ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OF THE CHILTEEN HILLS. 3 



Sallow bloom, on the only occasion I tried it in these woods, 

 was not very prolific in rarities, only the commoner species 

 coming to this bait. As the spring advanced I began to search 

 the tree-trunks for recently-developed imagines, and found 

 Demas coryli in fair numbers, drying their wings in the evenings 

 throughout the month of May. Tephrosia crepuscularia appeared 

 in April and May, and in the latter month T. consonaria was 

 likewise very common on the tree-trunks. Lophopteryx camelina 

 and Selenia tetralunaria {illustraria) were also taken in the same 

 situations. Drepana cultraria {unguicula) was very common 

 both by day and night. On May 15th I caught a specimen at 

 light in a window of my house, which I had specially constructed 

 to act as a moth-trap. As no beech occurs within a mile of my 

 residence, this is interesting, as showing the attractive influence 

 of light. Later on, in the autumn, Eupithecia sohrinata came to 

 light in the same manner from the same distance. Zonosoma 

 linearia (triUnearia) was not very common this season ; I was 

 much disappointed in taking so few. 



Butterflies were well on the move by the middle of May, when 

 Thecla riibi, as I have already recorded, appeared in great 

 numbers, frequenting the whitethorn bloom, or fluttering in 

 merry groups in the beech-glades. The two common May 

 "skippers" and several of the " blues " (Lyccena argiolus, L. 

 alsus, L. agestis, L. icarus) were met with, and, at the end of 

 May, Argynnis euphrosyne in great numbers. In June A. selene 

 appeared, and Pararge egeria (second brood) was very numerous. 

 The wet weather in July delayed the appearance of the larger 

 ** fritillaries," but on July 10th A. adippe came on the scene, and 

 was met with until the middle of August. On July 24th, which 

 was a lovely day amongst many rainy ones, this butterfly was 

 very numerous, showing that in a favourable season it must be 

 an abundant species in all the beech-woods. On this latter date, 

 likewise, I first met with A. paphia; it afterwards became com- 

 mon, and I took my last specimen on Sept. 17th. It is plentiful 

 in a wood about half a mile from Chinnor, and, as I have noticed 

 several times during my entomological experience of a quarter of 

 a century, has occasionally a desire to leave its accustomed 

 haunts for apparently aimless wanderings. At any rate, I 

 noticed this season single specimens on two occasions flying in 

 the streets of Chinnor. 



Hesperia comma was late in making an appearance ; I first 

 saw it on August 4th. This species has a very extensive range 

 here, but is only sparingly met with anywhere. The evening 

 seems to be the best time for its capture, as, while the sun is 

 slowly going below the horizon, it delights to rest itself upon the 

 flower-heads of the scabious, apparently enjoying the warmth. 

 On August 7th, a warm still evening, I captured 27 specimens in 

 this manner in half an hour. L. corydon first appeared on August 



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