1869.] 



211 



AN ANALYTICAL VIEW OF THE LEPIDOPTEROUS FAUNA OF 

 HASLEMERE AND ITS VICINITY. 



BT CHAHLES 0-. BAEEETT. 



The neiglibourhood of Haslemere, in which very small country 

 town I had the good fortune to reside for upwards of six years, is 

 interesting as having been, in its entomological aspects, previously 

 almost unknown, although lying nearly midway between the London 

 district, the New Forest, and the Sussex downs and coast, all of which 

 have been more or less thoroughly worked, and because it includes 

 elevated ground that in climate and botanical productions resembles 

 some parts of the north of England. The hills and heaths are on the 

 lower greensand, and the vallies and oak-woods on the "Wealden clay^ 

 the two formations occupying almost the entire district. 



The area over which I collected extends from six to ten miles in 

 various directions round Haslemere, and includes the woods and lanes 

 towards Godalming and round the village of Chiddingfold, and towards 

 Midhurst, in Sussex ; the heathy hills and marshy vallies of Hindhead 

 and Blackdown, a small portion of Hydon Heath, with its junipers, and 

 the wide heaths and boggy hollows of Milford Heath, in Surrey, and 

 part of Woolmer Forest, Hants, with its abundant fir woods. 



The total number of species of Lepidoptera observed in this district 

 is 1,088, being nearly five-eighths of the whole number recorded as 

 British up to the present time. The various groups are, however, very 

 unequally respresented. 



Of the Diurni there are 42 species — two-thirds of the entire 

 British list, and, excluding Colias Hyale and Argynnis Aylaia, which 

 appeared only in the past exceptional season, all may be called regular 

 residents. None of the great rarities seem to have occurred, Apatura 

 Iris, Limenitis Sibylla, Leucophasia sinapis, and Nemeobius Lucina being 

 about the best species. Colias Edusa is of uncertain appearance, and 

 never very common. Arge Oalathea and Lyccsna Gorydon are very 

 rare, a singular contrast to the usual rule where they occur ; but this 

 is accounted for by the absence of chalk. The extreme rarity of 

 Argynnis Aglaia seems inexplicable, as the country appears as though 

 especially suited to it. Only two specimens, however, occurred. 



Of Sphingidce only 14 species — less than half the list — have been 

 found, the great deficiency being in the genus Sesia, of which but three 

 have been noticed, tipuliformis and culiciformis both rarely, and hembe- 

 ciformis only by its burrows in the sallow poles. Smerinthus tiliod 

 seems to be absent, — probably from the scarcity of elms— and Chcero- 



