Insects. 5291 



is to distribute it amongst a certain clique or certain cliques, who habitually black- 

 ball everything they do not possess. I know little and care less about the Dover 

 Daplidices, but have seen a great many specimens said to have come from that, like 

 Dr. Leach's Pinastri drawer, seemingly inexhaustible source. I do not often dispute 

 a gentleman's word, neither do I doubt a countryman who knows so little of the value 

 of an insect as to be proud to get a " quart o' ale " for a " flee," especially when seve- 

 ral folks have had a race for the said "ilee;" but I do sometimes doubt Daplidices, 

 &c, when in the hands of dealers ; at the same time, I feel proud to say we have 

 dealers in Lancashire whose word needs no stamp. I rather like Mr. Ashworth's 

 mock modesty, and can appreciate his advice to work hard, &c, and am quite aware 

 he thinks the world wide enough for a great many to work in, always provided they do 

 not work near him. Instance Mr. Carter, who went, last July, to see Mr. Asbworth, 

 thinking, as Mr. Ashworth did not consider it any honour to find new species, he 

 would be glad to give information how to take specimens ; but no. 



" When the devil was ill, a saint was he ; 

 When the devil was well, the devil a saint he'd be.'' 



Mr. Ashworth listened with great pleasure whilst Mr. Carter informed him how and 

 where he had taken Lamprosetia Verhuellella near Mr. Ashworth's lodgings, and how 

 the Lancashire entomologists found Agrotis Ashworthii at Llanferras; but when Mr. 

 Carter asked him to tell how and where he took Trochilium Scoliaeforme he distinctly 

 said he would neither tell him nor any one else, saying, when pressed for a reason, 

 that as his collection was very small he wanted them all for himself, for exchanging 

 with. I am sorry Mr. Ashworth was away from books, &c; but I shall be ready to 

 reply to him, or any one he may induce to attack me, at any time, providing he or 

 they will bring a direct charge ; but I will not notice any side-wind remarks. I per- 

 haps did wrong when I said Scoliaeforme was common ; but, having seen ten speci- 

 mens in one cabinet, taken last year, I naturally concluded it was " bosh." In con- 

 clusion, I will ask Mr. Ashworth to name one local insect which he has known " made 

 common for a year or two by dealers, and which has been scarce for a long time after- 

 wards." There are few scarce insects in Lancashire, and those few are confined to 

 localities where the Lancashire entomologists cannot go to, though perhaps Mr. Ash- 

 worth can. — C. S. Gregson ; Stanley, near Liverpool, September 15, 1856. 



[Although I believe it to be the most impolitic thing in the world for an Editor to 

 interfere with the literary labours of his contributors, still I feel bound to arrest this 

 passage of arms at the present point, because I have abundance of Natural-History 

 communications on hand ; and most of my readers will prefer these to writings which, 

 however clever, do not advance that science. Mr. Gregson's communications are 

 always welcome when he imparts information; and I hope, now that the 'Intelli- 

 gencer' has hybernated, he will favour me every month with a record of his observa- 

 tions.— .E. iV.] 



Extraordinary Abundance of Thecla Betulce in Montgomeryshire. — In August last 

 I captured a great number of Thecla Betulae, which I found excessively abundant in 

 the valley of the Dovey, Montgomeryshire. It had apparently departed from its 

 usual habit, since by far the greater number were captured on the tops of oak trees, in 

 company with T. Quercus ; and, strange to say, the former were by far the most abun- 

 dant. I found T. Betulae the whole way up the valley of the river Dovey. Is not 



