Page:VCH Surrey 1.djvu/156

 A HISTORY OF SURREY other southern and midland counties, only occurs sparingly in a few localities in Surrey. It has been recorded by the late Edward Newman from between Busbridge and Highdown's Ball, near Godalming, and in one field adjoining Headley Lane, Mickleham. Mr. Sydney Webb has taken it at Gomshall and about Ranmore Common near Dorking. I have never met with the species in Surrey except in the woods adjoining the Sheep Leas, West Horsley. Mr. Barrett reports it as occurring rarely near Haslemere. The Wood Argus (Satyrus egeria, L.) is generally common in woods and lanes, and the Wall (S. megcera, L.) is common everywhere by roadsides throughout the county. The Grayling (S seme/e, L.) is locally common on the chalk hills, also at Leith Hill on the greensand, and in most places on the Bagshot Sand district, such as Oxshott, Chobham, Woking, Worplesdon, etc. The Meadow Brown (S. ianira, L.) is abundant everywhere in meadows and on hillsides, and the Large Heath (S. tithonus, L.) is common throughout the county by hedgerows and roadsides and also in woods. The Ring- let (S. hyperanthes, L.) is not so generally distributed as its congeners, but is common in many woods throughout the county. The Small Heath (Chortobius pamphildus, L.) is everywhere common in fields, and on roadsides, heaths and hillsides. The Green Hairstreak (Thecla rubi, L.) is not uncommon in woods and lanes throughout the county. I have found it abundantly in some years about whitethorn hedges and bushes on the borders of the Sheep Leas, West Horsley, and between Horsley and Shi ere, but I have never found it commonly in the north-eastern or metropolitan district of the county. The Purple Hairstreak (T. quercus, L.) is generally distributed in the oak woods of the county and Mr. J. G. Hewat has found it commonly, in some seasons, in the Prince's Covers near Claygate. The White Letter Hairstreak (T. <w-album y Knoch) has been recorded by the late Edward Newman from the neighbourhood of Guildford, Godalming, Witley and Cobham, and the late J. F. Stephens found it in thousands in the vicinity of Ripley some sixty or seventy years ago. Since then it has been a very rare species in Surrey until in July, 1900, it again appeared in some numbers about Ripley, Cob- ham, 1 Esher and Claygate. The Brown Hairstreak (T. betula, L.) is recorded by Mr. Sydney Webb from Dorking and Reigate, and as occurring in some years along hedgerows between Redhill and Nutfield, always singly. I have heard of the occurrence of the larva? on the blackthorns in Ashtead Woods and elsewhere near Epsom, but I have never seen the species in the county. The Small Copper (Polyommatus phlceas, L.) is of course generally distributed all over the county in fields, meadows and on hillsides and in the rides of woods. I have never met with the Silver Studded Blue (Lyceena cegon^ Schiff.) on the chalk hills of Surrey, but it is abundant on nearly all the heaths on the Bagshot Sands, such as Abrook Common, Oxshott, Whitemoor Com- mon Worplesdon, about Wisley, Byfleet, Woking and Chobham, and 1 Mr. Percy Richards informs me that he and his father beat about 500 larvae of this species off one wych elm, near Esher, in 1900. H. G. 114