Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/288

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
260
Insects.

or certainly at once to decide an inland specimen from a maritime one. On the 4 th of the present month (July) a specimen of C.Hyalewas seen and chased from flower to flower for half a mile, in a lane near Shardlow, Leicestershire, hy my father, who did not succeed in securing it under his hat, though it allowed him repeatedly to strike at it. It appeared to him to differ in nowise from the specimen mentioned above. On the 13th of July Mr. Harley saw a specimen of C. Hyale flying about the fields near a farm in Shropshire, the colouring of which appeared to him very singular and beautiful. He alighted from his horse to pursue it, but in chasing it the horse took fright, and the insect escaped him, although struck down. He returned the next day, but the insect never made its appearance again. He was able, from the sight he had of it for awhile on the flowers, to notice the colouring and markings well, and describes it as being of a very rich sulphur, with the apical margins and the discoidal spot of the fore wing of a deepish red colour. I need hardly add that the capture of this insect would have added to the beauty of this genus of our diurnal Lepidoptera.—J. Plant; 37, King St., Leicester, July 21, 1843.

Note on the capture of Colias Hyale. Whilst driving into Canterbury to-day (June 15), I observed a butterfly in a clover-field, which proves to be Colias Hyale. I fortunately captured it in my hat after a short chase, not having my net with me. Another has been seen in the same place, where I also took five specimens last summer, about the beginning of August.—John B. Harrison; Barham, near Canterbury, July 15, 1843.

Note on the capture of Heliothis armigera near Salford, (figured in Boisduval). I have great pleasure in announcing this fine addition to British Lepidoptera, a beautiful female specimen having been taken in September, 1840, off the door of an outhouse belonging to my friend Mr. John Thomas, of Oldfield Lane, Salford, who liberally added it to my cabinet.—Robert S. Edleston; Fearn Acre, Cheetham Hill, near Manchester, July, 1843.

Note on Saturnia Pavonia-minor and Lasiocampa Rubi. A few days after I sent my last communication (Zool. 199), I was on White Moss, in the afternoon, and a man having a female of Saturnia Pavonia-minor, I remained with him a short time, when, to our great surprise, the males of Lasiocampa Rubi began to fly to the cage, but immediately on alighting on the box, found out their mistake and required to be secured. I never was witness to anything of the sort before.—Id.

Note on the variation in colour of Scoliopteryx libatrix. I caught a specimen of Scoliopteryx libatrix on the 13th of March last, in an empty house. Whether it had hybernated in the imago state, as the species of Vanessa generally do, I have no means of ascertaining. It was thoroughly perfect, the scales not being abraded on any part of it. Whilst speaking of this insect I may observe that neither Mr. Duncan (in the 1 British Moths,—Naturalists' Library') nor Mr. Westwood (in his volume just published) says anything respecting the varieties of colour to which this species is subject, although the colouring of their plates is very different (at least in the copies I have), Mr. Duncan's being very light and Mr. Westwood's extremely dark. I have two individuals, one of them equalling the lightest and the other the darkest of the plates alluded to above.—James Bladon; Pont-y-Pool, July 10, 1843.

Note on the capture of Lithosia muscerda in Norfolk. On the 17th of this month I took several specimens of this rare species in the meadows at Horning, in Norfolk. They made their appearance from half-past 8 till 10 o'clock in the evening, slowly flying over the long grass, and were very easily captured. I think amongst them there