PoREiTT : Collecting Expedition to the New Forest. 103 



and where anyone wishing to stay in the village, would do well to 

 " put up " at. I, however, was anxious to be as near the best 

 collecting ground as possible, and so, on the recommendation of Mr. 

 J. G. Eoss, of Bath, had engaged rooms at Fern Cottage, on Clay 

 Hill, about a mile out of Lyndhurst, and right upon as good collecting 

 ground as is to be found in the Forest. To this place another con- 

 veyance speedily brought me, but it was quite dark when I reached my 

 destination. Mrs. Burge, the hostess, soon made me very comfortable, 

 and after having had a good tea I turned out to look for my com- 

 panions, the Rev. T. W. Daltry, F.L.S., of Madeley, and two of his 

 sons, who had preceded me, and who had gone out to " sugar." I 

 soon perceived the glimmer of one of the lamps, and found they were 

 returning from a fruitless hunt, the mist, or something else, having 

 spoiled all chance of doing anything that night. We were soon in the 

 house again, and sat up until midnight, talking over former expedi- 

 tions, and all that had happened since our meeting at Abbotts' Wood 

 last year, with all other blissful reminiscences only known to ento- 

 mologists. Just before going to bed we turned out again, and stood 

 listening for some time to the owls, which were making unearthly 

 noises all around us : how long the hooting was kept up I cannot say, 

 but I heard it until I fell fast asleep in bed. 



Next morning was glorious — too hot to be comfortable, but just 

 right for the game we hoped to find. We had decided to spend the 

 day on the heath, so after breakfast at once set out. Passing through 

 Jones' enclosure, immediately behind and only separated by a narrow 

 field from our lodgings (and which enclosures, too, form some of the 

 best collecting ground), we crossed the road and were immediately on 

 one of the finest and most picturesque heaths I ever beheld. The 

 broad extent of purple heather, interspersed with scattered but by no 

 means small beech woods, with the various wood enclosures along the 

 sides, and the one or two farm-houses on the edge, together with the 

 fine spire of Lyndhurst Church towering above the trees, presented a 

 picture not to be surpassed in beauty, and never to be forgotten by 

 any of us. On leaving our lodgings the first butterfly we noticed, I 

 believe, was the graceful Limenitis Sibylla^ in anything but a lovely 

 condition, however, as they were evidently almost over, and although 

 plentiful enough, were in a wretchedly tattered condition. Argynnis 

 PapJiia was also at once noted in Jones' enclosure, and it was in good 

 condition. We afterwards found this was the most abundant butter- 

 fly on the wing, some of the blackberry bushes being literally alive 

 with it. On reaching the heath the pretty Lyccena JEgon at once 



