the same specimen referred to by Mr. Vine as having been taken in Ashdown Forest 

 by The O'Reilly.— H.G. 



° The late Mr. Tiigwcll found one or two specimens in a marsh in the middle of Abbots Wood 

 near Hailsham some thirty years ago. — H.CJ. 



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