THE INSECTS OF HEEM 



BY MR. W. A. LUFF, F.E.S. 



The island of Herm lies about three miles from the 

 east coast of Guernsey and forms the central portion of 

 a formidable group of islands and rocks running nearly 

 parallel with it ; the whole from the Amfroque to the 

 Ferriere rocks being nearly six miles in length. The 

 Channel between these and Guernsey is called the Little 

 Russel and in the narrowest part, opposite the Vale Castle, 

 there are only seven fathoms of water. Herm is of an 

 irregular oval shape measuring about 1^ miles from North 

 to South and is rather more than half a mile across. 

 It has high and precipitous cliffs on the southern and 

 eastern sides, whilst the northern and western parts are 

 much lower. At the north is a sandy common somewhat 

 similar to L'Ancresse Common in Guernsey. The central 

 table land is cultivated, but the slopes, particularly near the 

 sea and the common, are still wild and covered with a 

 profusion of vegetation. 



On June loth, 1889, an excursion was made to this 

 charming little island by our Society, and the plants and 

 insects collected on that occasion are duly recorded in the 

 Transactions. I have visited the island several times and 

 collected a few insects on each occasion, but it remained 

 for Mr. E. D. Marquand to supply the greater portion 

 of the material for the following list. 



Mr. Marquand, with the able assistance of his wife 

 and son, assiduously collected the insects of Herm whilst 

 residing there at various times during the months of April, 

 May, June and August of this year. 



The island, notwithstanding its small extent, turns out 

 to be unexpectedly rich in insect life, no less than 374 

 species being recorded. 



The Lepidoptera, as might be expected on such a 

 wind-swept island, are not very numerous. Among the 

 butterflies it is interesting to find Pararge cegeria (the 



