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fair enough to produce no end of rarities in their season. The little village nestling at the foot of the wooded hills, and overshadowed by the noble ruins of the old castle from which it takes its name, faces the River Seine, and is separated therefrom by a broad stretch of marshy meadow land reclaimed from the river. On both sides are high limestone (?) cliffs rising several hundred feet sheer from the plain, and crowned with forest growth. Except on the low ground near the river, extensive woods meet the eye in every direction. The woods explored by us are in all stages of growth, some having been apparently cleared this year, while other parts appear to have been left untouched for ages. All the usual forest trees abound. In some parts birch-accompanied by bilberry, heather, and brake-fern-is luxurious; in others Euphorbia, hemp agrimony and foxglove form a striking feature. The ground at the base of the cliffs, especially towards the river, affords good collecting, and is very sheltered and warm. Sugaring was found to be most productive higher up the hills, especially the hill-side facing the castle. Behind the village is a swampy valley, full of willows, sallows, sedges, reeds, &c., that should produce, among other things, many species of Leucania. Although the weather, for the most part, was cloudy, and the nights rather raw, and succeeding a long spell of bad weather, we managed in our two days to get together a good long list of captures. The season was evidently a late one, judging by the species taken and the large proportion of freshly-emerged specimens. I can recollect, as a boy, taking, amongst other species in August, Papilio machaon, Argynnis latona, Vanessa antiopa, Grapta c-album, Colias edusa and C. hyale, Satyrus semele, Melanargia galatea, and Callimorpha hera, the last common on the flowers of hemp agrimony.

The following notes may be of assistance to anyone who proposes to visit the locality during the season:-Leave Waterloo 9.45 p.m. for Southampton, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; the train runs alongside the steamer, which leaves at midnight, arriving at Havre between 8.30 and 9 the following morning. Return fares, 1st class, 40s.; 2nd class, 30s. Take no luggage except such as can be carried by hand. Drive at once to the railway-station, and catch the 9.28 a.m. (next train 12.28 p.m.) to St. Romain: 1st class, 2 f. 20 c.; 2nd class, 1 f. 65 c. An omnibus takes you from the station to the town of St. Romain for 30 c. At the hotel 'Du Nom de Jesus' an excellent lunch can be had for 2 f. 50 c. or 3 francs, and a carriage obtained to drive to Tancarville (about 11 kil.) for 6 or 7 francs, or, if informed beforehand, the landlord of the hotel at Tancarville will send a carriage to the station of St. Romain for 8 francs, which would save time. At Tancarville there are several inns, the best of which is the 'Hotel du Havre'; the charges are 7 to 8 francs per day, including excellent cooking and very good cider. The travelling expenses

for the complete return journey, 1st class, for one person, amount to exactly £3; of course it would be something less for two or more people, as the cost of carriage, &c., would be shared; a considerable saving could also be effected by travelling 2nd class. It would be well to advise the landlord of the hotel at Tancarville, so that he could reserve rooms, as the accommodation is rather limited, but no doubt beds could be obtained outside. For the return journey, trains leave St. Romain station at 4.5 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., the latter allowing plenty of time to catch the steamer, which starts at 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The train arrives at Waterloo by 10 a.m. The entomologist ought to be able, by leaving London at 9.45 on a Friday night, to spend from 11 a.m. on Saturday to 6 p.m. on Monday at Tancarville, and arrive back in London by 10 a.m on Tuesday.

LIST OF LEPIDOPTERA TAKEN AT TANCARVILLE,

JUNE 14TH TO 16TH, 1890.

RHOPALOCERA. Pieris brassica and P. rapa. Euchloë cardamines. Gonopteryx rhamni, a few small larvæ on buckthorn. Argynnis selene. Vanessa urtica. V. cardui, one very worn female; deposited seven eggs in a chain. Melanargia galatea, larva. Pararge egeria and P. megara. Epinephele ianira. Thecla rubi. Lycana icarus. Syrichthus malva. Nisoniades tages. Hesperia sylvanus.

HETEROCERA.

BOMBYCES.-Zygana filipendula, one larva about half-grown. Hylophila prasinana, two specimens: these, from their splendid condition, appeared to have just emerged from pupae; one example has very distinct streak and blotches of red on the costa and inner margin of fore wing. Calligenia miniata, a female; deposited a number of eggs. Lithosia sororcula (= aureola). Euchelia jacobæa. Arctia villica. Spilosoma lubricipeda and S. menthastri. Hepialus hectus. Porthesia similis (= auriflua). Leucoma salicis. Dasychira pudibunda. Orgyia antiqua, larva. Bombyx neustria, larva, common. B. quercus, larva. Odonestis potatoria, larva. Dicranura vinula, one very small larva. Pygara pigra (= reclusa), larvæ, also very small.

