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OK THE ABUiN DANCE OE GYNTHIA OARDUI AND OTHER 



LEPIDOPTERA IN 1865. 



By G. E. Mathew. 



The extreme abundance of Cynthia cardui, during the summer and 

 autumn of 1865, in widely distant localities is a fact worthy of some slight 

 notice. This species it is well known appears in some years in great numbers 

 and the next season perhaps only half a dozen individuals are to be met 

 with. Last year it seems to have been even more numerous than it has been 

 for many previous seasons. I first noticed it in any quantity about the 

 middle of July, iji the neighbourhood of Ban try, County Cork. In this 

 locality, a month later, 1864, I do not recollect having observed a single 

 example. The next sjDecimens were seen under most peculiar circumstances, 

 viz., on the 4:th August, while we were hove to on the broad Atlantic^ in 

 Latitude 51° ?>r N., Longitude 38" 17^' W., watching the ^' Great Eastern " 

 in her fruitless endeavours to recover the broken cable ; a butterfly was dis- 

 covered by one of my messmates floating on the water close to the ship's 

 side, and as he w^as aware of the interest I take in such matters, he called 

 my attention to it ; and I was surprised at seeing an apparently fresh Cardui 

 on the water with wings spread out, still alive and struggling violently but in 

 vain to regain its native element. It was quite calm at the time and had 

 been so for several days, with the sea of course as smooth as glass. The 

 next observed was on Sunday, the 6th August, while in Latitude 51° 26^^ N., 

 Longitude 38° 46''' W. There had been a dense fog during the early part of 

 the morning, which cleared off at noon, and the sun shone out brightly. It 

 was then while I was walking on deck that Cardui flew by and settled close 

 before me expanding its wings to the sun. This specimen continued to fly 

 about the ship the whole of the afternoon. These two butterflies must have 

 taken a passage from Ireland either in the "Great Eastern" or the "Terrible." 

 At St. John's, Newfoundland, Cardui occurred in the utmost profusion ; 

 indeed, with the exception of three examples of a Pieris and a few Vanessa 

 atalanta, and urticce, (which did not differ in any way from English speci- 

 mens,) it was the only butterfly I observed during our visit to the island. It 

 was not only abundant in the perfect state but also as larv£e and pupae. 

 On the 21st August I took a drive with two of my messmates some distance 

 into the country, and Cardui swarmed on the wild flowers on each side of the 

 road, flying up in our faces as we passed by and proving quite a nuisance. 



