NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 185 



of an unusually small specimen of Pyrrliosoma nymphula taken by 

 him near Tunbridge Wells on August 1st, 1909. The measurements 

 themselves are correctly quoted, but they relate to a male and not to 

 a female example, as stated by Mr. Speyer. — H. C. 



Collecting in Westmorland, 1911. — On June 4th we spent 

 a pleasant morning amongst the butterflies, and netted a grand 

 series of Lyccena agestis (male) in bred condition. The abnormal 

 heat of May had hastened emergence, and both Argynnis euphro- 

 syne and Nemeobius lucina were worn. A somewhat surprising 

 capture in the same locality (dry limestone formation) was half-a- 

 dozen A. selene in none too fresh condition. In this neighbourhood 

 we generally look for A. selene towards the end of June, or even 

 early July, and then only on the marshy hillsides. A couple of Para- 

 semia plantaginis (early) and several Prothymnia viridaria completed 

 the bag. Several hours beating of oak on the 5th produced only two 

 full-fed larvae of T. quercus. All foliage was unusually forward, and 

 larvae were greatly in advance of the average season. A couple of 

 half-grown larvae of N. chaonia fell into the tray, but both died after 

 spinning up. 



The evening of June 8th, with a bright cloudless sky, saw 

 P. plantaginis flying in numbers. From 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m., when 

 the sun left the hillside, they dashed madly across the heather and 

 bracken, never attempting to " settle." The effort needed to overtake 

 and net even a few brought us quickly to a state of exhaustion. 

 Generally, in an afternoon, and especially if the sky is overcast, 

 P. i:)lantaginis, when disturbed, will fly perhaps fifty yards and then 

 drop, when it may, with caution, be successfully stalked ; but this 

 particular evening was quite evidently their " night-out " ! The var. 

 hospita is unmistakable on the wing, but several taken, even at this 

 early date, were so far worn as to be hardly worth setting. It was a 

 matter of considerable regret that other arrangements prevented me 

 from following up this handsoiBO species, but my friend, Mr. G. 

 Holmes, was lucky enough to find a pair in cop. (male = liospita, 

 female = type). From these he obtained a quantity of ova, and the 

 resulting larvae were fed on broad-leaved plantain. A good pro- 

 portion fed up quickly, and during September and October he bred 

 one typical male, ten var. hospita, and thirteen females, six of the 

 latter being more or less crippled. Hospita is a lovely thing when 

 bred. Tvv'o of them are noteworthy in having the black markings of 

 the hind wing confined to the marginal area with the exception of a 

 pair of short pencilled streaks at the base, which figuring gives the 

 hind wings a strikingly white appearance. The same evening (8th) 

 about 7 p.m. males of Macrothylacia rubi were flying low over the 

 grass in search of females. Two of the latter sex were netted. 



On June 11th I paid a visit to the " moss " in quest of C. typhon, 

 and can confirm Mr. B. H. Crabtree's note (Entom. xliv. p. 319) on 

 the early appearance of this insect. They were out in numbers, but 

 many of the males and some females were looking very ragged. 

 Judging by their condition, I can quite beheve that typhon might 

 have been taken on the 1st of the month. Perconia strigillaria and 

 Acidalia fumata were abundant, and one newly emerged male 

 Diacrisia sanio was taken. The same day a number of larvae (about 



