The Rhopalocera include all the common species, and also a few which are always considered desirable by every collector. At Bewdley, Aporia cratægi used to be found, and doubtless could yet be obtained if carefully sought for. Leucophasia sinapis flies more or less abundantly at Bewdley Forest and Trench Woods; it has also been occasionally taken in woods near Knowle. Colias edusa always an erratic species, sometimes visits the Midlands, and has been captured at Yardley, Coleshill, Knowle, and other places. C. hyale also turned up once or twice in the district. Gonopteryx rhamni is generally distributed and plentiful. Argynnis selene, A. euphrosyne, A. aglaia, A. adippe, and A. paphia occur near Knowle, and at Bewdley they are all found in great abundance; the variety valesina has likewise been captured in the Forest. Melitæa aurinia is not rare in certain spots near Knowle and Bewdley. Vanessa C. album may occasionally be seen flying in the streets of Birmingham, especially in the region of Sparkbrook and Moseley. V. polychloros flies at Knowle. V. antiopa has several times been captured at Bewdley; and V. io, V. atalanta, and V. cardui are met with throughout the district.
The occurrence of Limenitis sibylla has not been heard of nearer than Church Stretton, but Apatura iris has been taken in woods not far from Coventry and Leamington. Melanargia galatea is a common butterfly at Salford Priors and Trench Woods. Epinephele hyperanthes is abundant at Bewdley. The southern limit of Cænonympha typhon appears to be Chartley Moss, where the butterfly (both light and dark forms) is anything but rare. Thecla betulæ, T. W. album, T. pruni, and T. quercus fly at Trench Woods; T. quercus also near Knowle, at Bewdley, &c.; and T. rubi is extremely plentiful at Sutton Park and Cannock Chase. Lycæna argiolus is found in several localities near Birmingham, but abounds in the Holly Woods at Sutton Park. L. semiargus used to be taken many years since, close to Birmingham, but seems to have become quite extinct.
In the division Heterocera the following list of selected species with localities must suffice to represent the moths of the district:—Acherontia atropos, Knowle, Dudley, Bewdley; Sphinx convolvuli, Birmingham (frequent); S. ligustri, Knowle, Sutton, Bewdley; Deilephila galii and D. livornica, Birmingham (occasional); Chærocampa celerio, Birmingham (1868); C. nerii, Birmingham (1869); C. porcellus, Sutton Park; C. elpenor, Solihull, Hockley Heath; Smerinthus ocellatus, S. populi and S. tiliæ are found throughout the district. Macroglossa stellatarum affects all our localities; M. fuciformis and M. bombyliformis may be found near Knowle.
Ino statices at Olton, Marston Green, Knowle; Zygœna filipendulæ var. chrysanthemi, Bewdley Forest; Lithosia mesomella, Knowle, Bewdley, Cannock Chase; Euchelia jacobææ used to be found at Saltley; Nemeophila russula and N. plantaginis, Sutton Park, Chartley Moss; Spilosoma fuliginosa, Knowle; S. mendica, Smallheath; Cossus ligniperda, throughout the district; Zeuzera pyrina, Knowle; Heterogenea limacodes, Trench Woods; Leucoma salicis, Knowle; Psilura monacha, Sutton Park; Orgyia gnostigma, Bewdley, Coventry, Cannock Chase; Saturnia pavonia, Sutton Park, Cannock Chase; Drepana sicula, Trench Woods (one larva 1885); D. binaria, near Knowle; Dicranura furcula and D. bifida, near Knowle; Pterostoma palpina, Knowle; Notodonta bicolor, Burntwood, Staffordshire; N. dictæa, N. dictæoides, N. dromedarius, N. zizac, N. trimacula, Knowle, Bewdley; Thyatira derasa and T. batis, Knowle, Sutton Park; Asphalia flavicornis, Knowle, Hopwas Wood, Cannock