NOCTUE.-Thyatira batis, at sugar. Moma orion, sitting among herbage. Acronycta psi, at sugar. A. rumicis. Gortyna ochracea, larvæ in stems of hemp agrimony. Xylophasia rurea, at sugar. Pachetra leucophæa, one very fresh example taken at exuding sap of birch tree; on each side of this birch were other trees which had been sugared. Apamea basilinea, at sugar. Miana strigilis, at sugar. Rusina tenebrosa, at sugar. Agrotis exclamationis, at sugar. Noctua brunnea and N. festiva, at sugar. Triphana pronuba, at sugar. Tethea retusa, larva, on willow. Euplexia lucipara, at sugar. Aplecta prasina (= herbida) and A. nebulosa, at sugar. Hadena thalassina and H. contigua, at sugar. Cucullia verbasci, larvæ common on Verbascum and Scrophularia; many very small, a few nearly full grown. Chariclea umbra, at sugar. Erastria venustula, beaten out of undergrowth in the wood above Castle. E. fasciana (= fuscula), disturbed ENTOM, JULY, 1890.

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from herbage at the edge of wood below Castle. Euclidia glyphica. Rivula sericealis. Zanclognatha grisealis. Pechypogon barbalis. Hypena proboscidalis.

GEOMETRE.-Epione advenaria, among bilberry above the Castle. Rumia luteolata (crat@gata). Metrocampa margaritaria. Boarmia repandata, not common; one example of var. conversaria sitting on the cliff, but quite beyond reach. B. consortaria. Tephrosia luridata (= extersaria). Iodis lactearia. Zonosoma linearia (= trilinearia). Asthena luteata and A. candidata. Acidalia ornata. Cabera pusaria and C. exanthemata. Bapta bimaculata (= taminata). Panagra petraria, almost passé. Minoa murinata (= euphorbiata). Abraxas grossulariata. Lomaspilis marginata. Larentia viridaria (=pectinitaria). Eupithecia linariata, E. plumbeolata, and E. castigata. Hypsipetes trifasciata (= impluviata). Melanippe montanata, M. galiata, and M. fluctuata. Anticlea rubidata. Camptogramma bilineata. Cidaria corylata. Anaitis plagiata.

PYRALIDES.-Scoparia ambigualis, S. cembra, and S. dubitalis. Pyrausta aurata (= punicealis) and P. purpuralis. Ennychia octomaculata. Eurrhypara urticata (= urticalis). Scopula olivalis. Botys fuscalis. Ebulea crocealis. Perinephele lancealis.

PTEROPHORI.-Platyptilia bertrami and P. gonodactyla. Mimaseoptilus pterodactylus (= fuscodactylus). Leioptilus microdactylus. Aciptilia pentadactyla. Alucita hübneri? Crambus pratellus, C. pascuellus, and C. hortuellus. Rodophæa consociella, larvæ.

TORTRICES.-Tortrix ribeana and T. viridana. Argyrotoza conwayana. Penthina pruniana and P. ochroleucana. Hedya ocellana and H. dealbana. Aspis udmanniana, larvæ. Sericoris urticana. Roxana arcuana. Orthotania striana. Sciaphila subjectana. Phoxopteryx myrtillana and P. lundana. Grapholitha penkleriana. Batodes angustiorana, one worn male specimen. Padisca profundana. Ephippiphora brunnichiana. Carpocapsa grossana. Stigmonota nitidana (= redimitana) and S. flexana. Dicrorampha politana, D petiverella, and D. plumbagana. Catoptria hypericana, common. Symathis oxyacanthella. Xanthosetia hamana. alcella (= tesserana, fine and well marked). Conchylis straminea. TINEE.-Endrosis fenestrella.

Chrosis

Besides Lepidoptera, many species of insects belonging to other Orders were met with; but, excepting the beetles, we did not secure as many samples as we might have done. Mr. Billups has been good enough to identify the specimens taken, and has reported on them as follows:

The Coleoptera are represented by 39 species, ranging from the Cicindelide down to the Chrysomelidæ.

Cicindela campestris, L., was the only species met with representing the first-named Family, and appeared fairly plentiful. Anchomenus parumpunctatus, F., Amara lunicollis, Schiod., and Harpalus ruficornis, F., being the representatives of the Carabidae: of these there was only one specimen of each taken. Of the Staphylinidæ two species only were met with, - Philonthus politus, F., and P. marginatus, F., and these sparingly; the Coccinellidæ being represented by several specimens of Coccinella 14-punctata, L. Among the Scarabæidæ, Aphodius fossor, L.,

