A HISTORY OF ESSEX The Clifden or Dartford Blue (L. bellargus) is stated by Mr. Joseph Clarke to have certainly been taken once or twice near Saffron Walden, where there are old specimens in the museum presumably of local origin. The Chalk-hill Blue (L. corydori) is rare in Essex though common elsewhere. Previous to 1860 it occasionally occurred on the railway embankments near Colchester, while several specimens were once met with in the High Woods, though none had been found there previously or have been seen since. It seems to have been common near Epping about 1859, and single specimens were taken in 1885 and 1892. The latest records are one example at Havering-atte-Bower by Miss Ger- trude Pemberton-Barnes in 1899, and one at Great Horkesley in 1901. The Azure Blue (L. argiolus) is widely distributed, but often scarce in some districts; but in 19001 it appeared in far greater numbers than had ever been observed before, and seems to have abounded every- where. The Mazarine Blue (L. semiargus) appears to be almost extinct in England, but is reported by Mr. Joseph Clarke to have been formerly taken near Saffron Walden. The Small Blue (L. minima) is reported from the Epping district by Messrs. J. A. Clarke and W. Machin, and Mr. Joseph Clarke records a single specimen captured by himself ' a mile south of Walden.' The Duke of Burgundy (Nemeobius lucina) is uncommon and local. It is however sometimes met with in several woods in the Tendring Hundred. Mr. Raynor finds it sparingly at Woodham Ferris, and Mr. Howard Vaughan found it at Eastwood near Southend. The Grizzled Skipper (Syrichtbus mafoce) is widely distributed and common in many places. The Dingy Skipper (Nisoniactes tages) seems to have always been considered a common insect in Epping Forest, where Professor Meldola and Mr. W. Cole found it in abundance in 188990 ; but previous to 1893 only a single example had occurred in the Colchester district. In that year several were found in the High Woods, and since then it has been quite common. Mr. G. F. Mathew states that it also occurs near Harwich. The Small Skipper (Hesperia thaumas] is abundant everywhere in rough grassy places. The Essex Skipper (H. lineola) is common all along the coast, but does not seem to be found far inland. Before 1890 it was mixed up in our collections with the previous species, of which it was considered to be a variety, till Mr. Hawes when looking over the plates of Lang's Rhopalocera Europte found it to be distinct. The Large Skipper (H. syhanus) is the most generally distributed species of the family, and is common everywhere from the end of May till August. The Silver-spotted Skipper (H. comma) is reported from Danbury by Mr. Fitch, who states that three examples were taken there on 142
