303 1:he entomologist* 



at Hararaersmitli (Entom. 277). It would be interesting to know if M. 

 Uturata has this year been more than usually abundant in the pine woods 

 of Surrey and Berkshire. Drepana hinaria seems an unusual species at 

 sugar; but sugar was evidently the attraction, as the moth was taken on a 

 walnut tree, not on an oak. — Alfked Sich ; Villa Amalinda, Burlington 

 Lane, Chiswick, Sept. 7, 1893. 



August Collecting in Doesetshire. — During the last two weeks of 

 August my brother and I entomologised in the neighbourhood of Lyme 

 Regis (Dorset) with considerable success. I notice (Entom. 980) that cer- 

 tain members of the South London Entonaological Society came to the 

 conclusion that the present season, by reason of the unusual and prolonged 

 heat, has not been favourable as a whole to insect life. As far as I myself 

 am concerned, T have found the season a good one. At Oxshott, in Sher- 

 wood, in Norfolk, and at this place, with which the present communication 

 is concerned, my record has been good. But to return to Lyme Regis. 

 Just outside Lyme, in the direction of Charmouth, the land on the cliff 

 side has slipped, and formed a broad slope covered with scrubby vegetation. 

 This spot proved a most prolific hunting-ground. Colias edusa literally 

 swarmed ; they were in fine condition, and appeared in greater numbers 

 than any other insect. Var. helice I have failed to discover here, and I 

 have not seen C. hyale ; but 0. edusa is indubitably common, appearing, in 

 addition to the locality mentioned, in the garden, and in the street of the 

 village. It was amusing to watch the dead set made by other butterflies 

 against these beautiful creatures. Lyccsna icarus and Polyommatus jjJdoeas, 

 which were both extremely common, were especially intolerant, chasing 

 their more gorgeous brethren about, and worrying them off the flowers. I 

 also took in considerable numbers specimens of Hesperia tages in really 

 good condition. Newman only gives May as the month for their appear- 

 ance ; but they were certainly plentiful here at the end of August. Epi- 

 nepliele janira, Pm'arge megara, Pleris napi, Ep'mephele tithonus, and 

 Ccenonympha jmviphilus added quantity, if not quality, to the company. I 

 also observed Satyrus semele, but it was not common. In the lanes Pararge 

 egeria, P. megmra, and Eplnephele hyperanthus were represented in great 

 numbers. In the garden the geranium beds were visited largely by Macro- 

 glossa stellatarun. They were in excellent condition, and I have never 

 before seen them in such great numbers. I mention this because I see a 

 note to the same effect (Etom. 254) from a correspondent at Barmouth. 

 Two insects have been conspicuous by their absence — Vanessa io and Pieris 

 brassiccB. We have seen none of the former, and only one of the latter 

 species. V. atalanta appeared in great numbers ; I counted seven speci- 

 mens in as many yards ; and specimens of V. urticce, like the wasps this 

 year, were not so rare as to be diligently sought after. Of moths I cannot 

 tell much, as circumstances prevented me from working by night. My 

 brother, however, took a larva, nearly full-grown, of Pygara bucephala off 

 the nut-bushes, and also captured two specimens of Bomhyx quercus, which 

 supplied him with twenty eggs ; these are now hatched out, and the larvse 

 are feeding well on rose-leaves. On the night of Sept. 6th our dinner- 

 table was visited by two good specimens of Heliophobus loopularis, which 

 received what must have seemed to them an unnecessarily warm reception. 

 My entomological excursions have perforce been few and far between; but 

 I should imagine from the little I have done that Lyme Regis, and the 

 country round it, was as profitable to entomologists as it is beautiful to the 



