Insects. 887 



Occurrence of Colias Edusa in Dorsetshire. I am sorry that I have not of late 

 had time to contribute anything to the pages of * The Zoologist,' though each month 

 I have had the pleasure of reading its interesting contents, and I think it has now be- 

 come just such a magazine as was wanted. I beg to add one more note to the num- 

 ber that have been already communicated respecting Colias Edusa. It is to be found 

 in very considerable plenty nearly every year, in the beginning of September, on the 

 cliff to the eastward of Charmouth in Dorsetshire. It was also observed a few years 

 since in very great abundance, at Abbotsbury, a few miles further east. During the fol- 

 lowing year not a specimen could be taken there, but I have no doubt that in seasons 

 when it is plentiful elsewhere, it would be also there as on the former occasion. A 

 single specimen of the pale variety was taken some years ago at Charmouth, at the 

 above-named locality, by Henry Arthur Beaumont, Esq. — Francis Orpen Morris ; 

 Whitwell,near York, January 7, 1845. 



Occurrence of Colias Hyale near Cambridge, Src. In the numerous notices that have 

 appeared in * The Zoologist ' of the occurrence of Colias Edusa, in the past year, I 

 observe only one mention of Colias Hyale having been seen, namely, near Arundel. 

 From this general silence of your correspondents respecting it, it would appear to have 

 been out but very sparingly ; yet a considerable number of specimens have been taken 

 near Cambridge, chiefly I believe about the Devil's Dyke, which is in the chalk coun- 

 try. Some of these were evidently just out of the chrysalis, much too perfect to have 

 travelled far, or to be in the second year of their age. Mr. Clark, of Corpus College, 

 also took one near Lincoln, in the past season. In 1842, on the 13th of September, 

 I took a female on very high land near Matlock, in Derbyshire. I was at the time in 

 pursuit of larger game, and my surprise and joy at this new appearance was only equal- 

 led by the astonishment of the keeper at my proceedings. I never felt less keen out 

 shooting than I did after this incident ; but in vain did I devote the following day to 

 the net ; and my excess of wonder only began to diminish when I heard from my bro- 

 ther that he had taken one at Eton, in Buckinghamshire, and had heard of their be- 

 ing taken almost everywhere. I then began to look upon it as a case parallel to that of 

 Vanessa Antiopa in the year 17 — ? a sudden unaccountable apparition throughout the 

 kingdom, a "Grand Surprize ;" but when they were plentiful again in 1843, and (about 

 Cambridge) again in 1844, 1 thought it not impossible a new era might be established, 

 and that Colias Hyale had ceased to be among the rare, from what causes it seemed 

 fruitless to conjecture — unless it be a fact worthy of observation, that they were first 

 found frequent on the coast opposite and nearest to France. They have now been 

 out three successive years, decreasing rapidly in point of numbers each year. In 1842 

 the collectors about here were not properly on the qui vive till too late, yet numbers of 

 Hyale were caught but not one Edusa (I believe). In 1843, Edusa abundant; of Hy- 

 ale several scores were caught. In 1844, Edusa and Hyale were seen in much less 

 abundance, but in about the same relative proportions as in 1843 ; of Hyale one or two 

 dozens were taken. It would be highly interesting to know whether the periodical ap- 

 pearance of these insects in England corresponds with the same on the continent. — 

 John Wolley ; Trinity College, Cambridge, Feb. 4, 1845. 



Occurrence of Melitcea Dia near Birmingham. At page 267 of the ' Entomologist ' 

 (No. xvii.), published in March, 1842, you throw some doubts upon the fact of the re- 

 ported capture of Melitaea Dia in this country; and remark that the ascertaining of 

 such fact is "an enquiry of great interest." Now, I have the pleasure of positively 

 stating, that I had the good fortune to capture two specimens of that new insect in 



