35 



A large species oi .-Esch/ia, probably cyanea, was fairly common, 

 but all my strokes were misses. 



Calopteryx virgo afforded a sight to be remembered ; it was very 

 abundant, and in all stages of imaginal development. I saw many 

 hundreds in the forest, all immature, and, with the exception of one 

 locality, always in company of pairs. The exception was the 

 Sauchay path, where, for the better part of a mile, the sunny side 

 was swarming with them, the sexes intermixed. The question was 

 where they came from ; the answer I found at the end of the path. 

 Emerging from the forest you overlook the valley of the Eaulne, and 

 up the steep hillside, with a sidelong fluttering flight, and against 

 the wind, immature C. virgo were making their way. At this 

 rendezvous they apparently choose their mates, then wander away in 

 the forest, whilst their loveliness increases. I saw none making the 

 return journey, but upon reaching the stream I found the sedges and 

 watercress gay with these things of beauty in all their full dress 

 glory. My captures were forest specimens, which, although im- 

 mature, are perhaps of greater interest, showing, as they do, the 

 various stages of the colour-development of the males. With one 

 exception, the females seemed to me to be much alike, — that is, all 

 russet, but of varying shades. The exception is a green variety, and 

 without any trace of pterostigma. 



Hymenoptera. 



It seemed to me to be a good locality for Hymenoptera. I netted 

 a specimen occasionally, but did no real collecting. Several species 

 of saw-flies were fairly plentiful, but I did not see a single wasp. 

 That hornets abound there at times I can vouch from a previous 

 experience. There were plenty of sand wasps, Ajnmophila, in 

 places, and solitary bees, Andrena and Nomada^ were tolerably 

 abundant. Along certain banks Me/ecfa, with its black and white 

 livery and formidable sting, was busy searching for Anthophora 

 burrows. Humble-bees and their parasitic Apathi were occasionally 

 seen, but were far from numerous. 



DiPTERA. 



In one portion of the forest I was forcibly impressed with the 

 abundance of Diptera, for several species of gad-flies attacked me 

 with suicidal persistency. The black and yellow crane-fly, Ctenophora, 

 I netted for an Ichneumon, which it greatly resembled as it flew 

 across one of the forest paths. There is also a rather curious yellow 

 fly, which I took at rest on the road. To me my most interesting 

 capture was Stenopteryx hirundinis, the parasite of the swallow, 

 which I found in my room one morning. It is on record that it can 

 make itself unpleasant if it gets between the sheets. I was glad I 



