5108 Insects. 



(Origanum vulgare), cannot have failed to notice a little spider. On my recent pil- 

 grimage to the shrine of Coleophora conspicuella I collected a few of these spiders, 

 and sent them to Mr. Meade for determination; he pronounces them to be Ergates 

 benigna, Blackwall (Theridion benignum, Walckenaer). Mr. Meade remarks, " These 

 are all immature specimens in different stages of growth ; these spiders construct a 

 nest in the summer at the end of twigs of heath or juniper, or (as you find) Origanum, 

 and there the young are bred, and seem to remain all the winter." — H. T. Stainton ; 

 April 5, 1856. — [Intelligencer, April 12]. 



Note on Argynnis Lathonia and Pieris Daplidice. — Some time since a doubt was 

 raised by Mr. Scott as to the occurrence of Lathonia in England. I then wrote to 

 him, giving the instances which had come under my own notice of its occurrence. I 

 also sent him letters from Mr. L. Brock, Mr. E. Smith, Mr. Garrett and Mr. Seaman, 

 respecting the capture of the insect. As, however, I found that Mr. Scott's doubts 

 referred only to some particular specimens, I did not forward the letters to the 

 ' Zoologist' as I had intended ; and now I have unfortunately mislaid them, with the 

 exception of Mr. Brock's. Mr. Newman (Zool. 5071) declares that the occur- 

 rence of Lathonia and Daplidice is limited in each species to about six cases, and 

 that he looks with great suspicion on any cabinet in which these insects are included. 

 Of Daplidice I took one on Holme Fen in August, 1852, as recorded in the 'Zoolo- 

 gist.' That I saw another on the previous day I have not the slightest doubt, though 

 I then considered it as a late specimen of the female Cardamiues, and did not take 

 it. It had rather a heavy flight. My second specimen was taken by Mr. E. Smith, 

 who has also taken two or three others of the same species in Worcestershire. Mr. 

 E. Smith sells insects, but, as I have known him for some years, I may state that I 

 have perfect confidence in what he tells me. His father, a most respectable man, 

 who has collected for many years, and has a large collection of unquestionably Bri- 

 tish insects, assures me that he saw the insect when alive. Dover and Cambridge- 

 shire are the places where Daplidice is said to have occurred; but in Mr. Kirby's Life 

 it is stated, in a letter from Mr. Dale, that "Mr. Millard took Daplidice at Tewkes- 

 bury, where it has been found in great plenty." This is good evidence, at all events, 

 of the possibility of its being found near Worcestershire. Of Lathonia I have two 

 specimens, taken by my friend Mr. L. Brock, a medical gentleman in large practice 

 in Colchester. One was taken by him in September, 1847, near Birch; and the 

 other, a worn specimen, in the month of May previous, near Berechurch. I enclose 

 his letter. I have a third specimen, taken by Mr. E. Smith in Worcestershire. I 

 have also four specimens which I procured, many years ago, from the late Mr. Sea- 

 man, of Ipswich, who assured me that he had taken them himself, on a heath near 

 that town, within a veiy short time; they were then unset, and I gave him two shil- 

 lings for each of them. I wrote to his son, who also collects, to inquire whether he 

 remembered his father taking the insect, and his reply is quite satisfactory. Mr. Sea- 

 man, I am aware, sold many foreign insects; but, though I should doubt the authen- 

 ticity of a specimen, in B dealer's hand, which he had purchased, I see no objection to 

 taking the word of a respectable dealer as soon as that of an indifferent person tor 

 insects that he has himself taken. Being, however, in Ipswich not long since, 1 saw, 



