THE BRITISH NATURALIST. [November 



other species may be found mixed with, or in lieu of our common 

 Grizzled Skipper. The ^enus is a very difficult one, and many of the 

 species arc very closely allied. Attention should be given to the 

 number and size of the white spots, especially of the hind wing, and 

 to the under sides. In these will be found the best marks of dis- 

 tinction. 



PoLYOMMATUs Vi RG AU R E A. — D u ring the last few years we have 

 had quite a number of Butterflies recorded as occurmg in Britain, 

 besides those generally recognised. Aiiosia plexlppiis, and Lyca}}ia 

 boetica were but casual visitors, Lycceiia argiades and Syrictlius alveus 

 have probably been residents discovered as they were dying out, 

 Hesperia lineola has proved to be common enough where it occurs. 

 No one doubts the correctness of records of the occurrence of these 

 species, though few entomologists have seen any of them except 

 the last. But while records of the day are accepted unhesitatingly, 

 we look with grave doubt or positive disbelief on records made by the 

 entomologists of a generation or two back. We keep on our lists 

 LyccBna dispar and Polyommatus acis that we know are extinct, yet we 

 refuse a place to Lyccviia virgauvea^ which is on all the old lists, and is 

 a species that ought to occur in Britain, if we can judge by its range 

 elsewhere. In June last, there appeared in the Field, a letter from 

 Mr. E. L. Layard, of Budleigh Salterton, in which he mentioned, 

 among other tilings, that he had captured some fifty-one years ago, 

 both Dispar and Virgmirea. It will be well to quote the exact words. 

 Mr. Layard says : — 



" I went down to Yaxley Fen, near Huntingdon, and was fortunate 

 enough to secure several fine examples of Lyccena dispar diud the scarce 

 copper L. virgaurea. . . The year 1841 was famous for Butterflies. 



This statement caused no little sensation in entomological circles, 

 because tlie existence of a reliable living witness that the species had 

 occurred, was an important matter. A better authority than Mr. 

 Layard it would be difficult to obtain, l^erhaps his brother, Mr. 

 Austin Henry Layard, late Ambassador to Turkey, is better known to 

 the public through his explorations at Nineveh, but Mr. E. L. 

 Layard has held important posts in connection with the government 

 of outlying British possessions, and has resided in Canada, South 

 Africa, Ceylon, and many other places, and has had great and varied 

 experience in matters pertaining to Natural History. Anything he 

 .states, should therefore be received as thoroughly reliable, and no 

 more doubt ought to be felt when he tell us that he took Virgaurm, at 

 Yaxley Fen, than had he said he had taken Lyccsna argiades, in 

 Dorsetshire, or Syricthus alvciis, in Norfolk. Yet Mr. Barrett would 

 have us believe that Mr. Layard mistook the sexes of Polyommatus 

 dispar for the two Coppers. For this I ^ee no reason. Virgaurea 



