The NATURALIST 



Fop 1896. 



THREE WEEKS IN THE ISLE OF MAN. 



Rev. CYRIL D. ASH, B.A., 



Skipivitk Vicarage, Selby. Yorkshire, 



A three weeks' holiday in August last was spent in the Isle of 

 Man, and as a considerable portion of the time was devoted to 

 entomology, some account of the lepidoptera observed may be 

 useful. 



Our head-quarters were in a farm-house a short distance north of 

 Ramsey, and about half a mile from the sea. Here we remained 

 from August 8th till 29th, during which time the lanes, cliffs, and 

 downs in the neighbourhood were pretty closely worked. Of course 

 it was late in the season for much day work, but the ragwort, which 

 was in full bloom, gave plenty of sport at night. During the day 

 Satyrus semele and Lyccena alexis (2) were swarming along the cliffs 

 and in the gullies leading to the shore, but the former were getting 

 worn, and not one specimen in twenty was worth keeping. Eubolia 

 metisuraria, Gnophos obscurata, and Melanippe subtristata were all 

 abundant, but Gn. obscurata was in very bad condition. Along the 

 face of the low cliffs, which are covered with wild flowers, especially 

 Anthyllis vulneraria and rest-harrow; Zygana filipendid<z was out in 

 great numbers, but in bad condition. Canonympha pamphilus, Satym 

 janira, and Pararge megczra, all swarmed everywhere, as did Vanessa 

 urticu . but only a few V, cardui and V, atalanta were seen. The 

 larvse of the former were occasionally met with on wild borage and 

 thistles. Among the rest-harrow at one or two spots close to the 

 beach the larvaa of Heliothus marginata were exceedingly plentiful, 

 and in great variety. By searching the ash trees a few nice speci- 

 mens of Cirrhcedia j rampelina were taken, and a single specimen of 

 Boarmia repandata var. sodorensium. Odd specimens of Melanthta 

 rabiginata, M. ocellata y Plusia gamma, and Satyrus tithonus make 

 up nearly all the day captures among the macro-lepidoptera in our 

 immediate neighbourhood ; but at Point of Ayre (the curious stretch 



of open sandy moor covered with heather and stunted gorse, which 



ii m^ iyn 1 a m 1— 11 * 



Jan. 1S96. 



