A RARE ENTOMOLOGICAL COLLECTION.

BY A VISITOR TO THE WOOLHOPE CLUB.

It was my good fortune on Thursday last, June 19th, to inspect the cabinets of British Lepidoptera collected by Mrs. Hutchinson, of Grantsfield, near Leominster. That lady most kindly opened them for the inspection of the members of the Woolhope Club who visited the neighbourhood on that occasion. It would be impossible to give even an outline of the vast collection. Owing to the length of the day's programme, barely as many minutes were devoted to its inspection as hours would have been required. A few of the rarer species, however, were noticed by the writer, and a short account of them may be of interest to your entomological readers.

The Bath White (Pieris Daplidice).-This, one of the rarest of diurnal lepidoptera, was represented by several specimens. The collector may pass from youth to old age and never be so fortunate as to capture this insect in the British Isles. Here he had the opportunity of feasting his eyes upon several examples.

The Purple Emperor (Apatura Iris).—A long series of this splendid butterfly, which holds the highest place among the British species, and is the most difficult to capture. Some grand specimens of their imperial majesties were in the collection.

The Camberwell Beauty (Vanessa Antiopa).-This rarity, the capture of a specimen forming a red-letter day in the career of the entomologist, was a surprise to the collector, from the number of representatives. The first and second of the series were taken at one sweep of the net, and varied from the other examples by having the outer border of a yellow tint, thus approaching the European type. The other specimens were of the usual British character, nearly white, with a faint yellow tinge.

The Queen of Spain Fritillary (Argynnis Lathonia).—This beautiful species, which varies so much in shape from the other members of the family, was represented by several specimens, all very fine. Owing to its scarcity, it is not often seen in cabinets of British butterflies.

The Silver Cloud (Xylomiges conspicilaris).—Here was a surprise for the entomologist, numerous examples of this exceedingly rare noctua meeting his astonished gaze; not a solitary specimen (as the collector considers himself fortunate in possessing), but varieties to be studied, so long was the series.

These are a few of the rarities noticed, and they will give an idea of the richness of the cabinets.

Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club.

JULY 15TH, 1884.

(LADIES' DAY.)

THE GORGE OF THE TEME AT DOWNTON.

ANOTHER pleasant day has been added to the Annals of the Woolhope Club; somewhat misty and dull it proved, and there was one shower, but no real inconvenience was caused by it, and all who were present seem to have enjoyed the day thoroughly. The gleams of sunshine were too few, but yet the mist and dulness in such lovely scenery had its own advantages and charms. Heavy rain in the morning prevented many members and their friends from venturing on the expedition, and when at the station, the crowds on their way to attend the Royal Agricultural Exhibition at Shrewsbury, quite prevented the recognition of the Woolhopeans. At Ludlow the carriages were waiting in readiness, and the party consisted of :-The President, the Rev. Chas. Burrough; the Vice-President, H. C. Beddoe, Esq., Miss Marion and Miss Kate Beddoe; Mrs. and Miss Armitage; Mr. Harold Brown and Miss Brown; the Revs. John Buckle and Godfrey Buckle, with two Misses Buckle; Dr. Bull, Mr. Ernest Bull, Miss Bull, Miss Maude and Miss Leila Bull; Mr. Du Buisson and Miss Du Buisson; Mr. A. A. Hancocks, Mrs. and Miss Hancocks; Mrs. Holden and Miss Stallard; Mr. J. W. Lloyd, Miss and Miss Mary E. Lloyd; Mr. Walter Shaw and two Misses Shaw; the Rev. R. H. Williams and two Misses Woodhouse; Miss Edith Symonds; the Revs. G. H. Clay and David Price; Messrs. F. Bainbridge, W. M. Clay, C.E., P. C. Cleasby, T. W. Fortey, C. Fortey, and J. Lambe; Mr. Theo. Lane, Mrs. Lane, and Miss Perkins.

The wild, wooded grounds in the narrow valley of the Teme, below the Castle, were as beautiful as they ever are at all times, and almost in all weathers; and there was on the present occasion ample time to enjoy the walk through them, and watch the trout and grayling in the rapid waters of the river below. A pleasant picnic luncheon was taken on the rocks-delicious bottled cider and perry got there somehow or other-not to mention other delectables, the Blue Ribbon notwithstanding. A shower came on just at this time, and thus there was possibly a more attentive audience than there otherwise perhaps might have been to listen to the papers under the shelter of the summer-house.

