NOTES ON COLLECTING. 131 
our disgust we found, what had been a most prolific collecting ground 
in days of old, enclosed, gardened and built over, I had almost said 
« devastated,” the home of innumerable insects, the spot where the 
nests of pipits, larks, redstarts, warblers, whitethroats, ete., could each 
ear be found. However not a)l the area has been ‘ devastated,” 
although the very special spot of thirty years ago for the orchids, the 
bee and fly, has been absorbed, there is still sufficient area left to 
harbour many a choice plant and many a local insect, especially as 
‘adjoining banks formerly cultivated but for some years abandoned, may 
be added to the collecting ground. Here an hour or two is spent while 
the population is sampled and a frugal meal is taken. Gonepteryx 
rhamni females are about their annual business. DNisoniades tages is 
very common and very variable, from specimens almost uniform in 
coloration to others in which there are large areas of light colour 
producing quite prettily mottled aberrations. (allophrys rubi is still 
flying, some in excellent condition, and when resting are good exponents 
of the Ruralid habit of curving the tails of the hind-wings outwards 
exposing the stronger markings to deceive any aggressive enemy. 
Hesperia malve (alveolus) is in numbers, quite fresh and apparently just 
out. They strike one as being somewhat more covered with lighter spots 
than usual. Polyommatus icarus is out, males only as yet, and as yet 
only few in number. Male Euchloé cardamines are now quite common, 
and the usual ‘“‘ whites’ are always in sight. A swing of the net at a 
brilliant gleam of colour proves that early examples of Hypocrita 
jacobaeae are stirring, and a succeeding stroke at a different gleam shows 
Aglais urticae still in good condition. The shrubs and_ bushes, 
‘Viburnum lantana, hawthorn in full flower, nut, yew, festoons of 
traveller’s joy, are beaten with very little result. Not a Vortriw is 
disturbed and only odd examples of Xanthorhoé rivata and Ochyria 
ferrugata occasionally fly out and, if not netted on the instant, up out 
of reach. Very swift little gleams of colour are captured to reveal the 
two species of Pyralide, Pyrausta aurata and P. ostrinalis. A belated 
female Hmaturga atomaria is noted and a few micros are swept trom 
the wealth of early summer flowers and growth, among which the 
forget-me-not is a conspicuous colour impression. The micros noted 
here were Cacoesia musculana, Dichrorampha sequana, E'phippiphora 
brunnicheana, and a specimen of Catoptria ulicetana probably from the 
gardens. This old haunt of orchid species seems particularly devoid of 
them so far, but perhaps it is somewhat too early to expect them. A 
‘move to a long sun-lit bank fringing ground that is now allowed 
‘to run wild, however, produced several fine spikes of the man orchid, 
Aceras anthropophora, while abundant patches of the beautiful little 
Tepresentative of the Family Polygalaceae, Polygala vulgaris, with its 
Bytite, blue, whitish blue, or lilac flowers, were a pleasing picture. 
Crossing the well-known Reigate Hill road, which leads up to the 
* suspension bridge,” a deep cut ancient path, ascending the very steep 
escarpment of the North Downs in an oblique direction, was taken. 
How the ensenrble of bush and tree and chalk, ete., with the brilliant 
‘sky, reminded one of alpine scenes and ascents now unhappily 
‘compulsorily foregone, perhaps for some of us never to be renewed! 
There is however one thing missing, and that 1s the insect life, for all 
one sees here is the bright orange of FH. cardamines as it crosses above 
one’s head. At the top of the Downs, where the beech reigns supreme, 
f 
q 
‘a 
