Welsh Journals

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ENTOMOLOGICAL FAUNA OF SKOMER ISLAND. By HOWARD M. HALLETT, F. E. S. Although situated outside the geographical limits of the Society's field, the island of Skomer became a special annexe owing to one of our Past Presidents, the late J. J. Neale, leasing it for a number of years, and our Transactions were enriched by contributions on its Natural History by the late Robert Drane and on its Geology by Messrs. F. T. Howard and Evan Small. Nothing has been published on the Entomological fauna, and, unfortunately, all the Entomologists who have visited it have chosen the month of June the following notes, there- fore, are necessarily very incomplete, but will give an indication of the probable results of more extended investigation. The late H. W. Vivian visited the island in 1899, but the only record we have of that visit is that he captured an example of the very rare moth Dianthoecia luteago, var. barretti, Dbld. Mr. J. J. Cox, of Tring Museum, visited the island in June, 1919, to collect the Skomer Vole, and has kindly supplied a note on the fleas found on this mammal. Mr. H. E. David, of Margam, collected there in 1921 and 1922, and the accompanying list of Lepidoptera is almost entirely his work. Finally, an expedition was made by the National Museum of Wales in June, 1928, to study the Geology of the island and to collect specimens of the Vole for the purpose of exhibi- tion in the Museum. The party consisted of Dr. F. J. North and Mr. W. E. Howarth, of the Geological Department, Mr. Colin Matheson and Mr. Lionel F. Cowley, of the Zoological Department, Mr. T. W. Proger, Mr. Morley Neale, Mr. Douglas Neale, the writer, and Mr. Foster, attendant in the Zoological Department of the Museum.