NOTES ON COLLECTING. 59 



CosYMBiA (Zonosoma) pendularia ab. subroseata. — I have recently 

 been looking up the various named forms of the above species and find 

 that Mr. Prout pomted out in May, 1913 (Seitz' Palaearctic Lepidoptera, 

 Geometers, p. 143), that the prior name of this form was decoraria, 

 Newman. He says, " Woodforde, in naming the form, overlooked 

 decoraria, Newman. This name was founded on a single specimen, 

 without indication of locality, bred from a larva which was said (no 

 doubt erroneously) to have been found feeding on the bedeguar or 

 mossy gall o? a rose in a garden." This specimen was exhibited at the 

 meeting of the Entomological Society of London, on October 7th, 1861, 

 and " passed into the hands of Bond, and was figured (uncoloured and 

 without mention of the name) in the Entomologist, vol. ix., p. 217, and 

 more recently in Barrett's Lep. Brit. Ides, vol. vii.,pl. 382. The type 

 is now in the Sj^dney Webb collection, and has been carefully examined 

 by Mr. Prout. Hence the name should stand as ab. decoraria 

 [subroseata). — H.J.T. 



:ig^>OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



An apology to Mr. Sheldon. — In the December number, 1915, of 

 this periodical, Mr. Sheldon challenged certain of my Spanish captures, 

 or, to be exact, challenges my knowledge of them. I have not been in 

 a position to send him a return cartel because, though Mr. Sheldon's 

 challenge Avas openly sent it was never delivered. It may surprise Mr. 

 Sheldon and others to hear that the powers that be do not allow the 

 Record to enter into a neutral or hostile country. The information it 

 gives on the British localities in which I', cardui and C. boreata are to 

 be found might evidently be utilised by the Central Powers should the 

 contemplated storming of these islands become an accomplished fact. 



Even now that I have returned to the fog-clad plains I can only 

 send Mr. Sheldon an apology instead of answering his challenge. I 

 have necessarily left my Spanish and other ammunition in Switzerland, 

 so §§ two and three (pages 279, 280, vol. xxvii.) concerning Argynnis 

 cijdippe (cidippe) var. cleodoxa a.nd Agriades coridon\SiY. albicans must go 

 unanswered. I can, however, make some sort of a reply re Tarucus 

 theophrastus. At Pajares, when I netted these Lycaenids I took them 

 to be a small form of telicanus, knowing full well that the African 

 theophrastus had never been noted so far north. On examining the 

 butterflies at home a month later I concluded that they were not teli- 

 canus, and on careful re-examination found that they were undoubtedly 

 theophrastus. The examination was made all the more carefully 

 because Dr. Chapman at once suggested that they might be a small 

 form of telicanus. I am afraid I can hardly expect Mr. Sheldon to be 

 satisfied with this unsupported statement, but I am unable at present 

 to produce slides of genitalia as incontrovertible witnesses, all slides 

 having been left behind with other evidence. I can only promise Mr. 

 Sheldon full satisfaction as soon as I shall have an opportunity of 

 returning to Switzerland. I feel perfectly confident myself that the 

 butterflies are theophrastus. How they had got so far north is quite 

 another question. I should be inclined to think that it would be far 

 more difficult for a blue to get across from Africa to the South of Spain 

 than to continue her journey northward by stages, unless barred off 

 by a mountain range. — P. A. H. Muschamp, Charterhouse, Godalming. 



