40 



THE YOUNG NATUEALIST. 



expense as far as his means would permit 

 him to make the collection as complete as 

 possible, and it contains series of very fine 

 things and many very good varieties. These 

 latter at once took Mr. Capper's attention, 

 and he immediately wrote me word that I 

 should see the collection and take sketches 

 of some of them for publication in my 

 work on "Varieties of British Lepi- 

 doptera." 



Accordingly, in September, myself and a 

 botanical friend packed up our traps and 

 set out for York, my main object being to 

 see the collection referred to, and make 

 drawings of the best varieties, Mr. Capper 

 having very kindly obtained the necessary 

 permission, and made all arrangements for 

 my doing so, On arriving at the Museum 

 I was most kindly received, and the curator 

 — the Rev. C. Hay — gave me full possession, 

 and full permission to sketch whatever I 

 liked. 



Among the varieties many are very striking 

 and beautiful. Argynnis aglaia, several varie- 

 ties, one with large confluent silver spots ; 

 one very dark female with leaden spots, and 

 a very pretty small female with light ground 

 colour, and very distinct spots. Melitaa 

 artemis had all forms, as well as several 

 striking M. cinxia. Vanessa urticce, and 

 other butterflies were well represented by 

 good varieties. Among the Hawk Moths 

 may be mentioned a specimen of A . atropos, 

 having three bars across the hind wing and 

 a dark " scull " ; the only striking variety I 

 have seen of this species. M. arutidinis had 

 two specimens, a male and a female, with a 

 very decided pink tint, especially along the 

 costa and fringes. I should be glad to 

 learn if this form has been frequently met 

 with by persons who have taken this insect. 

 The Burnets are good in yellow forms, con- 

 fluent Trifolii and Lonicerce, and one of the 

 latter with a clear indication of the sixth 

 spot. In my sketch-book I have about 

 thirty distinct forms of C. caja, but in this 



collection I found one or two I did not 

 before possess. A hermaphrodite S. car- 

 $ini brings us to the end of the Bombyces. 

 In Geometrid^e the carpets, such as 

 Immanata, Russata, Montanata, as well as 0. 

 dilutata, and many others are particularly 

 rich. Among the Nocture also are some 

 good things, especially may be mentioned 

 T. fimbria and orbona and a specimen of 

 T. gothica entirely without the central dark 

 spot. I regret very much in having to men- 

 tion that this collection, in addition to the 

 many good things, contains the handiwork 

 of some crafty person. There is a male 

 specimen of B. neustria which has the band 

 across the fore wing painted a dark leaden 

 colour, and there are also two specimens of 

 A . herbida with the wings touched up with 

 emerald green. These paintings are very 

 well done, as they must have been to have 

 escaped detection by Mr. Allis, and might 

 have escaped notice even now if the artist 

 had not been a little bit careless in using 

 a tint which does not occur in nature. The 

 natural tint of A. herbida is green, but not 

 emerald green, and B. neustria has no lead- 

 coloured scales. In all the varieties I have 

 seen I do not at present remember having 

 seen one in which a new colour has been 

 introduced (except by the pencil); it is 

 always the same colour, either extended or 

 reduced, intensified or bleached. 



The day after we had been at the museum 

 we paid a visit to Askam Bog. This is indeed 

 a fine collecting-ground, and though late in 

 the season we found several good things, so 

 my friend said, in botany, and a few insects, 

 amongst the number a good pair of E. tiliaria 

 which gave me a batch of eggs. A few 

 caddis-flies were on the wing, and earlier in 

 the season this must be a good place for 

 these insects. Among the plants, Parnassius 

 palustris shot its beautiful white flowers 

 above the grass, and the Yellow Flag must 

 be a beautiful sight when it is in bloom. 



We were well satisfied, considering the 



