COLLECTING IN 1920 IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE, NORTH WALES, ETC. 155 



COLLECTING IN 1920 IN GLOUCESTEKSHIRE, 

 NORTH WALES, ETC. 



By C. Granville Clutterbuck, F.E.S. 



I was too busy in the spring to do much, added to which 

 Easter in Gloucester was a complete "washout," four days of 

 almost continuous rain rendering field work impossible. ' My 

 first good day was May 3rd, when in company with Capt. G. H. 

 Simpson-Hayward we found Crambus chrysonuchellus on the 

 Cotswolds for the first time, and also larvae of Geometra 

 papilionaria by searching the young birches. The latter were 

 mostly stung but some fine specimens were bred. The afternoon 

 of June 2nd was spent in Leigh Woods with Mr. G. C. Griffiths 

 and Mr. A. E.Hudd. The latter took a specimen of Phalonia 

 nana in his Diptera net and kindly gave it to me. Amongst others 

 I secured Ahicita osteodactyla amongst Golden Rod and Argyresthia 

 illuminatella amongst larch, both for the first time. June 13th 

 found me on our hills, when Lycaena arion was observed in a new 

 locality which, on the 18th, produced specimens of Gelechia 

 plantaginella — a new record for Gloucestershire. They were 

 taken at rest on stones scattered about in a hilly field. The 

 24th was a fine, warm day, and whilst I was taking Evetria 

 pinivorana by beating Scot's firs, two visitors, Capt. Tebb and 

 Mr. J. J. Lister, were taking L. arion in yet another locality. 

 The weather during the last week in June and practically the 

 whole of July was most disappointing, villainously cold, wet and 

 windy, and made collecting micros practically impossible. 

 However, on July 9th I realised one of my ambitions by dis- 

 covering a locality for our rarest local orchid, the Red Helleborine 

 (Cephalanthra rubra). The same day (Ecophora lunaris and 

 Cedestis famiatella were observed at rest on a neighbouring 

 fence. Having arranged to visit Towyn in North Wales from 

 July 27th to August 18th, I wrote to Mr. H. Rowland-Brown and 

 Mr. W. Mansbridge for information as to the district, which they 

 kindly supplied. The former said he had supplied specimens of 

 Papilio machaon to Dr. Jackson of Aberdovery to try planting 

 them out and suggested that I should inquire as to the result of 

 the experiment. I learnt from Mr. Jackson that the species 

 entirely failed to establish itself. Going through his collection 

 I noticed a specimen of Deilephila lineata (lirornica), which he 

 had taken locally in May, 1912, at flowers of Silene maritima. 

 He also had specimens of Zephyrus betulae and Coenonympha 

 tiphon taken in the district. He told me that the larvae of 

 Cucullia asteris were to be found on Golden Rod in September on 

 the mountain at the back of his house. Personally I was 

 disappointed with the district. The first week at Towyn was 

 spoilt by the wet and windy weather. 



