CAPTURES AND FIELD REPORTS. 315 



fell, Agrotis porphyrea was common and Hepialus hectus abundant. On 

 my first morning, June 28th, I walked through the woods towards 

 Stubby Copse to see what butterflies were about. Avf/ynnis selene was 

 numerous ni places, and I caught sight of the first specimen of those 

 future swarms of A. paphia which were soon to enliven the ridings. 

 Limenitis sibyLla, most graceful of insects, was just appearing in the 

 freshness which it so quickly loses, and on the heaths were early 

 arrivals of Lyccena ay on. In the pine- woods one could not walk far 

 without disturbing Macaria liturata, and more seldom Them variata 

 and Ellojna prosapiaria (fasciaria), while Bwpalus piniaria fluttered 

 from every pine-tree. Elsewhere in the forest, on the first day's excur- 

 sion, we took specimens of Gnophria rubricollis, Epione advenaria, 

 Phorodesma bajularia, and a number of Calligenia miniata. Returning 

 by the heath, Aspilates striyillaria and Panayra petraria were knocked 

 out. Later on, the heaths yielded several good insects. Notably 

 Gnophos obscurata, which was first beaten out — or, perhaps, consider- 

 ing its subterranean hiding-place, it would be more exact to say, 

 "scraped out" — on July 4th. In a few days the moth was very 

 common here and there about the heath, and in half an hour's 

 scraping in a favourite spot, I more than once counted from fifty to 

 sixty specimens flying up. The males were ten times as numerous as 

 the females. Paler forms were infrequent, but on the whole they varied 

 from black to a fairly light grey. Another geometer, of which I took 

 a few on the heath during the second week of July, was Pachycnemia 

 hippocastanaria ; and several chases of that most agile of day-flying 

 Noctuse, Heliothis dipsacea, resulted in the capture of a single speci- 

 men. Other geometers, met with at odd times in excursions through 

 the forest, included Anyerona prunuria, lodis iactearia, Hyria aworaria, 

 Macaria notata, Cleora ylabraria, C. lichenaria, Eurytnene dolobraria, 

 and Acidalia imUaria. Denny Bog is generally a productive hunting- 

 ground. It is not, however, the pleasantest of spots for dusking. 

 Even in the dryest summer there is a somewhat odorous dampness 

 rising at sunset. In 1903 it was utterly impenetrable, but this year 

 I took, amongst others, at dusk, Ephyra orbicularia, Eucosmia undidata 

 (common), Cleora ylabraria, and Lithosia mesomella. Most of the 

 evenings were too still and dewy to make sugar very productive. 

 However, Aplecta nebulosa was always abundant, and I was in time to 

 secure a short series of Moma orion, as well as Thyatira batis, T. derasa, 

 Acronycta liyustri, Cymatophora or, C, duplaris, and Ayrotis herbida. An 

 unusual visitor to sugar was a female Psiiura monacha, and I was sur- 

 prised one evening by Cossus ligniperda fluttering at the bottom of a 

 sugar-patch. 



On July 14th we made an excursion to Swanage, to renew 

 acquaintance with Hesperia actceon. It was in fine condition, and 

 abundant in places, though I found the species in a spot more inland 

 than when I visited the locality last. They are accompanied by 

 Hesperia Imea, from which they are easily distinguished on the wing 

 after a little practice. Melanaryia yalatea was also about, and a fritii- 

 lary, probably Aryynnis aylaia. This inland migration, if such it be, 

 is to be regretted, for so, the skipper will run a much greater risk of 

 extermination than when its breeding-ground is the difficult slope of 

 the clifi^. What hosts of common butterflies were enjoying that 