The President read an amusing paper, equally appropriate to the year and occasion, on "Bissextile: or some Legends connected with Leap Year." This was followed by a very interesting paper on "Herefordshire Tokens of the Seventeenth

Century: with Notes on the Issuers thereof"; by Mr. J. W. Lloyd, a paper which showed much study and research, and which was illustrated by lithographs. Another ten minutes was given to the continuation of the "Birds of Herefordshire," upon which the Woolhope Club is engaged at present. There was only time for the Owls, so the Hawks were taken as read, and a leisurely saunter was made to rejoin the carriages near the Castle.

The way back to Ludlow was very agreeably diversified by a drive through Oakley Park, where there is so much of interest in the trees ancient and modern, for the picturesque old oaks are there admirably contrasted with the varied foliage of the trees of the present century, planted with excellent judgment and taste.

On arrival at Ludlow the greater number of the visitors went over the very interesting ruins of the Castle, and went afterwards to see the fine Church, but the active members of the Club had other duties to perform.

The meeting for the transaction of the business of the Club was held in the Museum-room at Ludlow. The Revs. W. R. Jenkins and T. W. Walwyn Trumper were elected members. A communication was then made from the Rev. Augustin Ley, with reference to the publication of the Flora of Herefordshire. The printing of this work was begun twenty years since, but was not far proceeded with for reasons not necessary to enter into now. At that time the Rev. W. S. Symonds, M.A., F.G.S., &c., wrote the Geology of the fourteen botanical districts into which the county was divided, and he has again very kindly undertaken to revise this paper and bring it up to the present state of science.

The publication of the Flora of Herefordshire is one of the objects for which the Club was originally formed, and since the Rev. Augustin Ley is quite prepared with his MS. and offers to edit it, it was resolved to begin its publication as soon as the Central Committee could arrange to do so, in order that the volume may be completed next year.

The Museum at Ludlow was then cursorily examined with very great pleasure. Time did not admit of any long stay there, but enough was seen to secure a very cordial admiration of the excellent manner in which it is arranged. Its fossils are well known for their interest and rarity. The British birds, too, form a very fine collection, most beautifully prepared and arranged. One might wish, perhaps, that more space could be allotted to them, by banishing some of the foreign specimens; for good as they are, they have no business there. A local museum should be confined to local objects, to arrive at perfection; but it is ever the case that local human interests prevail and load the local cases with other objects than local ones. The Museum at Ludlow does the highest credit to those under whose care it is managed, and it is really an honour to the town, and an object of interest there, well worthy of a prolonged visit.

The Club were much indebted on this occasion, as has so often happened before, to the kindness and hospitality of the Messrs. Fortey, who spared no effort to make satisfactory arrangements for the meeting and to aid, in every possible way they could, to carry it off well. And they succeeded too, for, to finish as we began, in spite of dull and misty weather, a very enjoyable day was spent by all who had the good fortune to share in its adventures.

BISSEXTILE: OR LEGENDS CONNECTED WITH LEAP YEAR.

By the Rev. C. BURROUGH, M.A.

As the sun and moon were originally designed, not only to give light to the Earth, but to be "for signs, and for seasons, and years"; so the earliest records show that man distinguished between a solar and a lunar year—a year measured by the apparent course of the sun through the twelve zodiacal constellations, and a year divided according to the twelve periods of the moon's rotation round her own axis.