and A. hæmorrhoidalis, L., two specimens only, but the deficiency was well made up by the abundance of Hoplia philanthus, Sulz. A type of Agrilus angustulus, Ill., represented the Buprestidæ ; whilst a specimen each of Athous hæmorrhoidalis, F., and Limonius minutus, L., did duty for the Elateride; the representatives of the Telephoridae being a solitary male of Drilus flavescens, Ol., male and female of Telephorus flavilabris, Fall., and a male of Malachius bipustulatus, L. Helops striatus, Fourc., was somewhat plentiful among the Tenebrionidæ, while the Pyrochroidæ had a single representative in a male of P. serraticornis, Scop. Several specimens of both sexes of Edemera noblis, Scop., and E. lurida, Marsh, appeared for the Edemeride; the deputies of the Curculionidae being Otiorhynchus tenebricosus, Hbst., O. picipes, F., Phyllobius alneti, F., Liophlæus nubilus, F., Barynotus obscurus, F., and Attelabus curculionides, L., several specimens of each. The Cerambycidae were represented by five species,namely, Agapanthia lineaticollis, Don., of which there were several examples of both sexes; Saperda cascharias, L., a type only; S. populnea, L., several specimens; and one each of Rhagium inquisitor, F., and Pachyta cerambyciformis, Schor. The Chrysomelidae were represented by a pair of Timarchia lævigata, L., and one specimen of a species closely allied to it, but which I have not yet been able to determine; a single specimen of Cryptocephalus aureolus, Suf., also a type of Chrysomela polita, L. Of the genus Lina there were several specimens of L. populi, L., while the remainder consisted of one specimen each of Gonioctena olivacea, Forst., Haltica coryli, All., and H. ericeti, All.

Several fine specimens of Homoptera were also met with in Triecphora sanguinolenta, Panz.,* while the Diptera had a representative in a beautiful specimen of the genus Syrphida. A very fine female of Trogus alboguttatus, Gr., represented the Family of Ichneumonidæ.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ENTOMOLOGY OF THE PORTSMOUTH DISTRICT.

By W. T. PEARCE.

COULD we compare a list of the fauna of this district of fifty years ago with one of the present time, we should find that modern improvements (?) had exterminated many interesting forms of life from our midst.

Fifty years ago Portsmouth and Portsea were surrounded by a wall, on which seven species of ferns were to be found; Southsea and Landport, by fields and market gardens. Southsea Common was a marsh, the home of rabbits and occasional hares;

* This insect is abundant all over the district.

in summer the haunt of the nightjar and many warblers; and in winter a hiding-place for the majority of our species of ducks. Lycana corydon could then be taken here, and Aporia crategi was common in Elm Grove. (Vide a paper read by Mr. H. Moncreaff before the P. and G. Natural Science Society.)

The wall was demolished nearly twenty years ago; of the ferns I have only found three species on the island. Southsea has become a well-known watering-place, and Landport the busiest part of the town. The rabbits have a feeble hold on the north of the island; hares are very scarce; the nightjar I have never seen or heard here. L. corydon occurs very sparingly on Portsdown Hill, and A. crategi has been extinct for twenty years.

My notes are taken from a list of the fauna of the district, compiled by myself and members of the Portsmouth and Gosport Natural Science Society. The district proper is the whole of the land south of Portsdown Hill, enclosed by parallel lines drawn from the east and west ends to the shore; but I shall not confine myself strictly to these limits, as very little has been written on the insects peculiar to this district.

The Rhopalocera are divided among the several families, as follows:-Pieridæ, 8 species; Nymphalidæ, 13; Apaturidæ, 1; Satyridæ, 8; Lycænidæ, 10; Erycinidæ, 1; Hesperiidæ, 5: total, 46 species. Two of them are now extinct, thus reducing the total to 44 species, all of which are to be found within ten miles of Portsmouth Town Hall.

PIERIDE.

Aporia cratagi.-Once common in Elm Grove, Southsea, but has now been extinct for about twenty years.

Pieris brassica.-Common. In the evening of August 8th, 1887, in Alder Marsh, near Gosport, Mr. T. H. Larcom and myself stood on one spot, and without moving counted, within a space of not more than six square feet, over two dozen (I believe it was twenty-nine) specimens of this species and P. rapa, which were resting for the night on the bramble bushes. A few days previously I counted over fifty white butterflies in the Bury Road; they were, no doubt, a portion of the swarm that visited the southern counties during the autumn of that year. The larvæ of P. brassicæ and P. rapa were very numerous in October and November, 1888, at Gosport. P. rapa.-Quite as common as P. brassica. P. napi.-Common, but rarely so common as brassica and rape. P. daplidice.-Portsdown Hill is the only locality in the district where this insect has been taken. Mr. J. J. Moore took two specimens here; Mr. H. Moncreaff, one; Mr. Taylor, one; a fifth is said to have been taken by another collector; and a sixth was seen by Mr. Larcom and myself on some chalky ground, August 22nd, 1886. I am unable to obtain the dates of the above captures, but none are very recent.

I

Euchloë cardamines.-Generally common throughout the district. have several specimens with the inner margin sulphur-yellow. A few years ago Mr. Larcom obtained a male with an orange blotch on the under wing near the hind margin; so far as I can discover it is not a pupal stain.

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