198 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



most excellent work in the same direction, and added not a 

 little to our knowledge of the lepidopterous fauna of a portion of 

 Ireland hitherto neglected by tourists or naturalists, if we except 

 marine zoology. Neither of these two stations, however, offers 

 equal attractions in point of its fauna when compared with 

 the Killarney district, which presents such varied features of 

 forest, moor, and mountain in a state of nature — unaltered 

 almost by the hand of man. And, indeed, in this respect, no 

 part of Great Britain can compete with this part of Kerry, 

 except the New Forest and portions of Scotland. 



But the climate of the South of Ireland admits the survival of 

 many insects which could not endure the severe conditions of the 

 Scottish highlands. The mild and equal temperature of Killarney, 

 however, is shared both by Glandore and Timoleague ; and thus 

 we find evidence of the existence of many species from these por- 

 tions of Co. Cork which are peculiar to the warmer districts of 

 these islands. It is interesting to find a well-marked zone in 

 the southern half of Ireland, but stretching further north on the 

 western coast, which is washed by the Gulf Stream, in which 

 alone are found certain species. Many of these are included in 

 Mr. Donovan's list, which the temperature, without reference to 

 any physical features of the country, confines almost exclusively 

 to these parts of Ireland. Among these may be instanced 

 Vanessa io, Epinephele tithonus, Thecla quercus, Gnopkria quadra, 

 Mamestra persicarice (which scarcely ever occurs in the North 

 of Ireland), and perhaps Agrotis corticea ; Amphipyra pyramidea, 

 Tceniocampa pulverulenta, Hecatera serena, Chariclea umbra, 

 Venilia niacidaria, Amphidasys strataria, Eupithecia plumheolata, 

 and E. debiliata. There are other species, besides those in 

 Mr. Donovan's list, which are similarly restricted, such as 

 Bomhyx neustria, Heliothis peltigera, and apparently Dianthoecia 

 ccesia, the distribution of which, in regard to isothermal lines, 

 elsewhere in the British Islands, would well repay investigation. 

 I exclude also the three remarkable species which he has cap- 

 tured at Timoleague, namely, Leiicania extranea, Laphygma 

 exigun, and Sterrha sacraria, since two of them have only once 

 before been recorded ; while L. exigiia is unique from Ireland. 

 I regret that Mr. Donovan has included doubtfully Acidalia 

 trigeminata in his list, on my authority. I have seen no Irish 

 specimens of this moth. Probably they may be A. bisetata var. 

 fimbriolata, which has been more than once sent me as trigemi- 

 nata. The larvfe found at the roots of bog cotton, and attributed 

 to Tapinostola fidva, may very well have been those oi Cehena 

 haworthii, which are internal feeders in the roots of species of 

 Erlophorum. It is to be hoped that other rarities may reward 

 Mr. Donovan's perseverance. 



