68 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
nary form, specimens of the laciniate form of the plant, which is a true variety referable 
to the class laciniatum; and the sub-variety multifidum exhibited in the barren branch, 
which appears to be rather rare, though the same sub-variety is common enough in 
the fruitful branches; and they illustrate well the danger of founding a species on 
character drawn from the mere circumscription or cutting of fronds. It is singular 
to find so many varieties of form all crowded together in one small locality. 
The point of whether this plant is truly a plant parasite or not has engaged my 
attention, and the only conclusion ! can come to is, that there is no actual con¬ 
nection or contact between it and the plants among which it is found ; which is the 
more strange, as it is evident from the nature of the localities in which it grows, 
and from the testimony of all the most successful cultivators of the plant, that it 
will not subsist unless amongst grass. Mr. Wollaston, than whom I know of none 
more competent to offer an opinion on any subject connected with the growth of 
ferns, has told me that he finds that to keep the plant over the second year, it is 
absolutely necessary to grow it in a tuft of grass, and yet that he has never, even 
after the most searching examination, by washing out the soil from the roots of 
plants, succeeded in tracing any connection between the plants; so that this must, 
I fear, be, for the present, classed among those botanical puzzles which have 
baffled all our efforts for their unravelling. In conclusion, let me urge on every 
botanist who has the chance of studying this plant to never let slip an opportunity 
of doing so, for, owing to the short time of the year during which these obser¬ 
vations can be prosecuted, one golden opportunity lost may never occur again. 
Mr. Andrews, Honorary Secretary, then read the following 
ON THE OCCURRENCE OF GONEPTERYX RHAMNI AND THECLA BETULiE IN KERRY. 
It is unnecessary to give any description of either of these beautiful species, as 
they have both been frequently figured and described in many histories of British 
lepidoptera. 
The first, the brimstone butterfly (G. Rhamni), is an insect abundant in 
the southern counties in England, scarce in the midland, and not found in the 
northern, or Scotland. It is not so easy to speak with certainty of its occurrence 
in this country, as, unfortunately, there is a great dearth of records of entomolo¬ 
gical research here. It may, however, be assumed to be a rare and extremely 
local insect, and we find no record of its appearance in any quantity, or with any 
regularity, which is rather remarkable, as, in the sister country, it is one of those 
insects which, though local, when it does appear is found in numbers, and also 
annually. Last year, however, in the month of August, in a secluded part of 
Muckruss, Killarney, in one of those tortuous mountain paths screened from the 
breeze, amidst the bright rays of an autumnal sun lighting up the sprays of the 
buckthorn and honeysuckle, the brimstone butterfly might be seen in numbers 
basking in the sun’s glare, or gaily flitting around with their beautiful sulphur- 
coloured wings. Occasionally, as though for the sake of the contrast, they would 
alight on the blue flowers of the field scabious (Scabiosa succisa), and quietly 
closing their wings, allow themselves to be captured, a habit very different from 
that of the beautiful red admiral and peacock butterflies (Vanessa Atalanta and 
Xo,) with which it was in company, and which might be seen, on the other hand, 
when alighting, open fully out their wings, as though proud of their gay colouring. 
The same habit is also seen in the painted lady (Cynthia cardui), whose favourite 
plants are the yellow flowers of the ragwort (Senecio vulgaris). 
Near the same locality the brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae), a rare insect in 
Ireland, a single specimen, was met with. The common gamma moth (Plusia 
gamma) also made its appearance in great numbers in September last. During 
the previous summer its larvae had proved very destructive to the peas and beans. 
Mr. Andrews illustrated his remarks by specimens of the insects referred to. 
Mr. E. Percival Wright, Secretary of the University Zoological Association, had 
met Gonepteryx Rhamni in the county Dublin. Although a scarce insect in 
