30 [September, 



present century, this handsome species was much more widely dis- 

 tributed in this country than at present, but there seems to be little 

 doubt that the few specimens observed on the south coast about 

 twenty years ago were either casual immigrants or liberated speci- 

 mens, and that for a long period it has in this country been practically 

 confined to Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire, and the fens of the Tare 

 and Bure, and their tributaries in Norfolk. The specimens from 

 these localities present no noticeable variation from the type as found 

 on the continent of Europe, and in many other parts of the world. 



Pieris rapes, L. —Twenty years ago specimens occurred in Surrey 

 in two summers, in which the ground colour was richer and yellower, 

 or more ochreous than usual. These two summers were exceptionally 

 hot. Last summer, during its (also) unusual heat, similar specimens 

 were found here at Lynn. 



Pieris napi, L. — I can fully endorse Mr. Kane's suggestion, that 

 " this species deserves careful and systematic attention." Its varia- 

 tions are of especial interest. Thirty years ago I took in Shropshire 

 a specimen of the variety sabellicce, of Stephens — having the nervures 

 broadly blackish on the upper-side ; the specimen was damaged, and 

 I, therefore, looked anxiously for more for many years : nothing of 

 the sort came in my way while in the south of England. In the wet 

 and stormy district of Pembrokeshire, however, females of the first 

 brood occurred almost every year, in which the nervures of the upper- 

 side were broadly grey, and at least one-half of the surface was also 

 suffused with dark grey ; no approach to the brownish -grey colour of 

 continental bryonies was, however, seen. In August, 1885, 1 was at 

 Belfast, and noticed this butterfly very commonly in the meadows, and 

 of forms meriting special attention — which they received : they were 

 rather over the average size, the males beautifully creamy, but with 

 the apices of the fore-wings very black, and having large, round, black, 

 discal spots, which were sometimes repeated on the under-side. The 

 females had dark grey nervures* large strongly marked black- spots, 

 and broadly black apices — altogether handsome, striking insects. But 

 when, hoping to get something still more remarkable, I wrote' to a 

 friend at Belfast, in the following May, to procure me specimens of 

 the first brood, all those obtained and sent were ordinary looking 

 specimens, such as I could take in my garden here^ except that the 

 apices were a little darker. . I do not think that this spring generation 

 was satisfactorily worked out, but as far as the evidence goes, the two 

 broods presented the exact opposite to the usual rule in this species. 