Chase; A. ridens, Hopwas Wood; Acronycta tridens, Knowle (larvæ on Elm Trees); A. leporina, Knowle; A. aceris, Smallheath; A. alni, Smallheath, Edgbaston, Sutton Park; Nonagria arundinis, Knowle, &c.; Gortyna ochracea, Knowle, Bewdley; Agrotis suffusa, Knowle; A. ripæ, Bewdley; Triphæna ianthina, T. fimbria, T. interjecta, Yardley, Knowle, Bewdley, Trench Woods; Amphipyra pyramidea, Knowle; Panolus piniperda, Sutton Park; Tæniocampa gracilis, Yardley, Knowle; Anchocelis lunosa, Kidderminster; Xanthia citrago, X. fulvago, X. circellaris, Knowle; Eremobia ochroleuca, Acock’s Green, Yardley; Dianthæcia cucubali, Sparkbrook, Knowle; Hecatera serena, Bewdley Road, Kidderminster; Polia chi, throughout the district; Aplecta tincta, Knowle, Bewdley; Hadena glauca, Sutton Park, Cannock Chase; Xylocampa areola, Knowle; Calocampa vetusta, C. exoleta, Knowle, Sutton Park; Xylina ornithopus, Knowle; Cucullia verbasci, Knowle, Bewdley; C. chamomillæ and C. umbratica, Coleshill, Knowle, Dudley; Habrostola tripartita and H. triplasia, Knowle; Plusia interrogationis, Cannock Chase; Anarta myrtilli, Sutton Park, Cannock Chase, Bewdley Forest; Heliaca tenebrata, Sparkbrook, Knowle, Bewdley; Chariclea umbra, Coleshill; Erastria fasciana, Trench Woods; Phytometra viridaria, Knowle, Coleshill, Sutton, Cannock Chase, &c.; Euclidia mi and E. glyphica, Knowle, Bewdley, Trench Woods; Catocala nupta, Knowle, Bewdley, Bromsgrove; Brephos parthenias, Bewdley, Cannock Chase; Epione apiciaria, Knowle; Venilia macularia, Angerona prunaria and Eurymene dolobraria, Bewdley Forest; Pericallia syringaria, Smallheath, Hall Green, Knowle, Bewdley; Selenia lunaria, near Birmingham, Nyssia hispidaria, Sutton Park; Biston hirtaria, Cannock Chase; Amphidasys strataria, Knowle, Sutton Park; Hemerophila abruptaria, Edgbaston, Knowle; Boarmia roboraria, Bewdley, Cannock Chase; B. consortaria, Knowle, Bewdley, Trench Woods; Tephrosia punctularia, Cannock Chase, Trench Woods; Gnophos obscuraria, Bewdley; Pseudoterpna pruniate, Knowle; Geometra papilionaria, Knowle, Bewdley; Phorodesma pustulata, Solihull; Zonosoma porata, Z. pendularia; Erdington, Knowle, Bewdley, Trench Woods; Asthena luteata, A. candidata, A. sylvata, Knowle; A. blomeri, Hoar Cross; Acidalia fumata, Chartley; A. inornata, Chartley, Cannock Chase; Timandra amataria, Knowle; Bapta temerata, Trench Woods; Macaria liturata, Hopwas Wood, Cannock Chase; Bupalis piniaria, Knowle, Sutton Park, Hopwas Wood, Cannock Chase; Minoa murinata, Bewdley Forest; Aspilates strigillaria, Bewdley, Cannock Chase, Chartley; Abraxas sylvata, Hopwas Wood; Eupithecia venosata, Sutton Park, Cannock Chase; Lobophora halterata, Trench Woods; L. viretata, Sutton Park (some seasons very abundant); L. carpinata, Hopwas Wood; Thera variata, Sutton Park, Hopwas Wood, Cannock Chase; Hypsipetes ruberata, H. trifasciata, Solihull, Sutton Park, Bewdley; Melanippe hastata, Knowle, Bewdley; Anticlea sinuata, A. rubidata, A. badiata, A. derivata, Knowle; Camptogramma fluviata, Knowle; Cidaria miata, Knowle; Carsia paludata, var. imbutata, near Birmingham.
Chapter V.
Microscopic Fauna.
BY THOMAS BOLTON, F.R.M.S.
The writer in drawing up the following summary of the local Microscopic Fauna, knowing how limited a space is allowed, has in several of the families given only the more rare and remarkable species which have come under his own observation. The organisms included in this division are abundant all round Birmingham; in the canals, reservoirs, and rivers, in the swags and catchpits, amongst the spoil heaps of the “Black Country,” and in the numerous clay-pits on the farm lands.