i74 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Aug. 24, 1888. 



future we may only hope to see their elegant forms in 

 books ! (Many specimens of Polyommalits dispar still exist 

 in cabinets.) 



It is to be hoped that our only living species of the 

 genus may long be spared to grace our collections. 



Of the Lycxnidce, or " Blues," a very interesting species 

 which has become extinct is Lyccena semiargus (=L.acis). 

 Only about twenty or thirty years ago this butterfly used 

 to occur in a great number of localities in England and 

 Wales, but, strange to say, it has entirely disappeared, and 

 no longer finds a place in our lists. 



The butterfly under consideration used to occur 

 plentifully in one locality near Birmingham, but is not 

 found there at all now. In this case its extirpation has 

 been attributed by a local entomologist to the ravages of 

 picture-makers. Here, then, man is the principal 

 instrument in exterminating a species. He is probably 

 answerable for many more. 



The extinct " Satyrs" are represented in this country 

 by the following ; namely, the Silver Ringlet (Hipparchia 

 hero), which wasformerly taken on the borders of Ashdown 

 Forest in Sussex, and the Arran Argus (Hipparchia 

 ligra), specimens of which were captured in the Isle 

 of Airan by Sir Patrick Walker and Mr. Alexander 

 Macleay, but no examples of either species have been seen 

 for many years. 



A very interesting species of butterfly which formerly 

 inhabited this country is the Goddess Fritillary, probably 

 better known as Weaver's Fritillary (Melitasa dia) . The 

 interest in this insect is derived from the great con- 

 troversy which held sway for some time in the scientific 

 magazines of the time regarding its claim to be inserted 

 in the British lists. It was first captured by Mr. Richard 

 Weaver, in Sutton Park, in Warwickshire, and a little 

 later by another collector, Mr. Stanley, in Cheshire. 



Mr. Weaver, who was the discoverer of this pretty 

 butterfly, was treated in a very disgraceful manner by 

 the entomologists of London and Paris, and great thanks 

 are due to Mr. F. O. Morris, the well-known author, for 

 his vindication of the character of this collector. Con- 

 cerning Melitcea dia, we have recently been informed by 

 the Rev. Canon Bernard Smith (late of Oscott College, 

 near Birmingham), who knew Mr. Weaver personally, 

 that the identity of the insects (two in number) in the 

 cabinet of the fortunate collector was established by a 

 friend ; for then Mr. Weaver was only a beginner, having 

 taken up the study of entomology to benefit his health. 

 He was a bootmaker by trade. The fraud attributed to him 

 by less fortunate collectors (who were probably jealous 

 of his discoveries), of palming off foreign insects as 

 British, is entirely without foundation, as Mr. Weaver 

 did not collect foreign insects, for he used to say that the 

 British were more beautiful (the insular prejudice held 

 its sway in those days). 



Mr. Montagu Browne, F.Z.S., curator of Leicester 

 Museum, informs us that he saw the specimens of Melitaa 

 dia (in addition to the specimens of Polyommatusdisparand 

 Lyccena semiargus) in Aston Hall Museum, Birmingham, 

 about twelve years ago, the same that were reported to 

 have been caught in Sutton Park by Mr. Weaver. Un- 

 fortunately, the present curator of Aston Hall Museum 

 does not know the rudiments of entomology, and cares 

 for it, possibly, even less; but one could scarcely have 

 believed that such rare insects should have been allowed 

 to rot in the cellar of this scientific institution (?), yet 

 this is too surely the case. 



In addition to the species mentioned in this essay 



which have become extinct, there are many others of 

 which we possess only faint records. 



We should, however, like to caution our readers 

 against accepting the supposed occurrence of many 

 European species in this country, such, for instance, as 

 Colias myrmedome and C. chrysotheme of English authors, 

 which are merely varieties of Colias edusa, and also 

 such as Lyccena dorylas which is supposed to be only a 

 pale variety of the common blue Lyccena icarus (= L. 

 alexis). In addition to these, there are many others 

 which have been erroneously introduced into our lists 

 at various times, either through want of authenticity, 

 identity, or confusion of synonymy. Unscrapulous dealers 

 are also answerable for a great many errors which have 

 occurred in past times, by palming foreign specimens as 

 British upon unsuspecting collectors. We now, how- 

 ever, live in a scientific age, and the facilities for cheating 

 are not so great as formerly. 



The remarkable fluctuations in the appearance of many 

 butterflies would afford in itself a very fertile topic. 

 During a certain season a particular species suddenly 

 becomes abundant, though for several years previously 

 it may have been very scarce and only occasionally met 

 with. In 1884 the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) 

 occurred throughout the country in the utmost profusion, 

 though for several years previously it had been com- 

 paratively scarce. In the following year the beautiful 

 Peacock (Vanessa io) occurred in great abundance in 

 several midland localities, though it had been very un- 

 common for a number of seasons. Many other similar 

 instances have come under our notice. How these 

 striking occurrences are brought about we are not able 

 to ascertain at present, until more is done towards the 

 elucidation of the economy of the species in question. How 

 far, therefore, they are due to migration is at present 

 involved in mystery ; but apparently there is some kind 

 of periodicity in these remarkable appearances which 

 may eventually prove to coincide with a periodicity in 

 the seasons of their migration. 



Many species of butterflies migrate about from one 

 part of the British Isles to another, in which case it 

 would only be a local migration, and probably quite 

 independent of any outside influences. 



There are many other species, undoubtedly inde- 

 pendent of migration, which sometimes appear in 

 immense numbers locally, such, for instance, as Thccla 

 rtibi, Lyccena argiolus, Gonepteryx rhamni, Argynnis 

 selenc, and A. cuphrosyne, which are in other seasons very 

 scarce ; then, again, others, which are usually tolerably 

 plentiful,such as Polyommatus phlceas, Euchlde cardamines 

 and Pieris napi, are very scarce in certain seasons, though 

 apparently there is no accounting for the phenomena. 

 There is very wide scope, therefore, for any one who may 

 wish to take up this interesting subject. What is greatly 

 wanted is a number cf trustworthy observers and reliable 

 recorders in different parts of the country, with a well- 

 organized staff to collect and arrange the data furnished. 



The recent progress of science forcibly teaches us that 

 the grandest and safest conclusions are best attainable 

 by means of the most minutely accurate observations, 

 persistently conducted according to some well-arranged 

 and comprehensive plan. 



In the numerous cases cited above numberless ex- 

 periments are being carried out before our eyes, and if 

 we are to profit by them we must watch them with the 

 clearness of vision and keenness of intellect demanded 

 by the physicist in his laboratory. 



