PREFACE. Xlll 



the legitimate organ for recording such captures, has of course 

 abounded in such records. Our rarest butterfly, Vanessa Antiopa, has 

 also appeared generally, although not abundantly, in most of the 

 English counties. Argynnis Lathonia has been taken in the south- 

 eastern counties. Lithosia pulchella has been captured at Epping, 

 Catocala Fraxini near Manchester, Cynaeda dentalis near Lewes, 

 and other extraordinary captures have been made, but perhaps, the 

 most remarkable, is the occurrence of Orthosia subrosea in con- 

 siderable abundance at Whittlesea Mere (Zool. 1515); this insect 

 has long been considered questionable as British, and an author 

 of high reputation has even been pronouncing it, an exclusively 

 North American form. The Locust has appeared plentifully ; the 

 newspapers say in " vast swarms," but the accounts I have received 

 do not warrant the use of such a term : two or three only having been 

 found together. Mr. Frederick Smith has described several new 

 British Bees (Zool. 1274, 1445, 1556), and the Rev. G. T. Rudd, 

 anew species of Haltica (Zool. 1517). Notwithstanding the extra- 

 ordinary heat and fineness of the season, the two British species of 

 Colias have not appeared in their accustomed localities in the 

 London district, nor I believe, throughout the kingdom, a fact 

 worthy of record, as showing that their occurrence does not de- 

 pend on warmth, but must be sought in other causes. 



On the subject of contributions I wish to say a few words. I find 

 that several contributors have felt themselves aggrieved by the non- 

 publication of lists of the names of Lepidoptera with which they 

 have favored me : now perhaps these are not aware that the printing 

 of all the lists I receive would not only exclude all other information 

 from the pages of the ' Zoologist,' but would increase the monthly 

 numbers to double their present size Such lists also become 

 tedious from the multiplicity of repetitions : there are a vast 

 number of species of British Lepidoptera, of which the absence 

 would be more remarkable than the presence. And 1 beg con- 

 tributors to bear in mind, that I have, on several occasions, stated 

 very clearly the only conditions on which lists can be published. 



