58 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 



hope, be held fully to justify the step. That the observations of the 

 late Dr. Ball and Mr. Tardy are, in many cases, still unconfirmed, 

 proves, in my judgment, not the absence of the insect, but merely the 

 want of observers ; and, until there are resident entomologists in every 

 part of Ireland, the indigenous species can never be otherwise than im- 

 perfectly known. 



When only one or two localities are named, it is not intended that 

 the reader should infer that the insect does not occur elsewhere, but 

 simply that there was no further information at my disposal. The list 

 is still a very meagre one compared with that of the English Lepidoptera ; 

 but when it is considered that an addition of upwards of 300 species has 

 resulted from the very partial exploration of small districts in Dublin, 

 Galway, and Kerry — that three-fourths of the counties of Ireland, in- 

 cluding the whole of the great province of Ulster, and the entire coast 

 line of the island, except a small portion near Dublin, are up to the pre- 

 sent time terra incognita — I think the idea which has been entertained 

 that Ireland was singularly barren and unproductive in this order of in- 

 sects must be given up. It has probably arisen from the circumstance 

 that the Lepidoptera are not by any means so generally distributed as 

 in England. Over a large portion of the island grazing farms now ex- 

 tend, wood of any kind is very scarce, and stone walls take the place of 

 hedges. Such districts are not likely to possess a rich Lepidopterous 

 Eauna ; but in very restricted localities, under more favourable condi- 

 tions, both species and individuals exist in extraordinary numbers. As 

 a rule, if you find a species in Ireland, you may take it in plenty, but 

 you run a great risk of overlooking it entirely by missing the precise 

 spot where it alone occurs. 



The lists of Tortrices and Tinese have been drawn up by my friend, 

 C. G. Barrett, and, although undoubtedly still very incomplete, include 

 150 species not previously recorded as indigenous. 



DIURNI. 



Leucophasia Sinapis — Abundant near Galway and at Killarney, but has 

 not been noticed in Ulster or Leinster. Only a June brood 

 has been observed. 



Pieris Cratsegi Mr. Green inserts this species in the Irish list on the 



authority of Mr. Hely. I have not met with it, and am 

 unable to say where it occurs. 

 ,, Brassicae.— Generally distributed, 

 ,, Kapee.- — do. 



,, Napi. — do. 



Anthocaris Cardamines. — Common. In May, 1860, I observed this 

 species in myriads at Sligo, reminding me of the migrating 

 clouds of tropical Callidryas. 



Gonepteryx Ehamni. — Killarney ; apparently confined to the South of 

 Ireland. 



Colias Edusa. — Common in some seasons on the south and east coast ; 

 occurs more rarely north of Dublin. In profusion at Kil- 

 larney in August, 1865. 



