THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



195 



ANOTHER VISIT TO LUNDY. 



By JOHN HENDERSON. 



{Concluded from page 183.) 



The climate of Lundy is moist, and except during the very severe winter 

 gales, it must be a pleasant though exceedingly lonely place to live in. There 

 is always plenty to be seen on a fine day from the number of ships 

 passing constantly from Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, and other ports in the 

 Channel. It is estimated that more than one-fifth of the shipping in the 

 United Kingdom pass into the Bris'ol Channel; a million sail annually went 

 by as long ago as 1876. Hut the prevalence of sea-fog, renders it difficult 

 to see them in dull weather, and the Lloyds' signalman stationed on the 

 Island, has been known to have a fortnight's rest, without getting sight of a 

 passing vessel. There is a cable laid over to the Devonshire coast, by means 

 of which immediate notice is given to Lloyds* at the Royal Exchange of any 

 ship that wishes to signal her name, and much delay to the owners and 

 friends is consequently saved. 



The soil on the Island is of various depths, and of different characters ; it 

 has suffered by frequent burning of the grass and heather, which has in some 

 plaees destroyed the earth down to the bare rocks. There is a black vege- 

 table mould, clay, peat, bog, and two light friable soils, one sandy and the 

 other suitable for cultivating vegetables. At the north end is a considerable 

 guano bed, formed by the numerous wild fowl who have frequented that part 

 for ages. 



Returning to our collecting, we find another butterfly that is not so num- 

 erous as on the mainland, the Gatekeeper or small meadow brown (H. tytko- 

 nus,) they flit about on the heather-covered slopes in the neighbourhood of 

 the Limekiln and Punch Bowl. The Meadow Browns {$. janira) were scarce, 

 and rather pale, like the discoloured varieties we so often see in fields at 

 home. Down by the little landing place, and on the road leading up the 

 cliffs to Mr. Heavens' residence we got a couple of Vanessa urtica, nothing 

 differing from the usual type we take everywhere. 1 think there are but few 

 Sphinges on the Island, at least we did not see any with the exception of the 

 Humming- Bird Hawk {M. stellatarum) , one of which in a worn condition 

 was hovering over some scarlet flowers in a garden. A dark Arches (X 

 Polyodon) was discovered, and a solitary M. brassica ; the only Geometree 

 found were Acidalia aversata and Boarmia repandata a very pale variety, and 

 the Treble Bar {A. plagiata), usually a chalk-loving insect, but. which is 

 found freely on the slate in Devonshire, on the cliffs facing the West. Mr. 

 ■Waterhouse, of the British Museum, once found Calosoma sycophanta amongst 



