THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



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frequently coalescing, and often all five more or less joined together. This 

 large form occurs with us in July; last year (1SS7) I bred several between 

 July 7th and 16th, Another, a small dwarfed form, exhibiting the same 

 depth of colouring, the same peculiar characteristics relative to the coalescing 

 of the spots, but occurring generally three or four weeks earlier than the large 

 form, and in more exposed situations. These are facts well known to our older 

 lepidopterists,* but I am not certain that they are to the younger ones. I 

 have collected nearly a large cabinet drawer full of these species from different 

 localities, and have found that in some localities the two forms of trifolii 

 occur side by side at the same time, whilst in others the forms are distinctly 

 separate, and only one is found in the same locality at the same time. In 

 the first week of July last year, I had a number of specimens sent me from 

 Carmarthen by Capt. Eobinson, the largest being quite characteristic of our 

 large form, the smallest quite characteristic of our small form, whilst there 

 were others intermediate, some of which were not distinguishable froni 

 lonicerce. I have also some captured near Tenby, on June 26th, 1SS7, pre- 

 senting the same characteristics. I do not know that any one has ever had 

 the courage, (perhaps temerity would be nearer the mark,) to question the 

 specific difference between trifolli and lonicerce, but the following has led me 

 to the conclusion that trifolii in all its forms, large or small, are only isolated 

 and local modifications of lonicerce, and that lonicerce and trifolii are speci- 

 fically identical, the latter modified by its environment and food-plant. 



In North Kent, in an open part of a wood, in 1871-1873, I met with a 

 large number of lonicerce in all its stages. It was exceedingly abundant and 

 of the normal size, and although I looked over an immense number, I never 

 saw, and never yet have seen, a blotched lonicerce in that or any other 

 locality. 1 worked the locality thoroughly and never saw trifolii, but was 

 astonished to find, in 1ST 5 and 1ST 7, numerous specimens of Z. trifolii — 

 the small form — in an open field, with only a narrow belt of brushwood, some 

 30 or 40 feet through, between the field and the lonicerce ground. This was 

 the first week in July, about the same time that lonicerce appeared, and with 



* These assumed facts must not be always depended on. In some places the dry hill-side 

 trifolii are larger and more confluent in their markings, and much earlier than the marsh, 

 small and not often confluent specimens, which spin up like Filipendula on the grass 

 stems. — Ed. Y.N. 



+ I know that many of my friends have blotched lonicera in their cabinets, but when 

 the spots are joined it is almost impossible to determine their specific identity, unless 

 the captor takes such specimens among a number of typical ones. As a rule, I find 

 those who possess blotched lonicera did not capture them, and know but little about 

 them.— J.W.T. 



