170 



few undersides in which the inner marginal spots were 

 elongated or united, forming horse-shoes. L. icarus also 

 presented a similar phase or variation, and the variety icarinus, 

 Scriba., in which the basal spots are absent. The majority 

 of the females were of a very ordinary brownish shade on 

 the upper surface, but in one particular spot — an old disused 

 chalk pit — those having a distinct blue shade were in the 

 ascendency. 



But among the butterflies there was one notable blank, the 

 Vanessse. Generally by the middle of August the commoner 

 species are frequent visitors to the privet, thistles, and other 

 flowers then in full bloom, or are seen sunning themselves on 

 the roads and chalky cliffs; but up to the time of leaving 

 not a solitary V. atalanta, L., V . to, L., or V, cardtn, L., nor 

 a larva of either species was seen, the only representative of 

 the genus that put in an appearance being F. urticcB, L., 

 of which two imagines and two nests of larvae were found. 



The Sphinges were represented by a single specimen of 

 Macroglossa stellatarum, L., that was seen liovering about a 

 crowd of people assembled on the parade watching an enter- 

 tainment; and Zygcena filipefidulcB, L,, which occurred on the 

 Downs in considerable numbers, a variety having the two 

 central or two outer spots united, being very frequent, as it 

 usually is in this locality ; but I have so far failed to find one 

 in which the two pairs are run into a blotch. One taken 

 appeared to have a third antenna, but upon examination it 

 was found in this case, as in one submitted to the Society by 

 Mr. South some time since, that what appeared to be the 

 third antenna was in reality its pupal sheath, from which it 

 had failed to free itself upon emergence. The only Bombyx 

 taken was a solitary example of tiepialns sylviniis, L. 



Noctuse were fairly well represented. Bryophila perla, Fb., 

 was common on walls and variable in coloration, some 

 examples being slaty, other much suffused with yellow ; but 

 a diligent search failed to produce -5. muralis, Forst., although 

 several journeys were made to places where it is usually 

 common. Leticania pallens, L., was fairly common at flowers 

 and sugar, but generally in worn condition, as was L. conigera, 

 Fb. XylopJiasia moiiogiypha, Hufn., came to sugar freely, and 

 was wonderfully uniform in tint. Apainea didynia, Esp,, was 

 not uncommon at rest on walls, etc., about the town, and 

 some few came to ragwort, etc., in the evening. Miana 

 bicoloria, Vill., was on the wing in thousands nightly at early 

 dusk, but rarely visited either the natural or artificial sweets 

 after dark. The form was that usually found upon the chalk, 