At the time of the Flood, about B.C. 2349, the lunar year was divided into twelve months of thirty days each, or 360 days; and this year perfectly corresponds with the Egyptian Vague year, without the five intercalary days; that is to say, the lunar year was corrected by the solar year in each case. So Julius Cæsar, whose name was given to this month, originally known by the Romans as Quinctilis, or the 5th, adapted the year in B.C. 46 to the sun's course. But the Julian Calendar supposes the mean tropical year to be 365 days 6 hours, and this exceeds the real amount by 11 minutes and 12 seconds, the accumulation of which, year after year, caused at last considerable inconvenience. Accordingly in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII. again reformed the Calendar. The ten days by which the year had been unduly retarded were struck out by a regulation that the day after October 4th in that year should be called the 15th, and it was ordered that whereas hitherto an intercalary day had been inserted every four years, for the future three such intercalations should be omitted, viz., in those years which are divisible without remainder by 100, but not by 400. Thus, according to the Julian Calendar, the years 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 were to have been leap years, but by the regulation of Pope Gregory, the years 1700, 1800, 1900 were to receive no intercalation, while the years 1600 and 2000 were to be bissextile as before. The Bull which effected this change was issued February 24th, 1582. Even now the reckoning is not quite accurate, for in 3,600 years the excess will have amounted to 24 hours! It has been proposed, consequently, by the French astronomer Delambre, that 3,600, 7,200, 10,800, &c., shall not be leap years, and so the measurement of time will really be made exact for the future! The Gregorian Calendar was introduced in the greater part of Italy, as well as in Spain and Portugal, on the day named in the Bull. In France, two months after, by an edict of Henry III., the 9th December was followed by the 20th. The Roman Catholic parts of Switzerland, Germany, and the Low Countries adopted the correction in 1583, Poland in 1586, Hungary in 1587. In England the Gregorian Calendar was not adopted till 1752, and Russia still retains the "old style" or Julian year.

The first day of the Roman month was, you know, called the Kalends: the seventh of March, May, July, and October, and the fifth of the rest, was called the Nones; and eight days after the Nones came the Ides. The intermediate days

were reckoned backwards, counting both extremes. Now, as the ordinary Julian year was 365 days, and the actual year about 365 days, Julius Cæsar established the rule that at the end of every four years, immediately after the Terminalia, or Festival of Terminus, the God of Boundaries, which was celebrated on the 23rd February, the last day of the old Roman year, a single day should be intercalated. In such a year, then, February the 23rd would be called the 7th day before the Kalends of March, and February 26th would be called the 5th day before the Kalends of March. Consequently, both the 24th and the 25th were called the 6th, and hence the term "bissextum," applied to the intercalated day, February 24th. The 24th, though, was distinguished from the 25th by being called Posteriorem, and the latter Priorem. And so the 24th of February is always the Festival of St. Matthias-the added Apostle-according to the old rule.

"Posteriore die celebrantur Festa Mathiae."

From the intercalated day being called Bissextum, Leap-year was named Annus Bissextus, and by the Venerable Bede Annus Bissextilis, whence the term "Bissextile."

The origin of the term "Leap-year" seems to have been that a day of the week is leaped over in consequence. For if in an ordinary year the first of March be on a Monday, the year following (not being leap-year) it will be on a Tuesday; but in leap-year it will be on a Wednesday.

To find leap-year there is this old rule

Divide by 4; what's left shall be

For leap-year-0; past-1, 2, 3.

I am sorry to say that I have been unable to find any legends connected especially with leap-year, and so the alternative title of this paper, thought appropriate for a Ladies' Day of our Club in such a year as this, is a witness to the truth of the old saying that certain "steps taken in haste are repented of at leisure." But, though I am not able to say when that very definite advance towards the universal enfranchisement of ladies was made, and they, once in every four years, for the space of 366 days were first allowed to take the matrimonial initiative, and command the affections and, it may be, restrain the liberty of the men of their choice,‚—or (I am very creditably informed) forfeit 12 pairs of gloves and a petticoat made of red flannel, I find that when William the Conqueror proposed to Matilda, daughter of Baldwin, Earl of Flanders, he was refused, because the lady was in love with the Saxon Earl Brihtric, ambassador of King Edward at her father's court, to whom (whether in leap-year or not is not chronicled) she had made repeated offers of marriage, which were as repeatedly refused! Again history is silent whether or not the forfeit was exacted! It is said, however, that William, who would not brook defeat either in love or war, went immediately and secretly to Bruges, where Matilda lived, and waited at the church door till she came out, when he seized her, "shook her not very tenderly," knocked her down with his fist, kicked her over and over in the mud, belaboured her most furiously, "overwhelming her with blows." Having concluded these delicate attentions,