THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



101 



On oak trees we may find the green minutely-spotted Tortrix viridana, 

 with a brownish head, and the, also, green brown-headed larvse of Catoptria 

 fulvana. This last is darker in colour on the back. Other species we may 

 beat out of oak trees, are Pcedisca corticana, Ptycholoma lecheana and the 

 dull olive, white-spotted 'and black-headed Tortrix xylosteana. Corticana 

 feeds on hawthorn. 



I have no room for mention of any other Tortrix larvse, nor yet for the 

 imagines of the group, and for lack of space I am able to say nothing about 

 the Tineina for May, although many interesting species occur. 



Cambridge. 



JOTTINGS ON BUTTERFLIES. 



By J. R. S. CLIFFORD. 



Your capital article on the British Butterflies set me ruminating on what 

 1 have noticed daring the last thirty years or so — 1855-85. I send you my 

 notes, which may interest you personally, or perhaps be worthy of publication* 



Argynnis Paphia. — Much rarer than formerly in all parts of England, and 

 can only be looked for with certainty of finding it by going to the New 

 Forest, and our few remaining forests and extensive woods. I saw it 

 plentifully in the woods, near Gravesend, some thirty years ago, and it was 

 said its brethren A. adippe and aglaia were taken occasionally in the same 

 district. All the Argynnidce that particularly haunt woods, have suffered 

 from the " grubbing up " carried on so mercilessly, and it is likely most of them 

 will disappear, A. evphrosyue perhaps may stand its ground. A. selene used to 

 be taken on patches of woodland, not far from London, as on the shrubby 

 portions of Wimbledon Common, but it has become very restricted as to 

 localities. Another circumstance that tells against these fritillaries is the 

 fact that they have generally what is called a " metropolis," or assembly 

 ground. When this is discovered by a party of collectors, it is easy to net 

 the insects by the score, and then, of course a smaller number will be seen 

 the next year 



A. Lathonia. — There seems something peculiar in the habits of this 

 species, we could scarcely suppose it one that would be likely to migrate on the 

 wing, nor be borne across the channel on board a vessel. Several specimens 

 were taken in the neighbourhood of Gravesend, during the Autumn of 1868, 

 and a Mr. Price, whose testimony was recorded as reliable by the late 

 Edward Newman, captured twelve specimens one season in a wood near 



