VARIETIES. 215 



one of Achero7it'ia atropos, brought me by a green-grocer's 

 boy in the neighbourhood. 



Wm. Christy, Jun. 



Clapham road, Nov. 1, 1832. 



22. On the different appearance of Insects in different 

 localities and Seasons. — Sir, I feel some hesitation in re- 

 questing the favour of your inserting the following, as I cannot 

 even call myself an entomologist, and am about to ask for, not 

 give, information. I am, however, somewhat encouraged to do 

 so, when I see your first number is not entirely devoted to 

 Latin monographs and reviews of entomological works; but 

 contains some papers, which will be read with pleasure by 

 many as unentomological as myself, and indeed, I think, by 

 most interested in the study of natural history. 



I have often observed a difference in the insect inhabitants 

 of our counties, and v/ished to ascertain its cause, without 

 being able to do so : I allude more particularly to butterflies, 

 and some other kinds most likely to attract the notice of a 

 casual observer ; some of which are comparatively common in 

 one district, being never or but seldom met with in another. 

 I could not attribute it to the slight difference of temperature, 

 produced by variety of elevation or soil, even in the instance 

 of those warmth-loving ci'eatures, butterflies. Some remarks 

 of one of your correspondents, G. Wailes, Esq. of Newcastle, 

 show, however, I think, that the fact has not escaped the notice 

 of entomologists. Mr. W. indeed, seems to assign a very 

 probable reason for it : after observing, *' he is persuaded the 

 connexion between geology, entomology, and botany, espe- 

 cially the two former, has not been sufficiently attended to ;" 

 he adds, " a good idea may be formed of the insects likely to 

 be found in any district, if its geological features are taken into 

 consideration." I cannot but think this is likely to be the 

 case. The intimate connexion between the strata and vegeta- 

 tion of a country is well known ; the nature of the soil exerts 

 an influence in our hedge-row flowers, as well as on our forest 

 trees. From the great variety of the soil of our island, we 

 naturally expect to find, what in each we do observe, a variety 

 in lis flora : and since many, perhaps it is not too much to say 

 all plants have their peculiar insect inhabitants, we may pro- 

 bably, as the same writer says, from attention to the prevailing 



