73 



the said road and the edge of the cliff, and surrounded by a low 

 bank on which was growing a considerable quantity of thistles, knap- 

 weed, ragwort, etc., and not wishing to wander too far from home 

 I made this my turning-point. Insects had been conspicuous by 

 their absence during my uphill walk, but on turning into the corn- 

 field the first thing that atti acted my attention was a ganuna flying 

 out from among the stalks of the corn, hovering for a moment and 

 then returning ; others followed suit, and on a closer examination 

 I found the field literally alive with them. They appeared to thread 

 their way between the corn-stalks with the greatest ease, rarely rising 

 above the ears or leaving their shelter. I had thus far not seen 

 cardui ; but on reaching the side of the field next the cliff edge, I 

 soon came upon it in numbers. Glorious creatures, just fresh from 

 pupse, were sitting on the ground sunning themselves, or feeding on 

 the flower-heads with which the bank was covered. Here, too, I 

 first came upon noctuella, but only very sparingly ; and it was not 

 until a week or so later that I found it in any great abundance. Both 

 it and gamma were very fitful in appearance, some days hardly any 

 were seen, while on others, on exactly the same ground, dozens 

 would dart out of almost every tuft of grass that one touched , 

 weather seemed to have little to do with it, except that both species 

 were more freely on the wing when it was warm and sunny than 

 when the sky was overcast. Cardui, on the other hand, appeared 

 to be always plentiful on the wing whenever the sun shone, and at 

 other times was not uncommonly found at rest under the over- 

 hanging eaves of buildings, etc. It was not until the middle of 

 August that Vanessa atalanta, L., was flying at all freely, and it 

 appeared to increase in numbers into September ; larvse were quite 

 common in patches of nettles throughout my stay, and at all times 

 might be found in all stages, from those just hatched to fine full-fed 

 fellows just ready to pupate. They also varied considerably in 

 colour, and from those collected a long series was reared, but the 

 imagines were wonderfully uniform in pattern. Vanessa urticce, L., 

 appeared to be fairly common in all stages, but I think not unusually 

 so, and I failed to detect a single example of Vanessa to, L. 



With regard to the other butterflies that came under my notice 

 there is not a great deal to be said. Pieris brassicce, L., was very 

 common ; Pieris rapce, L., less so : still a great many were seen ; 

 but Pieris napi, L., was exceedingly scarce. Melanargia galatea, 

 L., appeared to be just coming out when I arrived, and freshly- 

 emerged specimens were frequent on the grassy slopes well into the 

 middle of the month. I have usually found this species on the wing 

 from the middle to end of July, and should consider its appearance 

 on this occasion fully a fortnight later than usual. Pararge megcsra, 

 L., was more common along the roadsides than elsewhere, occurring 

 but sparingly on the downs. Satyrus semele, L., and Epinephele 

 ianira, L., were fully up to their usual numbers ; as were also 

 Cajionympha pamphilus, L., and Polyommatus phlaas, L. Five 



