290 THE ENTOMOLOGISl:. 



luck. For is it not written in the chronicles of Z, minos that 

 there is Blagg's as well as Oldham's ground ! Though the 

 season was in reality over, we took, with the kind assistance of 

 this gentleman, exactly twelve examples of the moth. Visions 

 of friends in want of a series had therefore to fade, for the 

 time. 



In the following comparison which I am able to make 

 between Abersoch and Irish Z. minos, it will be well to bear in 

 mind that my observations are based on a limited number 

 of specimens, and that these were in no case fresh from the 

 chrysalis. In this latter respect, however, they were probably 

 equal, and, from the quiet flight and habits of the moth, T am 

 inclined to infer that it does not become much rubbed or 

 chipped. Nevertheless, the comparison is not expected to be 

 conclusive. In general size, semi-transparency, and length of 

 wing, I find the specimens alike. The red in the Irish is more 

 scarlet, — brighter; in the Abersoch form this colour is more of a 

 magenta-pink. In both the broad, red, forked area of the upper 

 wing is the same. The lower wings of the Irish specimens are 

 entirely red, except the narrow black margin ; in those from 

 Abersoch the red appears to shade off just below the middle, 

 smoky black faintly taking its place. There is, I am well 

 informed, a very dark variety to be obtained at Abersoch. In 

 short, the Irish insect appears to be a brighter- coloured one than 

 the Welsh. 



It may now be interesting to note what other insects we saw 

 at Abersoch. Lycaena cegon swarmed on the heaths and sandhills. 

 In the evening, at 7 o'clock, they were all conspicuously at rest, 

 and I counted two dozen on a square yard of maritime grass. It 

 is a fact worth recording that this butterfly, all along the north- 

 west coast of Wales, is larger than the inland form ; in fact, until 

 I saw my mistake, I found I was passing over the Abersoch 

 specimens as L. icarus (alexis). The Delamere insect is much 

 smaller, and so is the form on the North Lancashire mosses. 

 Satyrus semele was everywhere on the sandhills, fine, and freshly 

 emerged. On the heaths were lots of Argynnis selene, A, 

 euphrosyne, and Coenonympha pamphilus. Of the latter butterfly 

 a fine specimen of the variety albescens (" whitish yellow " — see 

 Robson's List, page 4) fell to the net of Mr. Blagg. The other 

 form mentioned by Mr. Robson {lyllus — " dark borders to all 

 wings ") we have, commonly enough, at Delamere. Hesperia 

 sylvanus, in plenty, closes my butterfly list. 



Amongst the moths we frequently came across Ennychia 

 cingulata {cingulalis) flitting over the short grass between the sand- 

 hills. By marshy edges were both of the " china^marks," 

 Hydrocampa nympheata and H. stagnata {stagnalis). Larvae of 

 Z . filipendulce were spinning up on stones and grass-stems, and 

 the cocoons I found were brought home, in case they should turn 



