A BUTTERFLY HUNTER's HOLIDAY. 235 



more than one green net moving about in the scrub below the 

 cKffs. I wonder if on any fine day during July and August one 

 could find this particular spot empty of collectors. Were I a 

 sporting character. I would far rather put my money on the 

 chance of finding H. acUeon hunters here, than on that of taking 

 the brisk little butterfly itself. Well, there is plenty for all, and 

 the skippers will last our time and perhaps longer— as long, I 

 am inclined to think, as that rugged cliff-face retains its steep 

 and treacherous character. 



H. actceon was out, but not in great numbers, and the females 

 were only just beginning to appear. On the other hand, H. liiiea 

 was extraordinarily abundant, which I have noticed on former 

 visits is never the case when H. actceon is fully out. A. aglaia 

 was plentiful here, but almost impossible to catch, and before 

 leaving the neighbourhood I saw C. ediisa again, twice. The 

 first specimen was seen on July 10th, rather early in such a 

 backward season. It was a fine fresh male. A few P. agestis 

 and P. argioliis, with Sati/ras seinele (just out, in splendid 

 condition), were the only other noticeable butterflies seen. 



I returned to the New Forest on July 20th, and found the 

 entomological situation considerably changed by the fine weather. 

 On my first visit I could find no var. valesina. This time I had 

 not been in the woods ten minutes before I got one, but to my 

 surprise this, and nearly every other specimen I caught — about 

 a dozen in all — appeared to be torn and battered, and not worth 

 keeping. It was the same story with L. sibylla, which was now 

 out in countless numbers. Nearly all were partial or total 

 wrecks. Ten days before one of these insects was not out at all, 

 and the other was only just coming out. Their bad condition 

 was hard to explain. Perhaps the wonderful sunshine had 

 tempted them to take an unusual amount of exercise, and in 

 that case the preference they both display for holly bushes and 

 brambles would account for their exceeding shabbiness. I may 

 remark that in many previous visits to the forest I have never 

 found valesina so scarce as it was this season. 



Hearing rumours of another and more serious failure — the 

 non-appearance, up to date, of Catocala promissa — we did not go 

 out sugaring at first, but contented ourselves with the butterflies : 

 there were plenty of them. Thecla quercas, as usual, was present 

 in myriads, and, as usual, there was hardly a decent specimen 

 to be got. One very hot day brought forth a regular invasion of 

 Gonepterijx rhamni. Twenty-four hours previously not one could 

 be seen, but in the interval they arrived unmistakably. Their 

 abundance was really extraordinary. Vanessa polgchloros was 

 also in great force. I suppose I ought to be ashamed to confess 

 that, even after a fairly long collecting experience, the sight of 

 polychloi'os always makes me eager to catch him. He is a most 

 tempting insect, with his large size and gorgeous colouring, as 



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